Periodic Table & Reactivity Complete Lesson Plan - MS

Make the Periodic Table come alive in your classroom with this engaging, ready-to-teach unit on valence electrons, element classification, and reactivity.
This fully editable, multiday resource includes presentations, worksheets, student-choice projects, and assessments—everything you need to help students explore atomic structure, periodic trends, and chemical properties with minimal prep time.

With differentiated, student-led activities, this unit keeps learners engaged and curious while you focus on supporting student success.

Essential Questions

• How do valence electrons determine an atom’s chemical properties, including reactivity?

• How are elements classified on the periodic table?

Texas Teachers: This lesson aligns with the 2017 TEKS and will not be updated for the 2021 standards.

Why Teachers Love This Kesler Science Complete Lesson

• Differentiated materials for students who need additional support

• Multimodal learning keeps middle schoolers actively engaged

• Maximum flexibility – works in both print and digital formats

• Editable PowerPoints so you can easily tailor lessons for your classroom

• Spanish translations for vocabulary, reading passages, and interactive notebook pages

Built around the **research-backed 5E Instructional Model—Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate—**this lesson guides students through an inquiry-based, hands-on exploration of the periodic table and atomic structure.

What’s Included in Each 5E Stage

Engage

Spark curiosity and activate prior knowledge:

• Objectives and Word Wall Cards in English and Spanish

• Teacher guide with ideas for class discussions, engaging activities, and notes on common misconceptions

Explore

Students investigate the periodic table and reactivity patterns through a student-led, differentiated station lab that supports all learning styles.
With nine interactive stations, students explore how elements are organized and classified while identifying patterns in valence electrons and chemical properties.

Input Stations help students build understanding through multiple learning modalities:

• Explore It! – Hands-on demo or experiment that connects learning to real-world applications

• Read It! – Short reading passage with comprehension questions (English and Spanish versions included)

• Research It! – Guided online activity with structured tasks and analysis questions

• Watch It! – Short, engaging video followed by discussion prompts

Output Stations allow students to demonstrate understanding in creative ways:

• Organize It! – Classify and categorize elements using printable or digital tools

• Write It! – Respond to open-ended prompts in complete sentences

• Illustrate It! – Draw or model element groupings and reactivity trends for better retention

• Assess It! – Apply vocabulary and demonstrate mastery through structured assessments

Bonus Station – Challenge It!
Designed for early finishers and advanced learners, this station offers enrichment activities such as games, mini-projects, or puzzles for deeper understanding and reinforcement.

Explain

Connect discoveries to scientific concepts and real-world understanding:

• Editable PowerPoints in both standard and interactive formats

• Interactive Notebook Templates available in digital and printable formats (English and Spanish)

• Note-taking templates to guide students through key concepts and help organize their learning

Elaborate

Encourage creativity and critical thinking with student-choice projects centered on the Periodic Table and its relationship to chemical reactivity.
Students can extend learning by exploring how atomic structure and valence electrons influence element behavior.

Evaluate

Reinforce learning and assess mastery with:

• STAAR 2.0–style assessment questions in both standard and modified versions

• Review worksheets for classroom discussion, test prep, or homework assignments

Perfect for In-Class or Virtual Learning

This resource is built for maximum flexibility, ideal for traditional, blended, or online classrooms.
The station lab and interactive notebook components are fully compatible with PowerPoint and Google Slides, making it easy to implement in any learning environment.

This is a finished product; it will be updated with formatting or corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.