Building Atomic Models

By Maisha Murry •

Grade Level	9-11 Grade
Subject Area	Chemistry
Duration	Three 70 Minute Classroom Periods
Setting	Classroom
Background Knowledge	Students should be able to identify uses, properties and chemical processes to the behavior and/or arrangement of the small particles that compose matter. Students need basic knowledge of atomic structure
Authors	Maisha Murry, Andries Van der Bent


Summary
This lesson will reinforce previously gained knowledge about subatomic particles and help students remember the functions and locations of subatomic particles. The creation of a model for an assigned chemical will also help them to visualize the atomic structure of their assigned atom. This lesson will help students understand how the elements in the periodic table are classified and introduce the concept of valence electrons.
Objectives
Students will be able to: • Model the Atomic structure of an atom. • Develop a model that displays the properties and location of a proton, neutron, and electron within an atom • Discuss atoms of different elements in terms of their number of electrons, protons, neutrons • Compare the three classes of elements; metals, nonmetals, and metalloids. • Compare the different groups of elements; alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, halogens, noble gases, representative elements, transitional metals, and inner transition metals (better known as rare earth metals)
Materials Required
Required for a class of 30 students 1. Computers, with Internet access 2. Color Paper – Sky blue, Dark Blue, Orange, Purple, Red, Yellow, and Dark Yellow 3. Paper 4. Glue 5. Pencils 6. Pipe Cleaners 7. 10 mm Pom Poms of at least two colors Optional Materials Chemistry Book (Prentice Hall Chemistry by Wilbraham, Staley, Matta and Waterman) Teacher computer, projector and screen for power point presentation or make overheads of Power Point slides Large wall space in classroom, ceiling for hanging or hallway Ladder and extra string (fishing line) to hang atomic models from ceiling Pipe cleaners, 10 mm pom pom balls, fishing line, Styrofoam balls or piece of circle paper for the nucleus
Ohio Standards
From the Ohio Science Benchmarks: Physical Sciences • Benchmark A-Describe that matter is made of minute particles called atoms and atoms are comprised of even smaller components. Explain the structure and properties of atoms. • Indicator-Show that when elements are listed in order according to the number of protons (called the atomic number), the repeating patterns of physical and chemical properties identify families of elements. Recognize that the periodic table was formed as a result of the repeating pattern of electron configurations.