Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Current Periodic Table

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

This stage of the lesson plan is essential to establish a solid foundation of understanding the periodic table, ensuring that students can not only recognize the elements and their properties but also apply this knowledge practically and contextually. By clearly defining the objectives, students can focus their efforts on the skills of identification and differentiation of chemical elements, preparing for the more dynamic activities that will follow.

Main Objectives:

1. Empower students to recognize the structure and elements of the current periodic table, identifying the properties of the elements and their specific locations.

2. Develop the ability to locate and differentiate metals, nonmetals, and families in the periodic table, using practical examples and interactive exercises.

Side Objectives:

1. Stimulate critical thinking and comparative analysis between similar chemical elements.
2. Encourage collaboration and discussion among students for problem-solving and exercises.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The introduction serves to engage students with the subject and stimulate the practical application of prior knowledge. The problem-based situations encourage students to think critically and apply concepts from the periodic table practically, preparing them for more intensive activities. The contextualization helps to understand the relevance of the topic in the real world, increasing the interest and motivation of the students.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine you need to identify an unknown chemical element in a laboratory experiment. How would you use the groups and periods of the periodic table to determine its properties and, consequently, its position in the table?

2. If a scientist discovers a new element and needs to classify it in the periodic table, what properties should he measure and how can these properties help determine whether the new element is a metal, a nonmetal, or a metalloid?

Contextualization

The periodic table is not just a study tool for chemists; it has practical applications in many fields, from medicine to materials engineering. For instance, the structure of the periodic table helps scientists predict the behavior of elements in chemical reactions, which is essential for developing new drugs. Additionally, the history behind the organization of elements in the periodic table is fascinating, involving scientific rivalries and accidental discoveries that changed the face of chemistry.

Development

Duration: (65 - 75 minutes)

The Development section is designed to allow students to apply in a practical and interactive way the knowledge acquired about the Periodic Table. Through playful and challenging activities, students will work in teams to solve problems, research, and present, thus stimulating critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity. Each proposed activity aims to consolidate the understanding of chemical elements, their properties and classifications, as well as to develop communication and teamwork skills.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - Element Hunt

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop research and classification skills in the periodic table, as well as promote teamwork and the practical application of knowledge about the properties of elements.

- Description: In this playful activity, students will be divided into groups of up to 5 members and will receive a map of the 'Land of Elements', where each region represents a group or period of the periodic table. The challenge is to find and classify the elements in a large periodic table set up on the classroom floor, using clues that lead them to specific properties of the elements.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Distribute a map of the 'Land of Elements' to each group.

• Provide each group with a series of clues that will help them locate specific elements in the large periodic table set up on the classroom floor.

• Students must use the clues to correctly locate and classify the elements, identifying whether they are metals, nonmetals, or metalloids, and to which family they belong.

• Each correctly identified and classified element earns points for the group.

• At the end, the group with the most points is declared the 'Master of Elements'.

Activity 2 - Element Drama

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Deepen knowledge about properties and classification of elements, promoting creativity and communication skills of students.

- Description: Students, organized in groups, will choose a chemical element and create a short theatrical presentation that illustrates the properties and characteristics of that element. The presentation should include information about the family, group, physical and chemical properties, and where the element is located in the periodic table.

- Instructions:

• Form groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group chooses a chemical element from the periodic table.

• The groups research the properties of the chosen element and its location in the periodic table.

• Each group creates a theatrical script that highlights the properties and characteristics of the element, including a moment of 'secret identity' where the element reveals itself as a metal, nonmetal, or metalloid.

• The groups rehearse their presentations.

• At the end of the class, each group presents its 'Element Drama' to the class.

Activity 3 - Element Constructors

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Foster visual and tactile understanding of properties and groupings in the periodic table, as well as promote analysis and synthesis skills.

- Description: In this activity, students will use construction materials, such as building blocks or cardboard, to build three-dimensional models of the elements of the periodic table. Each group will receive a set of elements to build and must identify which group or family they belong to.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Distribute construction kits (building blocks, cardboard, etc.) and cards with information about elements from the periodic table.

• Each group builds three-dimensional models of the elements, trying to identify which group or family they belong to.

• After construction, students present their models to the class, discussing the characteristics of the elements and their locations in the periodic table.

• Conduct a vote to elect the most creative and informative model.

Feedback

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

This feedback section is crucial to consolidate students' learning, allowing them to reflect on the knowledge acquired and articulate their ideas with peers. The group discussion helps reinforce the understanding of the periodic table and its applications, in addition to developing communication and argumentation skills. By sharing their experiences, students can gain new perspectives and a deeper understanding of the content studied.

Group Discussion

To start the group discussion, the teacher should ask each group to share their findings and experiences from the activities. One can begin with a brief recap, asking how each group approached the proposed challenges and what they learned that was most significant during the activity. Then, the teacher should encourage students to discuss the differences and similarities found between the elements, and how these properties affect their practical and theoretical applications. It is suggested that the teacher adopt a facilitator approach, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to speak and contribute to the discussion.

Key Questions

1. What were the biggest difficulties your group faced when trying to classify the elements in the periodic table, and how did you overcome those challenges?

2. How can the properties of the elements you studied be applied in everyday life or in other areas of science?

3. Was there any surprise or unexpected discovery during the activities that altered your understanding of the periodic table?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The purpose of this stage of the lesson plan is to consolidate learning, ensuring that students have a clear and integrated understanding of the discussed concepts. By recapping the main themes and linking theory and practice, this section helps ensure that students can apply the knowledge acquired in future situations and recognize the relevance of the periodic table in their lives and in academic and professional worlds. Furthermore, it serves as a moment of reflection on the class, encouraging students to consider how what they learned applies beyond the school context.

Summary

In this conclusion, the teacher should summarize the main points addressed, emphasizing the structure of the periodic table, the classification of elements as metals, nonmetals, and metalloids, and the location of specific elements in groups and periods. It is important to recap the activities carried out, highlighting the results and learnings that the students obtained.

Theory Connection

Today's lesson was structured to connect theory and practice integratedly. Activities such as 'Element Hunt', 'Element Drama', and 'Element Constructors' allowed students to directly apply the theoretical knowledge of the periodic table in practical contexts, reinforcing understanding and exploring the applications of the content in real and imaginative situations.

Closing

Finally, it is essential to highlight the importance of the periodic table in everyday life and in various areas of science and technology. Understanding the organization of the elements is fundamental to predicting chemical behaviors, developing new materials, and understanding the world around us. The ability to manipulate and interpret the periodic table is a crucial tool for anyone interested in natural sciences.