Teacher's Guide for ODYSSEY^TM It's Element-ary!

Format:
      Article/Page
      Summary
      Skills

"Cosmic Connections," pg. 6

• The history of the stars accounts for the formation of elements. Sidebars define basic terms and detail how two theories united to explain the origin of elements.
• Cause and Effect, Vocabulary

• Mendeleyev organized the elements according to their properties. His mother, Maria, worked hard to support his education and career. One sidebar explains how atomic theory relates to the Periodic Table. A second mentions the contributions of some women scientists to the study of elements.
• Classification, Science as Inquiry

• Use the Periodic Table to solve a mystery.
• Translation, Interpretation

• Scientists use particle accelerators to create superheavy elements. Sidebars explain radioactive decay, isotopes, half-life, and how accelerators work.
• Vocabulary, Cause and Effect

• Solve a puzzle using clues based on your knowledge of the elements and the Periodic Table.
• Following Directions, Translation

• Sodium is always found in combination with other elements, as in sodium chloride, or salt. The balance of salt in the human body affects performance and health. Sodium salts preserve mummies.
• Application, Synthesis

• Build an apparatus to separate water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. Then hunt for some elements commonly found around the home.
• Data Collection and Analysis, Application

• The Sacagawea dollar looks like gold, but it is actually made of copper, zinc, manganese, and nickel. It took several years for the U.S. mint to develop an "anti-counterfeit" alloy that vending machines would accept.
• Identifying and Controlling Variables

• Two meteor showers and two gas giants dominate the night sky this month. The constellation Draco, the Dragon, is a highlight for the backyard observer.
• Observation, Inference

• How is element 14 used in computers, and why it is so valued?
• Making and Using Mental Models

1. An element is made of atoms of only one kind. Compounds are combinations of two or more elements, Make two lists on the chalkboard. Title one "Elements." Title the other "Compounds." List everyday materials in the columns. For example, aluminum foil is an element (Al). Water (H₂O) and salt (NaCl) are compounds. Expand and correct the lists as you read the issue.
2. Study the Periodic Table on the back cover of the issue. Make two lists on the chalkboard. Title the first "What We Know About the Periodic Table." Title the second "Questions About the Periodic Table." Try to answer the questions as you read the issue.

Pg. 11 - "Setting the Table: The Work of Dimitri Mendeleyev"

• Talk It Over:
  1. It is sometimes said that, "Behind every great man is a great woman." What does this cliché mean? Is it a fair statement? What if the genders were reversed? Is it also true that behind every great scientist is a great parent? What does this imply about the idea of "greatness" in general? What does it suggest about the human need for supportive relationships, regardless of gender?
  2. What do the rows and columns in the Periodic Table mean? What characteristics of elements did Mendeleyev use in organizing them?
• Connections:
  1. Creative Writing: Imagine that you are Dimitri Mendeleyev and you have just completed work on the Periodic Table. Write the letter that you wish you could have delivered to the mother you lost so many years before. Tell her of your accomplishments and your feelings about them.
  2. History: Re-read the sidebar "Women at the Table." Research the history of the 19^th century, looking for other notable women scientists of the time. Discuss them and organize a class collection of brief biographies.
  3. Mathematics: Gather 25 unrelated objects (or have a friend gather them for you). Spread them out and organize them into two logical groups, based on some identifiable characteristic. Draw a Venn diagram of the groups. Repeat, creating three, four, and five or more groups. Draw Venn diagrams in each case.
• Student Assessment:
  1. In a brief essay, describe the organization of the Periodic Table. Explain the meaning of the columns and rows. Give examples of the characteristics shared by groups of elements in different areas of the table.
  2. Make a proposal to the U.S. Senate, asking for a holiday to honor Dimitri Mendeleyev. Present your proposal in writing or in a speech. Outline plans for a public awareness campaign in support of the new holiday.

pg. 40 - "A 'Bit' About Silicon"

• Talk It Over:
  1. What is a "semiconductor?" How are semiconductors used in computers?
  2. How were the first computers different from today's? How did silicon make changes possible?
• Connections:
  1. History: List all of the devices you can think of that use silicon chips. How would life be different without them? Organize your ideas into a two-panel poster titled "Life with and without Chips."
  2. Language and Visual Arts: Select and define 10 computer-related terms from the article. Draw a picture of a computer to use as a backdrop for a poster titled "Computer Dictionary."
  3. Mathematics: Find the population of your town, city, or county. If your area produced millionaires at the same rate as Silicon Valley (64 per day), how long would it take to make everyone a millionaire? Do you think such an outcome is possible, probable, or desirable? Why or why not?
• Student Assessment:
  1. In a two-paragraph essay, compare and contrast the first computers with today's. Make sure you go beyond simple descriptions to identify specific similarities and differences.
  2. Write and present a question-and-answer interview with the element silicon. Ask silicon about its history, forms in nature, and role in the computer industry.

"Jill learned the Periodic Table,"

Small-Group and Whole-Class Project: Organize students in teams of three and ask each team to select an element. Have teams research where their element is found and how it is extracted for use as a resource. Label a world map with sources of the various elements, using symbols from the Periodic Table. (For the gaseous elements, identify sites where they are isolated, purified, or packaged.)

"But Jack remained a fool."

Individual Project: Find out what elements are naturally contained in the human body. Make a poster showing their amounts, percentages, and current market value. (Caution: Beware of outdated sources. The value of the elements has risen sharply in recent years.)

"So Jill went on to college,"

Small-Group Collaborative Project: Divide the class into three teams. Ask each to visit the Web site of one of the world's three major research institutions (pgs. 20 ""- 21) where superheavy elements are made. Challenge teams to write and perform skits that dramatize the work done at each facility.

"And Jack to Element-ary school."

Community Connection: Invite a chemical engineer to visit the class to discuss careers in chemistry. What are the daily work routines for different kinds of chemists?

Home

Back

Print

Updated: 11/21/09 09:00 am
Log In