Students investigate how environmental conditions affect the size, shape, and formation rate of crystals while distinguishing crystal formation from organism growth. They address, “How can we grow a crystal and explain the science behind how it forms?” by collaboratively designing, testing, and improving a safe growing system that manages thermal energy. Teams create an exhibition display presenting their process, evidence, results, and scientific explanation. Before-and-after reflections compare predictions with results and describe growth in scientific understanding, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.

Students will investigate how environmental conditions, including temperature and solution concentration, influence crystal formation rate, size, and shape. They will grow a crystal and apply scientific principles to design, test, and modify a safe thermal-control device, then use evidence to explain results and distinguish crystal formation from organism growth influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Teams will share decisions, resolve challenges, and communicate their process, results, and scientific explanation through an exhibition display. Students will answer “How can we grow a crystal and explain the science behind how it forms?” and submit a before-and-after reflection comparing predictions with results and describing changes in their scientific understanding and teamwork.

Teams will maintain a crystal-growth investigation log with predictions, measurements, photos, and evidence showing how temperature, concentration, and evaporation affect crystal size, shape, and growth rate. They will design, test, and improve a chamber that uses a teacher-approved sealed chemical hot or cold pack to control thermal conditions safely. Each team will create an exhibition display featuring its crystal, process, results, scientific explanation, and a comparison clarifying how environmental factors affect crystals versus how environmental and genetic factors affect organisms. Students will submit a before-and-after reflection comparing predictions with results and describing changes in their scientific understanding, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.

Teams examine crystals grown under different temperature, concentration, and cooling conditions, then record observations and predict what caused differences in size, shape, and growth rate. They compare crystal formation with organism growth, noting that crystals are nonliving while both can be influenced by environmental conditions, and discuss: “How can we grow a crystal and explain the science behind how it forms?” Teams sketch an initial plan for growing a crystal and designing a safe temperature-control device, assign shared roles, and record predictions about results and teamwork. Students begin the before-and-after reflection they will revisit after creating an exhibition display of their process, evidence, results, and scientific explanation.

Host a “Crystal Growth Gallery” where teams display their crystal alongside photos, growth measurements, and graphs showing how environmental conditions affected its size, shape, and formation rate. Each team presents its investigation and answers, “How can we grow a crystal and explain the science behind how it forms?” Visitors can examine the crystal and ask questions about the team’s process, evidence, design changes, and conclusions. Students also share a before-and-after reflection comparing predictions with results and describing changes in their scientific understanding, collaboration, communication, and problem-solving.