Students will investigate how crystals form and grow while distinguishing nonliving crystal growth from organism growth influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Teams will develop a focused question, research several reliable sources, predict outcomes, grow a crystal, and document sketches, observations, academic growth, and teamwork after each session. Students will use evidence and feedback to solve problems, then present a final showcase explaining crystal formation and comparing the finished crystal with their predictions and journal observations.

Students will investigate a self-generated question about crystal growth using several reliable sources and develop focused follow-up questions. They will grow and observe a crystal, using a progress journal to sketch changes, record evidence, revise predictions, and reflect on academic growth and teamwork. Students will explain how environmental conditions affect crystal formation and distinguish this nonliving process from organism growth influenced by environmental and genetic factors. In a final crystal showcase, teams will display their crystal, clearly explain how it formed, and compare results with their initial predictions and journal observations.

Student teams will develop a testable question about how one environmental condition affects crystal growth and create a research brief using several credible sources. After each work session, each student will add labeled sketches, measurements, observations, new questions, and reflections on academic growth and teamwork to a progress journal. Teams will produce a crystal and an evidence-based model explaining its formation while distinguishing nonliving crystal growth from organism growth influenced by environmental and genetic factors. The final showcase will feature the crystal, formation model, research findings, and a comparison of initial predictions with journal evidence and results.

Begin with a mystery gallery of crystal samples, crystal-growth images, and time-lapse videos of organism growth; teams record observations and debate whether crystals are alive. Students sketch a sample in their progress journals, make an initial prediction about how environmental conditions affect crystal formation, and generate a research question using several credible sources. Teams then start a teacher-approved crystal setup, assign shared roles, and identify evidence they will collect to distinguish crystal formation from organism growth influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Introduce the final showcase, where students will display their crystal, explain how it formed, and compare results with their predictions, research, and journal observations.

Host a gallery-style crystal showcase for classmates, families, and school staff centered on the question, “How can we grow a crystal and explain the science behind how it forms?” Teams display their crystal, progress-journal sketches and observations, research evidence, and a visual model explaining crystallization and how environmental conditions affected growth. Each student presents part of the explanation, compares results with initial predictions, and distinguishes nonliving crystal formation from the growth of organisms. Visitors leave warm and constructive feedback, and students complete a final reflection on their academic growth, teamwork, and next questions.