1. Atoms
What are atoms?

2. An atom is… The smallest unit of matter. So what is Matter?
Guide students in taking notes on their printed slides. Definition: An atom is the smallest unit of matter.
Anything that has mass and takes up space is matter!

3. Everything is made of atoms

4. An Atom is made of…
Electrons – negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus (center).
Neutrons – particles that are neutral or have no charge. These are inside the nucleus.
Electrons
Neutrons
Protons
Protons – positively charged particles inside the nucleus.
Protons in the atom’s nucleus attract the electrons and keep them in orbit around the nucleus.

5. Atoms are small
Atoms are so small that they cannot be seen with regular microscopes. There are special microscopes that can give you a feel of what atoms look like.
Average microscopes can show you another very small unit – any ideas what that is?

6. Types of Atoms
The number of protons in an atom determine what type of element it is. This is called the Atomic Number.
So that means all the elements on the Periodic Table are different types of atoms (with different numbers of protons and electrons).

7. The Periodic Table of Elements

8. A molecule is made of at least two atoms.
Water molecule
A compound is a molecule that contains two different types of atoms (elements).
NOT ALL Molecules are compounds!

9. Flow Map of an Atom Example: Water is made of smaller things.
Imagine you need to explain what you learned about atoms today to an absent 5th grader.
Make a Flow Map of what an atom is.
Work with a partner.
Start with water.
Draw a picture and write a sentence for each square.
Example:
Water is made of smaller things.