everything mattersvariety of substances found in the world PS 5.7.3 Identify compounds as substances consisting of two or more elements chemically combined. PS 5.7.4 Compare and contrast
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sCIeNCePS 5.6.2 Compare and contrast characteristics of physical and chemical properties.PS 5.6.8 Conduct investigations comparing and contrasting physical and chemical changes. PS 5.7.1 Explain how a small number of naturally occurring elements can result in the large variety of substances found in the worldPS 5.7.3 Identify compounds as substances consisting of two or more elements chemically combined. PS 5.7.4 Compare and contrast properites of compounds to those of the elements that compose them.PS 5.7.6 Classify substances as elements, compounds, mixtures PS 5.8.2 Explain the structure of atoms. PS 5.8.3 Determine the number of protons, neutrons and electrons in a atom.PS 5.8.4 Create atomic models of common elements.
LaNGUaGe arTsW.5.6.10 Write across the curriculum. W.5.7.10 Write across the curriculum. W.5.8.10 Write across the curriculum.
s objeCTIvesThe students will learn:
objeCTIve #1 To define all matter as mass.
objeCTIve #2 To describe the increasingly complex structures that create our universe.
objeCTIve #3 To illustrate atomic structure.
objeCTIve #4 To label and illustrate nucleus, protons, neutrons and electrons.
objeCTIve #5 To explain how atoms interact to create elements, compounds and mixtures.
Page 2 EARTH SYSTEMS • Everything Matters, Part 1: Teachers’ Guide
Elem
ents,
compounds and mixtures are everywhere in the garden.
The garden itself is a lesson in chemistry!
overvIewSubstances can be broken down into their smallest components: atoms. Atoms interact with other atoms to form elements, compounds and mixtures—the three major substances that make up all matter.
GardeN aCTIvITIes▲s Plant, harvest and work following the Garden Guide
▲s Recipes and Taste tests as time permits (refer to Delta Garden Study Recipe Book)
Page 4 EARTH SYSTEMS • Everything Matters, Part 1: Teachers’ Guide
LessoN pLaN
I. Start in the classrooma. Icebreaker
Ask students: “Oxygen, Hydrogen and Carbon are the main elements in the human body. What do Hydrogen and Oxygen form that makes up nearly 70% of the human body?”
Answer: H2O or water.b. present main Topic
▲s Explain that our whole universe is built from atoms, which form elements and molecules, which in turn build more and more complex structures. Discuss structural hierarchy from atoms to galaxies.
meeTs objeCTIve #2
▲s Showing the image of an atom, discuss atomic structure, including protons, neutron and electrons, nucleus and molecules.
meeTs objeCTIves #3-4
▲s Explain that single types of atoms make up elements. Define elements. Explain how atoms interact to create other substances.
meeTs objeCTIve #5
▲s Explain that atomic structure is a fairly abstract concept; however, examining and analyzing soil samples will help illustrate the role atoms play in the creation of our universe.
meeTs objeCTIves #3, 5
II. Take class to the garden▲s Examine soil sample test results. Ask students if they recognize
elements on the results. Discuss the need to examine elements in the soil and why plants need elements in the soil for nutrients.
▲s Plant, harvest and work in the garden following the Garden Guide.
III. Take class back to classroom▲s Hand out the Student Learning Workbook as reference material
and class assignment. Review take it home activities and encourage students to do them.
EARTH SYSTEMS • Everything Matters, Part 1: Teachers’ Guide Page 5
sUpporTING INFormaTIoN For TeaCHers
baCkGroUNd
Elements are substances that consist of only one type of atom. More than 100 elements, both natural and man-made, are known today. They are arranged like a grid on the periodic table of elements. Elements 1 through 18 make up most of the matter in the universe.
Soil sample test results reveal the concentration of each element or nutrient that is available in the soil. The concentration of each nutrient is typically measured in parts per million (ppm). Test results can indicate whether there is too many or too few ppm of a nutrient. Generally, gardeners are most concerned with levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur and occasionally zinc. Soil test will also provide pH ranges in soil, fertilizer recommendations, and more. Lessons Sweet 16 and Sweet and Sour provide more in-depth information on this topic for students and teachers.
Plants, especially vegetable plants, need many of these elements for maximum growth. But the soil doesn’t always yield adequate amounts. The so-called primary elements—nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium—are often lacking to some degree. Wilting, spindly growth, poor crop production or high susceptibility to diseases and pests can all be signs of nutrient deficiencies.
