Lesson plan of Atoms: Energy Levels and Sublevels

Objectives (5-7 minutes)

1. Understanding the Current Atomic Model: The teacher should ensure that students understand the current atomic model, which includes the idea that electrons are arranged in shells or energy levels around the nucleus. This is fundamental to understanding energy sublevels.

2. Identifying and Describing Energy Sublevels: Students should be able to identify and describe the energy sublevels (s, p, d, f) and understand the order in which they are filled. The teacher should emphasize the importance of understanding how energy sublevels affect the properties of elements.

3. Understanding Electron Configuration: Students should understand how electrons are distributed in the energy sublevels. This includes the ability to predict the electron configuration of an element based on its position on the periodic table.

Secondary Objectives:

• Development of Critical Thinking Skills: Throughout the lesson, the teacher should encourage students to think critically about the topic by asking questions and proposing hypothetical scenarios to deepen understanding.

• Stimulation of Active Participation: The teacher should promote active participation by encouraging students to ask questions, share their ideas, and engage in hands-on activities.

Introduction (10-15 minutes)

1. Review of Previous Content: The teacher should begin the lesson by reviewing the concepts of atoms and molecules, as well as Bohr's atomic model. This review is important to establish the necessary background for the new content that will be presented. (3-5 minutes)

2. Problem Situations: The teacher should then present two problem situations to arouse students' interest:

• Situation 1: What would happen if an atom had more electrons than protons? What if it had fewer electrons than protons? How would this affect the properties of the atom? (2-3 minutes)

• Situation 2: Imagine that you are trying to organize a birthday party for the electrons. How would you decide on which "floors" (energy levels) each of them would stay? (2-3 minutes)

3. Contextualization: The teacher should then contextualize the importance of the topic by explaining that understanding the energy levels and sublevels of atoms is crucial in Chemistry, as it determines the properties of elements and how they interact to form compounds. Additionally, the ability to predict the electron configuration of an element is essential for understanding quantum physics and for many practical applications, such as the creation of new materials and medicines. (2-3 minutes)

4. Captivating Students' Attention: To finalize the Introduction and to gain students' attention, the teacher can share two curiosities:

-Curiosity 1: Despite their importance, scientists still don't know exactly how electrons move around the atom's nucleus. Quantum mechanics, which studies the behavior of subatomic particles, suggests that electrons do not follow defined paths, but rather exist in "clouds" of probability around the nucleus. (2-3 minutes)

-Curiosity 2: Did you know that the electron configuration of the elements is the reason why they are organized in the periodic table? When the elements are organized this way, it is possible to see patterns in their properties, which are determined by the distribution of the electrons in their energy levels. (2-3 minutes)

Development (20- 25 minutes)

1. Activity "Building an Atom" (10-12 minutes)

• Materials required: Balloons, small Styrofoam balls, colored markers, tape.
• Procedure:
  1. The teacher should divide the class into groups of 4 to 5 students. Each group will receive a balloon (representing the atom's nucleus) and several Styrofoam balls (representing the electrons).
  2. Each electron should be marked with a colored marker to represent its energy sublevel (e.g., s sublevel electrons can be marked blue, p sublevel electrons can be marked red, and so on).
  3. The teacher should then explain that each energy sublevel has a maximum capacity of electrons, and that, in reality, electrons are not arranged randomly, but follow a specific order of filling (Aufbau principle).
  4. Finally, the students should distribute the electrons around the "nucleus" (balloon), following the order of filling of the energy sublevels. Tape can be used to attach the electrons to the balloon.
• Discussion:
  1. After the conclusion of the activity, the teacher should ask each group to describe the electron configuration they created and explain the reasons behind their choices.
  2. The teacher should then correct any misunderstandings and clarify any doubts that the students may have.

2. Activity "Deciphering the Periodic Table" (10-12 minutes)

• Materials required: Copies of the periodic table.
• Procedure:
  1. The teacher should distribute copies of the periodic table to each group.
  2. The teacher should then ask the students to use the periodic table to answer a few questions, such as:
     • What is the highest energy sublevel for the element with atomic number 12 (magnesium)?
     • What energy sublevel is being filled for the element with atomic number 17 (chlorine)?
  3. The students should work in their groups to answer the questions, using the activity "Building an Atom" as a reference.
• Discussion:
  1. The teacher should ask each group to share their answers and explain how they arrived at them.
  2. The teacher should correct any misunderstandings and clarify any doubts that the students may have.

