Soon it will be your mother's birthday, and
you have decided to buy her a birthstone ring.
You know your mother's birthstone is an emerald
because she was born in May. When you visit
a jewelry store, you discover a vast assortment
of emerald rings. Some of the emeralds are
set in gold, some in silver. Many of the emeralds
have a deep and clear green color, while others
have more interesting cuts that make the stone
sparkle. You also notice that some of the rings
are in your price range, whereas others are
so expensive you do not even ask to have them
taken out of the case. When you ask a salesperson
why there is such a difference in emerald prices,
she replies that the less expensive emeralds
were created in the laboratory. How can you
create an emerald in a laboratory? Why are
natural emeralds and other gemstones so expensive?
Why do some of the emeralds have a deeper green
color? In this WebQuest you'll find out the
answers to these questions as you do some research
into the nature of the minerals called gemstones.
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Your job in this WebQuest is to decide whether
a gemstone created in a laboratory is the same
as a gemstone that occurs naturally. You will
have to find out how natural gemstones form
and what their chemical, physical, and optical
properties are. You will find out how natural
gemstones are treated to correct their flaws
or bring out their colors. You will find out
the different processes used to create gemstones
in a laboratory. Then you will have to compare
the prices and properties of created gemstones
to those of naturally occurring gemstones and
decide if created gemstones are the same as
their natural counterparts.
Once you've done your research, you will make
a decision about what kind of ring to buy your
mother. You will have to prepare a statement
in which you give your reasons for your choice.
Your
goal is to choose a beautiful emerald ring
that will retain its value for a long time
to come.
Objectives
Look at the web sites given here to find the
information that will enable you to make an
informed decision about which type of emerald
ring to purchase for your mother's birthday.
- Natural
Gemstones Geologic Environment
At this USGS site you can find out how natural
gemstones form and where they are found. - A
Primer of Gemstones
This site includes a general guide to natural
gemstones.
- Crystals:
More than meets the eye: Gems
Here you can learn more about how natural
gemstones form and where they can be found.
- Diamonds
- Chemical
Formulas of Gemstones
Visit this USGS site to find out the chemical
formulas of natural gemstones. - Electronic
Gemstone Library
This site is a source for information on
natural gemstones and their properties.
- Gemology:
Physical, Chemical and Optical Properties
At this site you can read more about the
properties of natural gemstones, including
specific gravity, cleavage, hardness, fracture,
refraction, transparency, and luster.
- Gemology:
Gemstone Knowledge
Visit this site to find out how natural
gemstones are treated to enhance or change
color or to eliminate flaws. - Emerald
and Gemstones: Treatment Methods
This site includes a code that jewelers use
to let customers know if, and how, a natural
gemstone has been treated.
- Gemstone
Treatments - What You Need To Know
At this site you can choose a type of gemstone
and find out what kinds of treatments it
may be subjected to in order to enhance color
or correct flaws.
- Geolite
Gems and Jewelry
Visit this site to see how emeralds are grown
by the hydrothermal method.
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2 class periods; a total of 60 minutes for
research, 20 minutes to prepare a written statement.
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Now that you have completed your research
on the Internet, decide what you think about
the differences between natural gemstones and
gemstones created in a laboratory. If a created
gemstone has the exact same chemical and physical
properties as a natural gemstone, can it be
considered the same as a natural gemstone?
If not, why not? Is a natural gemstone really "natural" if
it has received treatment to enhance its color
or correct tiny fractures? Should a jewelry store tell customers when
they are looking at created rather than natural
gemstones? Now that you know more about gemstones,
write a paragraph in which you state your preference
for buying your mother a ring with a natural
or a created gemstone. Justify your preference
by discussing quality of the gemstone and what the value of the gemstone will be
in the future. Be sure to support your preference
with factual information from your Internet
research.
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In the process of completing this WebQuest,
you've become informed about the availability
of natural gemstones and how they are treated,
how gemstones are created in the laboratory,
and the differences between these types of
gemstones. You have developed critical thinking
skills as you have explored the different factors
involved in this decision-making process. You
have read information to answer key questions
and formed an educated opinion. Finally, you
have written a statement about your choice
for a present for your mother. Would you purchase
a gemstone for yourself? What kind of gemstone
would you buy? Is this a different choice than
the one you made for your mother's birthstone
ring?
CREATED GEMSTONES: THE REAL THING?
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