Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Periodic Table: Non-Metal

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 phase is essential for directing the focus of the lesson and ensuring that students clearly understand what is expected of them. By establishing clear objectives, the teacher can better guide classroom activities, ensuring that students effectively apply their prior knowledge of nonmetals while also developing analytical and classification skills.

Main Objectives:

1. Empower students to recognize and describe the properties of nonmetals, identifying their location in the periodic table.

2. Enable students to differentiate and classify nonmetals into their specific types, such as halogens, and compare them with metals.

Side Objectives:

1. Stimulate students' curiosity and interest in the study of chemical elements.
2. Promote the use of technical vocabulary and enhance students' argumentation skills when discussing the properties of nonmetals.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The introduction serves to engage students through problem situations that connect prior knowledge with practical and relevant contexts. Furthermore, the contextualization helps illustrate the importance and applicability of nonmetals, increasing students' interest and motivation in the topic.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine you are a scientist trying to develop a new material for use in solar cells. You need an element that is a good conductor of electricity but is not a metal. How would you use your knowledge of the properties of nonmetals to choose the appropriate element?

2. Consider a scenario where a chemical factory needs to store large amounts of chlorine, a highly reactive halogen. How does chlorine's location in the periodic table and its properties as a nonmetal influence the safety measures the factory must adopt?

Contextualization

Nonmetals play vital roles in various industries and modern technologies. For example, carbon, a nonmetal, is fundamental in constructing organic compounds and is also present in diamond and graphite, which have unique structural and conductive properties. Additionally, halogens like chlorine and fluorine are used in cleaning products and water purification. Understanding the properties and applications of nonmetals enriches students' chemical knowledge and demonstrates how chemistry is intrinsically linked to our daily lives.

Development

Duration: (65 - 75 minutes)

The Development phase is designed for students to practically and interactively apply the knowledge gained about nonmetals. By participating in the proposed activities, students will have the opportunity to solidify their understanding of the properties, location, and types of nonmetals while also developing collaboration, communication, and critical thinking skills. Each activity has been carefully planned to be engaging and educational, encouraging students to explore the topic in-depth and meaningfully.

Activity Suggestions

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

Activity 1 - The Nonmetal Hunt

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Reinforce knowledge of the properties and location of nonmetals in the periodic table, as well as develop teamwork and critical thinking skills.

- Description: In this activity, students will be divided into groups of up to five people and will receive a map of 'Periodic Table City', a fictional city where each neighborhood represents a group of chemical elements. The map will be incomplete, and students will have to use their knowledge of the properties of nonmetals to complete it, identifying the correct location of nonmetals and their specific types, such as halogens.

- Instructions:

• Divide the classroom into groups of up to five students.

• Give each group an incomplete map of Periodic Table City.

• Ask them to use their knowledge of the properties of nonmetals to complete the map, identifying the nonmetals and their groups.

• Each group will need to justify their choices based on the properties of nonmetals.

• After completing the map, each group will present their findings to the class, explaining their reasoning.

Activity 2 - The Great Elements Debate

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Promote critical analysis of the properties of nonmetals and their comparison with metals, as well as develop public speaking and argumentation skills.

- Description: Students will participate in a structured debate, defending nonmetals and metals on a series of topics related to their properties and applications. The debate will be organized in a tournament format, with each group taking alternating positions to argue for and against according to the proposed topic.

- Instructions:

• Arrange the class into groups of no more than five students.

• Explain the rules of the debate, including round structure and position alternation.

• Determine the debate topics, such as 'Energy efficiency vs. Durability' for comparing nonmetals and metals.

• Allow each group to prepare their arguments based on prior research and knowledge about the elements.

• Conduct the debate, giving equal time for each group to present their arguments while allowing rebuttals and counter-rebuttals.

Activity 3 - Building a Nonmetal World

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Stimulate students' creativity and critical thinking by applying knowledge about nonmetals in a practical and futuristic context while fostering presentation and argumentation skills.

- Description: Students, in groups, will design a futuristic city where all materials used must be nonmetals or compounds containing nonmetals. They must consider aspects such as sustainability, safety, and usability of materials, using their chemical properties to justify design choices.

- Instructions:

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

• Explain the concept of 'Building a Nonmetal World' and the criteria that must be considered in the futuristic city project.

• Allow each group to draw the layout of the city and select materials based on the properties of nonmetals.

• Each group will present their project to the class, explaining material choices and how the properties of nonmetals influenced the design.

• Encourage a discussion on the viability and innovations presented in each project.

Feedback

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

This stage of the lesson plan is crucial for consolidating students' learning, allowing them to reflect on what they have learned and how they applied their knowledge. Group discussion helps develop communication and argumentation skills, while also providing a space for students to evaluate their own understanding and that of their peers. This collective reflection also helps the teacher assess the effectiveness of activities and students' comprehension of the topic.

Group Discussion

Upon completing the activities, promote a group discussion with all students. Begin the discussion by recalling the lesson objectives and asking how the practical application helped in understanding the theoretical content about nonmetals. Encourage each group to share highlights from their discoveries and challenges encountered during the tasks. Use this opportunity for students to articulate what they learned and how they plan to apply this knowledge in future situations.

Key Questions

1. What were the biggest challenges you faced in identifying and classifying nonmetals during the activities and how did you overcome them?

2. How can the properties of nonmetals, discussed and applied in the activities, be used to solve real problems or design new materials?

3. Is there any property of a nonmetal that you find particularly interesting or that could be explored in future technological innovations? Why?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The aim of this stage is to ensure that all students have understood the main concepts addressed in the lesson and can connect theoretical knowledge with practical applications. Additionally, the conclusion serves to reinforce the importance of studying nonmetals in students' education, encouraging the application of learning in real contexts and promoting a broader and integrated view of chemistry in everyday life.

Summary

In concluding the lesson, the teacher should summarize the main points covered regarding nonmetals, including their properties, location in the periodic table, and specific types, such as halogens. It is essential to recapitulate the activities carried out and the discoveries made by students, reinforcing the practical knowledge acquired.

Theory Connection

Today's lesson was structured to connect the theory about nonmetals with practical and everyday applications. Activities like 'The Nonmetal Hunt' and 'The Great Elements Debate' allowed students to apply theoretical knowledge in simulated situations and debates, demonstrating the interconnection between theory and practice.

Closing

Finally, it is important to emphasize the relevance of nonmetals in our daily lives. Understanding their properties and applications not only enriches chemical knowledge but also highlights how chemistry is fundamental to various technologies and industries, from electronics to water purification and cleaning products.