Who Glows There?

Today’s session was designed as a lab. The kids had the task of searching for what causes some objects to emit light.

We began with a photograph of a firefly and a question.
What unique attribute in a firefly's body provides it the ability to give off light?

Searching for an answer, we first needed to understand what an enzyme is, luckily our resident scientist provided a brilliant explanation. With this knowledge on hand, we began our experiments. Using an entourage of Hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, mountain dew, dish detergent and a glowing glue stick, we prepared a mixture that could be modified slightly. By changing the proportions of one ingredient, we were able to observe and document the resulting changes. It was a fascinating learning experience and we had glowing good time!