Second Marking Period Independent Project
Atomic Theory Symposium
Background
You are a scientist or scientist’s assistant and you have been summoned to attend a
historical gathering organized by Greek Philosopher and scientist Democritus. As a
scientist of the 19th or 20th century, you will need to imagine traveling far back in time to
540 BC. The central question to be addressed involves the nature of matter: Is there an
underlying structure that connects all matter? Thales has chosen you, the experts of the
“modern” world, to attend his gathering and share your stories.
Project overview
Each team or individual will prepare a five to eight minute presentation on your
scientist’s life, scientific achievements, and contributions to our understanding of matter
or atomic structure. Assuming the roles of scientist and assistants, your team will share
personal and your piece of atomic theory at Thales’ gathering. At the conclusion of the
gathering, you will compile and submit a news story on the event (one story per student).
Part I: The presentation
 Begin by researching your scientist’s life, scientific achievements, and
contributions to our understanding of matter or atomic structure. When and where
was your scientist born? Where was your scientist educated? What experiments
led to your scientist’s discoveries? Does your scientist’s model of the atom fit
with experimental data? How did the finding of your scientist advance our
understanding of atomic structure?
 Explore a variety of sources to obtain information (eg. textbooks, library books,
periodicals, the internet). Be certain to properly document your sources.
 Assemble and submit a one-page abstract highlighting important ideas and facts
covered in your presentation. Document all sources in a properly formatted
bibliography. This abstract will be distributed to all members of the class on the
day of the presentations.
 A powerpoint or poster is also required for the presentation.
 Three dimensional models, interactive activities, and costumes are highly
encouraged and will earn you extra credit points for your presentation.
Part II: The news story
 On the day of the symposium, take detailed notes and make sure of the order
of the events. What did each scientist contribute to our modern atomic model?
How did the various participants interact?
 Decide on the format of your news story. While accuracy of historical and
scientific information is essential, the format of your story remains flexible.
For example, you may choose to convey the story in a standard news report, a
feature article, an editorial, or a gossip column.
 Use information provided in the abstracts to supplement your notes; should
you need additional information, feel free to interview other scientists or their
assistants after the gathering.
Scoring Rubric for group presentations
Criteria
1
2
Content
Students addressed Students
1-2 project goals and addressed 3 of the
demonstrated little
project goals and
familiarity with the
demonstrated
factual/technical
some familiarity
information
with the
factual/technical
information
Organization Presentation was
unorganized and
incomprehensible to
audience
Delivery
Research
and
Resources
Visual aids
Presentation was
somewhat
organized but
sometime
difficult for
audience to
follow
Delivery was
Delivery was
unclear and
reasonably clear
inaudible to most.
and audible to
Students read from
most. Students
notes and failed to
used minimal eye
show interest in their contact and
work.
displayed
minimal
enthusiasm or
interest in their
work.
Students consulted
Students
only one resource
consulted two
and resources were
resources and
not documented.
resources were
only documented
in the
bibliography
Student did not use
Student’s visual
visual
was not related to
content
3
Students
addressed 4 of the
project goals and
demonstrated
good familiarity
with the factual/
technical
information
Presentation
followed
reasonably logical
sequence and
demonstrated only
a few gaps in the
flow.
Delivery was
reasonably clear
and audible.
Enthusiasm and
eye contact were
good, but delivery
could have been
more polished
4
Students
addressed all
of the project
goals and
demonstrated
superior
command of
factual/
technical
information
Presentation
flowed easily
and logically.
Delivery was
clear, polished
and audible.
Students kept
audience
engaged
throughout
with
enthusiasm
and eye
contact.
Students consulted Student
three or four
consulted five
resources and
resources and
some resources
all resources
were documented were
intext.
documented
properly
Student’s visual
Student’s
made some
visual was
connections
effective
Suggested Websites to find the information needed for your research paper and
presentation.
1. John Dalton
http://www.slcc.edu/schools/hum_sci/physics/whatis/biography/dalton.html
http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi1411.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/19662/low/eng/18th.html
http://members.tripod.com/~mrbeens/atom.html
http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/atoms/dalton.shtml
http://www.chemheritage.org/EducationalServices/chemach/ppt/jd.html
http://www.woodrow.org/teachers/ci/1992/Dalton.html
2. J. J. Thomson
http://www.aip.org/history/electron/
http://webserver.lemoyne.edu/faculty/giunta/thomson1897.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/19662/low/eng/20th.html
http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Sciences/Physics/QuantumPhysics/ParticleP
hysics/ParticlePhysics.htm
http://members.tripod.com/~mrbeens/atom.html
3. Ernest Rutherford
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/electromag/java/rutherford/
http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Sciences/Physics/QuantumPhysics/ParticleP
hysics/ParticlePhysics.htm
http://members.tripod.com/~mrbeens/atom.html
http://www2.slac.stanford.edu/vvc/nobel/rutherford.html
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/cgibin/tour_def/people/modern_era/rutherford.html
4. Neils Bohr
http://library.thinkquest.org/19662/low/eng/20th.html
http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Sciences/Physics/QuantumPhysics/ParticleP
hysics/ParticlePhysics.htm
http://members.tripod.com/~mrbeens/atom.html
http://zebu.uoregon.edu/~js/glossary/bohr_atom.html
http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr162/lect/light/bohr.html
http://orac.sunderland.ac.uk/~hs0bcl/h_nb.htm
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/refarticle.aspx?refid=761576813
5. Werner Heisenberg
http://www.iun.edu/~cpanhd/C101webnotes/modern-atomic-theory/modern-atomictheory.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/15567/bio/heisenberg.html
http://cerncourier.com/cws/article/cern/28551
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/physics-quantum-mechanics-wernerheisenberg.htm
http://www.aip.org/history/heisenberg/p08b.htm
http://www.thebigview.com/spacetime/uncertainty.html
6. Erwin Schrodinger
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bpschr.html
http://www.economist.com/sciencetechnology/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14539712
http://einstein.byu.edu/~masong/HTMstuff/textbookpdf/C17.pdf
http://science.jrank.org/pages/626/Atomic-Models-modern-atomic-model.html
http://vigyanprasar.gov.in/scientists/ESchrodinger.htm
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Physics-Erwin-Schrodinger.htm
7. Dmitri Mendeleev
http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/Biographies/MendeleevBio.htm
http://www.aip.org/history/curie/periodic.htm
http://www.wou.edu/las/physci/ch412/perhist.htm
http://www.woodrow.org/teachers/ci/1992/Mendeleev.html
http://web.lemoyne.edu/~giunta/MENDEL.HTML
8. Marie Curie
http://www.aip.org/history/curie/unstable.htm
http://web.lemoyne.edu/~giunta/curie98.html
http://www.robinsonlibrary.com/science/chemistry/biography/curie-m.htm
http://cwp.library.ucla.edu/articles/curie.htm
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/articles/curie/