Students break apart cell phones to determine what elements are located in cell phones.  They then use the elements to determine how the flow of electrons works in the cell phone.  Lastly, create designs using legos to practice engineering practices that would be common in engineering.

This interactive, scaffolded activity allows students to build an atom within the framework of a newer orbital model. It opens with an explanation of why the Bohr model is incorrect and provides an analogy for understanding orbitals that is simple enough for grades 8-9. As the activity progresses, students build atoms and ions by adding or removing protons, electrons, and neutrons. As changes are made, the model displays the atomic number, net charge, and isotope symbol. Try the "Add an Electron" page to build electrons around a boron nucleus and see how electrons align from lower-to-higher energy. This item is part of the Concord Consortium, a nonprofit research and development organization dedicated to transforming education through technology. The Concord Consortium develops deeply digital learning innovations for science, mathematics, and engineering. The models are all freely accessible. Users may register for additional free access to capture data and store student work products.

This student research and planning sheet will help you keep students on task during their research and creation of an element superhero as outlined in the teach engineering lesson plan linked in this resource.

Students study an ancient bronze statue, analyze its pose, and discover how conservators remove and prevent corrosion. They learn that the bronze used to make this sculpture is an alloy of copper and tin with small amounts of antimony, lead, iron, silver, nickel, and cobalt. They use the periodic table to research the chemical formulas of compounds used to make bronze. After learning about oxidation-reduction reactions that occurred in the statue, students speculate about the conservation techniques needed to conserve the bronze sculpture.

Are all atoms of an element the same? How can you tell one isotope from another? Use the sim to learn about isotopes and how abundance relates to the average atomic mass of an element.

Video Description:  Engineering design and technology development support scientific discovery. Learn about the roles engineers and scientists play when working together on NASA missions like the James Webb Space Telescope and how science and engineering take turns pushing each other to move exploration forward.  Video Length:  4:16.NASA eClipsTM is a suite of online student-centered, standards-based resources that support instruction by increasing STEM literacy in formal and nonformal settings.  These free digital and downloadable resources inform and engage students through NASA-inspired, real-world connections.NASA eClips Launchpad videos focus on NASA innovations and the technology that take us into the future.  These segments support project-based and problem-based learning experiences in science, mathematics, and career and technical education classrooms.

Video Description:  Each of us is made from star stuff. But how are stars formed? Take a closer look at the life cycles of stars and learn where stars come from, how they change, and what happens to stars when their lives come to an end. Find out about your connection to the cosmos.  Video Length:  6:00.NASA eClipsTM is a suite of online student-centered, standards-based resources that support instruction by increasing STEM literacy in formal and nonformal settings.  These free digital and downloadable resources inform and engage students through NASA-inspired, real-world connections.NASA eClips Launchpad videos focus on NASA innovations and the technology that take us into the future.  These segments support project-based and problem-based learning experiences in science, mathematics, and career and technical education classrooms.

Students will use the periodic table to solve a riddle. Afterwards, students will choose two of the elements used in the riddle to compare their atomic structure.

Students will use the periodic table to solve a riddle. Afterwards, students will choose two of the elements used in the riddle to compare their atomic structure.

This is a great activity for students to learn about elements atomic numbers. I would like to add a modification to this activity. I like to use the game, "What Am I?" In this game the students write the chemical symbol for an element on a post it note and choose another student and place it on their forehead, without them knowing what it is. When every student has a post it note on their forehead, they will walk around the class and take turns with other students giving clues to the student wearing the post it about their element. They could give clues like: number of protons, Family, period, etc.... When the student guesses his/her element, then they have 1 point. The students can collect as many points within the time frame the teacher allows.