Grow your own crystals

Grow your own crystals

Pencil and paper
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about writing instructions.
Read the article Grow Your Own Crystals by Julie Ellis (Connected, No. 1, 2000) then complete the tasks below.
  • Use the information in the article to write a set of instructions for growing crystals.
Use the criteria for writing instructions to give you an idea of what your set of instructions should include, and what style of writing to use.
  • Once you have finished writing your instructions, reflect on your writing using the student assessment sheet.
  • After you have completed your assessment, we will talk about your writing.
Criteria for writing instructions:
  • Purpose - The title shows which crystals will be grown.
  • Equipment - All the equipment needed to grow these crystals is listed.
  • Ingredients - All the ingredients needed to grow these crystals are listed.
  • Steps - All the things that have to be done are recorded and each step is written on a new line.
  • Logical sequence - The steps are in the same order of how the crystals are to be made.
  • Verbs - Each step begins with the action word that tells the reader what to do.
  • Present tense - All instructions are written in the present tense.
  • Illustrations - Instructions can have pictures. The pictures add understanding to the instructions.
 
 
 
Student assessment sheet for writing instructions
Name:

Assessment key:   N = not often      S = sometimes      A = always

a)

The title states the purpose, what is to be made.

No

Yes

b)

The text tells the reader what equipment is needed.

N

S

A

c)

The text tells the reader what ingredients  are needed.

N

S

A

d)

All the steps are written down, and each step is written on a new line.

N

S

A

e)

There is a logical sequence, all the steps are in order.

N

S

A

f)

Verbs are used at the beginning of each instruction.

N

S

A

g)

The present tense is used.

N

S

A

h)

If illustrations are used:
they are clear, and add to the understanding of the instructions.

N

S

A
 
 
  Student's thoughts on this pieces of writing Teacher's thoughts on this piece of writing
Positive points
 
 
 
  
Minus points
 
 
 
  
Interesting points
 
 
 
  
 
 
Next time I write instructions, I will:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Task administration: 

Task administration
You are to read the article 'Grow Your Own Crystals' and use the information in the article to write a set of instructions for growing crystals.

  1. Read the article.
  2. Use the sheet with the criteria for writing instructionsto give you an idea of what your set of instructions should include, and what style of writing to use.
  3. Write your set of instructions.
  4. At the end of writing and checking your instructions, you will assess your own work using the student assessment sheet.
  5. After you have completed your assessment, we will talk about your writing.
Copyright: 

Source: 'Grow your own crystals', written by Julie Ellis. Photographs by Adrian Heke. Connected, No. 1, Learning Media, 2000.

Level:
3
Curriculum info: 
English, Creating meaning, Writing
Key Competencies: 
Using language, symbols, and texts
Keywords: 
instructions, self-assessment, checklist, comprehension, School Journal, structure and language
Description of task: 
Students write a set of instructions after reading a science article about growing crystals. Students assess their own writing using the supports provided.
Curriculum Links: 
This resource can be used to help to identify students’ ability to create texts to meet the writing demands of the New Zealand Curriculum.
 
Links to the Literacy Learning Progressions for Writing:
This resource helps to identify students’ ability to:
  • choose effective content, language, and text structure
  • use a text structure that is appropriate for their purpose 

as described in the Literacy Learning Progressions for Writing at: http://www.literacyprogressions.tki.org.nz/The-Structure-of-the-Progressions.

Answers/responses: 
b) The equipment is identified:

  • a cup
  • a base (to grow the crystals on, e.g., glass, plastic lid)
  • a spoon
  • an eyedropper or teaspoon
  • a cool, dark place (to store the cup of liquid)
c) The ingredients are identified:​

  • identified type of crystal grains
  • very hot water
  • few drops of food colouring (optional)
d) The text is broken into steps:

  • Decide what sort of crystals you want to grow
     
  • Dissolve as many grains of ___________________ as possible into a cup of very hot water.
  • Add a few drops of food colouring if you want coloured crystals.
  • Pour a small amount of the liquid onto the base.
  • Leave the base in a warm place so that the liquid evaporates
  • Store the cup of liquid in a cool, dark place.
  • Stir the liquid and add a little more of it onto the base every day.
  • Display your crystals when they have grown – the time it takes will depend on what type of crystals you are growing.

 

Teaching and learning: 
  • This task would be meaningful if done after reading and doing science tasks around material changes.
  • This task is based on an activity in Connected 1, 2000.
  • The activity before this one in the same Connected, is about evaporation.
  • Science ARBs that relate to these themes are:
    L5, Making crystals - Copper sulphate
    L4, Dissolving/Fair tests - Dissolving sugar and salt
  • This task could be done by individual students or by a group of students working together.
  • If the task is being done individually, each student will need a copy of the article, the criteria sheet, and the student assessment sheet.
  • If the task is being done in a group situation, the criteria sheet and the article could be enlarged, and the student's assessment sheet could be done collaboratively.

After writing the set of instructions, students self-assess their work using their assessment sheet. They will need a copy of the answers for b), c), and d) (below), which teachers could make up as an OHT.

Diagnostic and formative information: 
  • Answers have been given for parts b), c), and d), in which students are assessed on their ability to gather specific information from text.
  • During the follow-up conference, the writing is discussed and the next learning steps are identified and recorded.
  • The next learning steps could be cut off the student's assessment sheet and glued into their writing book, so the student is able to keep a record of future learning intentions.
  • The remainder of the student assessment sheet could be a useful addition to a student's personal profile/portfolio.