At-home experiment: growing crystals

6th grade students prepare their eggshells to grow crystals. 

After studying rocks and minerals at the National Museum of Natural History, Live It Learn It's 6th grade students get to grow their own crystals!  While these crystals will not be set in fancy jewelry, the process models--in just a couple of days--what nature does over thousands of years.  Students observe and record daily changes to their "geodes," and marvel at the beauty of salt.

You can easily grow a "geode" at home too!  Experiment with different types of salt (rock salt, table salt, epsom salt) and different colors and see how this affects the crystals.

Crystals after 1 week

Materials
½ eggshell             
1 handful rock salt     
½ cup hot water
empty cup
1 spoon               
2 drops food coloring
empty egg carton              
newspaper

Multi-colored crystals

                           
Procedure
Make the Crystal Solution

1. Cover your workspace with newspaper. 
2. Pour hot water into cup. 
3. Stir rock salt into the water until it stops dissolving and you see some solid at the bottom of the cup.

Grow the Crystals

1. Place the shell into the carton.
2. Add food coloring to the egg shell.
3. Carefully spoon the crystal solution into the shell until the shell is ½ full.
4. Set the egg carton in a place where it won't get knocked over.
5. Crystals will start to grow in several hours, and may continue to grow for several days.
6. Each day, check to see how the crystals are developing—you can even shine a flashlight on your geode to see the crystals.  Record your observations.
7. You may stop the experiment whenever your geode looks like it has enough crystals.  Pour out the solution and allow the geode to dry.

Happy Emancipation Day!

April 16th marks Emancipation Day in the District of Columbia. On this day in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act which freed about 3,100 enslaved persons in the District of Columbia nine months before President Lincoln issued his famous Emancipation Proclamation. This Act represents the only example of compensation by the federal government to former owners of emancipated slaves, as residents were paid up to $300 for each freed slave.

Today in the District, Emancipation Day is a holiday marked by celebrations around the city. In honor of DC Emancipation Day, we thought it would be appropriate to share a couple shots of former President Lincoln. Enjoy!

Exciting News!

During the month of April, Live It Learn It will be featured on WAMU 88.5’s Community Minute. The daily broadcast provides information about community organizations working to improve lives in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Live It Learn It was chosen for its work in Title I DC public schools, providing students with rigorous, academic field trip opportunities around the city. You can check out the broadcast here! 

With May fast approaching, we will soon be conducting lots of outdoor science & nature trips. Below is a sneak peek from one of our most popular trips: a pontoon boat ride along the Anacostia River with the Anacostia Watershed Society. Enjoy! 

Students spot a great white egret hunting for food along the river bank.

Students conduct experiments to test the water clarity.

The highlight of the trip? Driving the boat of course!