Crystaline Snowflake Science

For the past couple of weeks, the class has been working on making borax crystal snow flakes. We first cut and folded the pipe cleaners into the snowflake shape. To assist the children, I drew out instructions with pictures of what it should look like. Some of the children spent time measuring out their pipe cleaners to be the same length. I taught them how to add on little arms to their basic snowflake shape by comparing it to a head with arms hugging himself across his chest.

We mixed a solution of borax and hot water. About 3 tbs of borax to 1 cup of hot water and mixed it all together. We talked about what a solution is

(dictionary.com definition: the process by which a gas, liquid, or solid is dispersed homogeneously in a gas, liquid, or solid without chemical change) and the children started calling it the solution too! We were learning science terms.

We hung the pipe cleaner snow flakes overnight, emmersed in the solution. The next day, we pulled out the snowflakes covered in crystals. We looked at the crystals and their shapes under our mini-hand-held-microscope. A lot of the children were fascinated by them and wanted a little piece of their own, so we fished some out of the bottom of the container.

 

The next day, I brought in two books to the classroom with some information about crystals and how they form. Some of the children read through the pages. I sat down with one boy to further discuss the pictures. He was unsure what was happening in the mining photo. We read the passage about the picture and tried to work it out together. He noticed they were using a tool and there was a lot of dust. I pointed to the bar that was attached to the tool and asked him what he thought it was. He said "a drill!" We solved the mystery. 

 

I went around the classroom and asked the children what they knew about crystals and what they wanted to know. I wrote down their comments and questions on a piece of paper. This is what happened at the end of last week, so this week, we will be finding the answers. Stay tuned :)