Curated OER
Minerals
A must-have for your geology library of resources, this PowerPoint walks viewers through the characteristics of minerals and each test used to help identify them. As you present this collection of slides, stop to demonstrate each quality...
San Diego Natural History Museum
San Diego Natural History Museum: Mineral Matters: Grow Your Own Crystals
Here are step-by-step instructions on how to create crystals. This is a great experiment for students to use in learning about the structure and formation of crystals.
Nobel Media AB
The Nobel Prize: Liquid Crystals History and Properties of Liquid Crystals
This site provides in-depth information on the history and invention of liquid crystals including biographical information on Pierre-Gilles de Gennes. Diagrams and pictures are also provided.
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: Grow Rock Candy
Students can carry out an investigation using sugar and water to determine whether heating or cooling a substance may cause changes that can be observed. This activity reinforces the ideas that the properties of materials can change when...
Other
Beautiful Chemistry: Beautiful Structures: Crystals of Nanocrystals
A display of crystals of nanocrystals allows students to study the inner structure and components of these structures. Being able to precisely control the shape and size of nanocrystals and understand their self-assembly process might...
Other
Beautiful Chemistry: The Inner Beauty of Gems
See the internal beauty of crystalline structure of gems in this virtual exhibit.
Science Bob Pflugfelder
Science Bob: Eggshell Geode Crystals
Science Bob provides instructions for how to form geode crystals in eggshells using common supplies with information on why it works.
Florida State University
Florida State University: Molecular Expressions: Making Crystals
Students will work in groups to grow crystals in different conditions, and then make conclusions about how and why crystals form. A detailed procedure and materials list, follow-up questions, and a teacher's guide that contains extension...
Science Fun for Everyone
Science Fun: Cool Crystals
Make your own crystals with this fun experiment. Different crystals have different shapes. What shape did your crystals form? Video tutorial included.
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: O Logy: Stuff to Do: Grow Rock Candy
Learn about the crystal patterns and shapes of select minerals (diamond, quartz, muscovite, and topaz) and how to grow your own rock candy crystals.
Oregon State University
Oregon State University: An Amazing Crystal Garden .And So Easy to Make!
This resrouce presents instructions for using nine easy to obtain materials for making crystals. The lab takes about 24 hours and it contains a brief explanation of how crystals form.
Science4Fun
Science4 Fun: Crystals
What are crystals? Discover how they are formed, what the evaporation and cooling crystallization process are, and the shapes of crystals.