This organization also helps predict the characteristics of an unknown: say if a card was missing, and there was an empty spot in the table, you could use the adjacent cards to predict the characteristics of the missing card. The resulting table organizes the cards using both characteristics: cards along the same row have the same suit, and cards along the same column have the same value. This can be visualized by sorting by suit and value: laying out one suit in a particular order (say, ace to king), then laying out another suit below it in the same order, and so on.
While you could just have four piles of cards (one for each suit), each pile would have the same numbers and face values, which makes these cards similar to each other rather than completely unique. If you were given a bunch of objects, say a deck of cards, how would you go about sorting them? You could start by noticing what makes each card different from one another, such as the number/face value or the suit of the card. The repeating patterns of this table reflect patterns of outer electron states.ĭifferent patterns may be observed at each of the scales at which a system is studied and can provide evidence for causality in explanations of phenomena.Ĭopyright © 2009 Trainler, (CC BY 3.0) Wikipedia Commons Use a model to predict the relationships between systems or between components of a system.Īlignment agreement: Thanks for your feedback!Įach atom has a charged substructure consisting of a nucleus, which is made of protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons.Īlignment agreement: Thanks for your feedback! The periodic table orders elements horizontally by the number of protons in the atom's nucleus and places those with similar chemical properties in columns. This activity focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS: 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.Ĭlick to view other curriculum aligned to this Performance Expectation Predict characteristics of an element based on its location on the Periodic Table.Explain how elements are categorized, based on their locations on the Periodic Table.Identify and explain the information contained in a single square on the Periodic Table.Describe the basic shape of the Periodic Table using appropriate vocabulary.The Periodic Table provides a useful model for this process, with elements sorted into groups based on similar properties.Īfter this activity, students should be able to: In chemistry for example, substances may be classified by viscosity, reactivity, toxicity, etc. This process is commonly found in everyday engineering, such as product design, where engineers identify and sort different materials based on their properties and functions. Using the Periodic Table as a model for categorizing and sorting objects, students can develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Sorting objects by specific criteria is a fundamental engineering skill, which is paired here with the scientific concepts in the Periodic Table. This engineering curriculum aligns to Next Generation Science Standards ( NGSS).
They discuss the process as a class, drawing upon similarities to the creation of the Periodic Table: identifying individual characteristics of an object/element, and sorting objects/elements into rows and columns based on similar characteristics.
They then create diagrams that sort these various items based on categories of their choosing. In this activity, students submit a picture of a unique “one-of-a-kind” item they own. The table also represents an important way to understand how to sort and identify objects based on specific criteria. The Periodic Table is an icon of organizing for chemistry as well as other disciplines including chemical engineering.