™ Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom www.agintheclass.org AITC Periodic Table Curriculum Teacher’s Guide This activity guide provides real life examples of how the periodic table is used in the world of agriculture. Lessons provide an opportunity to apply science principles to new technology to ensure the greatest use capital and natural resources. A tremendous knowledge of science and the periodic table is needed to successfully be a part of the agriculture industry. A basic understanding of element names, symbols, number, and how elements bond together is key to state and national science standards and integrate into the fields of agriculture, biotechnology, aquaculture, plant and animal science, hydroponics, and horticulture. Identifying elements such as nitrogen, which is crucial to plant growth and evaluating the nutrient needs of plant and animal food are just two activities which require a working knowledge of the periodic table. The AITC Periodic Table also contains information relevant for: • Demonstrating the concepts of pH value • Illustrating the nitrogen cycle • Measuring for water quality • Identifying acceptable nutrient levels through soil quality testing • Balancing scientific equations The activity guide to accompany the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Periodic Table is one of the resources provided to Virginia classroom teachers attending AITC professional development workshops. The Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The mission of AITC is to promote, through education, an awareness and understanding of the importance of agriculture. Such an understanding will enhance the quality of life and economic well-being of all Virginians. AITC acknowledges the contributions of our primary writer Gail Clark. Gail is a veteran educator with 32 years in public education having served as science instructor at the Commonwealth Governor’s School in Stafford County. She and her husband also own and operate a direct market vegetable and beef farm in Stafford, Virginia. Our gratitude also is extended to Bill Altice who served as the graphic designer for the project. Bill is on staff with the communications department at Virginia Farm Bureau. This resource has been made possible through a grant from Monsanto. Monsanto is an agricultural company which focuses on innovations to help today’s farmers produce healthier foods for human and animal consumption while reducing the impact of agriculture in the environment. ™ Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom www.agintheclass.org AITC Periodic Table Curriculum Table of Contents Page Lesson Title SOL Objectives The student will: Using the Ag in the Science: -Use the AITC Periodic Table to 4 Classroom Periodic Table 6.4, PS 2, PS 3, PS 4, determine the number of protons, ES 5, CH 2, CH 3 electrons, and neutrons in a variety of elements found on a beef mineral mix feed tag. -Use the AITC Periodic Table to describe the metal/nonmetal characteristic of these elements. -Use the AITC Periodic Table to draw Bohr models of a number of elements. -Use the AITC Periodic Table to determine the neutrons in a variety of medically useful isotopes. -Have access to summary information concerning bonding, periodic trends, and electron shells. The student will: Balancing Agricultural Science: -Balance chemical equations using 15 Equations LS 6, PS 5, BIO3, agricultural examples and the CH3 periodic table 20 The student will: Agricultural Chemistry Math: -Solve percentage problems using Fertilizer Problems 6.1, 7.4, 8.3 the composition of fertilizers The student will: Agricultural Chemistry Science: -Solve percent composition 24 and Percent Composition PS4, CH3 problems involving agricultural of Agricultural Chemicals Math 6.6, 7.4, 8.3 compounds -Practice reading and applying data obtained from the periodic table 2 ™ Reproduction of AITC™ material by organizations or individuals other than those who have received the materials from Virginia AITC staff at an AITC training program is prohibited. For more information on Virginia Agriculture, visit our website at www.agintheclass.org. ™ Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom www.agintheclass.org AITC Periodic Table Curriculum Table of Contents The student will: Discovering pH using Science: -Use the scientific method to 28 Chemical Indicators 6.5, LS4, PS 1, PS 2, conduct a lab Bio 3, CH 3, CH 4 -Determine the pH of a variety of foods and household products using three known chemical indicators -Describe the reaction colors of a homemade vegetable indicator The student will: Agricultural Chemistry: Science: -Use the periodic table to determine 33 Naming Binary PS4, CH3 the formula and type of bonding of Compounds binary compounds Using Feed and Fertilizer -Determine chemical formulas given Tags compound names -Write compound names given chemical formulas The student will: Macromolecules of Life - Science: -Use the scientific method in 41 Carbohydrate Lab LS1, LS3, LS4, PS2, conducting an investigation PS5, Bio1, Bio3 -Learn the response of two chemical indicators to various classes of carbohydrates -Determine the type of carbohydrates which make up a variety of common foods by using two chemical indicators, Benedict’s solution and iodine -Determine the carbohydrate type of an unknown and justify his/her conclusion The student will: The Nitrogen Cycle- A Science: -Use the Nitrogen Cycle graphic on 46 Closer Look 6.4, 6.6, LS 7, PS 4, the AITC Periodic Table and PS 5, ES 12, BIO 9, information from the teacher to CH 2 complete a word list pertaining to details about this biogeochemical cycle. -Trace the chemical changes of nitrogen into multiple compounds as it is transformed at various stages of the nitrogen cycle. 