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Recommended for: Grades 9-12

Lesson Plan: The Structure of Materials

Lesson Plan
Standards

Print Lesson Plan

Overview

High school students will view short clips on matter, atoms, and atomic bonding, and complete answer sheets on what they have learned. They will pair up to participate in an activity called "Building a Glass of Water" in which they will build water molecules with marshmallows and toothpicks. Then they will view more clips that introduce the relationship of matter to nanoscience. Extension activities include making table salt and discussing a newsreel about the Hindenburg disaster.

Content Objectives

Students will know

the definition of matter, volume, and mass
that matter is composed of atoms
the parts of an atom
basic properties of the subatomic particles which make up an atom
basic bonding characteristics

Process Objectives

Students will be able to

describe the structure of an atom
illustrate an atom and its various components
construct molecular models demonstrating basic atomic bonding
explain similarities and differences between different atoms

Grade Level: 9-12

Suggested Time

About an hour

Multimedia Resources

What is Matter? QuickTime Video (1 minute 16 seconds)
What is a Molecule? QuickTime Video (28 seconds)
What Holds a Molecule Together? QuickTime Video (57 seconds)
Using Nanoscience to Understand the Properties of Matter QuickTime Video
Taking Pictures of Things You Can't See QuickTime Video
Hindenburg Disaster Newsreel QuickTime Video
(5 minutes 26 seconds)

Materials

Structure of Materials Worksheet PDF Document
Periodic Table PDF Document
Marshmallows
Gummy Bears
Toothpicks
Large transparent container (1000 mL beaker)

Procedures

Part I: Basics of Matter and Atoms

1. Students should view What is Matter? QuickTime Video (1 minute 16 seconds) and What is a Molecule? QuickTime Video (28 seconds) videos

2. Students should complete Part I of the

Structure of Materials Worksheet PDF Document

They will need a computer to view the

Periodic Table PDF Document

(5-10 minutes).

Part II: Basics of Atomic Bonding

3. Students should view What Holds a Molecule Together? QuickTime Video (57 seconds)

4. Students should complete Part II of the

Structure of Materials Worksheet PDF Document

(10-15 minutes).

Part III: Building a Glass of Water

5. Students should pair up. Pass 1 marshmallow, 2 gummy bears, and 2 toothpicks to each pair. Each pair of students should then construct a model of a water molecule (2 minutes).

6. Teacher should then direct each pair of students to bond their water molecule to another group’s water molecule. Teacher should then direct that pair of molecules to bond with another pair of molecules (2 minutes).

7. Teacher should then place all of the bonded water molecules into a large transparent container (large 10000 mL beaker will work). Teacher can then lead a discussion about this “glass of water” (2-5 minutes).

8. Students should then complete Part III of the

Structure of Materials Worksheet PDF Document

(5-10 minutes).

Part IV: Extension 1

9. Some of the students can make table salt (NaCl) using the other food products as the sodium and chlorine atoms.

10. The students can then put the water molecules and the salt molecules into the beaker representing salt water.

11. Teacher can then lead a discussion: When salt and water are put together in a beaker, do the salt and water retain their properties? Is the salt bonded to the water? What is this called?