Overview:  I created this lab activity to provide my students with a fun way to learn about the components of the atom.  Students will investigate and understand that all matter is composed of atoms.  Key ideas include atoms consisting of particles including electrons, protons and neutrons.  This activity will be done after the introduction of the Periodic Table of Elements. This activity uses Playdough which is and always will be a favorite among kids. This activity provides support for SOL 6.5a in which students are expected to create and interpret a simplified, modern model of the structure of an atom.

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.

In this interactive activity, learners build computer models of atoms by adding or removing electrons, protons, and neutrons. It presents the orbital model of an atom: a nucleus consisting of protons and neutrons with electrons surrounding it in regions of high probability called orbitals. Guided tasks are provided, such as constructing a lithium atom and a carbon-12 atom in the fewest possible steps. The activity concludes with a model for building a charged hydrogen atom (an ion). Within each task, students take snapshots of their work product and answer probative questions. This item is part of the Concord Consortium, a nonprofit research and development organization dedicated to transforming education through technology.