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What's Inside Everything?

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Lesson Plan

What's Inside Everything?

Students will learn that atoms are the basic building blocks of matter and identify the three main subatomic particles (protons, neutrons, electrons) and their charges.

Understanding atomic structure lays the foundation for all future chemistry topics by showing how matter is composed and interacts at the smallest scale.

Audience

9th Grade Chemistry Students

Time

10 minutes

Approach

Guided reading and interactive discussion.

Materials

Prep

Review Materials

5 minutes

  • Review the What's Inside Everything? Reading Passage.
  • Prepare the whiteboard with key vocabulary: Atom, Nucleus, Electron, Proton, Neutron.
  • Ensure markers, notebooks, and pens are ready for all students.

Step 1

Introduction

2 minutes

  • Greet students and pose the question: "What do you think all matter is made of?"
  • Explain that atoms are the basic building blocks of everything.
  • Write “Atom” on the whiteboard and sketch a simple atom diagram (nucleus with orbiting electrons).

Step 2

Guided Reading

5 minutes

  • Distribute the What's Inside Everything? Reading Passage.
  • Instruct students to read silently, highlighting definitions of atom, proton, neutron, and electron.
  • Circulate to answer questions and clarify vocabulary.

Step 3

Classroom Discussion

2 minutes

  • Invite students to share one new fact about atomic structure.
  • Record key points on the whiteboard, correcting misconceptions as needed.
  • Emphasize the roles and charges of each subatomic particle.

Step 4

Closing & Exit Ticket

1 minute

  • Ask students to write in their notebooks: “Name the three main subatomic particles and their charges.”
  • Collect responses as an exit ticket to assess understanding.
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Reading

What's Inside Everything? Reading Passage

Every object you see—from the air you breathe to the chair you sit on—is made of tiny particles called atoms. Imagine atoms as the LEGO bricks of the universe. Just like you snap LEGO bricks together to build houses or cars, atoms connect to form everything around you.

The Atom: A Miniature Solar System

At the center of an atom is the nucleus, a dense core that contains two kinds of subatomic particles: protons and neutrons. Surrounding the nucleus are electrons that move around it much like planets orbit the sun.

  • Protons carry a positive charge (+). Think of them as the “plus signs” in the nucleus.
  • Neutrons have no electrical charge; they are neutral (0). They act like the stabilizers that hold the nucleus together.
  • Electrons carry a negative charge (–). They zip around the nucleus in regions called electron shells or energy levels.

Why Charges Matter

Protons (+) and electrons (–) attract each other because opposite charges pull together. Neutrons help keep the nucleus stable without adding any extra charge. The number of protons in the nucleus determines which element the atom represents. For example, every hydrogen atom has 1 proton; every carbon atom has 6 protons.

Atoms in Action

When atoms connect, they form molecules. Two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom join to make a water molecule (H₂O). Just like magnets snapping together in specific ways, atoms bond to create the countless substances we see around us.

Atoms are smaller than you can imagine. If an atom were as big as a soccer field, its nucleus would be about the size of a marble in the center of that field!

Understanding atoms lays the groundwork for exploring chemical reactions, materials science, and even the stars above us. Keep these ideas in mind as you discover more about how and why matter behaves the way it does.

Key Terms to Remember:

  • Atom: The smallest unit of matter that retains the properties of an element.
  • Nucleus: The center of an atom, containing protons and neutrons.
  • Proton (+): A positively charged particle in the nucleus.
  • Neutron (0): A neutral particle in the nucleus.
  • Electron (–): A negatively charged particle orbiting the nucleus.
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