Making Snowflakes

Did you know that snowflakes are actually crystals? Crystallization is the term for the formation of crystals.

 

1. Read about crystals here. 

 

2. Read about crystallization here.

 

3. Summarize the definition of a crystal and how crystallization works (without using science terms) in your notebook. You may draw pictures to clarify your definitions.

 

4. You will be doing a science experiment to grow your own crystals in the shape of snowflakes. Set up your notebook like this:

 

               Question: Will a solution of Borax and water make crystals?

 

               Hypothesis: I think...(say what you think will happen, and what                                         you think the crystals will look like)

 

5. Glue the list of materials and the procedure instructions in your notebook.

 

6. Try it out! In your notebook, record any observations.

 

7. When the experiment is finished, think of a variable you could change. Try the experiment again by changing one of the variables. Record the results in your notebook.

 

 

When you finish, watch this BrainPop video about snowflakes.

 

Then, answer this question in your notebook:

 

1. How is your experiment similar to what happens in nature? How is it different? 

 

Now check out this article from Wikipedia.

 

2. What do all snowflakes have in common?

 

 

 

Try making a paper snowflake that is a replica of the snowflakes we see in the winter.