By studying plant clues about plant health, as well as conducting basic soil tests, students will be able to grasp the role played by tiny atoms, which make up pure elements.
Here are some examples:
Elements and Plant HealthName of the Element Source Signs of Deficiency Signs of Excess
Carbon (C) – Element 6 Air (carbon dioxide) None known None known
Hydrogen (H) – Element 1 Water Wilting Visible excess water
Oxygen (O) – Element 8 Air White areas in veins None known
Nitrogen (N) – Element 7 Blood meal Stunted growth Excessive growth, bud loss
Phosphorous (P) – Element 15 Bone meal Delayed cell division Not visible
Potassium (K) – Element 19 seaweed, potash reduced vigor coarse fruit
Do-it-yourself kits to test for deficiencies of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium are inexpensively available at home improvement stores or garden centers. Results are available immediately, and home kits yield a respectable amount of information about primary elements. Lab tests, such as the ones performed by the local County Extension Office (often free of charge), provide more detailed data, including pH levels and values for secondary elements (calcium, magnesium and sulfur) and micronutrients (boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc). However, it can take two or three weeks for the results to come back.
study guide for studentsTake a look around you. what do you see? People, buildings, trees, cars, pencils and much, much more. Scientifically speaking, everything around you is “matter.”
Matter is anything that has “mass” and takes up space, even stuff you can’t see, such as air. Through various processes, such as heating or cooling, filtering and more, all matter can be broken down into its core components. These core components are called atoms. These are some of the tiniest particles known to man.
Atoms are smaller still than cells. Cells are the smallest units capable of carrying on the basic functions of life, such as intake and discharge of food (energy), growth and reproduction. Cells consist of several parts: walls surrounded by a membrane, a fluid that cushions a nucleus, and a few other things. You can break down a cell into smaller pieces, called atoms. Atoms are a cell’s core components. In fact, you (or a scientist) can break down pretty much anything into its atoms, even nonliving things such as rocks and gases. Just as cells are called the “building blocks of life,” atoms are called the “basis of the universe” and elements are the “building blocks of the universe.”
This is how our universe is built: It starts really small with
Atoms, which make up…
Elements, which form…
Molecules, which form…
Macromolecules—etc. You get the idea.
Cell organelles…
Cells…
Tissues…
Organs…
Organ systems…
Organisms… (You, a human being, are an example of an organism.)
Page 2 EARTH SYSTEMS • Everything Matters, Part 1: Study Guide
Planetary systems with stars…
Galaxies…
Finally, everything together makes up the universe. Whoa. Talk about a big finish. And it all starts with atoms.
So what are they? An atom is the smallest unit of matter that cannot be broken down by chemical means. It’s tiny, about 100,000 times thinner than a single human hair. Unless you have a very powerful, special microscope, you won’t ever see one. An atom cannot be divided into smaller parts and maintain all its properties—therefore, it is considered indivisible.
Each atom consists of three basic parts that have different electric charges:
1. Protons, which are large particles with a positive charge (symbolized with a “+”); remember the p and the o in proton and positive or plus. The number of protons determines the atomic number of an atom.
2. Neutrons, which are large particles with no charge (symbolized with a “0”); they are neutral; remember that neutrons and neutral sound very similar.
3. Electrons, which are small particles with a negative charge (symbolized with a “-”); if protons are positive and neutrons are neutral, then electrons must be negative.
The protons and neutrons are always in the center of the atom and make up the nucleus. The smaller electrons buzz around the center in areas called orbitals.
An atom always has an equal number of protons and electrons and slightly more neutrons. Since the positive charge (of the protons) and the negative charge (of the electrons) cancel each other, an atom itself has no electric charge.
Atoms don’t like to be alone; they like to team up with other atoms, mainly because they are more stable that way. When they do, they make a little pair or group called a molecule.
Atoms can pair up with like atoms, two oxygen atoms make an oxygen molecule (O2). Or they can join with atoms of a different kind to make a compound. Compounds are created when two or more elements chemically bond and create a new substance. For example, one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms join to make a water molecule (H2O).
proton positively charged particle in an atom’s nucleus. nucleus the control center of the cell; made up of protons and neutrons. neutron particle with no chargeelectron particle with a negative chargeatom smallest unit of matter that cannot be broken down by chemical meansmass a measure of the amount of matter in an objectmatter anything that has mass and occupies space