Re: Great Lesson

Author: Caroline Hall-Managing Editor
Posted: Mar 26, 2013 at 8:20AM

> On Mar 21, 2013, Yvette Giron posted:
>
> I have a wide
> variety of different learners in IPC and the lesson
> was able to reach all levels of learners.

Glad this was beneficial to your students, Yvette. The author is a veteran teacher who has created an impressive collection of lessons to accompany PhET simulations. To see more of her lessons, type "Trish Loeblein" in the Physics Front search box.

• 6-8: 4D/M1a. All matter is made up of atoms, which are far too small to see directly through a microscope.
• 6-8: 4D/M1b. The atoms of any element are like other atoms of the same element, but are different from the atoms of other elements.
• 9-12: 4D/H1. Atoms are made of a positively charged nucleus surrounded by negatively charged electrons. The nucleus is a tiny fraction of the volume of an atom but makes up almost all of its mass. The nucleus is composed of protons and neutrons which have roughly the same mass but differ in that protons are positively charged while neutrons have no electric charge.
• 9-12: 4D/H2. The number of protons in the nucleus determines what an atom's electron configuration can be and so defines the element. An atom's electron configuration, particularly the outermost electrons, determines how the atom can interact with other atoms. Atoms form bonds to other atoms by transferring or sharing electrons.
• 9-12: 4D/H3. Although neutrons have little effect on how an atom interacts with other atoms, the number of neutrons does affect the mass and stability of the nucleus. Isotopes of the same element have the same number of protons (and therefore of electrons) but differ in the number of neutrons.
• 9-12: 4D/H5. Scientists continue to investigate atoms and have discovered even smaller constituents of which neutrons and protons are made.

• 6-8: 11B/M1. Models are often used to think about processes that happen too slowly, too quickly, or on too small a scale to observe directly. They are also used for processes that are too vast, too complex, or too dangerous to study.
• 6-8: 11B/M4. Simulations are often useful in modeling events and processes.

• 6-8: 11D/M3. Natural phenomena often involve sizes, durations, and speeds that are extremely small or extremely large. These phenomena may be difficult to appreciate because they involve magnitudes far outside human experience.

This lesson, created by a PhET "Gold Star" winner, accompanies the simulation Build An Atom. Teachers will find a complete lesson plan, printable student guide, pre-lab and post-lab assessments. Learners will create models of stable and unstable atoms, identify elements and their position on the periodic table, and determine if a model depicts a neutral atom or an isotope.

• Physical Sciences K-8 Matter and Interactions Unit
• Physics First Matter and Interactions Unit
• Conceptual Physics Matter and Interactions Unit

This lesson, created by a PhET "Gold Star" winner, accompanies the simulation Build An Atom. Teachers will find a complete lesson plan, printable student guide, pre-lab and post-lab assessments. Learners will create models of stable and unstable atoms, identify elements and their position on the periodic table, and determine if a model depicts a neutral atom or an isotope.

• Physical Sciences K-8 Nuclear Processes Unit
• Physics First Nuclear Processes Unit
• Conceptual Physics Nuclear Processes Unit