Activities for Learning the Elements in Middle School

Elements are the building blocks for all matter. Middle school students learn basic chemistry, beginning with the periodic table of elements. Middle school teachers create lessons and activities to help students learn the names, atomic numbers and properties of all elements. Lessons include games, songs, projects and lots of practice.

Element of the Day

To help students learn and retain information about elements, teachers use an "Element Notebook" with their class. Before the start of the semester, the teacher has copied a notebook for each student. They are required to have their notebook with them every day when they come into science class. On the board daily, the teacher will have the Element of the Day. Students are required to write the name of the element and determine the number of protons, neutrons and electrons the element has. Students need to include who discovered the element as well as when it was discovered. They must also draw the Bohr Diagram and Lewis Structure into their notebook. Students will have this information when they need to study for exams.

Element Bingo

Element Bingo is a way for middle school science teachers to help students study when they are learning and memorizing the symbols for the elements in the periodic table. Each student gets one Bingo card with a random set of elements listed in the squares. The teacher will call out an element and students must see if they have the correct symbol on their individual card. Teachers may want to have students play first in pairs so they can help each other with the game.

The Elements Song

Students use the 1960 song "The Elements" by Tom Lehrer to create their own version or music video to share with the class. Teachers will introduce their science students to the song and invite students to learn the elements by learning the song. As a culminating activity, groups of students are asked to create their own version of the song, such as a rap, country or love song rendition. Students might present their work to the class in person or show a music video of their work.

Element Baby Book

This activity involves each student creating a baby book page that will become a book of elements to be copied for the entire class. Each student is assigned one element to "adopt." Students will create a decorative page for their element and include important information, such as the element's nickname (its symbol), its birth date (when it was discovered) and its birth weight (atomic mass). Students will write their atomic baby's birth height (atomic number), race (type of element) and it's attending physician at birth (discoverer). Upon completion of this project, the teacher will copy each baby book page and create a Book of Elements for each student.