Grade II Crystals

Mr. Manczuk’s second grade science class is in the middle of a unit on rocks and minerals, and last week the boys made their own crystals.  

Students dipped a pipe cleaner into a Borax solution.  In the next class, they were thrilled to see how the solution had crystallized around the pipe cleaner, creating something that looked like old-fashioned rock candy on a stick.  Mr. Manczuk passed around the finished projects as the boys exclaimed, “This is so exciting!” 

The boys examined their crystals under the microscope, wrote down their observations, and then shared them with the class. “Vitreous,” said Nathaniel.  “Cube-shaped, like ice,” remarked another.  As much fun as making crystals is, the boys took their scientific study seriously and methodically recorded their findings.  Science with Mr. Manczuk is never boring and the boys were due to break geodes with a hammer in their next class. 
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