Teaching Resources

Jérôme KARIGER

Sodium atom– Sodium ion

I created this resource for the purpose of modelling.
Name of the file: “Sodium atom– Sodium ion”.
The problem encountered was that the animations presented Bohr model, yet students had not seen Rutherford-Chadwick’s atomic model. The resource is

During my internship, this resource was used to discover the dynamics related to the transition from the atom to the ion, allow students visualise the liberation of an electron or its capture.
Also to show students the electrons dynamics, their “random” movements” around the core

This animation makes it possible to meet the objectives of the programme: “Ion – cation – anion”, “Describing an atom as a positive core surrounded by a series of negative electrons”, “Modelling the transformation of an atom into ion”.
This animation also raised awareness about the global charge of atoms and made it possible to count the number of protons and electrons (and protons).

The animation is easy to use and works by clicking on the page. Teachers’ comments are welcome to enhance the information and guide students’ view.

The resource was tested in a third year class de 3e Socio Educative Transition with twelve students at Institut Sainte-Thérèse D’Avila in Chênée (Liège).

The resource followed the following approach:
- Approach to the notion of ion reading the label of a bottle of water
- Discovery of the link between salts and ions reading the review of a scientific text with a first definition of the ion (without illustration).
- Manipulation of physical models (in Styrofoam with needles) to bring a first model of elements present in water (information given on the label of the bottle of water).
- Projection of the animation on an IWB and its analysis with three questions:
o What do you learn with this animation?
o What happens when a Na atom becomes an ion?
o What happens when a Cl atom becomes an ion?
- Back to the label of the bottle of water to see if it is easier to understand with the new information

The resource is not used by the students. It could be uploaded so that they can use it home.
In this case, it was presented on an IWB.
Analysing the results of the questionnaire, 9 students out of 12 think this resource is motivating. 9 students also think it helps them more than another resource. Students also note a change in their daily practice, which is motivating for them. The resource creates an interaction between the teacher and the IWB (during the presentation), between the teacher and the students and between students. However, the interactivity created by this resource is little clear and little felt by the students, it is rather used as an additional document presented to the students, but still with a questioning and analysis. 7 think the interaction with the teacher or between students helped understand the notion.
In the end, 5 students out of 12 think they can better explain the chemistry content thanks to this resource, 3 students are mitigated and 4 did not answer.

Generally speaking, the resource was well received. It is easy to use and bring a dynamic approach to the notion of ion and the transition from the atom to the ion. It was used in relation with physical models manipulated by the students.