Lesson Title: Elements and Compounds

Subject: Chemistry
Time: 45 Minutes
Grade: 7th

State Core Curriculum

o SC.8.1.11. Physical and Chemical Changes in Matter: Students evaluate chemical and physical changes,
recognizing that chemical change forms compounds with different properties and that physical change
alters the appearance but not the composition of a substance.

Lesson Objective(s):
o Students will identify differences between elements and compounds.
Students will recognize that elements are composed of only one type of atom.
Students will recognize that compounds are composed of more than one type of atom and always
have the same fixed ratio of atoms.
o At the conclusion of the lesson, students will be able to sort a list of elements and compounds into the correct
categories with 90% accuracy.

Instructional Materials:
o PowerPoint Presentation
o Element or compound sorting cards
o Element, Compound, signs
o Identification worksheet

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN
Sequence of Instructional Procedures/Activities/Events
o

Connections to previous learning, definitions of terms reviewed

Gauge student knowledge of atoms by having them play a word association game. Tell them that you
will call out a term and have them raise their hand when a word pops into their head. Terms to
review: proton, electron, atom, neutron, nucleus.

Presentation of New Information or Modeling: (term definitions, concepts, processes and/or approaches)
This script is an accompaniment to the PowerPoint designed for this particular lesson.
Did you know that elements are like people and have different personalities? A few elements are very
shy and love to be left alone. Others are very social and prefer to hang out with friends. In this
lesson, we will discuss how elements build molecules and compounds.
Helium and neon are examples of elements that like to be left alone. However, most elements, like
oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon are social and prefer to hang out together.
When social elements hang out together and link up, they form a molecule. A molecule is comprised
of at least two atoms joined together. Like the letters that build different words, elements build
different molecules. Molecules can be comprised of atoms from only one type of element or have
atoms from more than one type.
For example, an oxygen molecule is formed from atoms from only one type of element:
Oxygen. An oxygen molecule is abbreviated O2 because it includes two oxygen atoms.
On the other hand, carbon monoxide, which is a poisonous gas emitted from the tailpipe of
your car, is comprised of two different elements: carbon and oxygen. Since carbon monoxide
consists of more than one type of element, it is considered a compound.
A compound is a type of molecule consisting of more than one type of element. Another example of
a compound is water, which has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. You probably have seen
water abbreviated as H2O. All compounds are considered molecules, but not all molecules are
considered compounds. An example of a molecule not considered a compound is hydrogen because it
consists of atoms from only one type of element: hydrogen. (Refer back to oxygenO2as well.)

But what about compounds that have the same elements? Both water and hydrogen peroxide are
composed of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. However, they have different ratios of the same two
elements. As a result, water (H2O) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) are different compounds with
different properties. On one hand, they are both odorless, colorless liquids. But, we can bathe in
water, use it to wash our clothes, and its vital to our survival. If youve ever used hydrogen peroxide
to disinfect a cut, you know its very different from water. Hydrogen peroxide may look identical to
water, but its often used as an antiseptic, to bleach hair, and can be toxic if consumed.
Carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide: Both are odorless, colorless gases comprised of
oxygen and carbon. However, carbon dioxide is vital for photosynthesis and is a common
greenhouse gas; it isnt directly harmful to human health. Carbon monoxide is produced
when matter burns. Like CO2, it is an odorless, colorless gas, but it is EXTREMELY harmful
to human health and can kill within minutes.
Open your kitchen cupboards; do you see any compounds hanging out in there? If you're like me, I'm
sure a bag of salty potato chips is in there somewhere. Did you know that the salt on your potato
chips is actually a compound called sodium chloride? Sodium chloride is made up of two elements:
sodium and chlorine.
How to you think the properties of compounds compare with the properties of the elements that form
them? Will they have the same properties or different properties?
Properties of compounds are different from the elements that form them.
Give students the example of sodium and chlorine. Sodium is highly reactive when exposed
to water and chlorine is a poisonous yellow gas. However, when they combine at the
molecular level, they form sodium chloride, or salt, which is an essential part of our diet.
Have students list some properties of salt (i.e. white, crystalline structure, tastes salty,
o An additional example comes from waterhydrogen and oxygen are both are gases,
but when they combine, they form water, which is a liquid at room temperature.
Perhaps you have a box of cookies in your cupboard as well. Next time you eat cookies, you should
say to yourself, 'This sugar compound sure tastes great!' Sugar is a compound built from 12 carbon
atoms, 22 hydrogen atoms, and 11 oxygen atoms.
Requirements of compounds:
1. Same elements in the same proportions/fixed ratios (CO2 ALWAYS has 1 carbon atom and
two oxygen atoms, H2O ALWAYS has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom).
2. Same composition throughout (ALL CO2 in the atmosphere has the same composition. ALL
H2O in the ocean has the same composition.)