3 ™ Reproduction of AITC™ material by organizations or individuals other than those who have received the materials from Virginia AITC staff at an AITC training program is prohibited. For more information on Virginia Agriculture, visit our website at www.agintheclass.org. ™ Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom www.agintheclass.org Using the Ag in the Classroom Periodic Table . Standard of Learning Science: 6.4, PS 2, PS 3, PS 4, ES 5, CH 2, CH 3 Objective The student will: • Use the AITC Periodic Table to determine the number of protons, electrons, and neutrons in a variety of elements found on a beef mineral mix feed tag. • Use the AITC Periodic Table to describe the metal/nonmetal characteristic of these elements. • Use the AITC Periodic Table to draw Bohr models of a number of elements. • Use the AITC Periodic Table to determine the neutrons in a variety of medically useful isotopes. • Have access to summary information concerning bonding, periodic trends, and electron shells. Materials AITC Periodic Table, Background Information, and student worksheets (AITC Periodic Table – Practical Application) Background Knowledge The background knowledge is given in the next several pages. It is formatted to be used either as teacher background material or as a student handout. The information covers material about the Periodic Table: obtaining information about each element, isotopes, the families/groups (columns), the periods (rows), the Bohr model and energy levels, ionic bonding, covalent bonding, and periodic trends. The student worksheet uses the ingredient label from a beef cattle mineral mix to show the practical use of some elements. It is these elements, then, which are used to practice finding numbers of protons, neutrons, and electrons; identifying groups and metal/nonmetal and drawing Bohr models. There are a few extension questions asked, just for discussion and reading comprehension. Finally, there is a worksheet on isotopes which gives the student some examples of the uses of isotopes, while giving them the opportunity to practice finding the number of neutrons in various isotopes. 4 ™ Reproduction of AITC™ material by organizations or individuals other than those who have received the materials from Virginia AITC staff at an AITC training program is prohibited. For more information on Virginia Agriculture, visit our website at www.agintheclass.org. The Periodic Table of the Elements represents an attempt to visually organize all of the elements into an orderly chart which emphasizes patterns of chemical reactivity. Each block gives four pieces of information about an element, but the location of that block tells even more about the structure of each atom of that element and how it reacts with other atoms. Information from each element box: 7 N Nitrogen 14.00 7 – This is the ATOMIC NUMBER. Notice that atomic numbers increase as you move horizontally across each period (row). The atomic number represents the number of PROTONS (positively charged particles) in the nucleus. N – This is the SYMBOL of the element. Notice that the first letter of the symbol is ALWAYS in upper case and the second letter of the symbol (if there is one) is ALWAYS written in lower case (example: zinc is Zn). Nitrogen – This is the NAME of the element. Some of the elements have been known for thousands of years and others are being made today by man in accelerators. Notice that some of the symbols match well with the element names (N for nitrogen), but others don’t make sense (Cu for copper, Au for gold). This is because some symbols are derived from the old, Latin names of the elements (cuprous for copper and aurora for gold). 14.00 – This is the AVERAGE ATOMIC MASS of one atom of the element in a.m.u., or atomic mass units. The mass of an atom of an element is made up of the protons and NEUTRONS (particles which carry no charge) in the nucleus and the negligible mass of the ELECTRONS (negatively charged particles) in energy shells around the outside of the nucleus. Not all atoms of one type of element have the same mass, since some atoms may have more neutrons than others. Atoms which have the same number of protons, but different numbers of neutrons are called ISOTOPES (Example: Carbon – 12 and Carbon – 14).