From Alchemy to Chemistry: the Science of Symbols
Author(s): Amanda Maez
Date lesson will be taught:
Grade level: 10th grade Chemistry
Lesson Source: Fabrizzi, Luigi. “Communicating about Matter with Symbols: From Alchemy to
Chemistry.” Chemistry for Everyone (2008). 85: 1501-1511. Web.; Amanda Maez
Concepts: History of chemistry as developed out of alchemy. The development of different
alchemical and chemical symbols to explain chemical concepts.
Objectives: Students will be able to…

Explain how chemistry emerged as a science out of the pseudo-science of alchemy.

Develop their own chemical symbols based on properties of elements or compounds.

Recognize that chemistry has changed and become much more in depth over the course
of history.
Kansas Science and/or Mathematics Standards, Benchmarks, and Indicators:
SCIENCE AS INQUIRY – The student will develop the abilities necessary to do
scientific inquiry and develop an understanding of scientific inquiry.
Benchmark 1: The student will demonstrate the abilities necessary to do
scientific inquiry.
1. ▲ actively engages in investigations, including developing questions, gathering and analyzing
data, and designing and conducting research
CHEMISTRY – The student will develop an understanding of the structure of atoms,
compounds, chemical reactions, and the interactions of energy and matter.
Benchmark 2: The students will understand the states and properties of
matter.
▲ understands the periodic table lists elements according to increasing atomic number. This table
organizes physical and chemical trends by groups, periods, and sub-categories.
History Standard: The student uses a working knowledge and understanding of
significant individuals, groups, ideas,
events, eras and developments in the history of Kansas, the United States, and the world,
utilizing essential analytical and research skills.
Benchmark 1: The student uses a working knowledge and understanding of individuals, groups,
ideas, developments, and turning points of the Global Age of Exploration (1400-1750).
Materials list (be specific about quantities for whole class and for groups), advance
preparation, and handouts (include handouts at the end of this lesson plan document):
-1 Copy of “Communicating about matter with Symbols: Evolving from Alchemy to
Chemistry” by Luigi Fabrizzi (See attached pdf) for each student handed out the class
period before lesson is to be taught.
-Chemistry textbook (1/student)
-1 list of Aristotelean Symbols, Alchemical Symbols, Early Chemical Symbols, and Modern
Chemical Symbols/ group of 2 students.
-1 poster each of Aristotelean Symbols, Alchemical Symbols, Early Chemical Symbols, and
Modern Chemical Symbols, and notecards with the names of the elements and compounds
listed.
-1 period table of the elements (see attached pdf)/ group of two students.
-Notecards (2/group)
-computer with access to the internet
Safety: Students will follow all classroom safety rules.
Accommodations: All students will be able to participate in this lesson. Those who need
assistance will be paired up with another student who will aid them in completing the
assignment.
Five-E Plan
Teacher Does
Engage:
Learning Experience(s)
Probing Questions
Critical questions that will
connect to prior knowledge
and create a need to know.
Student responses
Expected Student
Responses/Misconceptions
As you read, think about
how the symbols that
represent different
substances and chemicals
have changed.
Do we really have to read
this whole thing?
Time: __7____minutes
The week before the
lesson is to be taught,
assign the students to
read “Communicating
about matter with
Symbols: Evolving from
Alchemy to Chemistry”
by Luigi Fabrizzi (See
attached pdf) for
homework. Tell them to
skip the section on Art
and Alchemy.
Encourage them to take
their time with the
reading, and fill out the
worksheet as they read.
Put posters with
Aristotelean Symbols,
Alchemical Symbols,
Early Chemical Symbols,
and Modern Chemical
How is alchemy different
from chemistry? How are
they similar?
Symbols (use ~8 of each of
the last three groups of
symbols; symbols can be
found at the end of the
lesson plan) on the board.
Divide the students into
three groups, and hand
each of the groups a stack
of note cards with names
of elements or compounds
on them. Say, “ Now
within your groups, try to
decide which poster your
symbols correspond to,
then try to match the
correct symbols to the
correct name of the
compound or element.”
Once the students have
matched all or most of
their symbols, have them
sit back down, and ask
them to put the posters in
historical order as a class.
Teacher Does
Explore:
Learning Experience(s)
Time: ___15___minutes
Do any of these symbols
look familiar to you?
If you don’t remember
exactly which element goes
to which symbol, what are
some ways you could
maybe figure it out?
Ya, they were in the
reading; Ya, but I don’t
remember which ones are
which; ya, I’ve seen those,
that one’s Mercury, that’s
water!
Look at the symbols, and
see if they have any features
of the element or compound.
If you really can’t figure it
out, try your best, and
afterwards we will talk
about them.
What if we don’t know?
Which order historically
should these posters go in?
Aristotelean, Alchemical,
Early Chemical, Modern
Chemical
What do you notice about
how the symbols have
changed?
There are more symbols as
they progress; they symbols
are just letters now
Does anyone remember
from the reading why the
alchemical symbols are so
cryptic? Why did they try to
disguise their work so
much.
