Comparing Crystals

by: Karen Hoiberg, Janet Sharp, and Scott Chumbley

This standard lesson on identifying salt and sugar crystals expands into an opportunity for students to develop their observation, questioning, and modeling skills. Although sugar and salt may look similar, students discovered that they looked very different under a magnifying glass and behaved differently when dissolved in water. In addition, students’ curiosity was piqued when the lesson was started by reading Two Bad Ants (Van Allsburg 1988), the story of two ants trekking across dangerous terrain to bring sugar crystals back to their queen.

Details

Type Journal ArticlePub Date 10/1/2003Stock # sc03_041_02_33Volume 041Issue 02

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Tina Harris (Bloomington, IN)
Tina Harris (Bloomington, IN)

Nanoscience with salt and sugar

A well thought-out lesson on differences in matter is presented along with a "twist" - based on student questions the teacher sought out a university contact with a stronger "microscope"! Wh... See More

Ruth Hutson (Westmoreland, KS)
Ruth Hutson (Westmoreland, KS)

Excellent set of lessons!

This article outlines a wonderful set of lessons that elementary school teachers can use to help their students understand the difference between crystals and basic crystal structure. The l... See More

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