Teacher: Traci

Overstreet
Subject: Science
Unit: Atoms
Date: 3/8/2015
Defining Success

OBJECTIVE: What will your students be able to do by the end of class?

TEK: 8.5B
-

Students will understand that the number of protons is what identifies an element.
Students will be able to identify some elements of the periodic table through the amount of protons.
Students will be able to define valence electrons and demonstrate what they are.
Students will be able to correctly draw the rings of an atom with the valence electrons on the outer rings.

ASSESSMENT: How will you know concretely that all

of your students have mastered the objective?

KEY POINTS: What three to five main ideas or

steps will you emphasize in your lesson? May also
include key questions to ask during instruction.
1. Students should be able to identify elements by
Each student will turn in their periodic table for a grade. It the number of protons.
needs to be filled in and colored completely.
2. Students should be familiar with the periodic
table and how its structured.
3. Students should understand atoms and their
structures (protons, electrons, shells, valence
electrons).
4. Students should be able to identify metals, nonmetals and noble gases on the periodic table.
ENGAGE: 10 min
MATERIALS
First, I will divide the students into small groups. One student will be in a group alone, and I - Piece of paper with
will hand him a piece of paper with the letter H on it. The next group will be two people, element symbols on
and I will give them a piece of paper that says He. I will continue this until Ive grouped one side and the
the students as different elements (until Ive run out of students!) and each of them has a
periodic table on the
piece of paper with the elements symbol on it. There will be a periodic table on the back of back (with only the
each paper.
symbol and number
of protons labeled).
I will ask the students to figure out what element they are by looking at the periodic table. I Each group of
will tell them to look for the similarities in their group and the elements on the chart to help students get a
them identify what they are. I will give them a few minutes to figure it out before I go
different element.
through each group and have them tell the class what element they are and how they came
up with that conclusion. They will then have to write the symbol of their element on the
- Large, blank
large periodic table on the board and put how many protons it has.
periodic table.
This will open up the part of the lesson where students have to identify elements by the
number of protons.
EXPLORE: 25 min
Students will return to their desks and I will pass out a set of directions for them to work on
to label their periodic tables. Students can work in small groups of three or four. The
directions / guidelines are as follows:
1. There are e- (electrons) in shells.
2. The first shell can hold no more than 2e3. The second shell can hold no more than 8e4. The third shell can hold no more than 8e- (and so on for the rest of the shells).
5. The number or protons is equal to the number of electrons.
6. Now draw the atoms using dots to represent the electrons. Follow the example given.
Only do columns 1-2 and 13-18.
EXPLAIN: 15 min

- Colored pencils.

When students are done with the chart, I will call on each group to explain what they did and
any patterns they noticed when they were working on their periodic tables. I will ask them
what they think a valence electron is. No matter the answers they give me, Ill explain that
the valence electrons are the electrons on the outermost shell of the atom. I will pick certain
students to tell me how many valence electrons a certain element has. After we discuss a few
examples, I will explain that the valence electrons are what participate in the forming of a
chemical bond and that the presence of valence electrons can determine its chemical
properties.
ELABORATE: 30 min
To elaborate on the concept, I will take student volunteers (if I dont get any, I will pick
several students) to demonstrate valence electrons to the class. We will use the element,
Magnesium, as an example.
I will have two students represent the electrons on the inner shell and have them stand back
to back. While I do that, I will ask questions like why am I only putting two students on this
shell? (Hopefully, the students will answer that its because only two electrons can go on the
first shell like they learned earlier). I will take the next eight students and put them on the
second shell and ask students why I am only putting eight students there, and hopefully I get
a similar answer. The last two students will be put on the outer shell and I will have them
walk around / circle the group. I will ask the other students what the difference between
those two students and the rest of them are. (Ill probably get answers like they are moving,
etc.) I will ask if they are stable or unstable. When students tell me that the two on the outer
shell are unstable, Ill take the two away and ask what the atom is now and they will
hopefully tell me stable.
I will have the students return to their seats to continue working on their periodic tables. I
will ask them to then identify the metals, non-metals and noble gases using three different
colors to identify each one.
EVALUATE: 10 min
Students will turn in their periodic tables for a grade.