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Crystal Garden
by
Sherry Weisgarber
This
often used project provides wonder and
excitement as the crystals grow.
Materials:
6-7
barbecue charcoals or stones (1 to 2
inches across)
4-6 tablespoons table salt
4-6 tablespoons liquid laundry bluing
(see NOTE below)
4-6 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon ammonia (be careful using
ammonia around children)
food coloring
Collect
several small pieces of limestone,
brick, coal, or barbecue charcoal. You
may want to try a bowl of each to
determine which material grows the best
crystals. Place the charcoal or stones
clustered together in the bowl. Mix all
of the ingredients together, except the
food coloring, in the order listed using
the same amount of salt, bluing, and
water for each batch made. Pour the
mixture very slowly over the stones with
a spoon. The mixture may not be
dissolved depending on the number of
tablespoons of ingredients used. You may
want to make different batches using
different amounts of ingredients to see
which works best. Drop food coloring
over the coated stones. Using different
colors produces a variegated crystal
garden. Crystals should begin to form in
about 20 minutes and continue growing
for a day or two. Adding any excess
mixture to the bottom of the bowl over
the next few days may keep the garden
growing longer. This creation will
crumble very easily, so don't move it
around too much.
NOTE: Laundry bluing comes in a small
blue bottle and generally can be found
in the laundry section of a grocery
store next to the starch and bleach
products.
Courtesy of Ohio Division of Geological
Survey "HANDS ON EARTH SCIENCE" Webpage.
http://www.ohiodnr.com/geosurvey/edu/handson.htm
SOURCE: Kids create!, Laurie Carlson;
and Nevada Mining Association, Lois K.
Ports.
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