Cooperating Teacher’s Signature: ____________________________

Name: Mary Burton Cooperating Teacher: Kayla DiMarzio

Date: 10/7/2018 8:00 AM and 8:52 AM Scholars Chemistry periods 1 and 2

HALF LIFE OF PENNYIUM LESSON PLAN

Specific Objectives to meet goals:

Students will be able to simulate radioactive decay and half-life using pennies.
Students will be able to extend the knowledge they learn in this activity to practical problems.

Ohio Learning Standard (Physical Science Standard: Reactions of Matter):

Through radioactive decay, the unstable nucleus emits radiation in the form of very fast-moving
particles and energy to produce a new nucleus, thus changing the identity of the element. Nuclei
that undergo this process are said to be radioactive.

Motivational Techniques:
Begin the lesson by relating the forces of attraction between particles inside an atom with forces
of attraction in the everyday world (gravity and electromagnetic).

Materials Needed:
100 pennies, 100 paper clips, cup, 2 different colored pens

Procedure for the Lesson:

 Begin by going over the background information (pre-lab questions) for this activity and
briefly explain to the students what they are going to be doing (10 minutes).
 Students put 100 pennies into a cup. They then pour the pennies out and separate the
heads from the tails. They record the number of heads and replace those pennies with
paper clips. Repeat this process until all the remaining pennies are heads. (20 minutes)
 Students graph their results and answer the analysis questions (10 minutes)
 If time remains, answer the post lab questions (finish for homework).

Academic Language:
Radioactive decay, half-life

Assessment Methods:
The students will answer analysis questions related to the activity that they just completed so that
they understand the purpose of the activity. They will also answer a few post-lab questions that
will help them extend their knowledge to practical situations.

Evaluation of Field Experience Student’s Performance:

Overall the lesson went well. For the most part, the students understood what they were doing
and followed instructions. Their answers to the analysis and post lab questions showed that most
of them understood what was going on in the activity. I made a few small mistakes during the
lesson, but that will get better as I gain more experience. This was my first time leading an
activity as elaborate as this one, so it can only go up from here! I think this was a great way to
teach half-life and radioactive decay, and it is definitely something I will consider doing with my
future students.