About a month ago we started a set of gems in our rock tumbler. This was our very first set of rocks and gems to try out. We picked up this National Geographic rock tumbler because the kids have a ton of rocks and gems from events. Every year my company picnic has a rock mining area and the kids have ton of those rocks from that. They also have some from going to Great Wolf Lodge. This past week when we were on the Cape I had each of the kids pick out three rocks that they liked and I will tumble them for the next month. Then when we return tot eh Cape we will bring the tumbled rocks and reveal them to the cousins. I think Eva will give a geology lesson for our home school Summer Science school.
Earlier this week the kids and I set up their very special crystal growing set. We mixed the solutions, poured in the crystal seeds and now we wait. We put the crystal growing baths up above the mantle because no one can accidentally knock them over and neither can the cats. The only way to get to them is with a step stool. The crystals grow in the solution uncovered and that is another reason having them up way high is a good idea. Small fingers and curious kids do not make for patience.
As the crystals grow there is a danger that they will grow out of their containers. That is what we are seeing here. To prevent that or to help control it there are some paper disks to put on top of the open containers. That way the crystals will grow onto those pieces of paper instead of growing over the sides and onto the top of the mantle. I took today’s photo before I knocked these pieces off and back into the solution. Not sure if I should have put it back in but figured why not. We still have several days to go before the crystals are all done growing. We may have put too many seeds into the smaller containers.
