Summary

In this activity, students will research a common element from the periodic table and create a brochure about it. Students will include information about its atomic structure, subatomic particles, Bohr model, chemical symbol, and common uses.

Grade Level

Elementary and Middle School

Objectives

By the end of this activity, students should be able to

• Access and explain information available on the Periodic Table.
• Identify the 10 most common elements in the universe.
• Use the atomic number of an element to determine the number of protons in an atom of the element.
• Use atomic mass to determine number of neutrons in an atom.
• Conduct research to list common uses of given elements on Earth.
• Draw a Bohr model of a given element.

Chemistry Topics

This activity supports students’ understanding of

• The Periodic Table
• Elements
• Atomic Structure
• Subatomic Particles
• Model of the Atom

Time

Teacher Preparation: 5-10 minutes

Lesson: 50 minutes

Materials

• Periodic Tables
• Internet access, computers/devices for student research
• Brochure template (optional – available in Microsoft Word templates)
• Markers/colored pencils
• Colored paper/construction paper (optional)

Safety

• No specific safety precautions need to be observed for this activity.

Teacher Notes

• I suggest having brochure samples (even on a different topic) available for students to see a sample.
• Prior to beginning this activity, it is important that the students have been introduced how to interpret and use information on the Periodic Table:
  • A: The atomic number of an element tells how many protons are in the nucleus of a single atom of the element.
  • B: The atomic mass of an element is the average weight of all the isotopes of a given atom.
  • Isotopes of an element are atoms of the element containing different numbers of neutrons. All atoms of a particular element have the same number of protons, but this is not the case for neutrons. Atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons. These atoms are called “isotopes” of the element.
  • Since the atomic mass is an average of the mass of all isotopes of an element, you can round to the nearest whole number; then subtract the number of protons. This gives you the number of neutrons in the nucleus of the atom.
  • C: This is the chemical symbol, which is often the first one or two letters of the element name.
  • D: This is the element’s name. This is sometimes included on the Periodic Table, though sometimes it is not.
• Teachers should complete a sample Bohr model with students.
• Once you have determined the number of protons and neutrons, you know how to build the Bohr model of an atom of the element:
  • For a neutral atom of an element, the number of electrons simply equal the number of protons.
  • The first shell (orbit around the nucleus) is full with only 2 electrons.
  • Each remaining shell can hold up to 8 electrons. Once an electron shell is full, you can place subsequent electrons on the next shell. This will work up until element #20. So the pattern becomes 2-8-8-2.
  • Potassium (K) is actually a great element to use as an example to the class.
  • Here is a great video example of a Potassium atomdiagram.
  • The atomic number is 19, so there are 19 protons and 19 electrons in a neutral atom.
  • The atomic mass is 39.098, so it rounds to 39. 39-19=20 neutrons.
  • Some places we commonly find potassium include bananas, fertilizer, and fireworks.
  • Potassium is important to our body because it helps us build muscle and proteins, and maintain normal body growth.
  Helpful links:
  • You can find a list of the top 10 elements in the universe here.
  • Here is an awesome online quiz that can be used to gauge student understanding of how to use the periodic table before they start collecting their research and creating their brochure:
• You may wish to allow students to work individually, or in pairs.
• Teachers may want to assign elements to students, or have students randomly select elements, like a raffle.
• Differentiation: Stronger students may be allowed to work independently while the teacher takes a small group to guide them through each step of the activity.