Classroom Resources: Atomic Structure
26 – 50 of 68 Classroom Resources
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Electrostatic Forces, Ionization Energy, Subatomic Particles, Electrons | High School
Lesson Plan: Coulomb's Law
In this lesson students explore qualitative applications of Coulomb’s law within atoms and between ions and solvents.
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Periodic Table, History, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Atomic Mass, Atomic Theory, Model of the Atom, Subatomic Particles | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Activity: Mendeleev Video Questions
In this activity, students will watch a video and answer questions about Dimitri Mendeleev. They will learn about his contribution to chemistry, including his organization of the periodic table and awareness to leave gaps for elements that weren’t yet discovered.
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Periodic Table, History, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Subatomic Particles, Atomic Mass | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Activity: History of the Periodic Table Video Questions
In this activity, students will answer questions while watching a video about how the periodic table was developed and learn about those who contributed to it.
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Atomic Theory, Orbitals , Electrons, Model of the Atom, Subatomic Particles, History | Middle School, High School
Activity: Neils Bohr Video Questions
In this activity, students will answer questions while watching a video about Niels Bohr and learn how he redefined thinking about the atom and the electron. His model of the atom advanced our understanding of subatomic particles and holds an important place in the history and development of atomic theory.
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Radioactive Isotopes, Radiation, Half Lives, Subatomic Particles, Model of the Atom, History | Middle School, High School
Activity: Marie Curie Video Questions
In this activity, students will watch a short video and learn about Marie Curie, her Nobel Prizes, radiation experiments, and discovery of new elements.
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Atomic Theory, Subatomic Particles, Model of the Atom, History | Middle School, High School
Activity: Ernest Rutherford Video Questions
In this activity, students will watch a video about Ernest Rutherford. They will learn about his great contributions to chemistry, including his study of alpha particles and his use of the gold foil experiment. They will also find out that he won the Nobel Prize in chemistry for his studies on radioactive substances.
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Isotopes, Atomic Mass, Subatomic Particles | Middle School, High School
Activity: Candy Isotopes & Atomic Mass
In this activity, students will learn about isotopes and be introduced to basic average atomic mass calculations. They will use simple numbers and M&M candies to model ratios that approximate real world atomic mass values on the periodic table.
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Radioactive Isotopes, Atomic Theory, History, Pros Cons of Nuclear Power, Radiation, Subatomic Particles | Middle School, High School
Activity: Lise Meitner Video Questions
In this activity, students will complete a short series of questions as they watch the Founders of Chemistry video about Lise Meitner. The video tells the story of Lise Meitner, a pioneering female scientist in the field of nuclear chemistry, who was denied a Nobel Prize but has an Element named in her honor.
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Periodic Table, Elements, History, Subatomic Particles, Atomic Mass, Ionic Bonding, Covalent Bonding | Middle School, High School
Project: Exploring Elements
In this project, students will select an element and then use Ptable.com to explore aspects of the element including its periodicity, electron configuration, history, and uses in industry.
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Isotopes, Atomic Mass, Subatomic Particles | Middle School, High School
Simulation: Isotopes & Calculating Average Atomic Mass
In the May 2017 simulation, students first learn how the average atomic mass is determined through a tutorial based on the isotope abundance for Carbon. Students will then interact within a workspace where they will select the number of isotopes, the mass of each isotope as well as their abundancies in order to successfully build a mystery element. Finally they will use their choices to calculate the average atomic mass of the mystery element.
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Isotopes, Atomic Mass, Subatomic Particles | Middle School, High School
Activity: Simulation Activity: Isotopes & Calculating Average Atomic Mass
In this simulation, students first learn how the average atomic mass is determined through a tutorial based on the isotope abundance for Carbon. Students will then interact within a workspace where they will select the number of isotopes, the mass of each isotope as well as their abundancies in order to successfully build a mystery element. Finally they will use their choices to calculate the average atomic mass of the mystery element.
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Subatomic Particles, Molecular Structure , Photosynthesis | Middle School
Lesson Plan: Carbon, Carbon Everywhere
In this lesson, students will learn about how Carbon cycles through Earth’s systems and its importance for life on Earth.
