How to Make a Crystal Snowflake

What You Need to Make Borax Crystal Snowflakes: 

For this project you will need borax, which is sold as a laundry booster and cleaner, and a pipe cleaner. You'll also need hot water, a cup or glass, scissors, and a measuring spoon.

Make the Snowflake Shape: Make the snowflake by cutting a pipe cleaner into three pieces. You can use a colored pipe cleaner if you want a colored crystal snowflake. Twist the pieces together at their centers and bend the ends outward to make a snowflake shape. Trim the snowflake so that it will fit inside your cup. I like to leave one arm long so that I can hang the snowflake in the cup.

Mix the Crystal Growing Solution: Stir 3 tablespoons of borax into 1 cup of very hot water. It's fine if there is a little undissolved borax. Pour the crystal growing solution into the cup, hang the snowflake so that it doesn't touch the sides or bottom of the container, and allow the crystals to grow undisturbed for several hours or overnight.

Use Your Borax Crystal Snowflake for Decoration: Remove the borax crystal snowflake and use it however you like. The snowflakes make pretty decorations.

Keep checking this space for things to do, places to go and cool new science discoveries. 

Our science fair will be April 5, 2013

Keep on asking questions and exploring the world around you!

More Snow Science

                                                                      

. The story of snow : the science of winter's wonder by Cassino, Mark. Call Number: E 551.5784 CASSINO Publisher, Date: San Francisco, Calif. : Chronicle Books, 2009. Description: 33 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 27 cm. Summary: This book about the science of snow features photos of snow crystals in their beautiful diversity and includes how snow crystals are formed into different shapes and snow-crystal-catching instructions in the back of the book.

Ken Libbrecht's field guide to snowflakes by Libbrecht, Kenneth George. Call Number: 551.5784 LIBBREC Publisher, Date: St Paul, MN, USA : Voyageur Press, 2006. Description: 112 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 21 cm. Summary: Examines all the different kinds of snowflakes.

The snowflake : winter's secret beauty by Libbrecht, Kenneth George. Call Number: 551.5784 LIBBREC Publisher, Date: Stillwater, MN, U.S.A. : Voyageur Press, c2003. Description: 112 p. : ill. (chiefly col.) ; 27 cm.

. The snowflake : a water cycle story by Waldman, Neil. Call Number: E 551.48 WALDMAN Publisher, Date: Brookfield, Conn. : Millbrook Press, c2003. Description: 1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. ; 29 cm. Summary: Follows the journey of a water droplet through the various stages of the water cycle, from precipitation to evaporation and condensation

Call Number: E 551.5784 HERRIGEPublisher, Date: Minneapolis, MN : Bellwether Media, 2007.Description: 24 p. : col. ill. ; 24 cm.Summary: "Simple text and supportive images introduce beginning readers to the characteristics of snow. Intended for students in kindergarten through third grade"--Provided by publisher.Series: Herriges, Ann. Weather

. Snowflakes can fall in summer : and other facts about seasons by Taylor, Helen, 1963-
Call Number: J 508.2 TAYLOR Publisher, Date: Brookfield, Conn. : Copper Beech Books, 1998. Description: 32 p. : col. ill., col. map ; 25 cm. Summary: Explores the four seasons, discussing such topics as the difference in shadows, temperatures, and the length of days, and what happens to plants and animals at different times of the year. Series: You'd never believe it but--.
. Snow by Herriges, Ann.

. Snow by Miles, Elizabeth, 1960- Call Number: J 551.5784 MILES Publisher, Date: Chicago : Heinemann Library, 2005. Description: 32 p. : col. ill. ; 23 cm. Series: Miles, Elizabeth, 1960- Watching the weather

Weather and climate experiments by Walker, Pam, 1958- Call Number: TEEN 551.63 WALKER Publisher, Date: New York, NY : Facts on File, c2010. Description: xviii, 148 p. : col. ill., col. maps ; 29 cm. Series: Facts on File science experiments

. It's snowing! by Gibbons, Gail. Call Number: E 551.5784 GIBBONS Publisher, Date: New York : Holiday House, c2011. Description: 32 p. : col. ill., col. maps ; 27 cm. Summary: Introduces readers to snow and discusses topics such as different types of snowstorms, regions where snow falls, and how to prepare when a snowstorm approaches.

