Teaching program
Chapter 6:
Big Idea:
Organising elements
Properties and structure
Section
Science
understanding
Learning
experiences
Science Inquiry
skills
(embedded
throughout all
chapters)
6.1 Why do we
organise
elements?
The atomic
structure and
properties of
elements are
used to organise
them in the
Periodic Table
(ACSSU186)
o Discovering
ideas: Memory
tricks
o Navigating
the periodic
table.
Communicating
Communicate
scientific ideas
and information
for a particular
purpose, including
constructing evide
nce-based
arguments and
using
appropriate scienti
fic
language, convent
ions and
representations
(ACSIS208)
See:
Discovering ideas:
Memory tricks
Science as a
human
endeavour
(embedded
throughout all
chapters)
Nature and
development of
science
Scientific
understanding,
including models
and theories, are
contestable and
are refined over
time through a
process of review
by the scientific
community
(ACSHE191)
General
capabilities
and crosscurriculum
priorities
Possible
teaching
strategies
Assessment
Extra
resources
Achievement
Standards
Critical and
creative
thinking
See:
o Discovering
ideas: Memory
tricks
Remembering
the chemical
symbols for
elements on the
periodic table is
important for
students who
plan to continue
science studies.
A good way to
do this is
Periodic Table
Bingo. Many
templates are
available for free
on the internet
and students
enjoy the game
whilst learning
the chemical
symbols.
Teachers can
check that
students
understand how
to read the
periodic table
through
questioning or a
simple
worksheet
leaving parts
blank for
students to fill in.
It can be
good to
have
samples of
various
elements
to show
students in
class. Most
schools
carry a
stock that
can be
used.
Students can
analyse how the
periodic table
organises elements
and use it to make
predictions about
the properties of
elements.
See:
Getting elements
organised (and
timeline).
Oxford Big Ideas Science 10: Australian Curriculum
ISBN 978-0-19-557709-9
Students can
choose five
elements to
research and
present a short
PowerPoint
presentation to
the class
detailing general
information
including the
uses of each.
© Oxford University Press Australia
Many
templates
for Periodic
Table
Bingo are
available
for free on
the
internet.
Section
Science
understanding
Learning
experiences
Science Inquiry
skills
(embedded
throughout all
chapters)
6.2 How do we
organise
elements?
The atomic
structure and
properties of
elements are
used to organise
them in the
Periodic Table
(ACSSU186)
o Discovering
ideas: Getting
elements
organised
o Experiment
6.1: Reactivity
of metals
o Overarching
ideas: Extreme
halophiles
Planning and
conducting
See:
o Experiment 6.1:
Reactivity of
metals
Processing and
analysing data
and information
See:
o Experiment 6.1:
Reactivity of
metals
Communicating
See:
o Experiment 6.1:
Reactivity of
metals
Science as a
human
endeavour
(embedded
throughout all
chapters)
Use and influence
of science
Advances in
science and
emerging
sciences and
technologies can
significantly affect
people’s lives,
including
generating new
career
opportunities
(ACSHE195)
General
capabilities
and crosscurriculum
priorities
Possible
teaching
strategies
Assessment
Extra
resources
Achievement
Standards
Personal and
social
competence
See:
Discovering
ideas: Getting
elements
organised
Student led
inquiry-based
learning could
be used to
investigate the
various groups
of elements and
what they are
used for.
A formal
experiment for
Experiment 6.1:
Reactivity of
metals could be
submitted.
There are
many
examples
of black
and white
periodic
tables
available
online
which can
be used as
a colouring
in sheet for
students to
identify
and colour
the various
groups of
elements.
Students can
analyse how the
periodic table
organises elements
and use it to make
predictions about
the properties of
elements.
See:
Groups of
elements and their
uses.
Oxford Big Ideas Science 10: Australian Curriculum
ISBN 978-0-19-557709-9
Classroom
discussion on
the
characteristics
shared by
groups and how
the
characteristics
affect the use of
these elements.
For example,
irons strength
and malleability.
The activity
Overarching
ideas: Extreme
Halophiles can
be done as a
formal research
report utilising
inquiry-based
learning.
© Oxford University Press Australia
It can be
good to
have
samples of
various
elements
to show
students in
class. Most
schools
carry a
stock that
can be
used.
2
Section
Science
understanding
Learning
experiences
Science Inquiry
skills
(embedded
throughout all
chapters)
6.3 How are
properties
linked to
atomic
structure?
The atomic
structure and
properties of
elements are
used to organise
them in the
Periodic Table
(ACSSU186)
o Discovering
ideas:
Explaining
differences in
reactivity
o Practivity 6.1:
Identifying
patterns in the
periodic table
o Experiment
6.2:
Conductivity of
ionic
compounds
o Skills lab:
Ionic
compounds
Planning and
conducting
See:
o Experiment 6.2:
Conductivity of
ionic compounds
Processing and
analysing data
and information
See:
o Experiment 6.2:
Conductivity of
ionic compounds
Communicating
See:
o Experiment 6.2:
Conductivity of
ionic compounds
Science as a
human
endeavour
(embedded
throughout all
chapters)
Nature and
development of
science
Advances in
scientific
understanding
often rely on
developments
in technology and
technological
advances are
often linked to
scientific
discoveries
(ACSHE192)
General
capabilities
and crosscurriculum
priorities
Possible
teaching
strategies
Assessment
Extra
resources
Achievement
Standards
Personal and
social
competence
See:
o Practivity 6.1:
Identifying
patterns in the
periodic table
o Skills lab: Ionic
compounds
It can be good
for students to
create 3D
models of atoms
in order to
memorise their
parts. There are
templates
available online
for paper atom
mobiles (circles /
shells connected
by cotton
thread). Many
schools also
have pre-made
model kits that
could be used.
A formal
experiment
report for
Experiment 6.2:
Conductivity of
ionic
compounds.
Molecule
model kits
(also can
be done
with
plasticine).
Students can
analyse how the
periodic table
organises elements
and use it to make
predictions about
the properties of
elements.
See:
Electrons and
electricity
Group work.
Inquiry-based
learning.
Oxford Big Ideas Science 10: Australian Curriculum
ISBN 978-0-19-557709-9
A unit test that
asks students to
use the periodic
table to draw
electron
configurations of
a number of
elements.
Teachers can
question
students to
ensure they
understand what
elements, atoms
and ions are.
This can also be
done as a mind
map with other
key terms.
© Oxford University Press Australia
Templates
for paper
atom
mobiles
(circles /
shells
connected
by cotton
thread) are
available
online.
3