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Subatomic Particles, Model of the Atom, Atomic Mass, Electrons | Middle School, High School
Project: Element Project
In this project, students will become familiar with and have a workable understanding of atomic structure. The students will also create and construct a model of an atom.
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Periodic Table, Elements, Subatomic Particles, Model of the Atom | Elementary School, Middle School
Activity: Element Brochure
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.
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Subatomic Particles, Model of the Atom, Elements, Molecular Formula | Middle School, Elementary School
Project: What's It Made Of?
In this project each student will conduct research to discover what compounds, molecules, and elements make up a basic everyday object of their choice. The student will create a poster detailing what the object is made of, including a Bohr model. The student will also create a question about their object’s atomic structure for their peers as part of a culminating project gallery walk to observe, discuss, and learn about each poster.
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Atomic Theory, Model of the Atom, Subatomic Particles, History | High School
Project: The Scientists Behind the Atom
In this project, students will create a digital (or paper) book about the scientists who contributed to our understanding of the atom.
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Subatomic Particles, Model of the Atom, Atomic Theory | Middle School, High School
Lab: Investigating the Sizes of Atomic Particles
In this lab, students will use yarn and peas to compare the sizes of the three subatomic particles and will see that most of an atom is empty space.
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Periodic Table, Subatomic Particles, History, Introduction, Elements, Atoms, Valence Electrons, Electrons | Middle School
Project: Elemental Art: A Visual Periodic Table
In this activity students will research an assigned element of the Periodic Table and then create a poster that visually explains and expresses the element. The final posters can be arranged into a classroom Periodic Table.
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Atomic Theory, Electrons, Model of the Atom, Subatomic Particles, History | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Niels Bohr Video
This video tells the story of Niels Bohr, a great scientist who redefined how we think about atoms and the electron. Bohr’s model of the atom helped to advance understanding of subatomic particles, and holds an important place in the history and development of the atomic theory.
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Model of the Atom, Subatomic Particles, Atomic Mass, Valence Electrons, Atoms, Periodic Table, Elements | Middle School, High School
Activity: Mystery Elements
The students will work in cooperative groups to construct Bohr models of "mystery" elements and record missing information about each element. Students will also create a new "mystery" element card for a classmate to analyze and determine its identity.
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Model of the Atom, Periodic Table, Subatomic Particles, Electrons, Valence Electrons, Ions | High School, Middle School
Lab: Sweet Model of the Atom
In this lesson, students will use different candies to represent electrons, protons, and neutrons to gain a better understanding of atoms, ions, and isotopes.
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Atomic Radius, Ionic Radius, Electrons, Model of the Atom, Subatomic Particles, Periodic Table | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Animation: Atomic & Ionic Radii Animation
This animation explores patterns in atomic and ionic radii. Students will look at the different sizes of atoms in the third period and the atoms in the sixth group to see trends across periods and down groups. They will also look at an atom and its corresponding cation as well as an atom and its corresponding anion. **This video has no audio**
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Model of the Atom, Electrons, Electron Configuration, Quantum Numbers, Subatomic Particles, Periodic Table | High School
Animation: Orbitals Animation
This animation explores the shapes of the 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, and 3d orbitals and how they build up and overlap as each successive orbital is added. **This video has no audio**
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Radioactive Isotopes, History, Subatomic Particles, Model of the Atom, Atomic Theory | Middle School, High School
Video: Ernest Rutherford Video
Rutherford's initial research was studying alpha particles, which he hypothesized were helium nuclei. With the help of Hans Geiger, Rutherford conducted the gold foil experiment, which justifies that the nucleus of an atom is a dense collection of protons and contains the majority of an atom’s mass. It also inferred that most of the atom is empty space and electrons are not located in the nucleus. He won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1908 for his studies on radioactive substances.
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Atomic Mass, Atomic Theory, Model of the Atom, Subatomic Particles, Periodic Table, History | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Dimitri Mendeleev Video
This video tells the story of how Dimitri Mendeleev organized the periodic table, even leaving gaps to be filled in with elements that weren't yet discovered.