Thursday, March 13, 2014

A quick look back at 2013

I was looking back over the 2013 posts and realized that my most popular post wasn't exactly about Messy Fingers but about Jello. The number one post from 2013 was how to make glow in the dark jello.

Why make Glow in the Dark Jello? For my bookclub it was thematic and since it is made with quinine, it has a slight bitterness that many not be appealing to kids. But my lovely literary friends, thought it was spectacular on many  levels. And that is only one small part of why I adore my bookclub friends - they get me.

Why should you try Glow in the Dark Jello?

Anytime you can spark your family's curiosity is a win in my book. Cooking food is chemistry at its best but we rarely step back and think about all the wondrous events that have to occur for meat to cook, onions to caramelize, or even milk to be pasteurized.

Food experiments are an easy way for everyone to start talking science. Why did the Jello glow? Would it glow if we made it with soda or orange juice? Why doesn't it glow in regular light? What would happen if.... These are the very best of questions to begin asking. All science begins with questions and the more practice you have thinking about great questions the better science questions you'll ask.

I am a huge fan of all things Glow in the Dark and different things glow for different reasons. What are your favorite Glow in the Dark objects?  And why do they glow....