Molecules & Atoms (lesson adapted from UEN 

http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=36614​ ) 
 
Adapted by Alison Lord 
 
Teacher Page 
 
6​th​ ,​ ​6.2, 1, CCC: Patterns, Scale, Proportion & Quantity, SEP: Developing & Using 
Models 
  
Title:​  Molecules, Atoms, & Elements 
  
Description:​  Students will discover that all matter is made up of atoms, and that when 
we put certain atoms together, we get bigger building blocks of matter: molecules. 
  
Time Needed  3 – 4 45 minute sessions 
 
Materials Necessary:​ science notebooks, Atoms & Molecules reading, legos, 
scissors, glue sticks, construction paper. 
 
Safety Issues 
  
Procedures: 
1. Day 1: Students are given a small bag of legos and asked to create something 
from it. Give students about 7 minutes to finish their creations. After time is up, 
ask students to share with a partner for about 2 minutes what they made. 
Afterward, discuss that they have made models of their objects out of legos, but 
ask what materials their creations may be made of in real life? Students discuss 
with a partner, then generate a list as a class. Ask students what all the 
materials have in common? Guide students to finding that everything on our list 
at the most basic level is made up of atoms. Students write definitions for 
atoms, matter, and molecules in their science notebook. Follow up the lesson 
with the following video: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1VXM_b2KFY 
2. Day 2: Review definitions from prior lesson, watch crash course video about the 
periodic table of elements: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RRVV4Diomg 
After watching, review any questions that students have (many will likely be 
answered with the reading). Read together the sheet on Atoms & Molecules. 
Have students begin to identify any elements they have heard of before, review 
as a class those that are familiar, and any that students are interested in. This 
should be a time to let the students interact with and read through the periodic 
table in order to become more familiar with it. Discuss how atoms come 
together to bond and make molecules (H​2​O is a water molecule, etc). If there is 
time at the end of this lesson, students can preview lab sheet for the following 
day – and create a plan for how they will be modeling the difference between 
atoms and molecules. 
 3. Day 3: Students are given the task to create molecular models out of the 
supplies given (colored paper, scissors, glue sticks) and show a visual 
representation of the molecules on their list. For the majority of students, give a 
list of molecules (7-12) for them the create models of. There is an instruction 
sheet for those students who may need additional instruction or assistance. 
 
  
Formative Assessment 
Students answer follow up questions after the lab activity. An assessment probe is 
also attached to use as an exit ticket. 
 
 
 
Student sheet (attached)