ACS: Inquiry in Action - Atoms (Lesson 6.2): Atoms can be Rearranged to Make Different Molecules
After an introduction of Snap Cubes as models atoms and molecules, students use Snap Cubes to investigate the question: How can Snap Cubes be used to make models of different molecules?
Objective
Students will be able to explain that Snap Cubes or other objects can be used as models of atoms. Students will also be able to explain that atoms can be rearranged to make different molecules.
Key Concepts
- Matter is made up of very small parts called atoms.
- Atoms can combine in different numbers and in different ways to make different molecules.
- Atoms and molecules make up all of the different substances, including solids, liquids, and gases that are all around us.
- Models can be used to represent atoms and these models can be rearranged to represent different molecules.
Summary
- Students see an animation showing that the things around them are made of atoms and molecules.
- Students use Snap Cubes to make models of atoms and molecules. They are given white, red, blue, and black cubes that represent hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon atoms respectively.
- Students are guided to take atoms apart, rearrange them, and put them together again in different ways to make six different molecules.
- Students also see a fun molecule-making game that they can try.
Evaluation
There is no student activity sheet for this lesson. After clicking on each molecule in the animation, you may want to circulate around the room to see how well students understand how to create models of the molecules using Snap Cubes.
Back to 2nd Grade lessons
Guided instructions, lesson plans, classroom activities, video demonstrations, and activity books.
Students plan and conduct an absorbency test on paper, plastic, aluminum foil, and felt to investigate the question: Which material absorbs water and why?
Students sort common objects according to characteristics such as shape, flexibility, and the material they are made from to investigate the question: Can you group objects based on their characteristics?
Students conduct a series of tests on different materials to learn about their properties to investigate the question: What are some of the characteristic properties of paper, plastic, and aluminum foil?
Students use what they’ve learned about the properties of paper, plastic, and aluminum foil to investigate the question: Which materials are best for making a boat that can hold the most pennies before sinking?
Students develop a test to compare the dissolving of an M&M and a Skittle in water to investigate the question: Do M&Ms and Skittles dissolve by the same amount?
Students place small common objects made from wax, wood, metal, and rubber in water to investigate the question: Do certain materials tend to float or sink in water?
Students warm butter until it melts and then cool it until it turns hard again as they investigate the question: How do substances change when they are warmed and cooled?
Students do simple tests to observe the properties of water, mineral oil, and corn syrup on the surface of a zip-closing plastic bag to investigate the question: Can liquids that look similar have different properties?
Students design and conduct an experiment to see if baking powder causes more bubbling in warm or cold water to investigate the question: Does baking powder produce more bubbles when it is heated or cooled?
Student groups use four or five Snap Cubes to make as many different objects as possible to investigate the question: How many different objects can be made by rearranging four cubes?
What are you looking for?
Organization
Website URL
Type of Resource
PDF File
Video (Instructional)
Assigned Categories
Resource k12
After an introduction of Snap Cubes as models atoms and molecules, students use Snap Cubes to investigate the question: How can Snap Cubes be used to make models of different molecules?
Objective
Students will be able to explain that Snap Cubes or other objects can be used as models of atoms. Students will also be able to explain that atoms can be rearranged to make different molecules.
Key Concepts
- Matter is made up of very small parts called atoms.
- Atoms can combine in different numbers and in different ways to make different molecules.
- Atoms and molecules make up all of the different substances, including solids, liquids, and gases that are all around us.
- Models can be used to represent atoms and these models can be rearranged to represent different molecules.
Summary
- Students see an animation showing that the things around them are made of atoms and molecules.
- Students use Snap Cubes to make models of atoms and molecules. They are given white, red, blue, and black cubes that represent hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon atoms respectively.
- Students are guided to take atoms apart, rearrange them, and put them together again in different ways to make six different molecules.
- Students also see a fun molecule-making game that they can try.
Evaluation
There is no student activity sheet for this lesson. After clicking on each molecule in the animation, you may want to circulate around the room to see how well students understand how to create models of the molecules using Snap Cubes.
Back to 2nd Grade lessons
Guided instructions, lesson plans, classroom activities, video demonstrations, and activity books.
Students plan and conduct an absorbency test on paper, plastic, aluminum foil, and felt to investigate the question: Which material absorbs water and why?
Students sort common objects according to characteristics such as shape, flexibility, and the material they are made from to investigate the question: Can you group objects based on their characteristics?
Students conduct a series of tests on different materials to learn about their properties to investigate the question: What are some of the characteristic properties of paper, plastic, and aluminum foil?
Students use what they’ve learned about the properties of paper, plastic, and aluminum foil to investigate the question: Which materials are best for making a boat that can hold the most pennies before sinking?
Students develop a test to compare the dissolving of an M&M and a Skittle in water to investigate the question: Do M&Ms and Skittles dissolve by the same amount?
Students place small common objects made from wax, wood, metal, and rubber in water to investigate the question: Do certain materials tend to float or sink in water?
Students warm butter until it melts and then cool it until it turns hard again as they investigate the question: How do substances change when they are warmed and cooled?
Students do simple tests to observe the properties of water, mineral oil, and corn syrup on the surface of a zip-closing plastic bag to investigate the question: Can liquids that look similar have different properties?
Students design and conduct an experiment to see if baking powder causes more bubbling in warm or cold water to investigate the question: Does baking powder produce more bubbles when it is heated or cooled?
Student groups use four or five Snap Cubes to make as many different objects as possible to investigate the question: How many different objects can be made by rearranging four cubes?
What are you looking for?
Organization
Website URL
Type of Resource
PDF File
Video (Instructional)
