Sunday, November 11, 2007

Rocks, rocks, and more rocks

We studied rocks last week. We've got a number of experiments going now. We're trying to grow a stalactite on the string in the picture but it isn't working too well. The colored jars are growing rock candy. These jars represent igneous rock cooling slowly. We'll look at the structure under a microscope to compare it to some sugar syrup cooled quickly. The main point is that igneous rocks cooled quickly (cooled lava) have large crystals and those cooled slowly (rocks made in the magma) have smaller crystals.

This is our sedimentary rock better known as a 7 layer cookie. A very tasty experiment.

And last but not least, here is our metamorphic rock experiment. First we took 3 starbursts and made them into a layered "rock". Then by using heat (our hands) and pressure (squeezing), we made them into new and different "rocks".

Showing off our 'metamorphic rocks'. Again, a very tasty experiment.



2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yum, yum...school at your house makes me hungry. Jello cells, 7-layer and candy rocks...when's lunch?

We're studying weather this quarter, and I have an activity for making crystal snowflakes. You can twist 3 white pipe cleaners and some string into a snowflake shape and lower it into a supersaturated solution of Borax and boiling water. This forms crystals on the snowflake shape.

We've already tried the EDIBLE version of snowflakes, which is very tasty. Fold soft tortilla shells into quarters and cut out designs from sides and edges (like making paper snowflakes.) Unfold and lay flat on cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Bake at preheated 350 for about 8 minutes or until crisp. Cool slightly and dust with powdered sugar. Delicious!

Isn't homeschool fun?

Betsy

Technoprairie said...

Those edible snowflakes sound great! I'll have to remember those for the spring when we study weather.