Chemistry: Making a giant periodic table (with links for printable periodic tables)

The boys only have a few more (I)GCSE exams to take (in June), so I've been taking a small breather and trying to get back the rhythm of our old home ed. It's not easy when we've been totally focused on box-ticking and hoop-jumping for the year.

After several months of not-much-chemistry I'm picking up where I left off doing Ellen McHenry's 'The Elements" with dd. If you haven't checked out Ellen McHenry's website, please do. There are lots of fab freebie printables to download, as well as various downloadable curricula to purchase. We've used both The Elements and Carbon Chemistry (a follow-on programme) with my boys and I can highly recommend them. They are particularly ideal for that tricky pre-teen age, when children often seem to want a bit more of a challenge, but still want to do lots of hands-on learning. 

So, today we were back to the periodic table and learning about atoms by using Skittles sweets to show electrons in their orbits. Of course we use sweets for our demonstrations as much as possible. It gives me an excuse to go to the shop and buy chocolate for myself. Not that I need excuses ;)

Inspired by what we've learned today dd and I are now in the process of making a giant periodic table. The hope is to make one large enough that we can actually stick little bags of examples of the elements (the non-radioactive ones) onto the table. Or at least stick photos on. Well, that's the idea. 

Dogzilla not really helping with our giant periodic table

You can find various printable versions of the periodic table here. 

http://sciencenotes.org/printable-periodic-table/

(We have decided to use this totally blank periodic table so we can add our own pictures/samples and titles

http://sciencenotes.org/blank-periodic-table/ )

The files will print out to standard A4 size.

To print out a really massive version, on more than one A4 sheet:

1) Download the PDF of the table you prefer. 

2) Open up the PDF

3) Click on print. This will open up the various print options.

4) Select 'poster' (on my screen this is to the left of the print options, about half way down, and has a little picture of 4 sheets of paper)

5) Increase the size of the tile scale (I've just printed mine out at 500%). You might need to click in another box to refresh, but you should find a small image displayed showing how the pages will be arranged.

6) When you're happy with the size, confirm that you want to print.

7) Stick the pages together. You might find it helpful to click print again, put in the same tile scale and refer to the little preview to help you piece together the jigsaw of pages. 

Ellen McHenry "The Elements" Lesson plan/scheme of work

Our 'lesson plan' for Ellen McHenry's The Elements. I've included a selection of the activities, but feel free to add in more or alter to suit your needs. We found it best to pre-prepare all the games before we started the course as the prep can be quite time-consuming. Most of all, follow your kids' lead :) Mine liked to play the chemistry games, so we slotted in extra sessions just for game playing. Ellen McHenry can be found here :

You should be able to download and print the document using the download button at the bottom of the document.

Ellen McHenry The Elements SchemePDF by scifreak64

Ellen McHenry The Elements (2013)

We've done The Elements before with ds1 and ds2. It was a fun hands-on approach to chemistry and a fabulous stepping stone to GCSE level science. Ds1 did no other chemistry than Ellen before starting IGCSE  chemistry and recently passed (at age 14), so Ellen McHenry was obviously a great start..

This time dd is joining in with ds2. The games and nick-nacks that go with the course are already prepared from our last run-through, so that's saving us some time. 

I've written up a plan for the sessions (will post that up later for anyone who wants to use it). After doing the fly-by-the-seat-of-pants approach to home ed for many years it dawned on me that what I need is planning. Out goes chaotic use of resources, where we open the book only to find out we haven't got what we need. and in comes an organised session plan that makes those resources 'open-and-go'. Well, that's the theory. 

Electrolysis of water

Bubbles of hydrogen and Oxygen forming at the electrodes

Fishing for Elements

The Periodic Table game

Ellen McHenry science: eyes are bigger than stomach

I'm hoping to catch up with biology with the kids over summer. To kick off we've dug out the free Ellen McHenry invertebrate lift-the-flap classification chart from here.

It's a shame she never made a vertebrate version, but I rediscovered the classification cards that I'd lovingly laminated long ago when I was in a laminating mood and these are now velcroed to a felt board. I am starting to feel like a proper home educator ;)

Ellen McHenry's The Elements has made a reappearance. We've used it before so most of the printing and prep for games has already been done. I'm also planning to start Environmental biology IGCSE with ds1. Well, we are going to tentatively dip our toes in that direction (let's not get ahead of ourselves).

As you might have guessed, it's a case of eyes bigger than stomach. My enthusiasm to cover lots of subjects is larger than the time or energy we have to do it all.

Adventures in Chemistry - Ellen McHenry's Atom - iser

Some of you may have heard me proclaim the wonders of Ellen McHenry's Basement Workshop website here

After trialling some of the free downloads, and looking at the sample chapters, we opted to send for The Elements on CD.

Those who know our family, know that structured courses, curriculums and textbooks are really not our thing. But this is something different. We're already half-way through chapter 3 (of 8)and all thoroughly enjoying it. Not only is it informative and interesting, pitched appropriately (but not patronising) AND it is fun. (did I just say chemistry was fun - yikes!)

The material covered is aimed at ages 8-13. However the book covers concepts I'd barely heard of until I studied for my O levels. If only I'd had access to a resource like this I would have found chemistry SO much easier!

The only downside was me deciding to be a cheapskate and opt for the PDF file on CD instead of the printed version. Having now printed out all 167 pages...

Here is the atom-iser activity, designed to explain the structure of atoms and introduce the idea of atomic number of elements in relation to their position on the periodic table and characteristics of the elements (Or you could consider it an educational way to eat Skittles for breakfast!)

And here is another activity, using element cards.

I've now ordered the Carbon Chemistry book (a follow-on to The Elements) here

And to finish off this post...an April Fool's trick, played on the youngest member of the family: