Purpose

• Use a variety of resources to gather information.

• Discuss and present their findings to other students.

• Learn that the crystal shape of a mineral is determined by the arrangement of the crystal particles.

• Students will become familiar with using an image editing program.
  

Description:

• Students will discover that the crystal shape of a mineral is determined by the arrangement of the crystal particles. After this you can enhance the students understanding by giving them a research assignment. Give each student a different mineral an allow them to conduct research online or elsewhere about the arrangement of its particles. Students will then display their findings with a poster that has various illustrations and images of the mineral and its particle arrangement. They will then present this material to the class followed by a discussion session.

Activity Preparation

• Introduce the topic "crystal shape" as you would normally.

• Prepare an activity sheet outlining the assignment and timelines for completion. Also include some tips for the image software and a list of Websites where the students can begin researching.

• Prepare guidelines for internet research.

Activity Procedure

1. Introduce the topic of crystal shape. Emphasize the importance of particle arrangement in crystal shape.
2. After students have a clear understanding of this topic you can introduce the activity by giving the students the activity sheet which contains the outline and timelines.
3. Assign each student a specific mineral to research.
4. Take students to the computer lab, go over the guidelines for researching the internet and tips for using the new software.
5. Allow students appropriate research time.
6. Help students with image construction and printing.
7. Allow students time to develop and prepare their posters.
8. Students can then present their information to the class and allow for discussion.
9. This activity can be carried out over a period of 2 or 3 weeks. Make sure that you allow adequate time for each stage of the project.

Tools and Resources

Software

• Image program

Websites (The Websites included here are not for your students to read and retain information.  They are for the collection of images and diagrams.)

• http://www.theimage.com/mineral/minerals1.html
  

• http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/topicreview/bp/ch13/unitcellframe.html
  

• http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/xtal/part2.html
  

Assessment

• Students can be assessed on all aspects of the project. Make sure you include the discussion and questioning aspect of the project.   The poster presentation could be evaluated primarily on its layout and illustrations.

Comments

• This activity could also be carried out with groups of 3 or 4 students. This would allow student involvement in evaluation. Students could assess how the group is working as a whole, how others contributed to the work and how they contributed themselves.

• The activity could also be enhanced by allowing the students to growing crystals of their own selected mineral. This helps motivate the students.

• The activity could also be enhanced with the students creating a class Webpage and posting their illustrations and images on the Website.  In order to incorporate this activity you would have to have a Webpage development program.  Netscape Composer or Front Page are user friendly, but you can use any program that may be available.  Students who have not used the internet for the research portion can use a scanner to insert their images and illustrations.   Make sure you include this portion of the project into your evaluation.