Crystal Sructure Teacher Resources

Young geologists discover the important role that rocks and minerals play in our everyday lives through this series of hands-on activities. Starting off with a lesson that defines the difference between plants, animals, and...

Students discover how crystal structures go together to create minerals.  In this earth science lesson, students work in groups to create 3-dimensional shapes of crystals that they then put together in a compact structure.

Students work in a team to use the ProScope Digital USB Microscope and a computer to collect microscopic images from a variety of mineral specimens. They compare specimens and determine how they are alike and different by comparing their...

Of quartz I love geology! The chapter offers five activities at three different levels. It features hands-on activities that cover crystal shapes, cleavage and fracture, hardness scale, specific gravity, and mineral...

This isn't just an art lesson, it's a science lesson too. Kids draw a lovely winter scene and then paint over it with a solution of epsom salts and water. They make predictions, then observe how crystals form as the water evaporates...

Introduce middle school mineralologists to halite. The opening of the instructional activity involves a video and worksheet to which there are no links. However, you can replace the video with any informational clip that you can find...

Students discover the characteristics of polyhedra. Through hands-on activities and interactive videos, students investigate and retrieve information on polyhedra and crystal structures. Students study angles and symmetry. They...

Take young geologists on an exploration of the collection of rocks and minerals that we call Earth with an upper-elementary science lesson. Through a series of class discussion and hands-on investigations, students learn about the...

Young geologists attempt to predict the appearnace of a geode's internal structure based on how it looks from the outside, its mass, and its physical characteristics. In this geologly lesson, learners use scientific equipment to collect...

Students learn and practice identifying Earth's minerals and their properties. Working in small groups, they evaluate minerals. This is a well-described lesson, which students enjoy.

Students study pictures of plants, animals, and minerals. Students classify the pictures into the three groups. In this rock identification lesson, students complete a rock finding lab experiment by finding, cleaning, identifying, and...

In this earth science worksheet, students look at the properties that are common to identifying minerals and the types of observations one can make.

In this minerals instructional activity, students will review the four physical characteristics used to identify a mineral: streak, color, size, and hardness. Students will also understand the Mohs Hardness Scale. This instructional...

Can you tell the difference between artificial snow and the real thing? An informative video explains the structure of a snowflake crystal, both real and artificial. It finishes with a discussion of the chemistry related to salting...

The best way to study crystals is to make your own! A hands-on lesson shows learners how to make their own rock candy from household materials. While they watch the crystals grow, they discover their structure and can even eat their...

What do amazonite, heliotrope, carnelian, and diamonds have in common? There are all crystals and members of one of the six crystal families. Viewers of a fascinating short video learn about the molecular structure of crystals that cause...

What do chalk and seashells have in common? They are both primarily calcium carbonate! Learn how sea creatures use crystalline structure to their advantage as they build their shell homes. An installment of a larger series on reactions...

What an exciting lab experiment to conduct with your high school chemistry class! Crystals are formed naturally in the environment. However, allow your blossoming chemists to create their own unique crystals using alum and...

Students study the physical properties of minerals and illustrate their functions.  In this mineral lesson students construct models of some minerals.

Students discuss certain properties of salt and how it is used every day as well as harmful uses. They experiment with salt to see it conduct electricity, form crystals and water freezing temperature. They complete a worksheet to record...

What occurs when a hydrate is heated? Lead your class in exploring the answer to this question as they investigate the properties of a hydrated compound. They heat copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate and evaporate the water...

Students predict the appearance of a geode's internal structure based on its mass and density. They form a hypothesis based on the data they collect. They also identify common minerals found in Illinois.

Students undertake a series of experiments and activities related to geology, especially in Connecticut. They evaluate types of rocks, minerals, and crystals, exploring the main concepts of geology.

In this ionic bonding worksheet, students observe diagrams about ionic bonds and crystal formation. They answer 37 short answer questions about the properties of monatomic ions, polytomic ions and write correct formulas.