When young science learners hear the word chemistry, what is the first thing that pops into their head? It might be explosions, or chemicals, or color changing experiments. Or it might be the periodic table of the elements.

You might think that the periodic table is simply a list of all the elements that have been discovered. And you aren’t incorrect. However, this table has layers and layers of meaning that becomes evident as students start to study chemistry. For example, the placement of the element on the table can help you determine its physical properties, its reactivity, even its size in relationship to other elements. In fact, Dmitri Mendeleev, one of the first people to work on arranging the periodic table into the format you see today, did not have all the elements available to arrange. What he did with his table is predict the existence of these elements. How about that?! His table allowed him to predict the existence and the properties of scandium, gallium and germanium among others. Elements that, at that time, were not yet discovered!

To start off our study of chemistry, lets explore the periodic table and make some observations. Head to the google classroom and start your week 1 lesson!

Lesson Contents

• Instructions for students, including background information/resources
• Links to internet explorations, including games
• In your notebook exercises
• Activity template