Alchemists used to want to
keep their work a secret.
Probing Questions
Critical questions that will
guide students to a common
set of experiences.
Student responses
Expected Student
Responses/Misconceptions
Pair the students off, and
give each pair a periodic
table of elements (see
attached pdf), a chemistry
textbook, and a list of
symbols (Aristotelean,
Alchemical, and Early
Chemical). Say, “Just as
chemists have had to do
throughout the ages, you, as
scientists, are going to
develop a way to
communicate about some
of the things you observe in
a chemistry laboratory, or
even in everyday life. You
need to choose 3
compounds or elements
either from the periodic
table, or from your book
and develop symbols to
represent those compounds
or elements. You need to
be able to explain why you
chose the elements or
compounds that you did,
and also the rationale
behind the symbol for each.
Be creative!! Use what you
know about each element to
come up with something
that would enable someone
who isn’t a chemist to
recognize it; or you can
also come up with a secret
symbol like alchemists used
to do that only other
chemists would understand.
Creativity counts here, so
work together to come up
with some great symbols!”
Allow the students to work
for 7 minutes on their
symbols in pairs, and walk
around the room aiding
students if needed.
After 7 minutes of work
How will you choose which
elements or compounds you
are going to use?
The ones that I know most
about; the ones that are on
the list.
How are you going to
explain your symbols to
your classmates?
Draw what they look like,
and tell about the features of
each symbol.
Would someone who
doesn’t know anything
about chemistry be able to
recognize or use your
symbol?
Yes; no
What would be a good
element or compound to
choose?
One with obvious
properties.
How did alchemists choose
elements to symbolize?
They were the compounds
that they worked with. They
used them to describe their
methods to someone else.
Students will begin to talk
time, put 2 pairs of students
together in groups
(presumably the groups
they were in for the
engage), and say, “ Now in
your larger groups, I want
you to explain your
symbols to each other.
Explain to your fellow
scientists which elements or
compounds you chose and
why. How did you come
up with the symbol to
represent each? After
discussing all six of your
symbols, I want you to
choose two that you think
best represent the elements
or compounds, and write
What are some good
them on these notecards.
characteristics of symbols?
Write the symbol on the
front, and the element or
compound on the back.”
Give each group 2
notecards (different color
for each group).
Teacher Does
Explain:
Learning Experience(s)
Time: ___15___minutes
Say, “ so now that you
have made your own
symbols, let’s talk about
the process…”
Lead a discussion of the
history of chemistry and
the development of
symbols, comparing the
students’ experiences
developing their own
Probing Questions
about their symbols in their
larger groups.
They are easily
recognizable; they are
simple; they represent the
properties of the element or
compound; everyone can
understand them
Student responses
Critical questions that will
help students clarify their
understanding and
introduce information
related to the lesson
concepts/skills.
Expected Student
Responses/Misconceptions
What did you find most
challenging when
developing your symbols?
Figuring out the properties
of the elements or
compounds and which one
to use in the symbol;
making the symbol simple
enough to be easily
recognized; not using the
same symbol that we have
for it today.
Why is it so hard to talk
The elements and
symbols to the possible
experiences of early
chemists.
Draw student attention to
the Alchemical symbols.
Draw student attention to
early Chemical symbols.
about chemistry?
compounds are so small;
most people don’t
understand chemical
properties; it’s not like
English or literature where
you can describe things very
easily to everyone;
What were alchemists, and
what were there two main
goals?
Witches; magicians; Early
chemists who used furnaces
to try to turn metal to gold
and try to find the
philosopher’s stone or the
elixir of life.
What were some of the
challenges alchemists faced
when they first started
developing symbols?
They didn’t know anything
about the structure or
properties of the elements.
They had to do their work in
secret, they didn’t want
anyone else to know; they
didn’t have technology
What foundations were they
building upon?
The Greek and Arabic
alchemists’ work;
Aristotle’s work; the things
they knew about substances
from trying to turn it into
gold.
What was the motivation of
early chemists as opposed
to alchemists?
They didn’t want to make
gold, they wanted to
understand the properties of
substances and develop a
set of rules about the
substances.
What were the challenges
early chemists faced when
developing their symbols?
There were more
compounds and elements
being discovered; they
didn’t have a universal way
of naming them; they still
were limited in what they
knew about chemistry
Draw student attention to
Modern Chemical
symbols.
What challenges do
chemists face today when
classifying and naming
chemical compounds?
On the board, make a
Venn diagram to compare
and contrast Alchemists
and Modern Chemists.
What are some of the
similarities between
alchemists and Modern
Chemists?
What are the differences?
