Science 9-12 Atomic Structure

Essential and guiding questions:

Consider the statement physicist Richard Feynman made about atoms. What was the author’s purpose for including thisstatement in his text?
What aspect of atoms makes the author believe we each probably contain up to a billion atoms of Shakespeare?
Draw and label a picture that summarizes Ernest Rutherford’s and James Chadwick’s model of the atom.
How did the author use biographical information about the scientist to explore our evolving understanding of atomic structure and function?

Blooms taxonomy level:

Understanding

Differentiation suggestions:

Scaffolding and support for special education students, English language learners, and struggling readers:

Have a clear reading purpose to help students focus more efficiently on the information they need to extract.
Make sure students have the necessary background information before they are asked to read long texts.
Pre-teach vocabulary
Encourage students to read up about the topic beforehand, or discuss it at home with their parents.
Have students predict the information they will find out in the text.
Have students predict the vocabulary they will meet in the text
Remind students of the importance of looking at headings, diagrams, and illustrations and their captions

Originator: