Lesson 4: Atoms and Isotopes

Subject: Science (Chemistry)

Duration: 1 hour – 1 hour and 30 minutes

Level: 5th-6th

OVERVIEW

This lesson introduces students to the fundamental building blocks of matter—atoms. It covers basic
components of an atom, including protons, neutrons, and electrons, as well as their atomic number,
mass number, and charge. Understanding atomic structure is fundamental to chemistry as it forms the
basis for explaining how elements interact, bond, and react with one another

OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lecture, students will be able to:
 Define atoms, protons, neutrons, and electrons, and describe their roles in forming matter.
 Write and interpret symbols that depict the atomic number, mass number, and charge of an
atom or ion
 Connect the concepts of atoms and elements to real-world applications, demonstrating how
chemistry is present in daily life through examples of common items.

VALUES
 Ethical Understanding: Discussing the implications of atomic structure, such as in nuclear
chemistry or the role of isotopes in medicine, can help students appreciate the ethical
considerations involved in scientific advancements.
 Attention to Detail: Emphasize precision to understanding atomic symbols and calculations,
encouraging students to develop a meticulous approach to their work.
 Problem-solving: Calculating average atomic mass and understanding isotopic abundance
strengthens students’ ability to tackle real-world challenges creatively and effectively.

MATERIALS/RESOURCES
The following materials/resources are needed for the lesson:
Activity 1:
 Flashcards with element names (e.g., Hydrogen, Oxygen, Carbon, Gold)
 Flashcards with corresponding chemical symbols (e.g., H, O, C, Au)
Activity 2:
 Two types of candies (e.g., green and yellow M&M)
ENGAGEMENT (5 minutes)
Questions:
 "When you look at food packaging, have you noticed the ingredients often include elements
like sodium (Na) or potassium (K)? Why is it important to know the chemical symbols for
these elements?"
 "Doctors sometimes use isotopes in medical tests to track how your body processes
substances. How do you think isotopes can help doctors diagnose illnesses?"
Follow-up: Briefly explain any misconceptions and let students explore the concepts through exploration
activities

EXPLORATION (15-20 minutes):

Activity 1: Chemical Symbol Matching Game
Objective: Learn to recognize and write chemical symbols for common elements
a. Hands-on activity:
 Create a set of flashcards with the names of common elements and another set with
their corresponding chemical symbols
 Have students hold one set of flashcards
 Say the name of an element and have students find the corresponding chemical
symbols
Questions:
- "Why do you think we use symbols instead of full names in science?"
- “How do chemical symbols help chemists when they write formulas for compounds?”

Activity 2: Isotopes Distinguishing Candies

Objective: Show how substances can mix physically without a chemical reaction
a. Hands-on activity:
 Let the kids choose a type of candy (e.g., green M&M’s) to represent protons (like
carbon)
 Now use another color (e.g., yellow M&M’s) to represent the neutrons of that
element
 Have kids create different combination of protons and neutrons in an atom using
candies
Questions:
- “What makes these candies (atoms) the same?”
- “Why are they called isotopes if they have different numbers of neutrons?”

b. Video: “Isotopes: The Siblings of Atoms”

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42gUZNYco0c)

EXPLANATION (30-40 minutes):

1. Atoms
An atom is the basic unit of matter and the defining structure of elements. It is the smallest particle of
an element that retains the chemical properties of that element. Atoms consist of a central nucleus,
which is made up of protons and neutrons surrounded by a cloud of electrons.

Atoms—and the protons, neutrons, and electrons that compose them—are extremely small.
Protons Neutrons Electrons
Location nucleus nucleus Outside nucleus
Charge positive charge no charge negative charge
Role The number of protons in Neutrons contribute to The arrangement of
an atom determines the the mass of the atom electrons in an atom’s outer
element's identity and help stabilize the shells determines its
nucleus reactivity and bonding
behavior

Atomic number (Z): The number of protons in the nucleus

 Think of the atomic number as a person’s name tag—every element has its own unique number
of protons!
Atomic mass (A): The total number of protons and neutrons in an atom
 Think of the mass number as adding up all the people in a room—protons and neutrons are like
the people.
Quick summary:
atomic number (Z) = number of protons
atomic mass (A) = number of protons + number of neutrons
A − Z = number of neutrons
 Together, protons and neutrons are the foundation of every atom, helping to create all the
different materials and things we see in the world around us.

2. Chemical symbols
Every element in the world has its own special code called a chemical symbol. Most chemical symbols
come from the first letter or first two letters of the element’s name. But sometimes, the symbol comes
from the Latin name of the element.
Chemical symbols are recognized worldwide, so scientists from different countries and languages can
easily understand and share information about elements and compounds. In equations and
experiments, chemical symbols allow scientists to work faster by writing and calculating more efficiently.

 Imagine a sports team where every player has their own jersey number. The chemical symbol is
like the element’s jersey! It tells you who they are at a quick glance!

Chemistry in Everyday Life: Iodine is an essential trace element in our diet; it is needed to produce
thyroid hormone. Insufficient iodine in the diet can lead to the development of a goiter, an enlargement
of the thyroid gland.

3. Isotopes
Isotopes are atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons
Example: Carbon-12 has 6 protons and 6 neutrons.
Carbon-13 has 6 protons and 7 neutrons.

 Imagine you have a favorite toy that comes in different colors. The toy is still the same—let’s say
it's a teddy bear—but maybe one teddy bear is red and another is blue. They both look a little
different but they’re still both teddy bears
Why isotopes are important?
Isotopes help scientists study how atoms behave and how they change. This is key to understanding the
world at a molecular level.
 Radiometric Dating: Scientists use isotopes, like carbon-14, to figure out how old things are.
This is how we learn the age of fossils, ancient artifacts, and even the Earth itself.
 Nuclear Reactions: Certain isotopes are used in nuclear reactions to produce energy, like in
nuclear power plants or in medical imaging, where isotopes are used to detect or treat diseases.

SUMMARY (5-7 minutes)

Takeaways: Atoms and isotopes are the foundation for advanced studies in chemistry, biology, and
physics. Understanding of these concepts enable students to explore more complex topics in science.

Real-world connections:
- "How do you think the concept of atomic structure affects the products we use daily, like the
food we eat or the cleaning supplies we use?"
- "Can you think of a situation where knowing about chemical symbols could help you make a
better choice, like when reading labels on food or household products?"

ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION (5-7 minutes)

Homework/Assignment: Suggestion
Find examples around your home or neighborhood to find items that You can look at water
contain elements from the periodic table. bottle, table salt, baking
Expectations: for each item you find, write down the following soda, sugar, etc.
information:
 The name of the item you discovered.
 List the main chemical elements that make up the item. You can
use the periodic table for reference.
 Write down the chemical symbol for each element
Choose an element that has isotopes to research on You can research
Expectation: create a short presentation (1-2 minutes) or a poster that common elements such
includes: as hydrogen, oxygen, or
 The name of the element and its isotopes carbon
 The number of protons and neutrons in each isotope
 Uses of the isotopes in real life