Integrated STEM Activity #2: Atomic Models
Can’t find any materials for building an atomic model? Try painting or drawing your model!
The best part about making models of atoms is they are so customizable. Any atomic model can be simplified or made more complex. A model can be made of practically any materials. A model can be put into the context of a physics lesson or chemistry lesson. There are so many choices!
Integrated STEM Activity #2: Atomic Models
The general idea of the activity is to have kids learn about atoms and build a atomic model. You may want to identify and prepare building materials available ahead of time, or incorporate those decisions into the activity. The discussion questions below can guide you through the activity. It might be helpful to choose the discussion questions that are most suitable and prepare some answers or resources before beginning the activity. This can help keep the activity moving forward, without preventing your kid from steering it in their own direction.
Preschool and Elementary:
Science: What is an atom? What are the parts of an atom? Where are these parts found? Which parts are bigger and which are smaller?
Technology: How can we learn about atoms? What technology is used to study atoms? How can we find pictures of atoms? How can we tell the difference between a model and a photograph? How do we know whether we are looking at a reliable source?
Engineering: What materials can we find to build a model of an atom? How can we hold our model together? What works about our model? What can we improve about our model?
Math: How much building material do we have? Is it enough? How many atoms can we make? How much material is left over?
Middle School:
Science: What is an atom? What are the different subatomic particles? What are the charges and relative sizes of the subatomic particles? How has the model of the atom changed over time? How did scientists collaborate to create the current atomic model? What different atomic representations can we make (e.g. Lewis diagram)? How can we use our model to predict chemical reactions? What would a radioactive atom look like? Which atoms can we make?
Technology: How can we learn about atoms? How do we know whether we are looking at a reliable source? How were scientists able to discover the different parts of an atom? How did the development of technology help scientists develop the model of the atom over time? What is a particle accelerator and what can we learn from one?
Engineering: What materials can we find to build a model of an atom? How does our model accurately represent an atom? In what ways is our model inaccurate or misleading? How can we improve our model?
Math: How much building material do we have? How much material is left over? What is the scale of our model?
High School:
Science: What is an atom? What are the different subatomic particles? What are the charges and relative sizes of the subatomic particles? How has the model of the atom changed over time? How did scientists collaborate to create the current atomic model? What different atomic representations can we make (e.g. Lewis diagram)? How can we use our model to predict chemical reactions or radioactivity?
Technology: How can we learn about atoms? How do we know whether we are looking at a reliable source? How were scientists able to discover the different parts of an atom? How did the development of technology help scientists develop the model of the atom over time? What is a particle accelerator and what can we learn from one?
Engineering: How can we best plan our atomic model? How does our model accurately represent an atom? In what ways is our model inaccurate or misleading? How can we improve our model? What age group would best learn from our model? How could we adapt our model for other age groups? How can we use our model to model chemical reactions or radioactivity? How would you design a bigger atom, like a transition metal?
Math: How much building material do we have? How much material is left over? What is the scale of our model? What would it cost to build a better model? What would it cost to scale up the model for a museum exhibit?