Catawba County News

STEAM: Borax Crystal Snowflakes

Published: February 04, 2021

In this second STEAM program connected to the library’s Spring Into Reading challenge, participants will have a front-row seat to watch chemistry in action.

Borax is a cleaning product found at the grocery store that can also boost the power of laundry detergent. It’s the main ingredient used to generate this program’s crystal snowflakes, and its key role in the experiment’s chemical reactions will intrigue both youngsters and adults.

To participate in the program, families should register at https://www.tinyurl.com/SpringIntoReading. They’ll receive the Zoom link, along with a materials list, which includes readily available household items, including string, borax powder (5 tablespoons), pipe cleaner, 1 cup boiling water, scissors, pencil, spoon, food coloring, and wide-mouth jar or container.

The STEAM session takes place at 4 pm on Tuesday, February 9. Once a child attends it, parents can log their participation at https://catawbacountync.beanstack.org/ under the child’s ‘activity badges’ tab.