Summary: The atomic structure and properties of elements are used to organise them in the Periodic Table.
Elements as Atoms
“identify the atom as the smallest unit of an element and that it can be represented by a symbol”
“distinguish between the atoms of some common elements by comparing information about the numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons”
Notes
| Activity/Resource | Notes |
|---|---|
The Periodic Table
“describe the organisation of elements in the Periodic Table using their atomic number”
“relate the properties of some common elements to their position in the Periodic Table”
“predict, using the Periodic Table, the properties of some common elements”
“outline some examples to show how creativity, logical reasoning and the scientific evidence available at the time, contributed to the development of the modern Periodic Table”
Notes
| Activity/Resource | Notes |
|---|---|
| [Numeracy] Atomic Mass and Number | Students calculate the neutron number of different elements (atomic mass – atomic number) |
| [Practical] Periodic Table Colouring | Students colour-code the Periodic Table, identifying metals, non-metals, metalloids, as well as label groups & periods on the table |
| [Discussion] Periodic Table Organisation | Inquiry Question: Why is the Periodic Table not alphabetised? Why is it organised the way it is? Students should gather, analyse, summarise and present information about this question to the class (in groups) Students could also come up with different ways of organising the Periodic Table (and discuss pros/cons) |
| [Video] Investigating the Periodic Table | The Royal Institution. (2019). Investigating the periodic table with experiments – with Peter Wothers [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqe9tEcZkno Video contains many suggestions for experiments for different elements (Group) Activity idea – display gifs of similar elements/atomic structures (e.g. the Alkali earth metals), get students to note down similarities/differences |
| [Literacy] Scientist Contributions | Similar to the activity about developments to atomic theory, students can research + discuss famous scientists’ contributions to the Periodic Table, including: John Dalton, Michael Faraday, Dmitri Mendeleev, Marie Curie, Ernest Rutherford, Niels Bohr, Glenn Seaborg, Murray Gell-Mann Students can present their findings in different ways, including biographies/profiles of each scientist (producing either a gallery or timeline) |
| [Literacy] Timeline | Students produce a timeline (or storyboard) showcasing changes and updates to the periodic table, up until the most recent additions (in 2016, elements 113, 115, 117 and 118 were named) |
| [Digital] Periodic Table | Digital periodic table available on Ptable and the Royal Society of Chemistry. ANSTO also hosts an AR (augmented reality) mobile device app that students can use to ‘bring the Periodic Table to life’ (requires an ANSTO periodic table, available on the website) |
*Will continue adding/refining ideas here over time.
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