Academy Curricular Exchange
Columbia Education Center
Science

TITLE:  CRYSTALS

AUTHOR:  Charles Gutierrez, Sierra Vista Elementary, NM

OVERVIEW:  This lesson is introduced as a supplemental study of
matter, chemistry, or as a fun activity for follow up on matter.
 
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:  4th,   science

PURPOSE:  The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the student
to the effects of the mixture of different components and also the
effect of one chemical on another.

OBJECTIVE:  The objective of the lesson is that the child will form
crystals in the classroom and understand the cause and effect of
mixing different chemicals.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS: 
1 glass slide
1 test tube
1 dropper
1 bottle of mucilege glue
magnesium sulfate

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
  1)  put 3 ml of water into the test tube
  2)  add enough magnesium sulfate to make saturated solution
  3)  add a drop of glue, and stir until the glue is dissolved
  4)  using the dropper, put enough of the solution on the glass
slide to cover it completely
  5)  wait a few minutes and the child will see the crystals start to form.
  6)  place the glass slide on the window sill and allow to dry

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:  This is a good beginning experiment for
the fourth grade. It is also possible to make silver crystals using
silver nitrate rather than magnesium sulfate but a word of caution
when using silver nitrate. Silver nitrate is not to be swallowed
or to come in contact with the eyes, so be very careful.

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