Lesson Plan: Atomic Structure

Name ___________Ashley Shields____

Subject/ Content Area ___Science_________

Possible grade level/ class where this lesson would be taught: 8th grade science class__

Length of time: _________40min__________

Background:
This is their first introduction to the atomic structure. They have not been given any information
on the subject. There are no ELL students in my classroom.

TOPIC:

Introduction into Atomic Structure and Elements and Compounds

STANDARD(S) ADDRESSED:
Strand 5: Physical Science
PO 4: Classify matter in terms of elements, compounds, or mixtures. (I will only be touching on
elements and compounds. Mixtures will come later in the unit)

Materials: Word splash paper and for the smart board, two components from a text, What I
thought/What I learned.

OBJECTIVES:

A. MASTERY OBJECTIVE:
a. Students will be able to identify parts of an atom.
b. Students will be able to define in their own words the vocabulary below.

Vocabulary: Element, compound, atom, molecule, nucleus, proton, positive charge, neutron,
electron, negative charge, matter

B. LANGUAGE OBJECTIVE:
a. Students will write out their thoughts during talking to the text and word splash
b. Students will have group discussions that allow verbalization of what they have
learned
c. Students will write out two questions of the concepts that they still don’t
understand

PROCEDURE:
 1. First Wacky Wednesday (revisiting the world sunlight map)
2. (~5mins)Introduction to the lesson with a word splash (Pre-assessment)
a. Give instructions verbally, model, and have the instructions written on the board
on how to use a word splash.
b. They will have ~3-5 minutes to make as many connections as possible on their
own.
c. They will then have ~1 minute to discuss one connection that they made with
their partner. Then they will have ~1 more minute to discuss a different
connection with their lab partner across the table.
d. We will then bring it back to the group and find out how many connections they
were able to make.

3. (~15mins) I will model talking to the text with them.

a. They will then receive one of the texts [Passwords Science…] that they need to
use for talking to the text.
b. They will compare with their word splash their connections and rewrite the
correct information on a separate sheet of What I thought, What I learned.
i. They will have to write down three connections from the word splash on
what I thought and find the “real” content in their text and write that in
what I learned
c. They will then come back with their lab partner and discuss new findings from the
reading or anything that they were confused on.

4. (~10mins)They will receive their second reading [Chemistry (Glencoe)…] and continue
with talking to the text
a. They will continue to make new connections and then discuss them with their lab
partner
b. Bring the discussion back to the class

5. (~5mins) We will close with an exit slip of two things that they still need help on.
a. This needs to be put into the basket at the back of the room.
b. Nose goes for each table to determine the one person who turns in the paper

Next:
We will move further into elements and the design of the periodic table over the next week few
weeks.

Citations:

Krensky, J., & Maureen, S. (2007). Passwords Science Vocabulary: Physical Science.
North Billerica: Curriculum Associates Inc.

Werwa, E. (2008). Chemistry (Glencoe Science, National Geographic) (null ed.). NY,
NY: Mcgraw-Hill, Glencoe.