1.2.1 - 2 The Periodic Table (AQA GCSE Chemistry)

Spec 2.1-2 The development of the periodic table (Two hours suggested teaching time)

Lesson(s) preparation:

Print the shapes on slide 14 (two sets per A4 page)
Print the Mendeleev periodic tables on slide 18
Print the modern periodic tables on slide 29
Could print the exam questions on slide 30

Rationale:

I prefer to start with the development of the periodic table and them finishing off with how it stands today. This takes student through a story of how we have got to where we are.

Suggested teaching:

Lesson 1 (Slides 2-21)

Slides 5-10: I like to tell a story about the important chemists to start the lesson, information is in the comments.

Slides 11-12: Taking information from a silly video, an interesting introduction to the elements.

Slides 13-14: Students are encourage to organise shapes into categories. There are missing shapes, so they should be questioned on their organisation, drawing on the idea that they need to leave gaps to make it work, they should then predict the appearance of their missing shapes – like Mendeleev!

Slide 16: Video – Jim Al Khalili, this shows them the similarities to the task they just completed and what Mendeleev achieved.

Slides 17-21: Here student’s are encouraged to draw comparisons between Mendeleev Periodic table and the modern periodic table.

Lessons 2 (Slides 22-32)

Slide 25: An opportunity to look at the modern periodic table, but with the undiscovered elements missing.

Slides 26-28: An opportunity to summarise the modern periodic table