Periodic Table Content
Yakima WATERS Mini Lesson
Targets and Assessment
WA Science Standards Addressed:
9-12 INQD
The methods and procedures that
Communicate scientists use to obtain evidence must
Clearly
be clearly reported to enhance
opportunities for further
investigation.
9-12 INQH
Scientists carefully evaluate sources of
Intellectual
information for reliability before using
Honesty
that information. When referring to
the ideas or findings of others, they
cite their sources of information.
9-12 APPD
The ability to solve problems is
greatly enhanced by use of
mathematics and information
technologies.
9-11 PS2C
When elements are listed in order
according to the number of protons,
repeating patterns of physical and
chemical properties identify families of
elements with similar properties. This
Periodic Table is a consequence of the
repeating pattern of outermost
electrons.
Lesson Parameters
Content Area: Chemistry
Assessments:
 Worksheet (see attached) formative assessment
Suggested Time: 1.5 to 2 hours
Overview: Students study the trends found on the periodic
table of elements in order to better understand the
structure of the periodic table and properties of elements
(e.g. composition, valence electrons, various states, etc.)
Grade Level: 10, 11, 12
Special Materials:
 Computer (internet availability)
Learning Outcomes:
Knowledge: Upon completion of this lesson, the students should be able to:
o Identify elements based on descriptions of elemental properties.
 Number of valence electrons
 Electron negativity
 Physical state (solid, liquid, gas)
Skill: Students should be able to identify which family a specific element belongs to and have a brief
understanding of its reactivity.
Science Concept Background:
The Periodic Table of Elements is a structured chart of the 118 known elements. The original design is
credited to Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869. The layout of the table is based on many various properties of each
element and continues to be modified with the introduction of newly discovered elements.
The element groups found on the table are alkali metals, alkaline Earth metals, transition metals, other
metals, metalloids, non-metals, halogens, noble gases, and rare Earth metals. The alkali metals are found in
group 1 and are very reactive metals due to them only having one electron in their outer shell and they do not
occur freely in nature. The alkaline earth elements are metallic and found in the second group of the periodic
table. They are very reactive and have an oxidation number of +2. The transition metals are found in the
middle of the periodic table and are rather interesting. They have the ability to interact with other elements
(react) using electrons from more than one shell. This gives them several different oxidation states. Groups
13, 14, and 15 are called other metals. They are similar to transition metals; however, they only have valence
electrons in their outer shell. The metalloids separate the metals from the non-metals and have properties of
both. Some are commonly used as semi-conductors meaning they can carry an electrical charge under special
conditions. The non-metals are in groups 14-16 and are exist in two states of matter at room temperature:
gases and solids. They have oxidation numbers of + 4, -3 and -2. The halogens are found in group 17 and have
seven electrons in their outer shells, giving them an oxidation number of -1. At room temperature they exist
at all three states of matter. The noble gases are in group 18 and are inert because they have a full outer shell
of electrons. Finally, the rare Earth metals are commonly called lanthanide or actinide series; almost all are
man-made.
Materials:
Required for this exercise: computer with the internet (one per student can work in groups of two),
blank periodic table, periodic table clues worksheet (see attached), prior lecture on periodic table groups.
Procedure:
1) Give brief review lecture on periodic table properties:
Including:
o Trends (groups, families, orders, noble gases, etc.)
o Physical states (gas, liquid, solid)
o Metals/ transition metals/ metalloids
o Valence electrons/ ionization energy
2) Send students to the computer lab to complete the assignment.
3) Have the students cite the source of their findings for each answer.
4) Once back in the classroom have students pair up in groups of two.
a. Present their answers (one or two per question), and where they found it.
b. Ask if anyone in the class got something different they want to share.
Extension(s):
This lesson is useful because you can manipulate the clues to include specific topics covered in lecture.
It can also be extended to cover oxidation state or atomic modeling. Also, this lesson could be used to discuss
proper citation of scientific literature or other sources.
Teaching Tips:
For this lesson it is important for the students to have some background knowledge of the periodic
table. They should be able to calculate the number of valence electrons and understand some of the
differences in the organization of the periodic table’s arrangement. When they’re finished, have the students
present their findings to the class and cite where they found their answers.
Supplements:
Chemistry text book (which ever your class uses), blank periodic table (one provided)
Chemicalelements.com can be very helpful for the students to look up information.
By: John (Eric) Inions, Fall 2011, for Davis High School
Directions:
Procedure 1. Fill in the blanks in the periodic table provided to you by your teacher with the letter symbol (A-Z) for each
of the mystery elements whose properties are described. The idea is to identify the mystery element and to put its symbol
in the proper place in the blank table. In doing this part of the experiment you may use the periodic table in your text and
any information in the text. You may find the information in Chapter 7 to be particularly helpful.
(a) A, B, C, and D belong to a family, the members of which are all gases. A is commonly used in advertising signs. B
was first discovered on the sun and is used in weather balloons. C was used to make the first compounds of an element of
this group. D is the family member which is present in the largest amount of air.
(b) E and F are members of a family containing both gaseous and solid elements. E forms a diatomic molecule (E2) and is
a major constituent of the atmosphere. Element F is a dangerous poison and a metalloid.
(c) G, H, and I belong to a family of very active metals, all of which react with chlorine to produce salts with the general
formula XCl. G is a member of the first period to contain 18 elements. H has the highest ionization energy of the family
and I has the lowest.
(d) J, K, and L belong to the same family and all are metals. A compound of J is a major component of bones and teeth.
K is the most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and is a very common component of biological compounds like ATP,
DNA, and RNA. L is a radioactive element discovered by Marie Curie and has a melting point of 700°C.
(e) M is a gas that has some properties similar to the elements in both Group 1 and Group 7. It is unique in this respect.
(f) N, O, and P commonly form -1 ions when they combine with metals. N is a liquid and O is a non-radioactive solid. P
is the most chemically reactive (highest electron affinity) of all non-metals.
(g) Q, R, S, and T are in different families but in the same period. Q is a gas used for water purification. R is a yellow
non-metallic sold. S is a metalloid used in computer chips. T is a metal of low density used in aircraft construction.
(h) U, V, W, and X are all transition elements. U is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity and is commonly used
in wiring and cookware. V is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature and is commonly found in old
thermometers. W is the metal which is produced in the largest quantity. Although once used in coins, X is now used
mostly in expensive jewelry.
(i) Y is an actinide fuel used in nuclear reactors. Z is the actinide named for the creator of the Periodic Table.
CALCULATIONS AND QUESTIONS
1. Using the periodic table prepared in Procedure 1, predict the formulas for the compounds of the following
elements: (Use the mystery letters in the formulas.)
a. M and P
c. E and M
e. A and G
b. T and Q
d. I and R
f. J and N
In predicting the formulas you may find the following formulas of known substances to be useful:
AlBr3
HCl
PH3
Li2O
BaCl2
NaI
2. Notice a pattern in the formulas above? (Hint: generally an atom from the left side of the periodic table bonds to
an atom of the right side). Why do you think this is? (This might be hard, but give it a shot. It will be in the next
unit.)
PERIODIC TABLE OF ELEMENTS