ELEMENT PROJECT - TASK 2

Atomic Theory Timeline Project

Introduction

If you were asked to draw the structure of an atom, what would you draw? Throughout history scientists
have accepted five atomic models. Our perception of the atom has changed from the early Greek model
because of clues or evidence that has been gathered through scientific experiments. As more evidence
was gathered old models were discarded or improved upon. Your goal is to trace the atomic theory
through history by constructing a timeline of the events that led to our current understanding of the
structure of the atom.

Task

You and your partner will use your sources to develop a briefing that outlines the key scientists and
experiments associated with the development of the modern atomic theory. The briefing should include
the names of the scientists, a description of the accomplishments, pictures of experimental equipment or
atomic models (Drawn and labeled by hand), and description.

Required information for each scientist

● Person’s name
● Year (of the discovery or the year they lived)
● Must include answers to the questions below:
o When did they live? Where did they live?
o What does the atom look like according to the scientist? Draw it. Each model must be
drawn by hand with color, and correctly labelled. Each of the drawings must take up about
half an A4 sheet of paper. If doing a PowerPoint, you need to take pictures of your
drawings and then add the pictures on to the slides.
o What new information did they contribute to the understanding of the atom?
o How did they find this new information? (What experiments did they do? Description of
the experiment)
o Interesting facts – other accomplishments, personal information, famous historical events
at the time, etc.

All Projects are due _______________. *Students must include their completed rubric when
assignment is turned in order to be on-time.

Helpful Sources:
Chemistry textbook
Online sources [search “History of the Atom” or “Atomic Theory History”]
Scientists you must research:
Required persons and must have their atomic model in presentation

Democritus

Niels Bohr

JJ Thomson

John Dalton

Ernest Rutherford

Erwin Schrodinger

James Chadwick

Helpful hints:
● If one person had several contributions at different times in history they will count ONLY
once for this project. You may have them in your timeline more than once but they will
only count once.
● The project will be in the form of a PowerPoint slide show.
o Be creative, but the scientists MUST be in chronological order.
● Sources must be cited, copying and pasting paragraphs of information is plagiarism and
students will receive a zero for the assignment. Remember to pick out the most important,
unique, and most interesting contribution the people had.

Conclusion
After completing your projects you should be able to:
1) Demonstrate an understanding of the present model of the atom by identifying the parts of the atom,
the subatomic particle charges, and the relative location of each particle.
2) Demonstrate your knowledge of the history of the atomic theory by constructing a chronological order
of events.
3) Know the major contributions of the scientists that contributed to our knowledge of the atom and their
experiments and discoveries.

All rubrics are due on the day the assignment is turned in. Projects are due
______________________.
Name ____________________________________ Date _____________ Period ________ Score ________

Atomic Theory Time Project Rubric

Superb 4 Average 3 Fair 2 Poor 1

Scientists All 7 scientists who Less than 7 scientists Less than 7 scientists Less than 7
created atomic who created atomic who created atomic scientists who
models for the models for the models for the created atomic
development of the development of the development of the models for the
atom are included atom are included atom are included development of the
with name, year, their with name, year, their with some of the atom did not
philosophy, philosophy, required include name, year,
experiment, experiment, model, information. their philosophy,
technological technological experiment, model,
advances, and more advances, and more technological
information. information. advances, and more
information.

Illustration The hand-drawn The hand-drawn The hand-drawn There are very few
models of the atoms models of the atoms models are accurate hand-drawn models
are accurate and are accurate but are but missing labels in the presentation
labeled correctly for missing labels or and some scientist’s slides.
all of the scientists. some scientist’s models are missing.
models are missing.

Understanding The student The student The student is The student is not
understands the understands most of unable to explain able to explain how
progression of the the atomic theory and some of the the experiments of
atomic theory and is can explain most of experiments and the scientists relate
able to explain the the experiments and how they relate to to the models of the
significance of how they relate to the the models of the atoms.
experiments to the models of the atoms. atoms.
models of the atoms.

Timeline Order Students used the Students misplaced Students misplaced Students did not put
correct order for their some of the scientists most of the scientists any of the scientists
timeline. on the timeline. on the timeline. in order on the
timeline.

TOTAL