Name (last, first):__ Swartz, Emma____________
Lesson Outline
Prerequisites:
Students will have to have a basic understanding of the periodic table of elements, including the fact that elements are grouped together according to shared characteristics, as well as prior knowledge about Faith Ringgold’s story quilts.
Lesson Description:
This lesson plan reaches the Bloom’s Taxonomy level of analysis because it asks students to categorize and classify the elements on the periodic table of elements by distinguishing relationships among elements. This lesson is unique because it allows students to make discoveries about the periodic table of elements – such as that the layout is not arbitrary, but rather elements relate to each other and discover what things are made using each element – rather than being asked to memorize facts about it.
Lesson Procedure:
Introduction
1. A few days before this lesson is conducted, students will be assigned a certain number of elements from the periodic table (4 per student for a typical class of 25). They will be given a list of four atomic numbers from the periodic table and told to find out some information about the element including
a. the name and scientific abbreviation for each element
b. whether it is classified as a noble gas, alkali metal, alkali earth metal, transition metal, halogen, rare earth metal, nonmetal, or other metal
c. and one thing that is made using each element
2. Students will be told to conduct this research during computer time, free time, or at home using their science text book or one of the two approved websites
Main Activity
3. On the day of the lesson, students will be asked to get out their list of information about all of their elements.
4. They will be told that we are going to make a story quilt about the periodic table of elements based off of Faith Ringgold’s story quilts. We will use the information they gathered about how each element is classified and what can be made using it to tell the elements’ story.
5. Have students come up by table groups and get supplies. Supplies will be stated orally and also written on the board. Each student will get:
a. glue
b. markers, crayons, colored pencils, and water colors
c. four 1¼”x 1¼” squares, four 1¾” x 1¾” squares, four 2”x3” four, and four 2½” x 3½” rectangles of white paper
d. and four 6” x 6” squares of colored construction paper*. Students will need to determine which colors to take according to how the elements are classified. They will need one blue square for each alkali metal they have, a light blue for each noble gas, green for alkali earth metals, violet for transition metals, yellow for halogens, brown for rare earth metals, orange for nonmetals, and red for other metals. (*Note: squares will be pre-hole punched by teacher).
6. After all the materials have been retrieved, I will give the students the rest of the instructions, showing them a completed model of an element quilt patch.
7. Just like Faith Ringgold often wrote on her quilts to tell the viewer about the story, we are going to have writing on our quilt describing each element. For each element, students will use the smaller square to write the atomic number of their element using a marker whose color corresponds to that’s element’s classification and construction paper.
8. For each element, they will use the larger square to write the elements scientific abbreviation in the middle of the square, then the elements name across the bottom in smaller print using a marker whose color corresponds to that’s element’s classification and construction paper.
9. For each element, using a marker whose color corresponds to that’s element’s classification and construction paper, the students will use the smaller rectangle to write a one sentence description of the element stating “(Element’s name) is a (element’s classification) that can be used to make (a product).” For example, “Titanium is a transition metal that can be used to make white pigments, like those used in toothpaste.”
10. Finally, for each element, the students will use the larger rectangle to draw/paint a picture of the product made with that element. One element’s picture will be drawn with marker, one will be drawn with crayon, one will be drawn in colored pencil, and one will be painted with water colors* to give variety to the quilt. (*Note: watercolors should be used first to allow time to dry.)
11. Students will then make a broken/dashed line that goes around the border of each of the four boxes to make it appear as though it was stitched on to the larger square patch of colored construction paper.
12. After all four pieces of information have been complete for each element, students will glue them down to their piece of construction paper, following the model* (*Note: see sample attached to comprehensive lesson plan).
13. Students will complete steps 7-10 for the remaining three elements.
14. If students finish early they will be asked to complete another element quilt patch using information provided by the teacher.
15. Once all the students have completed all 111 of the elements, we will work as a class to assemble the story quilt correctly into the periodic table, just as Faith Ringgold often worked together with her mom on her story quilts, “sewing” it together with black thread or yarn.
16. After the quilt is completed, it will be put up in the hallway or in the science classroom.
Closure
17. When the quilt is completed and hung up, the students will have plenty of opportunity to look at the quilt and learn about the other elements.
18. We will have a discussion about what they learned about the periodic table and about their elements that they didn’t expect.
19. Finally we will discuss how our story quilt is similar to and different from Faith Ringgold’s story quilts.
Assessment/ Evaluation Tool:
Students will be assessed on whether they:
1. researched and found accurate information about each of their elements,
2. used each of the mediums on one of their element patches,
3. followed the correct layout for each of their element patches,
4. contributed to the assembling of the quilt,
5. and if all of their element quilt patches are neat and legible.
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