Guided Practice: (teacher directed, scaffolding, check for student understanding including any questions
to ask or anticipate from students)
Have students, as a group, sort a few examples of elements and compounds into a T-chart. Give
examples written in word form (i.e. sugar), chemical form (C12H22O11), and picture form (sugar
cubes).
When using the chemical form, remind students that if more than one letter is present, it is a
compound; if only one letter is present, it is in elemental form.

Independent Student Practice: (teacher monitored, check for student understanding including any
questions to ask or anticipate from students)
Students will break into groups of 3 or 4, depending on the number of students in the class. Give
each group a set of cards and have them sort them into element or compound. It should take
about 5 minutes to sort through the cards. When all groups have finished, bring up a picture of each
card on the PowerPoint and instruct each group to hold up either the ELEMENT sign or
COMPOUND sign, depending on what their group consensus is. If there is any dissension, have
students explain their reasoning behind their choices. If necessary, clarify why that specific picture is
an element or compound. This may require writing out the chemical equation for a
compound/element so that students can see the composition.

Culminating or Closing Procedure/Activity/Event: (e.g., review terms, concepts, and/or learning process;
establish connections to the next lesson; check for student understanding including any questions to ask or
anticipate from students)
Before students leave for the day, have each complete the True/False Exit Slip. Questions reflect
back on the information presented that day.

Pedagogical Strategy (or Strategies): (direct instruction, cooperative learning groups, partner work)
o Direct instruction: Direct instruction is employed at the beginning of the class in order to gauge student
knowledge of elements as well as to introduce students to new information.
o Cooperative learning groups: Students will work in small groups to complete the sorting activity. Groups
will be heterogeneous to allow for support and diversified input.
o Individual work: Students will complete an assigned worksheet individually.

Differentiated Instruction:
o Students will be placed into heterogeneous groups for the sorting activity. This provides students an
opportunity to discuss their choices amongst a small group and receive clarification from group members.
Extra time will be provided in order to complete the assignment by giving students the opportunity to take it
home and return it, completed, the next day. The classroom microphone system will be used for the benefit of
all students. Sorting cards provide students with examples of the substances name, chemical formula, and a
picture relating to the specific term.

Student Assessment/Rubrics:
o Pre-assessment:
Informal: Word association
o Formative:
Informal: As students work in groups, circulate to each group and check in with the students. Make
sure they are not only grasping the concept but are working together to complete the task. Ask what
criteria they are using while sorting their cards.
o Summative:
Formal: completion of Element or Compound worksheet
Informal: True/False exit slip

Exit Slip

Name: _________________________________

Answer each question True (T) or False (F). Make sure to hand in your slip before you leave class!

1. _______ Box B represents an element.

2. _______ Box D represents both elements and compounds.
3. ________ All compounds are molecules.
4. ________ Table salt is an element and carbon is a compound.
5. ________ The properties of a compound will be the same as the properties of the elements that make up the
compound.

Exit Slip

Name: _________________________________

Answer each question True (T) or False (F). Make sure to hand in your slip before you leave class!

6. _______ Box B represents an element.

7. _______ Box D represents both elements and compounds.
8. ________ All compounds are molecules.
9. ________ Table salt is an element and carbon is a compound.
10. ________ The properties of a compound will be the same as the properties of the elements that make up the
compound.

Name: ________________________________________________

Period: _____________

Elements and Compounds

Each picture below is one of the following:

Element (E)
Compound (C)
Mixture of Elements (ME)
Mixture of Compounds (MC)
Mixture of Elements and Compounds
(MEC)

Directions: Correctly label each picture for what it is representing. Remember, each shape symbolizes an
element If two different elements are connected, then that object symbolizes a compound.

1.______

4.______

7.______

2.______

5.______

8.______

3.______

6.______

9.______