Electronic Configuration and Battleship

Today students learned the pattern of electronic configuration and how to use it. Basically its like giving directions to an element on the PT using set landmarks. It is a bit confusing, but once you get the pattern, its not too bad.

Students practiced a bit and then they played Battleship to practice some more. The Periodic Table became the game board and students hid their ships on it, then guessed hits using the electronic configuration of the atoms. I think they really got the hang of it because I did not field many questions at that point.

I am not that good at battleship... I didn't hit any of Jasmynne's boats in second and only hit one of Jeremy's in third. Maybe tomorrow after the benchmark I will have a chance to redeem myself.

SPDF

On Friday, students learned about metals, nonmetals, and metalloids. The key is to find the stairs on the PT. Above the stairs are the non-metals, touching the stairs is metalloids, and everything else to the right is a metal. Most of the periodic table is metals.

Students also learned about regions of the periodic table. These are SPDF. The letters have to do with the shapes the electrons travel around the nucleus in the electron cloud.

We did some basic counting and will get more into details on Monday.

We finished the class with Guess Who with guest hosting. A student from the class is the host, picks an element and then has to field the questions correctly. Students did an excellent job hosting and playing.

All about the PT!

Today we started class by discussing the dudes and their discoveries. These dudes (Democritus, Dalton, JJ, Millikan, Rutherford, Bohr, Heisenberg and Schrodinger) all did experiments and came up with different and improved atom models. The current model is the elctron cloud or quantum mechanical model.


Then we started talking about the periodic table and what a great tool it is. Students learned the difference between period and groups and some of the more notable regions of the periodic table. To practice we played a couple rounds of Guess Who using this knowledge where students tried to guess which secret element I had chosen. Good times were had by all.

Tomorrow we will learn more about the periodic table and have even more yes or no questions to add to the repertoire!

Atoms and the PT - Begin

Today we started on atoms. The students did readings on atoms over the snow days so they were a little prepared. I cleared up any confusions and the students practiced using the periodic table and calculating the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Next students got a sample of Beanium and had to determine the number of protons, electrons, and neutrons, the atomic number and the atomic mass number. Then students compared the Beanium sample to a real element on the Periodic Table.Jen and James arranged their beans like an actual atom with the protons and neutrons in the center. Delafayette and Corrin count beans

Chelsie kept her beans in the bag to count them

No School February 16th

Students should be reading about Atoms in a handout they received yesterday.

Today is not considered Snow Day Seven and textbook work does not need to be completed today. Students who are missing any of the six previous snow day assignments are encouraged to complete them.

Tomorrow we will begin Unit 3 Atoms and the PT.

Back with a Bang!

Students came back today for a full day despite a foot of snow still on the ground and snow falling from the sky! We spent most of the day reviewing and then finished Unit 2 Matter with a test. I've graded about half of them and so far pretty good.

Tomorrow we will start Unit 3 Atoms and the Periodic Table - about all the stuff from the snow day homework. We will be going over the snow day homework a day or two at a time. Students received a new set today just in case this whole snowing business is not over. Tomorrow will not count as a snow day... but the next day will.

Homework for tonight and tomorrow is an atomic model reading.

More Snow Days

Greetings students!

• Monday was Snow Day 2
• Tuesday was Snow Day 3
• Wednesday will be Snow Day 4

Write down any questions that you may have and I will see you when I see you.

Remember Unit 2 Test when we return.

Snow Day One

Snowflakes are already falling quickly and heavily. Please work on Snow Day Assignment One today. We will discuss it in class the next time I see you.

Snow Day One

§ Chapter 4.1, questions 1-7 (number 7 is train tracks)

§ Chapter 4.2, questions 8-14

§ Chapter 5.1, page 127-130, questions 1-3

You have a Unit 2 test when we return to school.

A day of school this week!

Greetings everyone.

We have had one day of school this week. In that time we reviewed for the Unit 2 Matter Test and practiced SOL questions. Students will have a Unit 2 Test whatever day it is when we return to school. They have a review sheet to work on at home.

Students were also given textbooks and Snow Day assignments to work on in the event that we missed any other days of school. Snow Day assignments are assigned as we miss school, so at this point none are required. If there are any questions about the assignments, please let me know.