1. Snowflake Crystals

2. Solution  Homogeneous mixture where one or more substances are dissolved in another substance  Solute- thing that’s getting dissolved (borax)  Solvent- thing doing the dissolving (water)  Solubility- how well solute and solvent mix(or dissolve) together

3. Saturation  Point at which no more SOLUTE can be dissolved into a liquid  If you put in MORE solute in a solution after it has already reached saturation, it will no longer dissolve

4. Temperature and solubility  Increasing temperature(or energy) will cause water molecules to bounce around faster, leaving more space for additional borax to be added  Think of it like having a pass with friends and throwing the ball with more force

5. SUPER-Saturated By adding heat, more solute can be dissolved in the solution after it has reached saturation Causing it to become…. SUPER-Saturated

6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrCzAGPwcIY ***Supersaturated solutions are very unstable and will look for any imperfections to latch on to in order to crystalize***

7. Snowflakes 1. Do a rough copy of your snowflake using a scratch piece of paper 2. Get a coffee filter, and cut out final draft 3. Color if you would like 4. See adult to get “supersaturated” borax solution on plate 5. Leave on table to let it crystalize 6. At the end of the day! Pour off extra solution and let it dry overnight

8. Materials  Borax(purchase at grocery store)  Coffee or tea maker (anything that will heat or boil water)  Wooden spoon  Coffee filters  Plastic plates  Scissors

9. Directions 1. Have students cut out a snowflake using a coffee filter 2. Prepare SUPER-saturated solution (***by teacher or adult***) 3. Prepare crystal solution by stirring borax into boiling water until no more will dissolve. You'll know the solution is ready if borax powder starts to accumulate on the bottom of your container. Solution should still be transparent, but should appear a little more viscous. 4. Place the paper snowflake onto a plate or saucer. Pour the crystal solution over the snowflake, making sure it is completely covered. 5. Allow crystals to grow on the snowflake until you are satisfied with their size. Small crystals take about an hour to form. You can allow the crystals to grow overnight if you want larger crystals.