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Notes for Teachers

Students will work in groups of 2-4.

Provide your own example of what the outcome should look like.

Let students decide if they want to cover their wooden sticks with sugar or not.

Activity can be wrapped up at the end of the day, but for best results observe over 3-5 days.

List of Materials

Glass jars
Wooden sticks
Kool-Aid
Sugar
Hot water
Clothes pins
Measuring cups
Worksheets

Rock Candy Worksheets

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Standards

Physical Science:

5.P1U1.2 Plan and carry out investigations to demonstrate that some substances combine to form new substances with different properties and others can be mixed without taking on new properties.

● When two or more different substances are mixed, a new substance with different properties may be formed. Other substances simply mix without changing permanently and can often be separated again.

Boundary: At this grade level, mass and weight are not distinguished and no attempt is made to define the unseen particles or explain the atomic-scale mechanism of evaporation and condensation.

Physical Science:

5.P2U1.3 Construct an explanation using evidence to demonstrate that objects can affect other objects even when they are not touching.

● All objects have an effect on other objects without being in contact with them. In some cases the effect travels out from the source to the receiver in the form of radiation (e.g. visible light). ● Electric, magnetic, and gravitational forces between a pair of objects do not require that the objects be in contact. ● The gravitational force of Earth acting on an object near Earth's surface pulls that object toward the planet's center. (5.E2U1.8)

Mathematical Practice:

MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically.

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Objective(s):

SWBAT describe the process of making rock candy and how rock candy crystals are formed.

SWBAT follow step-by-step instructions.

SWBAT use correct measurements.

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Agenda

What is crystallization?

Create sugar and kool aid mixture.

Observe mixture throughout the day

Share observations at end of day.

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Intro

How does sugar dissolve?

How can dissolved sugar crystalize?

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

Groups of 2-4.
Heat up water in microwave or electric tea kettle.
While water is heating up have groups grab bowls of sugar and wooden sticks.
Instruct students.
Create sugar water with 1 part water & 3 parts sugar that is completely dissolved over medium heat
2. Pour the sugar water into a cup.
3. Roll a wet string in sugar to sugar coat it. Then, tie a paperclip to one end to serve as an anchor. Next, hang the string into the cup by tying it to a pencil. (Rest the pencil across the top of the cup with the string hanging into the solution.)
4. Observe for 3-5 days, then record your observations.
Draw your experiment and what you see. Discuss results with your teacher.
Images may be helpful to show how things are setup.

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Assessment

Did our string grow sugar crystals?

If not, what might have happened?

Share observation data with other groups.

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Differentiation

For students who may have a harder time with following along with the measurements. Have pre-measured materials for them.

Provide a word wall or anchor chart with key vocabulary and images.

Provide sentence stems or frames for students to use for explanations and thinking.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Have students redo the experiment but with cold water and observe the differences that each experiment yields.

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