Crystal Cave

Travel underground to a crystal cave and learn how crystals form! Made with our partners at UW-MRSEC and Wisconsin DPI.

Learn about the Game Play the Game

At a Glance

  • Grades: 5-8
  • Playtime: 10-20 minutes
  • Play from a web browser—no logins or downloads required
  • Free to play

About the Game

This simple puzzle game introduces kids to crystals! Players join the kids of the Yard and try their hand at arranging molecules with different shapes and properties into an ordered, stable configuration. Learn about crystals, repeating patterns, and molecular charges.


Topics Addressed

  • Crystals
  • Geometric Arrangements
  • Molecular Charges
  • Molecular Stability

Next Gen Science Standards (NGSS)

  • MS-PS1-1
  • MS-PS1-2

Game Types

  • single player

About the Yard Games

The Crystal Cave is part of the Yard Games, our collection of middle school science games. Designed as playful introductions to complex topics, the games are online and free to play.

Partners

We created Crystal Cave with our amazing partners at UW-MRSEC and Wisconsin DPI. Our team relied on the expertise of teacher fellows from across Wisconsin to help conceive, design, and test the games.