Elements, Atoms and the Periodic Table
Grade Level		Prospective and practicing K-8 teachers.
Time		Exercises 1-4 take approximately 45 minutes.
Background Information			A concept map is a device that helps you organize your ideas in a systematic fashion. Having a systematic organization facilitates learning, retrieval and use of the ideas, so it is highly desirable. In this exercise we will work individually with whole/part hierarchies, transformation flows, and attributes. Then we will put them all together into one large concept map. Click below to download the SemNet "1.2,3h Atoms Net", which is a complet ed network showing how we have put together the ideas in Lesson 2, Elements and Atoms, and Lesson 3, Molecules. This net is not used in the knowledge mappin g exercises, below, but has neen provided as a guide and illustration of the ide as in these lessons. This net provides a useful exemplar and guide, but it shoul d not be considered THE right answer. It is important to understand that we all think in different ways.
Objectives			Once you have completed these exercises you should be able to:
		1.	Recognize physical whole/part relationships and use the 'has part / part of' relation appropriately.
		2.	Illustrate transformations or state changes successfully in concept mapping formats, using appropriate relation descriptions.
		3.	Recognize attributes, features or characteristics of atoms and elements and identify them using the 'has characteristic / characteristic of' relation.
		4.	Clarify your understanding of atoms, ions, isotopes, and elements.
Exercise 1		Whole/Part
		1.	The whole/part relationship is very important in biology. It refers to physical structures and their parts. Three examples of this link are shown below.
		Figure 1. Examples of the Whole/Part Relationship
		2.	Describe three examples of whole/part relations among atoms and elements.
Powerful Ideas		3.	A relation or relationship is a word or phrase that describes how one idea is connected to another. Ideas are often connected by multiple relations, but in a given context, one relation will often seem more salient than the others.
		4.	Relations are always bi-directional. That is, if 'A' is related to 'B', then 'B' must also be related to 'A'.
		5.	In most cases, different words are used to describe the relation rays that point in opposite directions (as in 'has part' and 'is part of'). Sometimes, however, concept maps use simpler representations showing the link in just one direction.
		6.	Figure 2 shows some parts of a dog. It is organized hierarchically, with larger ideas above and smaller ideas below. It uses branching and groups closely related ideas together (as in lobes, bronchioles, and alveoli being parts of a lung).
		Figure 2. Some Parts of a Dog
To Do		7.	Below, draw a similar hierarchy using the relation, 'has part', and incorporating the following seven concepts: atom, atomic nucleus, electron, element, neutron, orbital, proton.
		Drawing 1. Concept Map Hierarchy with Designated Terms Using 'has part.' The more inclusive ideas are arranged above the less inclusive ideas. Each component is located within a larger component or space. except for the top of the hierarchy.
Exercise 2		Transformations
		1.	Here is one way of representing a transformation such as a change of state in the form of a concept map.
Figure 3. Transformations of Water
To Do		2.	Produce a similar representation by inserting the following concepts in the appropriate positions below: atom, isotope, ion.
Drawing 2. Transformation of Atom
	The distinction between ion and isotope is important and useful. However, because we can't see the transformations happening and don't have a lot of experience with them, they can be difficult to remember. Using multiple representations can help.
Exercise 3		Properties
		3a	Elements & Atoms.
To Do		1.	Attributes, features or characteristics provide important details about processes, things and ideas. Examples include the following: Rabbit's fur has characteristic  soft. The dog's bark has characteristic   loud. The Christmas tree has characteristic  full.
To Do		2.	Select from the list of characteristics or features below to describe the ideas shown in Drawing 3. Each feature can be used more than once and each circled idea can have several features.
		Characteristics or Features to be Included in Drawing 3 109 types mass 1 charge +1 mass ~ 0 charge -1 no charge invisible pure substance has characteristics of element
		Drawing 3. Five Ideas and their Characteristics This is how we would organize these features. There may be more than one correct way. By invisible, we mean too small to be seen with the naked eye or with any known visualizing aid such as an electron microscope.
To Do		3b.	CHNOPS. Select from the list of features below to describe the six ideas shown in rounded boxes below. Each feature can be used more than once and each circled idea can have several features. Add any other features you think would be useful.
		Characteristics to add to Drawing 4. atomic number 1     atomic number 6 forms 1 bond occurs in air (molecular ) atomic number 7 forms 2 bonds occurs in coal atomic number 8 forms 3 bonds occurs in diamonds atomic number 15 forms 4 bonds occurs in fertilizer atomic number 16 forms 5 bonds occurs in graphite
		Drawing 4. Describe Features of CHNOPS The students should be encouraged to elaborate, adding other features or characteristics of these substances. For example, they may say phosphorus can occur on match heads or sulfur can occur in deep sea vents or 100 year old eggs. It is valuable to link school knowledge with personal knowledge.
Composite Map
To Do			Combine all the information developed above into one large concept map. The purposes for doing this are threefold: to help students integrate their knowledge about atoms and elements, to show how different representations can be combined into a map, and to illustrate the challenges involved in drawing complex maps. We will not draw the entire map here.