Modeling Valence Electrons
Initial Publication Date: September 9, 2009
Summary
In this activity, students use a map of electron configuration and bingo chips (or other similar object) to configure electrons for elements that are given on a problem card.
CollapseLearning Goals
Goal 1: Students will actively configure electrons for an element.
Goal 2: Students will visualize valence electrons that are responsible for chemical properties and bonding.
Goal 3: Students will see patterns of elements and their valence electrons in relation to the periodic table.
Goal 2: Students will visualize valence electrons that are responsible for chemical properties and bonding.
Goal 3: Students will see patterns of elements and their valence electrons in relation to the periodic table.
Context for Use
This activity should be done as an individual activity. It is easy enough for middle school students, but is beneficial for high school students to see patterns in elements as an abstract idea. It is a helpful tool for all students, but especially those with visual and tactile learning styles. This can be a short activity (15-20 minutes), but can also be extended for more practice time.
Description and Teaching Materials
Materials needed:
Valence Electrons Map (attached), bingo chips or buttons (round candies work well too), element cards (make index cards with element symbol, name, and atomic number for elements 1-18).
Procedure: Give each student a different element card. Have the students place the markers (bingo chips, etc) on the map in numerical order to show students how electrons are configured. Mention that the outermost electrons present are the valence electrons. Check students' work as they complete the configurations. Give each student a new card to practice. This activity may be repeated as many times as necessary for students to grasp the concept.
Conclusion: Have students talk about the valence electron numbers and how each element they modeled could be similar to another. Modeling Valence Electrons - Electron Configuration Map (Acrobat (PDF) 39kB Sep9 09) Modeling Valence Electrons - Electron Configuration Map ( 7kB Sep9 09)
Valence Electrons Map (attached), bingo chips or buttons (round candies work well too), element cards (make index cards with element symbol, name, and atomic number for elements 1-18).
Procedure: Give each student a different element card. Have the students place the markers (bingo chips, etc) on the map in numerical order to show students how electrons are configured. Mention that the outermost electrons present are the valence electrons. Check students' work as they complete the configurations. Give each student a new card to practice. This activity may be repeated as many times as necessary for students to grasp the concept.
Conclusion: Have students talk about the valence electron numbers and how each element they modeled could be similar to another. Modeling Valence Electrons - Electron Configuration Map (Acrobat (PDF) 39kB Sep9 09) Modeling Valence Electrons - Electron Configuration Map ( 7kB Sep9 09)
Teaching Notes and Tips
I enlarged the electron configuration maps I created, printed them out for each student, pasted them to cardstock paper and had them laminated so that they could be used several times.
I used foam circles I purchased at a craft store for the electron markers. I have also used candy in the past, but found I often had to replenish the electron supply during the activity. Many students asked to use the maps when we did other activities until they had mastered the concept of how to subtract the correct number electrons to find the valence electron number or to find the patterns among the elements.
I used foam circles I purchased at a craft store for the electron markers. I have also used candy in the past, but found I often had to replenish the electron supply during the activity. Many students asked to use the maps when we did other activities until they had mastered the concept of how to subtract the correct number electrons to find the valence electron number or to find the patterns among the elements.
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Assessment
I checked the students' work individually, but could have easily created a key that shows what the map should look like for each element so that students could check their own work. I graded this as a participation activity grade.
Standards
9C.2.1.1.1 -Explain the relationship of an element's
position on the periodic table to its
atomic number and electron
configuration.
position on the periodic table to its
atomic number and electron
configuration.