Atoms Unit Part 2: Inside the Atom

This unit consists of 5 lessons of about 15 minutes and 15 page printable work bundle. The unit is about the fundamental model, Quarks, Leptons, Force Carrier Particles and More. This PowerPoint includes critical notes (red slides), activities, challenge questions, review opportunities, visuals, and much more.

Note: This lesson bundle is introductory (Please see grade level) and not intended for upper levels physics. This lesson helps answer some of the questions that always emerge when studying the atom in M.S. and lower level H.S. A great review game concludes. My students always thank me as they've been waiting for a lesson set that challenges them and helps to answer all of those questions they have. The step by step approach keeps the learning fun, and the reviews along the way. Particle Physics in middle school, how cool is that.

This PowerPoint begins describing the distances associated with the atom (Mostly empty space) with series of slides that show the comparable distances between sub-atomic particles. The PowerPoint then show's the relative size of vocabulary terms associated with the atom - electron, quark, proton, neutron, nucleus, atom, molecule. Students then record a step by drawing of the standard model in particle physics. Some explanations are provided. Quarks are then described in detail with a series of slides and images. Students learn about the up and down quarks that make up protons and neutrons. A neat link to video / song provided. They then participate in a series of challenge questions that have them try to pick the proton from the group by just looking at quarks. Particle Accelerators are discussed as how scientists have learned about these particles. There is not a lot of text here so teacher discusses the pictures. Particles are discussed in a slide by slide sequence takes students on a tour from the particle zoo. The discovered quark flavors are are then discussed and a series of challenge slides question for understanding (top - bottom, up -down, charm - strange) The six Leptons are then described and students are challenged in similar fashion. A neat tic-tac-toe game is provided where students must pick a box and say the name of the particle with just a symbol to help them. Students play the teacher. Teacher minimizes out of the slideshow to play this game on the screen. Neutrino's are then mentioned. The Recipe of the Universe is described in a series of slides. Quarks, Leptons and the Force Particles are mentioned again and many review slides provided. This is a really interactive PowerPoint that involves the students into the exciting world of Quarks and Leptons. Please view my other PowerPoint on Sub-Atomic Particles (Atoms) or view the entire unit described below.

This PowerPoint includes critical notes (Red Slides), exciting visuals, challenge questions, activities with directions and more. Text is usually placed at the top of the slide so it can be read from all angles of a classroom. Color coded slides, as well as a shade technique is used to increase student focus and allows the teacher to control the pace of the lesson. These PowerPoints are meant to be interactive as possible and ask many questions, provides built in review opportunities, explains directions to activities, and much more.