7 Engaging Activities for Teaching Atoms
Are you looking for new ways to make learning about atoms fun? Check out my favorite activities for teaching atoms that your students are sure to love!
1. Use an Analogy
I love to use analogies in class! I always begin with asking the class to tell me the smallest thing they can think of…. every year they list fruit flies, ants, and dust.
Then it’s time to break out the analogy!
Do you remember the movie “Honey I Shrunk the Kids?”
Here’s a helpful analogy I use every year to explain the size of an atom:
Imagine you were shrunk down to the size of an atom and are standing next to a grain of salt. The grain of salt next to you would be the height of Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on Earth.
It’s almost hard to wrap your head around!!
2. How Small is an Atom?
Ted-Ed has an amazing video “Just How Small is an Atom?” It’s the perfect introduction!
At just over five minutes, the eye-catching animations and analogies really help to drive home the scale of the atom. My students absolutely love it!
3. Build a Model Atom
Building a model atom is a great hands-on activity to engage the students and help them understand how the parts of the atom are organized.
I like to use colored card stock because students can quickly and easily manipulate the atoms. They can even “scale” the atoms so they can see the difference in size.
You can find the entire ready-to use activity here!
4. Paper Cutting Activity
Another great activity for teaching atoms is this paper cutting activity. It is a simple way to help students visualize the size of an atom.
Supplies needed: strip of paper (any size will work, I use 11″x1″), scissors
Challenge students to fold and cut the paper in half as many times as they can.
Note, students should always fold and cut the paper in the same direction.
It’s gets really difficult after about 5 cuts. You might see students flip their paper to begin cutting in another direction. Make sure you tell them to keep it in the same direction.
If they were able to keep cutting, they would need to do this about 31 times to be the size of an atom!
5. Atom Foldable
I love foldables in the classroom!
A three-flap atoms foldable is perfect for helping students organize their notes about the structure of an atom.
Foldables can be tricky to store. I give each of my students a clear plastic sleeve to keep important papers and foldables in their science folders.
*If you are looking for ideas to help students organize their notes, take a look at this post!
MATTER AND ATOM LESSON
Take a look at this ready to use Matter and Atoms Unit! It is no-prep and includes everything you need for distance learning or face-to-face learning!
Included in this product:
- Presentation with 10 minute video lecture (great for flipped classrooms)
- Foldable with additional practice
- Answer key and directions for foldable
- Atomic structure activity
- Answer key and instructions for atomic structure activity
- Extension Venn diagram included
- Google Slides Activities
- Google Slides Atom Project
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6. Atomic Structure Color by Number Activity
My students love color by number activities!
Here’s what it looks like in my classroom:
- Students answer the questions and shade the correct answers.
- I quickly scan the pattern to see if they need to make corections.
- Give feedback
- Students who need more support are asked to “double-check number 5.”
- Students who are more confident learners are told to “check their work for 2 incorrect answers.”
- Students color their designs and listen to music as they finish.
Color by numbers are great for station activities, homework, informal assessments, and so much more!
7. Atoms Escape Room
Students LOVE the excitement of an escape room!
My students claim that they are SO much more fun than traditional worksheets!
The first puzzle of the escape room involves a reading passage that students use to solve the puzzle. This makes it the perfect activity to introduce or review atoms!
