Professor Picklebottom
Super Bubble Domes
Professor Picklebottom has been testing a mysterious new bubble mixture.
Some bubbles burst as soon as they touch the table.
Others grow into giant domes, hold smaller bubbles inside them and even bounce another bubble on top!
What makes one bubble stronger than another?
Can you discover the secret recipe?
Ages
5-12 yrs
Duration
min
15
Difficulty
Easy
Stage
Stage 1-3
Cite this resource
Created by Darin Carr (BSc, DipEd)
NESA Accredited Teacher · Chemistry & Physics Specialist · 30+ years in-class teaching
Resource Version: 1.0
First Published:
Last Updated:
31 July 2026
MISSION VERIFIED
Classroom tested. Teacher designed. Safe at home.
Designed by Darin Carr (BScDip Ed)
Practising NESA accredited
Australian Science Teacher
★ 30+ years of classroom experience
MISSION PROGRESS
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Before you investigate... watch the mystery
MISSION HOOK
Professor Picklebottom and the team are travelling and collecting amazing science mysteries.
✔ Coming in Term 1 2027
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Mission Equipment
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
Straws
Concentrated detergent
3 cups
permanent marker
Tape
glycerine
Salt
Let’s Investigate
Follow the missions steps below to solve the mystery.
1
Become a Bubble Scientist
Today you'll become a bubble scientist!
You'll create three different bubble recipes.
Each recipe changes just one ingredient.
Then you'll investigate which one makes the strongest bubbles.
Before you begin...
Which recipe do you think will win?
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
2
Make Formula Alpha
Label three clear cups:
Formula Alpha
Formula Beta
Formula Gamma
Pour the same amount of bubble solution into each cup.
Leave Formula Alpha exactly as it is.
This is your starting recipe.
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
3
Make Formula Beta
Add one small pinch of salt to Formula Beta.
Stir gently until it dissolves.
Now ask yourself...
Will this tiny change make stronger bubbles?
Or weaker ones?
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
4
Make Formula Gamma
Add one teaspoon of glycerol to Formula Gamma.
Stir gently until it is completely mixed.
You now have three different bubble recipes ready to investigate.
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
5
Bubble Dome Challenge
Wet the table.
Use the same straw for every recipe.
Can you make the biggest bubble dome?
Test Formula Alpha, Beta and Gamma.
Which makes the biggest dome?
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
6
Bubble Inside a Bubble
Now test all three recipes again.
Can you blow a second bubble inside the first one?
Does one recipe make this easier?
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
7
Bubble Trampoline
Place a large bubble onto your wet hand.
Now gently blow another bubble onto the first one.
Can it bounce like a trampoline?
Test all three recipes.
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
8
Which Recipe Wins?
Look back at all of your investigations.
Which recipe was the strongest overall?
Remember...
Scientists don't guess.
They use evidence.
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Look carefully at the three bubble mixtures.
Do any look thicker?
Do any have more bubbles?
Which one do you think will make the strongest bubbles?
Why do you think that?
Record your prediction before you begin.
1
Become a Bubble Scientist
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Look carefully at the three bubble mixtures.
Do any look thicker?
Do any have more bubbles?
Which one do you think will make the strongest bubbles?
Why do you think that?
Record your prediction before you begin.
1
Become a Bubble Scientist
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Look carefully at the three bubble mixtures.
Do any look thicker?
Do any have more bubbles?
Which one do you think will make the strongest bubbles?
Why do you think that?
Record your prediction before you begin.
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Look carefully at the three bubble mixtures.
Do any look thicker?
Do any have more bubbles?
Which one do you think will make the strongest bubbles?
Why do you think that?
Record your prediction before you begin.
The Crazy Scientist LAB Learning System™
Every experiment follows The Crazy Scientist Lab Learning System™ — a simple way to help kids think like real scientists.
We
-
LINK to what they already know,
-
ACTIVATE curiosity through hands-on discovery
-
BUILD understanding that actually sticks.
Have you ever...
• blown bubbles outside?
• watched a bubble pop the instant it landed?
• wondered why some bubbles seem much stronger than others?
Bubbles may look delicate, but they're actually tiny stretchy films holding air inside.
Today you'll investigate what makes some bubbles much stronger than others.
Before anyone explained why bubbles behave differently...
You'll investigate it yourself.
You'll compare different bubble mixtures.
You'll build giant bubble domes.
You'll create bubbles inside bubbles.
You'll even try making a bubble trampoline!
Every investigation gives you another clue about what makes a bubble strong.
Solving the Mystery
Your investigation revealed something surprising.
Not all bubble mixtures behave the same way.
Some bubbles popped quickly.
Others stretched further, lasted longer and held their shape much better.
So why?
A bubble is made from an incredibly thin film of soapy water.
Some ingredients help strengthen that film and slow down how quickly the water evaporates.
That gives the bubble more time to stretch without bursting.
Scientists test different recipes in exactly the same way you did today—changing one ingredient at a time and comparing the results.
The important discovery isn't simply which recipe was best...
It's how you found out.
✔ You changed one variable.
✔ You compared the results.
✔ You looked for patterns.
"Want the full teacher guide? The Crazy Scientist Lab includes classroom delivery tips, how to manage the WOW moment, differentiation for Stage 2 & 3, — ready to teach tomorrow."
Think Like a Scientist
Scientists don't just do ONE experiment; they change one part of the experiment (independent variable) and then see how it affects another part of the experiment
(dependent variable)
Change ONE variable and test again.
What happens if you change the amount of glycerol?
Does the type of dishwashing detergent make a difference?
Dr Puddledrip’s Science Tip
Read the Science
Teachers & Homeschoolers: Print-ready HD versions of this Science Behind It poster and companion G&T Challenge Card are available inside The Crazy Scientist LAB.
Scientist's Challenge
Designed for HPGE, gifted learners and children who enjoy an extra challenge.
Teachers & Homeschoolers: Print-ready HD versions of this Science Behind It poster and companion G&T Challenge Card are available inside The Crazy Scientist LAB.
The Next Question...
You've solved today's mystery. Now discover where curiosity can take you next.
Teachers & Homeschoolers: Print-ready HD versions of this Science Behind It poster and companion G&T Challenge Card are available inside The Crazy Scientist LAB.
Vocabulary
Surface Tension
The stretchy skin that forms on the surface of water.
Variable
One thing you change during an investigation.
Fair Test
Changing only one variable so you know what caused the result.
Know a parent or teacher who'd love this? Send it on! 👇
Keep Exploring This Mystery
One experiment leads to even more amazing discoveries inside the Learning Universe.
Curiosity Files
BIG Questions & Discovery
Illustrated Facts
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Discover science everywhere
The Teacher's Cauldron
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Books
Read • Explore
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Ready for Your Next Discovery?
READY TO TEACH THIS
TOMORROW?
Running the experiment is easy; however, teaching it well is another challenge.
Teachers often ask:
How do I adapt this for Stages 1,2 or 3?
What misconceptions will they have?
What syllabus outcomes does it cover?
What do I do with fast finishers?
How do I structure this for a full class?
What do I say when they ask WHY?
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