Learn how to make homemade salt crystals and make salt crystal apples! They were super fun to make, and kept my preschooler fully engaged for several days as we watched the crystals grow larger and larger every day. This is a super fun STEM lesson plan that you can use as one of your fall apple STEM activities.
Follow along to learn how to make your own salt crystal apples. This activity is perfect for toddlers, preschoolers, and older kids alike!
How to Make Homemade Salt Crystals that Look Like Apples!
We’ve always tried to give our kids educational activities and STEM activities to try, but my kids quickly got bored with repeating the same experiments over and over.
So this time, in celebration of the fall season, we made our homemade salt crystals look like delicious sparkly apples!
Table of Contents
Apple-Themed Decorations
Here are some fun apple-themed decorations you can use to decorate your classroom or home when playing apple games or just for some fall flair!
Salt Crystal Science for Kids
If you are making salt crystals, you might want to know the science behind it!
Salt crystals form when water evaporates from a supersaturated salt solution.
As water evaporates, it can’t hold on to as much salt. The salt deposits then cling together and form square crystal shapes.
In nature, you’ll see this happen near oceans, in salt caves, and in special saltwater pools like the Dead Sea.
Apple-Themed Teaching Resources
Apples and teaching go hand-in-hand!
Add these fun apple-themed teaching supplies to your classroom (or your house, if you just love apples that much!).
Because a lot of these natural salt formations aren’t made of pure salt, you won’t see the square shape of the crystal as much as with homemade salt crystals.
But when you look closely, you’ll see that salt always makes a square shape, unless it has something extra added like when growing crystals with bluing and ammonia!
And of course, you can also use this crystal activity when you’re looking for fun crystal experiments to try.
You may also want to check out these other STEM activities for fall.
What You Need to Make Homemade Salt Crystal Apples
You’ll need just a few things to make these pretty salt crystal apples!
After you’ve completed your STEM activity, you can use the apples as fall decorations for the classroom.
This post contains affiliate links.
- Pipe cleaners
- Mason jars
- Salt
- Clothespins
- String
- STEM worksheet (grab it below)
Apple Books for Kids
Here are some colorful books children will enjoy reading to learn more about apples!
Let’s Go to the Apple Orchard Book
More Apple Activities for Kids
Get even more fun things to do with for your class with an apple theme!
- How to Use Apples to Boost STEM Thinking in the Classroom
- How to Make Fluffy Apple Slime That Will Bring the Scents of Fall Indoors
- Apple Tree Life Cycle Worksheet
- Apple Math Worksheets
Apple-Themed Shirts and Accessories
If you love to celebrate a theme as much as I do, you’ll love these apple-themed shirts and accessories!
Mini Apple Customizable Teacher Shirt
Barbie Style Apple Teacher Shirt
Customizable Apple Teacher Tumbler
Apple Word Cloud Tote for Teachers
Salt Crystal Apples STEM Lesson Plan
Get the complete salt crystal apples lesson plan below!
How to Make Salt Crystal Apples
Learn about the science of crystal formation when you make these homeamde salt crystals in the shape of apples!
Materials
- Salt
- Pipe cleaners
- Clothespins
- String
- Glass jars
Tools
- Hot plate or stove
- Pot
- Wooden spoon
- Oven mitt
- Measuring cup
- Scissors
Instructions
- Here is the homemade salt crystal STEM lesson plan.
Objective
- Students will understand the science behind the formation of salt crystals and will be able to create salt crystals in the shape of apples using a hands-on experiment.
Duration
Two 45-minute class periods 3-4 days apart.
Materials
- Table salt (NaCl)
- Hot water
- Clear glass jars
- Measuring spoons and cups
- String
- Pencils
- Pipe cleaners (red, green, brown, and yellow)
- Magnifying glasses
- Science journals
Day 1 - Introduction and Experiment Set-Up
Do these activities on day 1.
1. Introduction to Salt Crystals (15 minutes)
- Begin with a discussion on what students know about salt crystals.
- Show them examples of natural salt crystals and explain their formation.
- Explain the process of crystallization. Talk about how, when a saturated salt solution starts cooling or evaporating, salt molecules begin to settle out and organize themselves in a crystalline structure.
3. Hands-on Experiment Set-up (20 minutes)
- Instruct students to add several tablespoons of table salt to a container.
- Pour in hot water (about a cup) and stir until the salt stops dissolving. If all the salt dissolves, add more until you have some undissolved salt at the bottom. This ensures your solution is fully saturated.
- Shape the apples from pipe cleaners while the supersaturated solution cools.
- Add a stem and leaf to each apple.
- Tie a string to the top of each apple and wrap it around the center of a clothespin.
- Lay the clothespin over the opening of the jar, ensuring the apple doesn't touch any sides of the jar.
- Pour the cooled supersaturated solution into the jar, covering the apple.
4. Making Predictions (10 minutes)
- Have students to write in their science journals or STEM worksheets what they predict will happen to the apples over the next few days.
Day 2 - Observation and Analysis
Here is what to do the next class period, 3-4 days later.
1. Observing the Results (15 minutes)
- After a few days, the solution should start forming crystals around the string and within the apple mold.
- Remove the apples from the jars and let dry on a paper towel.
- Instruct students to observe their apple-shaped salt crystals using magnifying glasses.
2. Discussing the Results (20 minutes)
- Discuss the results with the class. Were their predictions correct? Why or why not?
- Talk about how the shape of the apple was formed and how the salt molecules attached themselves to the pipe cleaners.
3. Writing and Reflection (10 minutes)
- Have students write their observations on their STEM worksheet, including drawings of their apple-shaped salt crystals.
Assessment:
- Participation in the discussion and hands-on experiment.
- Predictions and observations recorded in science journals.
- Full understanding of the concept of how and why salt crystals form.
Notes
STEM Extensions
- Experiment with other types of solutions like sugar or borax to see if they produce different results.
- Try using different shapes or different temperatures of water to observe any changes in crystal growth.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
