Finishing Fossils and Starting Minerals

Finishing Fossils and Starting Minerals

Mrs Stewert's Crystal Garden Supplies:

• 1 container (per child) – plastic (clear polystyrene) to-go dishes work well
• Several small pieces of porous material to grow on per container – sponges, clay pot pieces, BBQ Briquettes, etc.
• Water
• Ammonia
• Laundry Bluing (such as Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing…careful it stains!)
• Salt
• 1 small paper cup to mix ingredients (Dixie Cup)
• 1 plastic spoon
• Food Coloring (optional)

Begin by mixing 2 tablespoons of salt with 4 tablespoons of water, stirring to dissolve as much salt as possible.  Next add 2 tablespoons each of ammonia and laundry bluing, again mixing as you go.  The mixture will be a blue, watery sludge.  Pour the sludge, liquid and extra salt, on top of the porous substrate in the plastic dish.  Make sure to get all the salt out of the mixing cup and onto the porous items in the plastic dish (Note: If you use a sponge, wet it first abd squeeze dry for better sludge absorbtion).  All the salt may not go into solution; this is okay as long as you pour the extra salt on top of the items in the dish.  The porous materials in the dish will not immediately soak up all the liquid; this is okay.  The crystals will naturally grow white, like the salt.  If you want colored crystals, add a drop or two of food coloring on each item in the dish. The crystals will grow that color.

http://engineering.oregonstate.edu/momentum/k12/june04/  
http://www.instructables.com/id/Grow-your-own-Magic-Crystal-Tree-or-any-other-sha/   http://chemistry.about.com/cs/growingcrystals/ht/charcoalgarden.htm