Welcome to Mission Discovery - Mission 1!
Science Buddies, please read this FIRST before you work on the mission together with your young scientist. CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION FOR SCIENCE BUDDIES ONLY
Big Questions:
By the end of the Mission, you should be able to answer these questions.
1. How do some secret messages work?
2. What is chemistry?
3. How can chemistry help us read a secret message?
Science Buddies, please read this FIRST before you work on the mission together with your young scientist. CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION FOR SCIENCE BUDDIES ONLY
Big Questions:
By the end of the Mission, you should be able to answer these questions.
1. How do some secret messages work?
2. What is chemistry?
3. How can chemistry help us read a secret message?
Mission 1.1 Invisible Ink
This idea is from Scientific American - Science at Home.
What You Need
-Q-tips (one per message)
-citrus juice (lemon, orange or grapefruit juice - just squeeze the juice from the fruit into a small cup)
-sheets of plain white paper
-an electric iron (or a light bulb)
-piece of cloth
What To Do
1. Using a Q-tip dipped in citrus juice, write or draw a message on a sheet of paper.
2. Let the message or drawing dry.
3. Your Science Buddy MUST help you with this step!
Place a cloth over the message and run a hot iron over it for five or ten seconds (or hold it above a hot light bulb.)
4. Stop heating when your message appears. Make sure to turn off the iron when you are done!
Watch this video to help you see how to do it, then give it a try!
This idea is from Scientific American - Science at Home.
What You Need
-Q-tips (one per message)
-citrus juice (lemon, orange or grapefruit juice - just squeeze the juice from the fruit into a small cup)
-sheets of plain white paper
-an electric iron (or a light bulb)
-piece of cloth
What To Do
1. Using a Q-tip dipped in citrus juice, write or draw a message on a sheet of paper.
2. Let the message or drawing dry.
3. Your Science Buddy MUST help you with this step!
Place a cloth over the message and run a hot iron over it for five or ten seconds (or hold it above a hot light bulb.)
4. Stop heating when your message appears. Make sure to turn off the iron when you are done!
Watch this video to help you see how to do it, then give it a try!
What's Going On?
Record what happened on your Mission Report. Please label it Mission 1.1 Invisible Ink.
What happened to the area that was covered in lemon juice when it was heated?
What changed?
Work with your Science Buddy to discover how chemistry is at work in this mission.
What is Next?
Try other liquids that might work to write a secret message. Ask your Science Buddy to help you look up ideas using the Science Buddy links and ideas from the Mr. Wizard video above.
Can you create an art piece using this method?
Record what happened on your Mission Report. Please label it Mission 1.1 Invisible Ink.
What happened to the area that was covered in lemon juice when it was heated?
What changed?
Work with your Science Buddy to discover how chemistry is at work in this mission.
What is Next?
Try other liquids that might work to write a secret message. Ask your Science Buddy to help you look up ideas using the Science Buddy links and ideas from the Mr. Wizard video above.
Can you create an art piece using this method?
Mission 1.2 Edible Secret Message
This idea is from Science Friday.
What You Need
-Q-tips (one per student)
-baking soda or baking powder
-marshmallow (larger ones work better)
-an toaster oven, oven, or campfire
What To Do
This idea is from Science Friday.
What You Need
-Q-tips (one per student)
-baking soda or baking powder
-marshmallow (larger ones work better)
-an toaster oven, oven, or campfire
What To Do
What's Going On?
Record what happened on your Mission Report. Please label it 1.2 Edible Secret Message.
What happened to the area that was had the message when it was heated?
What changed?
What is Next?
How is this mission activity similar to Mission 1.1?
Work with your Science Buddy to work through other ideas from the Science Friday website.
Revisit the Big Questions at the beginning. Can you answer them?
What's Going On?
Record what happened on your Mission Report. Please label it 1.2 Edible Secret Message.
What happened to the area that was had the message when it was heated?
What changed?
What is Next?
How is this mission activity similar to Mission 1.1?
Work with your Science Buddy to work through other ideas from the Science Friday website.
Revisit the Big Questions at the beginning. Can you answer them?
Come back next week for another fun mission to do!
Remember to record all of your work on a Mission Report. Do one for each different activity. Label each activity with the number and name.
If you have any questions, please leave a question in the comments below.
I hope you discover something new everyday! Have a great day!
Remember to record all of your work on a Mission Report. Do one for each different activity. Label each activity with the number and name.
If you have any questions, please leave a question in the comments below.
I hope you discover something new everyday! Have a great day!