Unit Overview

Purpose:
This lesson is a multimedia exploration of the periodic table of elements and periodic trends.  The purpose of this unit is to introduce students to the history and configuration of the periodic table and its elements.  The periodic table plays in important role in study the world of chemistry.  It contains a wealth of information regarding elements.  This lesson will be appealing to students because it allows them to explore the properties behind the periodic table in an interactive way.

Description:
In the Periodic Table Adventure unit, students will use a teacher developed website to learn and key concepts related to atoms, elements, and using the periodic table.  The unit will use traditional classroom lesson plans as well as web activities.  Students will first be introduced to the history of the periodic table and the lives of Dmitri Mendeleev and Henry Mosley.  They will then learn how to read and interpret the periodic table of elements, including information about the families and groups contained in the table.  As a culminating activity, the students will be assigned an element and become a “family” with the other elements.  They will perform Internet-based research on their element.  The research will then be used by each family to teach their fellow students by developing and presenting a PowerPoint presentation.
 
 

Learners (Grade Level/Curriculum Area)

This lesson is aimed at 9th-12th grade chemistry students. The lesson could also be used for an advanced physical science class. The students should have prior understanding of atomic structure and electron configurations.  They should also have a basic understanding of terminology associated with the periodic table.  The students will also need to have a basic understanding of Internet searching, as well as operation of Microsoft PowerPoint presentation software.
 
 

Learning Objectives

 As a result of this unit, the student will:

1. Learn how the original periodic table was developed
2. Be able to identify elemental properties used by Mendeleev to organize the original periodic table.
2. Identify the locations of groups and periods on the periodic table.
3. Identify the differences between families of the periodic table.
4. Identify periodic trends and general properties of periodic elements.
5. Perform internet-based research and apply their research and knowledge acquired in this unit to the development and presentation of a PowerPoint slideshow on specific elements and their families.
 

Standards and Benchmarks

Louisiana Physical Science Benchmarks (9-12):

As students in grades 9-12 extend their knowledge and abilities, what they know and are able to do includes:

PS-H-A2     understanding the language of chemistry (formula, equations, symbols) and its relationship to molecules, atoms, ions, and subatomic particles;

PS-H-B3     understanding that an atom’s electron configuration, particularly that of the outermost electrons, determines the chemical properties of that atom;

PS-H-C2    discovering the patterns of physical and chemical properties found on the periodic table of the elements;

PS-H-C3    understanding that physical properties of substances reflect the nature of interactions among its particles.
 

National Technology Standards for Students:
 

Basic operations and concepts:
 
• Students are proficient in the use of technology.
Social, ethical, and human issues:
 
• Students understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology.
• Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
• Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.


Technology productivity tools:
 

• Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
• Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.


Technology research tools:
 

• Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
• Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
• Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

Technology Connection

Technology will play a major role in this lesson.  The students will be introduced to the topic by viewing a teacher-created PowerPoint presentation.  The students will collect data on the assigned elements and its family via an Internet-based Web Quest.  From this research, the students will create their own PowerPoint slides describing their element.  These slides will then connected to slides of elements in the same family.  The students will collaborate with their “family” to produce a group presentation representing their specific family of elements.

The Internet research will be used to motivate students to take an active role in learning.  Instead of listening to 5 days worth of teacher lectures, they will research their own element and families and teach their peers about the trends visible in the periodic table.  The PowerPoint will be a fun and creative way for the students to practice using technology and teach their fellow students.  It will also teach the students how to distill a great amount of information into an informative presentation and how to improve up their research and technology skills.

Time

This unit will take 7 50-minute classes to complete.  The Internet research and creation of the multimedia slideshows will take the majority of the class time.

Resources
 

The resources needed will be a combination of handouts and Internet pages.  Each student should have access to a computer terminal with Internet access.

“History of the Periodic Table” – teacher created PowerPoint to be used as introduction to lesson

“How the Elements Were Won: A Periodic Adventure” – description of the WebQuest and final PowerPoint project

“Webquest Results” Worksheet

PowerPoint Tutorial

Internet Search Strategies

Day 1

1. With the class as a whole, introduce the topic of the unit – The Periodic Table; evaluate what the students already know about the table through questions.
2. Introduce the history of the table, the Periodic Law, and table terminology using PowerPoint presentation
3. Describe the “Periodic Table Adventure” assignment, including objective, background, requirements, etc.;

Day 2

1. Briefly review the details of the assignment and reiterate requirements to entire class
2. Assign individual elements and hand out Webquest worksheets
3. Remainder of period used for individual research

Day 3

1. Allow time for students to finish Internet research
2. Begin creating individual element multimedia slides
3. Students turn in Webquest results for review

Day 4

1. Finish creating individual element slides
2. Begin working in “families” on group presentation

Day 5

1. Put finishing touches on final projects

Day 6 & Day 7

1. Multimedia Presentations
2. Wrap-up unit by reviewing concepts introduced

The students will be required to complete a research Webquest and a group multimedia presentation using PowerPoint.

Both assignments will be assessed using a rubrics.

Click here to view rubrics.

Sample Student Webquest Results