While learning about minerals, students in Ms. Robinson's Earth Science classes used marshmallows and toothpicks to build the three most common mineral structures, helping them understand how the arrangement of atoms (represented by marshmallows) determines mineral properties. To simulate mineral strength and hardness, students stacked textbooks on their structures. The Silica Tetrahedron was the ultimate winner, supporting an impressive 83 textbooks!

Building Strong Minerals: Students Put Structures to the Test!
February 12, 2025