The students should have out a periodic table because they will need to determine the number of protons (atomic #) and neutrons (mass number – atomic number) for each atom’s nucleus before arranging the electrons (bingo chips). I review that 2 electrons can fit into the K shell, 8 can fit into the L, M, and N shells. The quickest and easiest way I’ve found to help students arrange electrons into electron shells for various atoms is to use ‘Bohr Diagram Placemats’ and bingo chips! The electron shells are labeled K through N. Use Bingo Chips and ‘Bohr Diagram Placemats’ to Model Atomic Structure I’m providing a FREE DOWNLOAD at the bottom of this resource so be sure to scroll to the bottom to grab the freebie! Use Hardware to Teach Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures And hey, your auditory learners will also benefit from the collaborative nature of the activities!įrom teaching the properties of matter to atomic structure to chemical bonding, I have found, adapted, and created various manipulatives that help my concrete-thinkers to reach their ‘Eureka!’ moment! Please keep reading to learn about some of my favorites! Manipulatives provide the opportunity to satisfy both of these major learning styles. Additionally, over 65% of middle schoolers are visual learners and at least 15% are kinesthetic learners. This is when you can suggest that they help others who are struggling. They can also make your high-fliers feel extra confident in their understanding of the content. What is a manipulative? This is a fancy word for a hands-on puzzle or model that can be manipulated! Being able to move pieces around the table or hold a physical model that represents a concept keeps things low-stakes for students! Low stakes activities can lead to higher engagement from your students who would otherwise give up on trying. In my experience teaching 8th grade physical science, I have found that incorporating hands-on manipulatives can be a way to tackle this challenge. At the same time, I always have a posse of people who are totally on board with the concepts and actually enjoy the challenge! What is a teacher to do?! I know that when the Spring comes around and we get into the nitty-gritty chemistry unit (you know… bonding, chemical reactions, balancing equations, etc.), a big handful of kiddos get overwhelmed and become at risk for shutting down completely. It’s a complex concept that can be seen at a macro scale in an exciting chemical reaction, but that is totally abstract at a micro scale. Imagine learning about chemical bonding for the very first time. How Can We Differentiate Complex Content for Our Various Learners?Īt the middle school level, it’s sometimes a great challenge to differentiate for various learning styles when you’re in the midst of a chemistry unit.
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