PROBLEM SETTINGS (1 hour)

The links relating to the 4 videos produced by the undersigned in Scratch are shown to the students, which they will see at home, before the lesson. The first concerns Democritus, the second atomic theory and the third the simple and compound substances. The fourth video is a test relating to the concepts that emerged in the three videos, on which the pupils will reflect to answer closed-ended questions, of the true or false type.

The videos are very short, one minute each,  engaging, simple and clear, which focus attention on the concepts related to the matter, from a chemical point of view, such as atom, molecule, simple substances and complex substances. Being online, they can be reviewed, in order to write down unclear terms or concepts that need further explanation, in the classroom by the teacher. The third video proposes an open situation that raises personal hypotheses concerning the difference between chemical elements. They represent the prerequisites for facing the new path.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK (1 hour)

In the classroom, the teacher asks the students what terms or concepts have been noted at home and presents the students with an interactive map created with Thinglink in which the concepts exposed in the 3 cited videos and further insights are connected.

STIMULUS (2 hours)

The teacher creates QR codes of different types, both for design and function. Taking into account the different learning styles of the pupils, some QR Codes will be vocal, created with Vocaroo, others will be textual, others linked to web pages  or Youtube videos. The teacher shows the third video to the class, viewed at home by the pupils, in which the character asks what is the difference between the different elements, whose solution would have found her in the school yard. The teacher reports to the pupils that the answer to that question is really in the school yard and invites the pupils, divided into two teams, to participate in a treasure hunt (in the previous hours, place the QR Codes in the school yard). The teacher explains the didactic game mode. I-nigma is used for reading QR Codes, on devices, which has a chronology. The pupils look for QR Codes, to which texts, audio, websites and videos are linked, divided into two teams. The team that finds all the QR Codes first wins.

The information obtained  is useful for their next task which is to create a material model of a chemical element.

LEARNING BY DOING (4 hours)

The teacher explains the task to be carried out: each group will build a chemical element in 3D, with poor material, referring to the model for shells, in two hours. The teacher divides the pupils into collaborative work groups, consisting of 4 -5 pupils. Inhomogeneous groups are preferred. Each group chooses from the periodic table a chemical element to represent, which does not have too high an atomic number. The classrooms are arranged in groups of 4, with the aim of forming islands, and around them, the components of each group design the artifact, indicating the materials, colors, dimensions, the distribution of electrons in the different shells.

In this phase, the teacher circulates between the different stations and listens to the solutions found, giving any suggestions, if required. The teacher also acts as a mediator in the interaction processes between pupils and helps them to overcome any conflicts and difficulties. The teacher observes the pupils' way of working and fills in a group work grid. In the next lesson, the pupils gathered in collaborative groups, around the islands formed by the 4 desks, build the model of the chosen chemical element. As is usually organized in collaborative groups, there is a component that presents the work, one in charge of the task, one in charge of managing relationships and one that documents the work.

At the end of the work, a pupil designated by each group of belonging, exposes the realization of the model and the distribution of electrons in the different shells.

REFLECTING LEARNING (2 hours)

The teacher brings an atomic model made by her to the class, for example she uses a card and draws protons, neutrons and electrons on it without indicating them with a letter, without charge and does not highlight the shells. Pupils must identify similarities and differences with their model and express their opinion on it and how they would eventually customize and improve it.

Subsequently, the teacher takes the pupils to the multimedia laboratory.  It provides students with the link to fill in a questionnaire, created in Google Drive, which has the function of making people think about the path taken. Then, the teacher shows the results of questionnaire and a map proposed by the site "Dyslexia help" which summarizes the fundamental concepts of the proposed theme, thus correcting any misconceptions. 

PLAY AND TEST YOUR LEARNING (1 hour)

In the multimedia laboratory, the teacher proposes a digital escape room, set in a nuclear laboratory,  created by her through Google Drive. The pupils, divided in 4 groups, solved enigmas, in order to have a code, to escape.

DIFFUSION

The material models  and the escape room have been shown during the "open days".  (2 hours)

DISTANCE LEARNING (BLOCKDOWN COVID-19)

During the blockdown due to Covid-19, the pupils, in groups, have created a building that housed chemical laboratories in  Minecraft Education Edition. In the laboratories, through special blocks, they built chemical elements, carried out chemical reactions and analyzed organic and inorganic materials.