		Snow crystals by Bentley, W. A. (Wilson Alwyn), 1865-1931. Call Number: 551.57 BENTLEY Publisher, Date: New York : Dover Publications, [1962] Description: 226 p. : (chiefly ill.) ; 26 cm.

Call Number: J 551.5784 BUNDEYPublisher, Date: Minneapolis : Carolrhoda Books, 2001.Description: 32 p. : col. ill. ; 25 cm.Summary: Discusses how snow is formed in the atmosphere, the various forms it takes when falling to earth, the conditions snow creates on the earth, and its effect on plants and animals.

. Yuki no katachi.
Call Number: INTL-JPN J 551.5784 YUKI NO Publisher, Date: Tōkyō : Hisakata Chairudo, 2007. Description: 27 p. : col. ill. ; 21 x 24 cm. Summary: A look at the various shapes of snow and snowflakes. Series: Shizen ni tatchi!
Snow and the earth by Bundey, Nikki, 1948-

2000

31. Snow is falling by Branley, Franklyn Mansfield, 1915-2002. Call Number: E 551.5784 BRANLEY Publisher, Date: New York : HarperCollinsPublishers, c2000. Description: 33 p. : col. ill. ; 21 x 26 cm. Summary: Describes snow's physical qualities and how quantities of it can be fun as well as dangerous.

Call Number: E 551.577 LAWRENCPublisher, Date: New York, N.Y. : Bearport, c2012.Description: 24 p. : col. ill. ; 21 cm.Series: Lawrence, Ellen, 1967- Weather wise.

Call Number: J DVD-ED 500 SCI2160Publisher, Date: [United States] : SNI/SI Networks, c2009.Description: 1 videodisc (ca. 79 min.) : sd., col. ; 4 3/4 in.Summary: Forget the white lab coat and boring test tubes of your stuffy old school science class. Join teen hosts Paula, Andrew and Pemma in three off-the-wall SciQ explorations, where science is fun and always an adventure. What's your science quotient? Contains Underwater, Snow, and Flight.

Call Number: eVIDEO OVERDRIPublisher, Date: [South San Francisco, Calif.] : Selectmedia Entertainment, [2006]Summary: Science fun at home! From the incredible power of thunder to the peaceful beauty of a fountain of water, the world of nature is a source of endless fascination. Kid science: Nature experiments provides a fun-filled, interactive way to learn about our environment. Interesting activities touch upon every facet of nature, from earth, air and water, to plants and humans. Find out about weather and the environment. Learn how to make paper, a snow gauge, thunder, fountains and more. Video demonstrations make it fun and easy to try things out.Series: Pearce, Q. L. (Querida Lee). Kid science.

Rain & snow
Call Number: J DVD-ED 551.6 RAI105 Publisher, Date: Wynnewood, PA : Schlessinger Media, c2005. Description: 1 videodisc (23 min.) : sd., col. ; 4 3/4 in. + 1 teacher's guide. Summary: Students will learn how rain, snow, sleet, hail, fog and mist form as well as how the water cycle constantly 'recycles' water around the world. Series: Schlessinger science library. Weather fundamentals.
How are rain, snow, and hail alike? by Lawrence, Ellen, 1967-
SciQ. Volume 2
Nature experiments

Websites:

CalTech's Website on Snowcrystals

http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/

Starry Skies

http://starryskies.com/articles/dln/12-99/snowflakes.html

http://chemistry.about.com/od/moleculescompounds/a/snowflake.htm