Atoms in Everyday Materials
Atoms in Everyday Materials · Years 7–10
Ngā Whāinga Akoranga · Learning Intentions
- Investigate a scientific concept or phenomenon using observation and evidence
- Apply scientific understanding to explain natural processes and systems
- Connect scientific knowledge to environmental decision-making and kaitiakitanga
- Evaluate how both mātauranga Māori and Western science contribute to understanding
Paearu Angitu · Success Criteria
- I can describe the key concept or phenomenon accurately using scientific vocabulary
- I can explain how evidence supports my scientific understanding
- I can connect scientific knowledge to at least one real-world environmental application
- I can identify where mātauranga Māori and Western science perspectives intersect or differ
🔬 What is an Atom?
Atoms are the tiny building blocks that make up everything in the universe — including YOU!
Parts of an Atom:
- Protons (+ positive charge) — in the nucleus
- Neutrons (no charge) — in the nucleus
- Electrons (- negative charge) — orbit around the nucleus
🧪 Elements You Encounter Every Day
An element is a pure substance made of only one type of atom.
🏠 Atoms in Your Home
Water (H₂O)
2 hydrogen atoms + 1 oxygen atom
Salt (NaCl)
1 sodium atom + 1 chlorine atom
Helium (He)
Single helium atoms — makes balloons float!
Diamond
Pure carbon atoms arranged in a crystal
📝 Activity 1: Matching Elements
Draw lines to match each element with where you'd find it:
| Element | Found In |
|---|---|
| Carbon (C) | Air we breathe (21%) |
| Oxygen (O) | Steel and blood (haemoglobin) |
| Iron (Fe) | Pencil "lead" and diamonds |
| Aluminium (Al) | Drink cans and foil |
📝 Activity 2: Molecule Models
A molecule is two or more atoms bonded together.
a) Water is H₂O. How many atoms of each element are in one water molecule?
b) Carbon dioxide is CO₂. How many atoms total in one molecule?
c) Glucose (sugar) is C₆H₁₂O₆. Calculate the total number of atoms.
📝 Activity 3: Atoms Around Us
List 5 objects in your classroom and research what elements they contain:
| Object | Main Element(s) |
|---|---|
| Example: Window | Silicon, Oxygen (glass = SiO₂) |
📚 Key Vocabulary
The smallest unit of an element
Pure substance of one type of atom
Two or more atoms bonded together
Molecule with different elements
Centre of atom (protons + neutrons)
Negative particle orbiting nucleus
Kupu Māori
Ngota — Atom | Huānga — Element | Pūhui — Molecule
👩🏫 Teacher Notes
Curriculum: NZC Level 4 Physical World — Properties and changes of matter
Resources: PhET simulations (Build an Atom), periodic table posters, molecular model kits
Extension: Research how pounamu (greenite/nephrite) is made from silicon, oxygen, magnesium, and iron atoms.
Hononga Marautanga · Curriculum Alignment
Level 3–4: Investigate how living and physical systems work; understand relationships between organisms and their environments; collect, interpret, and evaluate scientific evidence to explain natural phenomena.
Level 3–4: Understand how human activity affects natural environments; explore the connection between ecological health and community wellbeing; recognise the role of cultural knowledge in environmental decision-making.
Tuhia ōu whakaaro · Write Your Thoughts
Reflect on your learning. What was the most important idea? What question do you still have?
Aronga Mātauranga Māori
Mātauranga Māori is a sophisticated knowledge system built through centuries of careful observation, hypothesis, testing, and refinement — the same processes that define scientific inquiry. Māori knowledge of ecology, weather patterns, seasonal change, and animal behaviour guided sustainable resource management for generations before Western science arrived in Aotearoa. Understanding science through a dual-knowledge lens — bringing mātauranga Māori and Western science into dialogue rather than hierarchy — produces richer, more contextually grounded understanding. The concept of kaitiakitanga reminds us that scientific knowledge carries obligations: understanding how natural systems work means accepting responsibility for how we treat them.
Ngā Rauemi Tautoko · Resources already provided
This handout is designed to be used alongside other resources in the same unit. Related materials are linked in the unit planner. All content is provided — no additional preparation is required to use this handout in your classroom.
📋 Teacher Planning Snapshot
Ngā Whāinga Ako — Learning Intentions
Students will engage with this resource to build understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand's ecosystems, biodiversity, and the role of kaitiakitanga in environmental stewardship.
Ngā Paearu Angitū — Success Criteria
- ✅ Students can explain key concepts from this resource using their own words.
- ✅ Students can connect the content to real-world environmental contexts in Aotearoa.
Differentiation & Inclusion
Scaffold support: Provide sentence starters, word banks, or graphic organisers to scaffold access for students who need it. Offer entry-level and extension tasks to address a range of readiness levels.
ELL / ESOL: Pre-teach key vocabulary and provide bilingual glossaries where available. Allow students to respond in their home language first.
Inclusion: Use accessible formats — clear font, adequate whitespace, structured tasks. Neurodiverse learners benefit from chunked instructions and choice in how they demonstrate understanding.
Prior knowledge: Best used after the relevant lesson sequence. No specialist prior knowledge required for entry-level engagement.