Virginia SOL 6.5.c

Science6th GradeMatter

The Standard

elements may be represented by chemical symbols

Virginia Standards of Learning for Science

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students match an element’s name to its one-letter or two-letter symbol. They use correct capitalization and recognize that some symbols come from older or Latin names.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students can name common elements from their symbols and write symbols from element names. They correctly distinguish examples such as Co, cobalt, and CO, carbon monoxide.
Common Misconceptions: Students may assume every symbol uses the first one or two letters of the English name. They may capitalize both letters or confuse an element symbol with a chemical formula.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Write the symbols for oxygen, sodium, and chlorine. Then explain why Co and CO do not mean the same thing.

Lesson moves

Give groups element-name cards, symbol cards, and periodic tables; have them match each pair and correct capitalization with letter tiles.
Ask: Why is sodium Na instead of S? Students use a reference source and write a two-sentence explanation.
Play symbol bingo by calling an element name while students cover its symbol on their cards.
Have students use a periodic table to decode element symbols on a multivitamin label, then list each element’s full name.

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