Lesson Plan

Lesson: Ionic and Covalent Bonding

Aim: To investigate the formation of ionic and covalent bonds

Learning Outcomes :

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to :

1. explain ionic and covalent bonding in terms of ‘dot and cross’ diagrams.
2. explain typical properties associated with ionic and covalent bonding.

Assumed prior knowledge :

Students should already :

1. be familiar with the valence electronic configuration of atoms.

Underlying Principles

1. Making the invisible, visible.

Time taken to complete the activities : 80 minutes

Differentiation

Questions in the student notes are designed to enable all students to complete the activity. The pop-up
answers are provided for the students to view when they have considered their responses. Worksheet
questions include questions that require recall, understanding and application of the new concepts
learned.

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 Development of Lesson :

No. Steps Strategy Resources

1 Set Induction. • Teacher to quiz students on the electronic
(Ascertaining prior configuration of some elements.
knowledge and
introducing lesson • Teacher to get students to give
topic for the day). suggestions as to why elements combine.
Teacher then introduces the octet rule
and the lesson objectives.

2 Student Activity Teacher to go through Activities 1 - 4 • Courseware

with the students.

• Activity 1 : Lewis symbols and the

Octet Rule
Students get to view the Lewis symbols
for the first twenty elements and learn
about the Octet Rule.

• Activity 2 : Ionic Bonding

Students get to view how electrons are
transferred between atoms resulting in
the formation of positive and negative
ions. The oppositely charged ions are
then held by ionic bonds.

• Activity 3 : Simple Covalent Bonding

Students get to view how atoms are held
together by covalent bonds which are
formed through the sharing of electrons.

• Activity 4 : Properties of substances

with ionic and covalent bonding
Students get to explore the link between
the type of properties in a substance and
the bonding within it.

3 Evaluation • Students to answer questions in the • Worksheet

student worksheet on their own.

4 Extension activity • Students to go through the extension • Website

activities on their own. and References

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 Worksheet Answers :

1. Lewis symbol and the octet rule

1.1
a. b.

c. d.

e.

1.2 a. b.

c. By sharing 4 of its valence electron with another 4 electrons from another atom or atoms.

1.3 a.

b. No. Sulphur atom has 12 electrons (6 pairs) in its valence orbital formed by sharing its 6 valence
electrons with one electron from each of the six fluorine atoms.

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 2. Ionic bonding

2.1 a. The charges on the ion are +2. The valence electronic configuration of Ca is 4s2. The atom
loses 2 electrons to form Ca2+ ion and attains the stable electronic configuration of a noble gas.

b. The charges on the ion are +2. The electronic configuration of Zn is [Ar]3d104s2. The atom loses
2 electrons to form Zn2+ ion and attains the pseudo noble gas electronic configuration of [Ar]3d10.

c. The charges on the ion are -2. The valence electronic configuration of O is 2s22p4. The atom
gains 2 electrons to form O2- ion and attains the stable electronic configuration of a noble gas.

d. The charges on the ion are -2. The valence electronic configuration of S is 3s23p4. The atom
gains 2 electrons to form S2- ion and attains the stable electronic configuration of a noble gas.

2.2 a. Mg3N2

b. ZnO

3. Simple covalent bonding

3.1 a. Covalent bonding

b. Ionic bonding
c. Covalent bonding
d. Ionic bonding

3.2 Lewis structure for the following molecule:

a.

b.

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 4. Properties of substances with ionic and covalent bonding

4.1 Sodium chloride has a high melting point because it is an ionic compound. The strong electrostatic
attraction between oppositely charged Na+ and Cl- ions in a lattice structure accounts for its high
melting point.

4.2 Aluminium oxide is an ionic compound made up of Al3+ ions and O2- ions. When molten, these ions are
free to move. Thus, molten aluminium oxide is a conductor of electricity.

The Al3+ ion gains three electrons at the cathode and becomes an Al atom.
The O2- ion loses two electrons at the anode and becomes an O atom. Two O atoms combine at the
anode to form an oxygen gas molecule.

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