3. Activity "Electron Configuration Challenge" (5-7 minutes)

• Materials required: Copies of a list of chemical elements with their respective atomic numbers.
• Procedure:
  1. The teacher should distribute copies of the list of chemical elements to each group.
  2. The teacher should then ask the students to predict the electron configuration for each element on the list, using the periodic table and the activity "Building an Atom" as references.
• Discussion:
  1. The teacher should ask each group to share their answers and explain how they arrived at them.
  2. The teacher should correct any misunderstandings and clarify any doubts that the students may have.

Feedback (10-12 minutes)

1. Group Discussion (5-6 minutes)

• Procedure:
  1. The teacher should gather all students and ask each group to share their solutions or conclusions from the activities "Building an Atom", "Deciphering the Periodic Table" and "Electron Configuration Challenge".
  2. Each group will have a maximum of 2 minutes to present their ideas. The teacher should make sure that all students have a chance to speak and that the presentations are respectful and constructive.
• Discussion:
  1. After each group presents, the teacher should facilitate a class discussion, highlighting the similarities and differences in the different groups' approaches.
  2. The teacher should use this discussion to reinforce the key concepts of the lesson and to clarify any misunderstandings that may have arisen.

2. Connection with the Theory (2-3 minutes)

• Procedure:
  1. After the discussion, the teacher should do a brief recap of the theoretical concepts covered in the lesson, highlighting how they relate to the hands-on activities.
  2. The teacher should explain how the "Building an Atom" activity helped visualize electron configuration and energy sublevels, while the "Deciphering the Periodic Table" and "Electron Configuration Challenge" activities allowed the students to apply these concepts in a more practical way.
• Student feedback:
  1. The teacher should then ask the students to share their reflections on how the hands-on activities helped solidify their understanding of the theoretical concepts.
  2. The teacher should be open to questions and comments, responding appropriately and in a clarifying manner.

3. Final Reflection (2-3 minutes)

• Procedure:
  1. To conclude the lesson, the teacher should ask the students to silently reflect for one minute on the answers to the following questions:
     1. What was the most important concept that I learned today?
     2. What questions are still unanswered?
  2. After the minute of reflection, the teacher should ask a few students to share their answers with the class.
• Student feedback:
  1. The teacher should then ask the students to share their reflections on the reflection questions and any other doubts or concerns that they may still have.
  2. The teacher should respond in an encouraging and informative manner, ensuring that students feel confident in their understanding of the topic and motivated to learn more.

Conclusion (5-7 minutes)

1. Recapitulation of the Main Contents (2-3 minutes)

• Procedure:
  1. The teacher should recapitulate the main points addressed in the lesson: the current model of the atom, the existence of energy levels and sublevels, the order of filling of the sublevels (Aufbau principle), and the importance of electron configuration.
  2. The hands-on activities carried out should be recalled, highlighting how they helped to illustrate and understand these concepts.
• Discussion:
  1. The teacher should ask the students to share what they consider to be the most important points learned in the lesson.
  2. The teacher should clarify any remaining doubts and reinforce the concepts that may have been more challenging for the students.

2. Connection between Theory, Practice and Applications (1-2 minutes)

• Procedure:
  1. The teacher should explain how the lesson connected theory, practice, and applications.
  2. It should be emphasized how the hands-on activities helped visualize and understand theoretical concepts, and how these concepts are used in Chemistry to predict the properties of elements and the formation of compounds.
• Discussion:
  1. The teacher should ask the students how they see the connection between theory, practice and applications.
  2. Students can be encouraged to think about other situations where these concepts could be applied.

3. Extra Materials (1-2 minutes)

• Procedure:
  1. The teacher should suggest extra materials for students who wish to deepen their understanding of the topic. These materials could include books, websites, videos and additional hands-on activities.
  2. Students should be encouraged to explore these materials and to bring any questions or observations to the next class.
• Discussion:
  1. The teacher can ask the students if they are interested in exploring more about the topic and which types of materials they find most useful.

4. Relevance of the Topic to Everyday Life (1 minute)

• Procedure:
  1. Finally, the teacher should highlight the relevance of the topic to everyday life, explaining that understanding the structure of atoms and the distribution of electrons is fundamental to many practical applications, from energy production to the creation of new materials and medicines.
  2. Students should be encouraged to reflect on how Chemistry and Physics, in general, impact their daily lives.
• Discussion:
  1. The teacher can ask the students if they can think of examples of how Chemistry and Physics affect their daily lives.