Periodic Table Unit Plan

INT 925: Elementary Curriculum on the Web

Project 2: Create and Share a Curriculum Unit

Michelle Corder

4th/5th Grade – Fall River Elementary, Fall River Mills, CA

California State Science Content Standard

1. Elements and their combinations account for all the varied types of matter in the world.

d. Students know that each element is made of one kind of atom and that the elements are organized in the periodic table by their chemical properties.

Key Unit Questions

A. How are elements similar and different from one another?

B. What are the chemical properties of each element studied?

C. How are the elements organized in the periodic table?

Background Knowledge

Students should already be familiar with:

1. Matter-

Resources:

http://www.chem4kids.com/files/matter_intro.html

http://scorescience.humboldt.k12.ca.us/fast/teachers/Matter/matter.htm

http://www.thetech.org/exhibits/online/topics/50a.html

2. Atoms-

Resources:

The Atoms Family: http://www.sciencespot.net/Media/atomsfam.pdf

-Overhead http://www.sciencespot.net/Media/atomsfam2.pdf

-Atomic Math http://www.sciencespot.net/Media/atomicmath.pdf

Adams Family Song: http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Rapids/1111/adamsfamsong.htm

Edible Atoms: http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceEdibleAtomLab-ForPeriodicTableAtomsGoodIdea46.htm

General Knowledge: http://www.chem4kids.com/files/atom_structure.html

http://education.jlab.org/atomtour/index.html

http://www.miamisci.org/af/sln/phantom/spectroscope.html

Atom Builder: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/atom/#

Week One

Days One and Two – Computer Lab

Introduction

Introduce Key Vocabulary – Vocabulary Sheet: http://ctap295.borderlink.org/lshumard/vocabularyelement.xls

Whole Class with A.V., then Individual Practice – Provide students with a visual, interactive introduction to the organization and structure of the periodic table with an animated Flash Module. The Module includes the location of the elements, periods, groups (American and IUPAC), metals and non-metals, and states of matter.

http://zircon.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/mlx/warehouse/00601-00700/00696/Chemistry.swf

Individual or Pairs: - Reinforce new information with concise information from “How to Read the Periodic Table”.

http://web.buddyproject.org/web017/web017/pertab.html

Whole Class with A.V. – Watch entertaining, but fast-paced BrainPop Movie on the periodic table.

http://www.brainpop.com/science/matter/periodictable/index.weml

Day Three– Classroom

Button Activity - Discovering Patterns

In groups of two or four - Students organize mixed objects (buttons) of similar type by property. The buttons can be sorted by color, size, material, etc. Students discuss different ways that buttons can be organized and assemble buttons into various periodic orders according to their properties.

Button Sorting Worksheet http://ctap295.borderlink.org/lshumard/buttons.doc

Days Four and Five – Computer Lab

Review Key Vocabulary

Individually – Explore Online Periodic Table Memorization Games and Quizzes:

Element Flashcards: http://education.jlab.org/elementflashcards/index.html

Element Math: http://education.jlab.org/elementmath/index.html

Element Hangman: http://education.jlab.org/elementhangman/index.html

Element Crossword: http://education.jlab.org/elementcrossword/index.html

Element Concentration: http://education.jlab.org/elementconcentration/index.html

Element Matching: http://education.jlab.org/elementmatching/index.html

On-Line Self-Quizzes

The Periodic Table Challenge:

http://www.ilpi.com/genchem/periodicquiz.html

Proton Don Periodic Table Quiz (may select difficulty):

http://www.funbrain.com/periodic/index.html

Optional In-Class Games

In-Class Periodic Table Memorization Game

Element Trading Cards: http://www.sciencespot.net/Media/elemtradcds.pdf

Element Word Search: http://education.jlab.org/beamsactivity/6thgrade/elementwordsearch/index.html

Element Bingo: http://education.jlab.org/beamsactivity/6thgrade/elementbingo/index.html

Week Two

Days One through Five

Adopt-An-Element Project

Individually – Using a variety of reference sources, including the Internet, students research an element, complete a detailed information sheet, and create an advertisement poster for their element.

http://www.sciencespot.net/Media/adtelempjt.pdf

Culminating Activity - Periodic Wall

Whole Group – The advertisement posters from the Adopt-An-Element project are assembled into a huge periodic table on outside wall of the classroom.

Assessment

Unit Quiz

Includes Key Vocabulary and Periodic Table Worksheet http://ctap295.borderlink.org/lshumard/elementspreadr.xls

Additional Unit Resources

Periodic Tables

Comic Book - http://www.uky.edu/Projects/Chemcomics/

Web Elements http://www.webelements.com/webelements/scholar/

Chemicool http://www-tech.mit.edu/Chemicool/

Rona’s Ultimate Teaching

Tools - Periodic Table http://www.myteachertools.com/old/periodictable.htm

Chemical Society - http://www.chemsoc.org/viselements/pages/pertable_j.htm

Los Alamos http://pearl1.lanl.gov/periodic/default.htm

Enrichment/Fun Stuff

Periodic Table Puns: http://www.sciencespot.net/Media/elempuns.pdf

-More Puns http://www.sciencespot.net/Media/elempuns2.pdf

-Answers http://www.sciencespot.net/Media/elempnsansw.pdf

Memorization Tips: http://www.sciencespot.net/Media/elementtips.pdf

The Elements Song: http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/activities/sciencehits/