It’s Element-ary

8th grade

Leestown Middle School

Developed by: David Craycraft and Gail Bryant

Organizer:

How do elements affect my life?

Academic Expectations and Demonstrators:

1.1 Students use reference tools such as dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, and computer reference programs and research tools such as interviews and surveys to find the information they need to meet specific demands, explore interests, or solve specific problems.

Analyze and compare information accessed from different sources.

1.5 - 1.9 Students use mathematical ideas and procedures to communicate, reason, and solve problems.

Select, apply, and justify appropriate math procedures to solve real-life problems using rational numbers.

1.11 Students write using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and information to different audiences for different purposes.

Exhibit fluency and organization.

1.16 Students use computers and other kinds of technology to collect, organize, and communicate information and ideas.

Express information and ideas creatively using technology.

Integrate the use of a variety of technologies.

Expand knowledge by identifying and using technology for a specific purpose.

2.3 Students identify and analyze systems and the ways their components work together or affect each other.

Investigate and illustrate a system; identify its components and interrelationships.

2.4 Students use the concept of scale and scientific models to explain the organization and functioning of living and nonliving things and predict other characteristics that might be observed.

Evaluate the functions, behaviors, and limitations implied by a model.

2.8 Students understand various mathematical procedures and use them appropriately and accurately.

Apply and justify computational methods.

3.4 Students demonstrate the ability to be resourceful and creative.

Use innovative ways to approach tasks.

5.1 Students use critical thinking skills such as analyzing, prioritizing, categorizing, evaluating, and comparing to solve a variety of problems in real-life situations.

Examine ideas/objects/situations for patterns; discern discrepancies.

Essential Questions:

1. Where are elements found? (environmental issues, handling, manufacturing)

2. What are elements used for?

3. What are elements made of? (structure)

4. Why do we need to know about elements? (environmental issues/concerns)

Culminating Performance:

At the end of this unit you will give a presentation on an element. Your presentation should include:

A written piece addressing the essential questions and including a table of calculations.
An oral presentation including audio/visual information (i.e., PowerPoint presentation, poster, brochure, digital photographs of properties and/or elements, write a rap about your element, dress as the person who discovered your element, any other ideas approved by teacher.)
A model of your element.

The presentation will be scored using the elements scoring guide provided by your teacher.

Scoring Guide/Rubric:

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Content	Shows a full understanding of the topic and how it relates to your life. Logically organized and fluent.	Shows a good understanding of the topic and how it relates to your life. Logically organized and fluent.	Shows a good understanding of parts of the topic and attempts to relate to your life. Somewhat organized.	Does not seem to understand the topic very well or how it relates to real-life. Little or no organization.
Comprehension	Student is able to accurately answer almost all questions posed about the topic.	Student is able to accurately answer most questions posed about the topic.	Student is able to accurately answer a few questions posed about the topic.	Student is unable to accurately answer questions posed about the topic.
Audio/Visual aids	Student uses several audio or visual aids that show considerable work/creativity and which make the presentation better.	Student uses 1 audio or visual aid that shows considerable work/creativity and which makes the presentation better.	Student uses 1 audio or visual aid which makes the presentation better.	The student uses no audio or visual aids OR the audio or visual aids chosen detract from the presentation.
Evaluates Peers	Fills out peer evaluation completely and always gives scores based on the presentation rather than other factors (e.g., person is a close friend).	Fills out almost all of the peer evaluation and always gives scores based on the presentation rather than other factors (e.g., person is a close friend).	Fills out most of the peer evaluation and always gives scores based on the presentation rather than other factors (e.g., person is a close friend).	Fills out most of the peer evaluation but scoring appears to be biased.
Model	Model is creative and accurately includes all parts.	Model shows some creativity and accurately includes all parts.	Model accurately includes most parts.	Model is incomplete or incorrect.
Writing	Establishes a focused purpose to communicate with an audience. Develops and supports main ideas and deepens the audience's understanding	Establishes a purpose to communicate with an audience. Develops and/or supports main ideas and deepens the audience's understanding	Purpose may be unclear and there is little idea development.	No clear purpose and no idea development. HUH?!
Citing Sources	Appropriate sources are used and cited properly.	Sources are cited properly.	Sources are cited.	No citations are present.
Calculations	Appropriate calculations are performed accurately and checked for reasonableness. Logically organized and concise.	Appropriate calculations are performed accurately and checked for reasonableness. Shows organization and/or conciseness.	Appropriate calculations are performed with minor errors. Shows some organization.	Calculations contain major errors or are inappropriate or incomplete.

