Course: Chemistry
Unit Title: Atomic Structure
Grade:
10-11
Unit of Study:
Duration:
2 weeks
Goals to be addressed: State content standards,
district goals, departmental objectives, student
outcomes.
Common Core State Standards, ELA
 HS-PS1.A
Common Core State Standards, Mathematics
What do we want to learn? Essential questions
 What are the subatomic particles in an atom?
 How does changing the number of subatomic particles in an atom change the properties of
the atom? (nuclear decay, fission, fusion, electrochemistry)
Big ideas: I want students to understand ….
 The location and charges of subatomic
particles
 The difference between atomic number
and atomic mass
 Ions are charged particles related to how
atoms bond
 Isotopes are involved in nuclear decay
 The difference between fission and
fusion
 Energy is released or absorbed in nuclear
processes
Know: What are the basics?
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Protons, neutrons, electrons
Atomic mass
Atomic number
Ions
Isotopes
Nuclear decay: alpha, beta, and gamma
Fission and fusion
Half life
Electrochemistry
Salt bridge
Valence electrons
Do: I want students to be able to ….
 Build an electrochemical cell (hot dog
clock)
 Locate elements on the periodic table
based on the protons, atomic number,
and/or atomic mass
 Represent an atomic model structure
 Differentiate between the types of
nuclear decay (Conceptual Physics book)
Technology and the nature of science:
 Create a hot dog clock
 Use technology to create graphs
predicting the radioactive age of different
materials
How will I reinforce or build literacy or mathematics skills?
How will I know what students have learned?
Performance expectation:
Activity:
Other evidence:
What learning experiences will encourage student engagement in the essential questions (what we
want to learn)?