Learning about Minerals

Students are currently learning about Minerals in Science 8.  They have learned the five characteristics a substance must have to be a mineral.  The class has discussed how it can be difficult to tell one mineral from another, and the properties used to identify common minerals.  One of those properties is observing the streak of a mineral to try and identify it.  Students conducted a streak test with a sample of magnetite and black hematite (both of which contain iron).  They observed the color of the powder left on the surface of a ceramic tile to identify each mineral's identity.  Most recently, the class talked about two ways minerals form: crystallization of melted materials and crystallization of materials dissolved in water.  To go along with this section, students experimented with growing crystals by dissolving materials in water.