Ed 2500 Grade 5

Classroom Chemistry
Crystal
Snowflakes Lab
Activity
Background Knowledge
● Crystallization is the process of
formation of solid crystals
Crystallization precipitating from a saturated

solution.
● Crystals gather into clusters and

arrange into regular patterns and
shapes
● Snowflakes are a common example

of crystal structures
The Experiment
Today we will make our own
“snowflake” crystals using Borax
and boiling hot water.
● When a solution that was at high
temperature cools, some of the dissolved
compound (borax) is forced to recrystallize.
Through this evaporation of the water we
can see the formation of crystals.
Hot Water → SOLVENT

Borax → SOLUTE
● Compounds dissolve better in hot water
● Borax is a household cleaner
○ As water is heated it is able to dissolve
● Its chemical name is sodium larger amounts of a compound then at any
tetraborate decahydrate lower temperature
○ (Na2B4O7 * 10H20)
● 1 pipe cleaner
● 43 grams Borax powder → in a bag already
● Boiling water to black line
Materials ●
●
Wood craft stick
String
● Plastic cup
These will be provided! Each pair
will work on one experiment ● Plastic spoon
together. ● Scissors
● Permanent marker
Watch carefully! This is what you all will be doing!
Time to start the experiment!
Procedure: Part One
1. Label the plastic cup with your names
2. Shape the pipe cleaner into a shape that will fit into the
plastic cup. This will be submerged under water. 2
3. Test to see the if the pipe cleaner shape you made fits
correctly into the cup. You will do this by tying your string
to the pipe cleaner shape and then wrapping the other end
of the string around the popsicle stick.
● Make sure that the pipe cleaner hangs in the bottom half of
the cup, but does not touch any part of the cup while the
craft stick rests across the top of the cup.
4. After you have made sure it fits, take it out and put it back on
the table
3
Procedure: Part One
5. Pour boiling water into the cup to the black line
USE CAUTION! BOILING WATER IS VERY 5 Leave solution

HOT! overnight ...
6. Add bag of Borax powder into the cup of boiling
water → cut whole in corner of bag using your
scissors. 6
7. Stir the solution with the spoon until all of the
Borax dissolve → creating a solution → solution will
look murky at first
8. Hang the piper cleaner into the solution. Make

7
sure it doesn't touch the sides or the bottom of the
cup
9. Put your cup aside and let sit 8

Hypothesis
What do you expect to
happen…
Discuss with your partner (2 minutes)
Stay on task please!
Hypothesis support
1. I think this is what’s going to happen because…

2. I think the solution will look like ____ after sitting
overnight
3. I think the crystals will
● Look like ____ because …
● Be ____ shape because …
● Be ____ size because …
1. Variables that may affect the outcome ...
Conclusion
● Crystallization involves the separation of a solid from the solvent that it was in a
solution with.
○ In this experiment the borax particles were separated from the hot water that it was
mixed with (once the water cooled overnight)
■ This results in the formation of crystals after the water cools and the borax particles condense.
● Crystallization demonstrates an irreversible chemical change
● When a solid material dissolves, it can be recovered as a crystal by evaporating the

liquid
● The size of crystals depends on the rate of cooling.

○ Fast cooling = large number of small crystals.
○ Slow cooling = smaller number of large crystals.
Procedure: Part Two
1. Locate your cup and carefully remove the pipe
cleaner with crystals. If it is stuck to bottom, pour
out all of the leftover water and then flex the cup
until the pipe cleaner breaks free
2. Pour ONLY the leftover solution down the drain.

Extra crystals and the cup should be thrown into
the TRASH.
3. Using a paper towel, pat dry your crystals
4. Remove the craft stick from the string and throw it

out, leaving the string attached to the piper
cleaner
Thought Questions to Complete
1. How are your borax crystals shaped? Are the surfaces flat
or a little curved?
2. Did the crystals grow separately, or did they grow
together?
3. Draw your crystals
4. Why did you use hot water to dissolve the Borax?
5. Why did the Borax precipitate out, or form crystals, as it
cooled down

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Classroom Chemistry

Crystallization precipitating from a saturated

● Crystals gather into clusters and

● Snowflakes are a common example

Hot Water → SOLVENT

● 43 grams Borax powder → in a bag already

● Boiling water to black line

USE CAUTION! BOILING WATER IS VERY 5 Leave solution

8. Hang the piper cleaner into the solution. Make

9. Put your cup aside and let sit 8

1. I think this is what’s going to happen because…

● Crystallization demonstrates an irreversible chemical change

● When a solid material dissolves, it can be recovered as a crystal by evaporating the

● The size of crystals depends on the rate of cooling.

2. Pour ONLY the leftover solution down the drain.

3. Using a paper towel, pat dry your crystals

4. Remove the craft stick from the string and throw it

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