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11th Grade  Project 3 weeks

Bond Builders: Unlocking Atomic Connections

Catherine H
Updated
HS.PS1.1
HS.PS1.2
HS.PS1.3
HS.PS1.4
Effective Communication
+ 4 more
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Purpose

Students investigate how valence-electron patterns and periodic trends predict the bonding, reactivity, bulk properties, and energy changes of main-group substances. Teams launch with the Electron Quest card challenge, then plan a safe bulk-property investigation and build an interactive periodic-trends evidence wall featuring annotated diagrams, reaction cards, particle models, and energy representations. During a gallery walk, peers identify one strong connection and one missing piece of evidence, and teams revise their explanations and visuals before presenting the classroom as the Atomic Connections Museum. Students conclude by analyzing an unfamiliar main-group reaction, predicting its bond type and products, and defending their reasoning through an oral or written claim-evidence-reasoning response.

Learning goals

Students will analyze valence-electron patterns in main-group elements to predict bond type, number of bonds, reactivity, stability, and products of simple reactions. They will investigate bulk properties to infer the relative strength of electrical forces among particles and develop particle-level models showing how changes in bonding relate to energy absorption or release. Students will construct and revise claim-evidence-reasoning explanations using annotated diagrams, reaction cards, models, and evidence from periodic trends. Through collaborative critique, reflection, and exhibition, they will communicate scientific reasoning clearly, respond constructively to feedback, and defend predictions about unfamiliar reactions.

Standards
  • [Oregon] HS.PS1.1 - Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms. [Clarification Statement: Examples of properties that could be predicted from patterns could include reactivity of metals, types of bonds formed, numbers of bonds formed, and reactions with oxygen.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to main group elements. Assessment does not include quantitative understanding of ionization energy beyond relative trends.]
  • [Oregon] HS.PS1.2 - Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties. [Clarification Statement: Examples of chemical reactions could include the reaction of sodium and chlorine, of carbon and oxygen, or of carbon and hydrogen.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to chemical reactions involving main group elements and combustion reactions.]
  • [Oregon] HS.PS1.3 - Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on understanding the strengths of forces between particles, not on naming specific intermolecular forces (such as dipole-dipole). Examples of particles could include ions, atoms, molecules, and networked materials (such as graphite). Examples of bulk properties of substances could include the melting point and boiling point, vapor pressure, and surface tension.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include Raoult’s law calculations of vapor pressure.]
  • [Oregon] HS.PS1.4 - Develop a model to illustrate that the release or absorption of energy from a chemical reaction system depends upon the changes in total bond energy. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the idea that a chemical reaction is a system that affects the energy change. Examples of models could include molecular-level drawings and diagrams of reactions, graphs showing the relative energies of reactants and products, and representations showing energy is conserved.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include calculating the total bond energy changes during a chemical reaction from the bond energies of reactants and products.]
Competencies
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.

Products

Students create valence-electron diagrams, periodic-trend annotations, particle models, sample reaction cards, and qualitative energy-change diagrams for main-group reactions. Teams also produce evidence summaries from safe bulk-property investigations that connect observable properties to particle structure and electrical forces. They combine these artifacts into an interactive periodic trends evidence wall showing how outer electrons predict ionic, covalent, or metallic bonding, reactivity, product formation, and energy changes. The final product becomes a station in the Atomic Connections Museum, revised after peer feedback for scientific accuracy and clarity.

Launch

Students begin with an “Electron Quest Kickoff,” rotating through stations where they use element cards, periodic-table clues, and valence-electron models to predict which main-group atoms will bond, react quickly, or remain stable. Teams physically model electron transfer or sharing, classify likely bonds as ionic, covalent, or metallic, and post initial predictions about reaction products. The class closes by comparing conflicting predictions and generating questions about how periodic patterns, particle attractions, and bond-energy changes explain observable substance properties and reaction outcomes.

Exhibition

Students transform the classroom into an “Atomic Connections Museum” featuring their interactive periodic trends evidence wall, annotated diagrams, reaction cards, and particle models. In rotating roles, students guide visitors as they trace how valence electrons and periodic trends predict ionic, covalent, or metallic bonding, reactivity, product formation, and energy changes. Visitors test each exhibit with an unfamiliar main-group reaction and leave feedback on the clarity and strength of the evidence. Afterward, groups reflect on the feedback and make final revisions to their explanations and visuals.