Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Chemical Bonds: Ionic

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)

The objectives section is crucial for establishing a solid foundation for the understanding and application of ionic chemical bonding concepts. By clearly defining what is expected for students to learn, this step ensures that both the educator and the students are aligned regarding the desired learning outcomes. This clarity facilitates the conduct of practical activities and discussions in class, thus maximizing the effectiveness of the class time dedicated to exploring and applying knowledge.

Main Objectives:

1. Equip students to recognize the properties of ionic compounds, including their structure, melting points, and solubility.

2. Enable students to verify if a compound is ionic based on the transfer of electrons between elements and the polarity of the bond.

3. Teach students to deduce the correct formula of an ionic compound from its ionic charges.

Side Objectives:

1. Develop critical analysis skills in students so that they can evaluate information and apply knowledge independently.
2. Encourage collaboration and dialogue among students during practical activities to deepen their understanding of the topic.

Introduction

Duration: (20 - 25 minutes)

The introduction is designed to effectively engage students by utilizing problem situations that make them think critically about what they have already studied and how to apply that knowledge in practical and real scenarios. The contextualization connects academic content with the real world, increasing student interest in the topic and demonstrating the relevance of ionic chemical bonds in their lives and society.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine you have two containers in front of you: one containing sodium chloride (table salt) and the other containing sugar. They both look very similar at first glance. How would you use the concept of ionic bonds to differentiate them, considering their physical and chemical properties?

2. A materials engineer is developing a new type of ceramic for use at high temperatures. He needs to choose between two compounds, one ionic and one covalent, based on their electrical conductivity and thermal resistance. How could he determine which compound to choose using knowledge about ionic bonding?

Contextualization

Ionic bonding is fundamental not only to chemistry but also has extensive practical applications in everyday life and advanced technologies. For example, understanding how ions behave in solution is crucial for developing more efficient and less harmful batteries. Additionally, the study of ionic bonds can help explain why table salt dissolves in water while oil does not, a curiosity that connects everyday chemistry with scientific theory.

Development

Duration: (65 - 75 minutes)

The development phase is designed to consolidate and apply pre-acquired knowledge about ionic bonds in a practical and interactive way. These activities allow students to explore concepts hands-on, reinforcing learning through experimentation, model building, and friendly competition. By choosing one of the proposed activities, the teacher can adapt the lesson to the learning style of their students and the classroom context, thus ensuring a rich and engaging educational experience.

Activity Suggestions

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

Activity 1 - Ionic Mystery: The Case of the Missing Crystals

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Identify ionic compounds through their physicochemical properties and promote teamwork and the practical application of theoretical knowledge.

- Description: In this activity, students are detectives in a scenario where they must identify which among several compounds (salt, sugar, baking soda, etc.) is sodium chloride, using properties of ionic bonds such as solubility, electrical conductivity, and melting point. Each group receives unidentified samples and must conduct simple tests to determine the identity of each.

- Instructions:

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

• Distribute the samples and a list of ionic and covalent properties.

• Students should test solubility in water and electrical conductivity (using a simple conductivity kit).

• Group discussion to compare test results with the expected properties of ionic and covalent compounds.

• Each group presents its conclusions, justifying its choices based on experimental results.

Activity 2 - Ion Builders: Modeling the Invisible

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Understand the formation of ionic bonds and the importance of stoichiometric ratio for the electrical neutrality of compounds.

- Description: Students use molecular modeling kits to build models of different ionic compounds, exploring the formation of bonds and the stability of the structures formed. Each group chooses one positive ion and one negative ion and constructs the model of the compound, discussing the reason for the ion ratio to achieve electrical neutrality.

- Instructions:

• Form groups of up to 5 students and distribute the modeling kits.

• Choose ions to combine and form an ionic compound.

• Build the molecular model, adjusting the ratio of ions until the compound is electrically neutral.

• Each group explains its construction, discussing stability and ion ratio.

• Hold a collective discussion on the differences between the structures of ionic and covalent compounds.

Activity 3 - Interactive Quiz: Duel of Ions

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Reinforce knowledge about ionic bonding in a fun and interactive way, promoting learning through gamification.

- Description: Using interactive quiz software, students participate in a question-and-answer game about the properties and characteristics of ionic compounds. Multiple choice, true or false, and drag-and-drop questions will challenge student knowledge and stimulate friendly competition.

- Instructions:

• Organize the room into teams of up to 5 students.

• Explain the rules of the quiz and how to use the software or app.

• Start the quiz and monitor team progress, offering assistance as needed.

• After completion, discuss the most problematic questions and clarify doubts.

• Reward the team with the best performance with extra points or small prizes.

Feedback

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

The purpose of this feedback section is to allow students to reflect on what they have learned and verbalize their understanding and experiences. This sharing moment helps consolidate the acquired knowledge, as by explaining and discussing their findings, students reinforce their understanding of ionic bonding concepts. Additionally, by listening to their peers' experiences, they gain new perspectives and insights, further enriching their learning.

Group Discussion

To start the group discussion, the teacher should ask each group to share their findings and experiences from the practical activity. It is important for the teacher to encourage students to explain the reasoning behind their conclusions and how they applied their prior knowledge of ionic bonds to solve the proposed problems. The teacher can start with the following introduction: 'Let's now share our findings. Each group will have the opportunity to present what they learned during the activity and how they reached their conclusions. I am particularly interested in knowing how you applied the concept of ionic bonds to identify the compounds and their properties.'

Key Questions

1. What properties were most useful in identifying if a compound was ionic or not and why?

2. How does the structure of the ions influence the physical and chemical properties of the ionic compounds you tested?

3. What challenges did you face when trying to determine the formula of the compounds and how did you overcome those challenges?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The aim of this conclusion stage is to summarize the key concepts discussed during the lesson, reinforce the connection between theory and the practical application of ionic bonding concepts, and highlight the importance of studying chemical bonds in the practical and professional lives of students. This recap helps to solidify knowledge and understand the real impact of chemistry on the world around us.

Summary

In this conclusion, we recall that ionic bonds are formed by the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in positive and negative ions that attract each other and form solid structures. We discussed important properties such as high melting point and solubility in water, and how these characteristics are determined by the ionic nature of the compounds.

Theory Connection

Today's lesson linked the theory of ionic bonds with laboratory practices and real applications. We used practical activities such as identifying ionic compounds based on their physicochemical properties and building molecular models to visualize the ionic composition. These activities helped solidify theoretical understanding through direct application.

Closing

The importance of ionic bonds extends beyond the classroom, influencing many aspects of our daily lives, from the formation of minerals in nature to the development of new materials for technology. Understanding these bonds allows us to not only explain natural phenomena but also innovate in industrial and technological applications.