Explaining them to
everyday people;
categorizing all the different
elements; they don’t face
any;
They both use symbols;
They both used chemicals;
they both use fire; they both
use metal; they both do
experiments; chemistry
came out of alchemy; used
same foundations
Alchemy: secret science;
used to get rich; search for
immortality; not accepted
by society; never a
university study…
Chemistry: accepted by
society; used to study and
obtain knowledge; studied
at universities; use of
technology; much more is
known about chemicals…
Teacher Does
Extend / Elaborate:
Learning Experience(s)
Time: ___7___minutes
Put the students’ symbols
they developed at the
beginning of class up on
the board and have other
groups try to match
elements or compounds
with their correct
symbols. Include a word
bank of choice for the
students to match the
symbols they created
with.
Probing Questions
Student responses
Critical questions that will
help students extend or
apply their newly acquired
concepts/skills in new
situations.
Expected Student
Responses/Misconceptions
Which compound or
element do you think these
symbols represent?
Various answers.
Students will come up to the
board and match the
symbols with the elements
and compounds they think
are correct.
After matching, have a
few groups explain their
rationale behind the
development of the
symbols they chose.
Show some biochemical
structures (ie. Protein
structures from RCSB
Protein Data Bankhttp://www.rcsb.org/pdb/
home/home.do) and some
organic structures (ie.
Molecular models
http://www.chem.wwu.ed
u/dept/vmolckit/molecule.
html or the structure for
common drugs such as
acetaminophen—aspirin
or the structure of
acrylonotrile, which is
used to made plastics—it
is important to show
structures of compounds
that the students can
relate to, things that they
would most likely be
familiar with) to show
how advanced chemical
symbols have become
with the increase in
understanding of
chemistry and the
advances in technology.
Teacher Does
Evaluate:
Include summative
evaluation below.
Time: ___5___minutes
Students will volunteer.
Has anyone seen a symbol
like this before?
No! What is that?
Ya, isn’t that like organic
chemistry or something?
How has technology
affected the symbols that
chemists produce today?
They are a lot more
detailed; they are a lot more
specific; there are a lot
more symbols; there are
symbols for many types of
chemistry
Probing Questions
Critical questions that ask
students to demonstrate
their understanding of the
concepts and process skills.
These questions must
directly relate to the
lesson’s performance
objectives.
Student responses
Expected Student
Outcomes
Pre-Test:
1. What is an alchemist?
2. What is something you learned from the reading?
3. Explain how chemistry developed as a science based on what you learned in the reading.
Post-Test:
1. Explain the differences and similarities between alchemy and modern chemistry.
2. Why do scientists develop symbols and representations?
3. You are given an element that is highly combustible and gives off a pungent odor when
splashed with water. Develop a symbol for this element:
Aristotelian Symbols
Alchemical Symbols
Early Chemical Symbols
Modern Chemical Symbols
Hg- Mercury
NH3- ammonia
Pb- Lead
(NH2)2CO2- urea
P- phosphorous
Water
H2SO4- Sulfuric Acid
HCl- Hydrochloric Acid
NaCl- Sodium chloride
Name:______________________
Worksheet for Communicating about Matter with Symbols: Evolving from Alchemy to Chemistry
by Luigi Fabrizzi
1. Why is it so difficult for chemists to communicate about their work to the world? What
systems have they developed to overcome this problem?
2. What was the original purpose of alchemy?
3. What were two reasons alchemists used symbols?
4. Describe one of the alchemical symbols explained in the reading that you think is particularly
interesting.
5. Describe the opinion that society had of alchemy.
6. What year did alchemy officially evolve from chemistry?
7. Name two important chemists in the 18th century, and describe what they did for the field.
8. Who is responsible for the development of modern chemical notation? How does it work?
Sources
Fabrizzi, Luigi. “Communicating about Matter with Symbols: From Alchemy to Chemistry.”
Chemistry for Everyone (2008). 85: 1501-1511. Web.
Gregory, Frederick. "The Emergence of Chemical Science." Natural Science in Western History.
Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 2008. 197-219. Print.
Harrison, Karl. 2005-2010. Digital Image.http://www.3dchem.com/imagesofmolecules/water.jpg
Periodic Table of the Elements. 2006.
http://go.hrw.com/resources/go_sc/periodic/SSHK1PER.PDF. Web.
RCSB Protein Data Bank. 2010. http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/home/home.do
WWU Virtual Molecular Model Kit. Chemistry Department (2006).
http://www.chem.wwu.edu/dept/vmolckit/molecule.html
Reflection
I really enjoyed writing this lesson plan. It gave a different, and relevant approach to
learning chemistry. I thought this was an interesting way to look at properties of different
elements and compounds, along with prompting inquiry. Something difficult for me in this
assignment was integrating actual concepts the students might be learning in class into the
history lesson. I chose to do a lesson on alchemical symbols because it is an area of
understanding that I feel most high school students have little knowledge of, and I felt that it
would aid in their understanding and appreciation of the subject of chemistry. Though this
project was originally assigned for groups, and I was worried at first about completing the work,
once I got started writing, it was actually easier to make the sections flow together than if I were
to have worked with a partner. One mistake I made was giving myself a limited time to
complete this assignment, and it limited the amount of sources I was able to draw from to
develop the lesson. For the next lesson plan, I hope to begin working sooner so that I will be
able to develop my sources a little better.