This month, our Geeky Gab Classroom is going where our English teacher staff has never gone before: science.
Based on the real science in Ant-Man, we have created a lesson plan for all you science teachers out there. It is good for grades 7-12 with modifications as necessary. At the very least, use it for the interesting resources and materials.
Here is this month's Understanding By Design Lesson Plan.
Ant-Man Understanding by Design Lesson Plan
Lesson Title: Ant-Man and Atomic Structure
Grade Level: 7-12
Time: two 45 minute classes, one 90 minute class
Materials:
Reading: https://www.princeton.edu/news/2014/02/27/beyond-bomb-atomic-research-changed-medicine-biology
Students Will Understand: Molecular structure of atoms
Essential Questions:
· What is an atom?
· What are the parts of an atom?
· What are the mass and electrical charges of these different parts?
Assessment Evidence:
· Students will be able to explain that atoms are the smallest particles of matter and are made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons
· Students will be able to differentiate between protons, neutrons, and electrons in terms of their mass, electrical charges, and locations within the atom
· Students will be able to identify and label the structure and parts of an atom
Context: Learning the significance of atoms and how they function based on their structure.
Hook: Warm-up writing assignment: what do you know about atoms?
Direct Instruction:
Give students 5 minutes to complete the warm-up question. After everyone has written their answers down, go around the room and have everyone share one thing that they wrote down. If someone offers good background information about atoms and their structure, invite the class to draw a line beneath their warm-up answer and jot down what their classmate said.
Once everyone has shared, have students take out a sheet of paper or provide the hand out of notes for students with accommodations. Provide a brief lecture on what an atom is.
Notes:
· Atoms are the smallest particles from which all elements are made.
· An atom consists of protons, electrons, and neutrons.
· An electrical charge is given to each particle: protons have a positive charge, electrons have a negative charge, and neutrons have no charge.
· Every atom is composed of a nucleus and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus.
· The nucleus is made of one or more protons and typically a similar number of neutrons.
· Protons and neutrons are called nucleons.
· More than 99.94% of an atom's mass is in the nucleus.
· If protons and electrons are equal, the charge is neutral.
· If fewer protons than electrons, negative charge aka ion
· If fewer electrons than protons, positive charge aka ion
· The electrons of an atom are attracted to the protons in an atomic nucleus by this electromagnetic force.
· The protons and neutrons in the nucleus are attracted to each other by a different force, the nuclear force, which is usually stronger than the electromagnetic force repelling the positively charged protons from one another.
· Under certain circumstances, the repelling electromagnetic force becomes stronger than the nuclear force, and nucleons can be ejected from the nucleus, leaving behind a different element: nuclear decay resulting in nuclear transmutation.
· The number of protons in the nucleus defines to what chemical element the atom belongs: for example, all copper atoms contain 29 protons.
· The number of neutrons defines the isotope of the element.
· The number of electrons influences the magnetic properties of an atom.
· Atoms can attach to one or more other atoms by chemical bonds to form chemical compounds such as molecules.
· The ability of atoms to associate and dissociate is responsible for most of the physical changes observed in nature and is the subject of the discipline of chemistry.
Direct Instruction Continued:
Classroom Activity:
After the notes have been completed, conduct a game of review or trivia. Quiz the class on the correct answer, posing the information in the notes as a question.
Quiz found here.
"Do you understand the basic concepts of atomic theory? Here's a ten question quiz you can take to test your knowledge. Are you ready? Have fun!
Questions and Answers
1. The three basic components of an atom are:
A. Protons, neutrons, and ions
B. Protons, neutrons, and electrons
C. Protons, neutrinos, and ions
D. Protium, deuterium, and tritium
2. An element is determined by the number of:
A. Atoms
B. Electrons
C. Neutrons
D. Protons
3. The nucleus of an atom consists of:
A. Electrons
B. Neutrons
C. Protons and neutrons
D. Protons, neutrons, and electrons
4. A single proton has what electrical charge?
A. No charge
B. Positive charge
C. Negative charge
D. Either a positive or negative charge
5. Which particles have approximately the same size and mass as each other?
A. Neutrons and electrons
B. Electrons and protons
C. Protons and neutrons
D. None - they are all very different in size and mass
6. Which two particles would be attracted to each other?
A. Electrons and neutrons
B. Electrons and protons
C. Protons and neutrons
D. All particles are attracted to each other
7. The atomic number of an atom is:
A. The number of electrons
B. The number of neutrons
C. The number of protons
D. The number of protons plus the number of neutrons
8. Changing the number of neutrons of an atom changes its:
A. Isotope
B. Element
C. Ion
D. Charge
9. When you change the number of electrons on an atom, you produce a different:
A. Isotope
B. Ion
C. Element
D. Atomic mass
10. According to atomic theory, electrons are usually found:
A. In the atomic nucleus
B. Outside the nucleus, yet very near it because they are attracted to the protons
C. Outside the nucleus and often far from it - most of an atom's volume is its electron cloud
D. Either in the nucleus or around it - electrons are readily found anywhere in an atom"
Group Activity:
Break the class into small groups or partners. Without using their notes, have them work together to complete the worksheet.
Break between class periods for 45 minute classes, continue for 90 minute. Still, depending on how long the previous activities took, this might be day 2 or 3 for either class duration.
Hook (if necessary): Warm-up: Play the video from Nerdist that looks at the science of Ant-Man's suit.
How does the science of atoms make Ant-Man possible?
Independent activity:
Considering the scientific possibilities that actually exist with Ant-Man, what are other uses atomic research can have in the field of biology?
Hand out an article from Princeton University.
Have the students read the article silently to themselves and highlight key points.
Class Discussion:
Discussion: Considering the science behind Ant-Man and the article you read, how can the research and understanding of atoms change our world in biology?
Writing Assignment:
Based on the article and the video, do you think that one day an accomplishment like Ant-Man's suit might be possible in atomic research? Why or why not, minimum of 4 sentences.
Hope your classes enjoy!