Atoms and Elements: Building Blocks of Matter

Exploring the smallest parts of everything around us Year 4 Science

What do you think everything is made of?

Look around the classroom Think about your desk, your pencil, even yourself! What's the smallest thing you can imagine?

Meet the Atom!

Atoms are the tiniest building blocks of everything They're so small you can't see them, even with a regular microscope Everything you touch is made of billions and billions of atoms Even you are made of atoms!

Inside an Atom

Every atom has a center called the nucleus Tiny particles called electrons zoom around the nucleus Think of it like planets orbiting the sun! The nucleus is much smaller than the whole atom

Atom Building Activity

Use play-dough to build your own atom! Red ball for the nucleus in the center Blue balls for electrons around the outside Make the electrons 'orbit' around your nucleus

What are Elements?

An element is made of only one type of atom Gold is an element - all its atoms are gold atoms Oxygen is an element - all its atoms are oxygen atoms There are about 100 different elements in nature

The Periodic Table

Elements in Everyday Life

{"left":"Iron - in our blood and steel buildings\nCarbon - in pencils and diamonds\nOxygen - in the air we breathe","right":"Sodium and Chlorine - make table salt\nCalcium - in our bones and teeth\nAluminum - in drink cans and foil"}

Element Detective Challenge

Can you find elements around you? What element might be in your drink can? What element helps your bones stay strong? What element do you breathe in from the air?

Remember This!

Everything around us is made of tiny atoms, and atoms make up elements. You are made of the same elements that are in the stars!