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Unit of Learning 1st year SE week 3-6  (1)

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Some essential assessment documents in this learning log. Used many of them throughout this unit. 

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Some essential assessment documents in this learning log. Used many of them throughout this unit. 

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Reading through this helps to focus the class

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Reading through this helps to focus the class

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these can be really helpful once the students go through the unit.

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I hang the model in the middle of the classroom and pass out a copy of Atom Model Demonstration Worksheet to each student. The students use three colored pencils to do this activity (not required to actually do this activity - I think students learn more when they work with colors). One colored pencil represents protons, another represents neutrons, and the third colored pencil represents electrons.

I start out explaining that the atom has a nucleus (point to the hamster ball), which contains the protons (hold up one large colored fuzzy ball) and the neutrons (hold up a different large colored fuzzy ball). I make sure that each student has a copy of the periodic table in front of them.

Tip: Assign colors on the board representing each particle. i.e. green-protons, yellow-neutron, and red-electron. The actual colors you use is not important, there is no standard. Whatever you choose make sure to stick with it.

I then explain that the electron (hold up the small fuzzy ball) reside in shells around the nucleus (point to the rings/hula-hoops). I tell them that some very large atoms can have up to seven shells, but I only have physical room to depict three). The first shell (point to large 14" ring) can only hold 2 electrons. The second shell (point to 26" hula-hoop) can hold 8 electrons. The third ring can hold an additional 8 electrons (point to the 36" hula-hoop). Additional shells (not depicted) can hold large amounts of electrons, partly due to their large size.

I also explain that in past grades (5th grade in CA) they learned a basic atomic model and that atoms have an equal number of protons, neutrons, and electron. While this is technically correct, nature doesn't listen. I call these types of atoms " perfect atoms" and tell the kids that very few atoms remain perfect.

The first atom I build with the kids is carbon (atomic #6), which is done for them on the Atom Model Demonstration Worksheet. I add 6 protons (count out loud in a dramatic fashion) and 6 neutrons to the nucleus, explaining that the proton count represents the atomic number and the total contents of the nucleus (hamster ball) represents the atomic mass. I then add 2 electrons to the first shell and make sure to point out that the first shell is now full and ask the students what I should do next. Most of the kids understand that I need to put the remaining 4 electrons in the second shell. I have the kids color in example #1 on the Atom Model Demonstration Worksheet using the pre-assigned colors.

I then build lithium (atomic #3). I again count out three protons and three neutrons, but stop to make sure the kids know that the contents of the nucleus (hamster ball) represents the atomic mass (protons + neutrons). According to the Periodic Table the atomic mass of Lithium is 6.941 amu (I round to 7 for the sake of simplicity). I then show the kids that I need to add an extra neutron in order to get the atomic mass right (becomes an isotope). I then add the electrons, again stopping and asking what I should do after the first shell is full with 2 electrons. I then introduce the Octet Rule (I don't mention the name of the rule, only the concepts - that can wait until high school).

The Octet rule says that atoms prefer to be as much like a Nobel Gas as possible. (I point out that atoms don't really have "wants and desires", since they are not living things, but personifying atoms depicts this rule pretty well). Since the second shell only has 1 electron, lithium will try to be like helium (atomic #2) as much as possible and give its outside electron (known as a valance electron) to the universe. This sets up lithium as having 3 protons and 2 electrons for an overall electrical charge of +1 (becomes an ion). After I have built the atom the students will draw what they see in example #2, color and label the particles, and identify the atom.

The next atom I build is sodium (atomic #11). I again count out 11 protons, but to make the atomic mass of 23 (22.990 amu) I need to add 12 neutrons ( isotope). As with lithium I then add 11 electron, but the last electron ( valance electron) is lost to the universe ( negative ion). The kids then document this atom on their worksheet in example #3.

The final atom I build is chlorine (atomic #17). I add 17 protons and 18 neutron ( isotope) to get an atomic mass of 35 amu (35.453 amu). I then add 17 electrons and explain that chlorine wants to be like argon so it will add an electron ( valance electron) to have an overall +1 charge ( positive ion). As before, the kids document what they have seen for their worksheet in example #4.

I find it very helpful to introduce the concept of a valance electron early as it explains why chemistry is able to follow the rules as it does. I build on the concept of valance electrons in my lesson Sodium (Na) Reaction Demonstration - it involves explosions!

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I hang the model in the middle of the classroom and pass out a copy of Atom Model Demonstration Worksheet to each student. The students use three colored pencils to do this activity (not required to actually do this activity - I think students learn more when they work with colors).

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AB Science Collaborative Planning Document - non-interactive (1).docx

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Store photos and docs online. Access them from any PC, Mac or phone. Create and work together on Word, Excel or PowerPoint documents.

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EaS 1, 2, 4 and 5
BW 2, 4 and 7
PW 1 and 7
CW 2, 3, 5, 8, 9

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extremely helpful for the students as they do this activity on their own, while also learning about extremely important concepts.

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Edpuzzle video lesson. Make any video your lesson. Take a video and crop it, add your voice or embed questions at any point.

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This unit is hard for the students and so they need to be able to visualise how small atoms really are and how small is small. We can all think of something small but if we can't see it, we struggle to visualise it.

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For more science related videos, games, and activities, head to : http://wonderville.ca