In 7th grade science, students began their chemistry unit by exploring the big question, "how can we understand things we cannot see?” This unit focuses on atoms, subatomic particles, molecules and compound states of matter. The students have been hard at work with lots of fun activities such as exploring atoms, how atoms make up the world around us and how they interact with each other. Students used a Van De Graaff generator to learn about subatomic participles, their charges and what happens when static electricity is created.  

Videos of the Van De Graaff: Styrofoam Video and Barbie Head Video

After learning about atoms, the 7th graders explored the periodic table of elements, researched an element, and created a Bohr model of that element. The students then collaborated as a class to recognize patterns between the elements to create a large, class-sized periodic table. The class needed to “solve the periodic puzzle” and accurately place their element on the periodic table based on their observations.