Evaluation Component:

We have created a pretest and a post-test to compare and see how much students learn. The format is a traditional true/false, fill-in-the-blank, short answer test. The post-test will also include an open response.

Students will also be assessed on their culminating project

Informal assessments will be given on lessons along the way.

Knowledge (Core Content):

WR-M-1 Purpose/Audience--The writer establishes and maintains a focused purpose to communicate with an audience by: narrowing the topic to establish a focus; analyzing and addressing the needs of the intended audience; adhering to the characteristics of the form; employing a suitable tone; allowing voice to emerge when appropriate

WR-M-1 Idea Development--The writer develops and supports main ideas and deepens the audience's understanding by using: logical, justified, and suitable explanation; relevant elaboration; related connections and reflections; idea development strategies appropriate for the form

WR-M-1.4 Characteristics of transactive writing may include well-organized idea development and support (e.g., facts, examples, reasons, comparisons, anecdotes, descriptive detail, charts, diagrams, photos/pictures) to accomplish a specific purpose

WR-M-1.4 Characteristics of transactive writing may include effective conclusions

SC-M-1.1.2 The chemical properties of a substance cause it to react in predictable ways with other substances to form compounds with different characteristic properties. In chemical reactions, the total mass is conserved. Substances are often classified into groups if they react in similar ways.

SC-M-1.1.3 Chemical elements do not break down during normal laboratory reactions such as heating, exposure to electric currents, or reaction with acids. Elements combine in many ways to produce compounds.
Students will use appropriate equipment, tools, techniques, technology, and mathematics to gather, analyze, and interpret scientific data.

Students will communicate (e.g., write, graph) designs, procedures, observations, and results of scientific investigations.

Students will demonstrate the role science plays in everyday life: past, present, and future. Science is a human endeavor. Men and women of various social and ethnic backgrounds engage in activities of science (to include careers in science). Scientists formulate and test their explanations of nature using observations, experiments, and theoretical and mathematical models. It is part of scientific inquiry to evaluate the results of scientific investigations, experiments, observations, theoretical models, and the explanations proposed by other scientists.
Periodic table
Number sense

Properties, uses, and origins of elements

Structure of an atom

Subatomic particles

Proportional reasoning

Process writing

Understand systems

Understand scientific models

Scientific process

Technology (PowerPoint, Publisher, Word, Inspiration, calculators, etc.)

Secondary Academic Expectations, Demonstrators and Knowledge:

1.10 Students organize information through development and use of classification rules and systems.

Apply a classification system based upon multiple criteria to organize objects, information, and/or ideas.

3.3 Students demonstrate the ability to be adaptable and flexible through appropriate tasks or projects.

Differentiate between things an individual can and cannot change.

RD-M-x.0.10 Connect information from a passage to students' lives and/or real world issues.

RD-M-2.0.11 Use text features (e.g., lists, charts, graphs, tables of contents, indexes, glossaries, captions, diagrams, headings) to understand a passage.

RD-M-4.0.14 Interpret the meaning of specialized vocabulary.

MA-M-1.1.1 Rational numbers (integers, fractions, decimals, percents)

MA-M-1.1.3 Meaning of proportion (equivalent ratios)

MA-M-1.2.1 Add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers (fractions, decimals, percents, integers) to solve problems

MA-M-1.2.3 Apply ratios, proportional reasoning, and percents (e.g., constant rate of change, unit pricing)

Technology Standards:

T2.1 Extract information appropriately and record citations

T3.1 Use proper citations

T4.4 Locate information using the Internet

T5.3 Evaluate information from the Internet

T5.6 Enter and edit word processing information

T6.1 Select appropriate software for a task.

T6.5 Create a presentation or product using application software

Skills/Abilities:

Be able to use reference tools (print and online)

Be able to cite sources

Using appropriate mathematical notation

Using the writing process

Fraction, decimal, and percent computations

Solve percent problems using proportions

Use of tables, graphs, etc. to represent data

Speaking

Instructional/Assessment Activities:

Science Activities

Periodic Table, symbols, names.

Different groups of elements (color table families)

Properties of families

Electron configuration

Lewis Dot system (valence electrons and bonding)

Math activities

Balancing equations (number of atoms)

Different kinds of reactions (single displacement and double displacement)

How subscripts work like a coefficient (writing formulas algebraically)

Critical Resources:

Textbooks

PowerPoint, Publisher, Word, Inspiration

Calculators

Chemistry by Instructional Fair, Inc.

Mastering the Periodic Table: Exercises on the Elements by Linda Trombley

Internet

Technology Resource Teacher

Writing process (holistic scoring guide)

Worksheets

Math with Pizzazz by Creative Publications

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