Texas TEKS 7.6.B
The Standard
use the periodic table to identify the atoms and the number of each kind within a chemical formula
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students match each symbol in a chemical formula to an element on the periodic table. They use subscripts to count each type of atom and treat a missing subscript as one.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Given H2SO4, a student identifies hydrogen, sulfur, and oxygen, with counts of 2, 1, and 4. The student reads capital and lowercase letters correctly.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may count a missing subscript as zero instead of one. They may treat each letter as a separate element or apply one subscript to every element in the formula.
How to Assess It
- Give students H2SO4 and ask them to list each element name and its atom count. Require them to use the periodic table.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give groups colored counters and symbol cards to build H2O, CO2, and NH3, then record the count of each element.
Ask students to explain why CO represents two elements while Co represents one element.
Play a matching game with formula cards and element-count cards, such as NaCl matched with sodium 1 and chlorine 1.
Show the formula NaHCO3 on a baking soda box and have students identify and count all four elements.
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Printable 7.6.B Worksheet
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Related Standards
- 6.6.C
identify elements on the periodic table as metals, nonmetals, metalloids, and rare Earth elements based on their physical properties and importance to modern li...
- 8.6.B
use the periodic table to identify the atoms involved in chemical reactions
- 6.6.A
compare solids, liquids, and gases in terms of their structure, shape, volume, and kinetic energy of atoms and molecules;
- 7.6.A
compare and contrast elements and compounds in terms of atoms and molecules, chemical symbols, and chemical formulas;
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