CRYSTAL-GROWING COMPETITIONS
Organizing crystal-growing competitions for K-12th students spurs their creativity, practice of note-taking and analytical thinking skills, and interest in science.
2022 Cobb County Crystal-Growing Competition, group photo of STARS high school branch representatives Selina Huang (left), Susanna Huang (middle), and Rita Wivedi (right) with one of the classes of students after a day of crystal-growing at Dodgen Middle School
Example of organizing such a program can be done:
(1) host the competition virtually and have interested students watch pre-recorded videos on how to grow crystals and have them work on their crystals and submit them online, or
(2) partner with a local middle or high school and teach the students as part of a scheduled class activity about crystal-growing, saturated solutions, and supersaturated solutions; guide students through setting up and growing their own crystals and help them practice their note-taking skills.
Purpose: Engage younger students in crystal-growing and science, evaluate their ability to grow crystals and record their experimental procedures, award students for their hard work, and provide students with the chance to interact with STARS representatives and learn about STARS. Simultaneously, organizing the event will provide STARS student leaders the opportunity to practice and build up their leadership.
2022 Cobb County Crystal-Growing Competition Awards Ceremony, recognizing students for their efforts in the growing their crystals and meticulously taking their Crystal Journal notes. Medals, certificates, and National Geographic crystal-growing kits kindly provided by the American Crystallographic Association (ACA)
​Competitions hosted (audience and location of event):
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2021 Timber Ridge Crystal-Growing Competition (K-5th, virtually)
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2022 Cobb County Crystal-Growing Competition (K-12th, in-person and virtually)
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2023 Dodgen Crystal-Growing Competition (8th, in-person)
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Collaborators:
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Ms. Allison Dunford (2021 Timber Ridge competition)
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Ms. Debbie Amodeo (2022 Cobb County and 2023 Dodgen competition)
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Related presentations:
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2021 Cobb STEM teacher conference (sponsoring teacher: Ms. Allison Dunford; topic: virtual crystal-growing competitions)
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2022 Cobb STEM teacher conference (sponsoring teacher: Ms. Debbie Amodeo; topic: crystal-growing competitions for engaging students in science)
Teacher testimonial: 2022
“The Walton Crystal Club came into my high school physical science (HSPS) classes at Dodgen Middle School to share information about their club and the excitement of growing crystals. The Club, represented by 4 -5 students each day, presented a power point with interesting facts about crystals and how they are created. They covered topics that correlate with our HSPS standards on saturated, unsaturated and supersaturated solutions in crystal growing.
On the second day the club led a lab where students chose a color for their crystals and created their own crystal. Students competed in a moderate Kahoot competition on the presented crystal information for candy prizes and loved it!
Finally, on the third day a week later, the Crystal Club members came in to help students observe their crystals. Students took notes on the process and the size of the crystal. They submitted their data to the crystal-growing competition.
Overall, my students loved growing crystals. They enjoyed having Walton high school students in the classroom. Some of my students went on to join the Walton Crystal Club this year. The Club also presented the activity for teachers at the Cobb STEM Academy over the summer and I was there to sponsor their work.”
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Debbie Amodeo, 8th Grade HSPS Teacher
Mar. 2023
CRYSTAL-GROWING SUMMER CAMPS
Hosting virtual crystal-growing summer camps for K-12th students engages them during a summer week, teaches them aspects of crystal-growing through the lens of salt crystals, inorganic crystals, organic crystals, protein crystals, and DNA crystals. Students are guided on setting up their own crystal-growing solutions and taking notes for their daily procedures and observations. Material studied each day is reviewed with a daily Kahoot session to get students excited about the things they had learned about crystal-growing.​​
2024 Crystal-Growing Summer Camp, distributing at East Cobb Park the crystal-growing kits prepared by Mirah Lindsay and Selina Huang (STARS high school branch) to the summer campers
Example of event layout:
Four-day virtual summer camp from 8:00am to 11:45am each day. Two grade level sections: K-5th and 6th-12th grade
Four sessions (around 45 minutes each with 15 minute breaks in between) on each day of summer camp:
(1) Guided session on how to set up crystal-growing experiment (e.g. salt crystal, sugar crystal, etc.
(2) Guided session on how to take notes on the procedures and observations made for the crystal-growing
(3) Engaging lecture session on the theory of crystal-growing, three types of solution saturation levels, the importance of structure for the determination of function, and the importance of crystals for treating diseases
(4) Kahoot! review session on everything that was learned
Purpose: Provide students with engaging science and crystal-growing topics to learn about, help students practice their creativity and scientific thinking, and provide STARS members with the opportunity to develop their leadership and organization skills to host the summer camp.
2024 Crystal-Growing Summer Camp, teaching students how to set up their sugar crystal solutions, as led by Mirah (STARS high school branch) based on a procedure created by Sara Hunihan (STARS Atlanta branch), on Day 3, sugar-crystal day, during the crystal-growing session for the K-5th student group
Crystal-Growing Summer Camps hosted (organizers):
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2021 Crystal-Growing Summer Camp (STARS high school branch)
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2022 Crystal-Growing Summer Camp (STARS high school branch)
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2024 Crystal-Growing Summer Camp (STARS Atlanta and high school branches)
2024 Crystal-Growing Summer Camp, hosting the Kahoot! review session for the K-5th grade students on Day 3, sugar-crystal day, as guided by Siffah Bonsu (STARS Atlanta branch)