Grade 7: Chemistry

Here is a comprehensive overview of the Grade 7 Chemistry content, aligned with the British Columbia (BC) Curriculum.

In BC, the Grade 7 Chemistry unit focuses on the fundamental building blocks of matter and introduces students to the periodic table as a way of organizing elements.

BC Grade 7 Science: Chemistry Unit – Elements and Compounds

This unit explores the questions: “What is everything made of?” and “How are different substances organized and classified?” It moves from the macroscopic properties of substances to the microscopic world of elements and atoms.

Overarching Big Ideas (for the Chemistry Unit)

• Elements consist of one type of atom, and compounds consist of atoms of different elements chemically combined.

• The periodic table is used to organize elements according to their properties.

Core Components of the Grade 7 Chemistry Unit

Part A: The Particle Model of Matter

• Key Concepts: All matter is made of particles, states of matter.

• Learning Goals:

  • State the main ideas of the Particle Model of Matter:

    1. All matter is made of tiny particles.

    2. These particles are in constant motion.

    3. There are spaces between the particles.

  • Use the model to explain the properties of solids, liquids, and gases.

  • Explain changes of state (melting, freezing, evaporation, condensation) in terms of the particle model.

Part B: Introduction to Atoms and Elements

• Key Concepts: Atoms as building blocks, pure substances.

• Learning Goals:

  • Define an atom as the smallest unit of an element.

  • Define an element as a pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means, and is made up of only one type of atom.

  • Identify common elements and their symbols (e.g., Oxygen (O), Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Nitrogen (N), Gold (Au)).

Part C: The Periodic Table

• Key Concepts: Organization, patterns, metals and non-metals.

• Learning Goals:

  • Understand that the periodic table organizes all known elements.

  • Identify the information in a periodic table square: atomic number, chemical symbol, element name, atomic mass.

  • Locate and identify metals, non-metals, and metalloids on the periodic table.

  • Describe general properties of metals (e.g., shiny, malleable, good conductors) and non-metals (e.g., dull, brittle, poor conductors).

Part D: Compounds and Chemical Formulas

• Key Concepts: Chemical combinations, representing compounds.

• Learning Goals:

  • Define a compound as a pure substance formed when atoms of two or more different elements are chemically combined.

  • Understand that compounds have properties that are different from the elements that form them.

  • Interpret simple chemical formulas (e.g., H₂O: 2 hydrogen atoms, 1 oxygen atom; CO₂: 1 carbon atom, 2 oxygen atoms).

Curricular Competencies in Action (The “Doing” of Science)

• Questioning and Predicting:

  • “If you keep cutting a piece of aluminum foil in half, will you eventually reach a point where you can’t cut it anymore and still have aluminum?”

  • “Why is sodium a dangerous, reactive metal and chlorine a poisonous gas, but when combined they form table salt (NaCl) that we can eat?”

• Planning and Conducting:

  • Lab: Modeling Matter. Use different materials (e.g., marbles, beads, sand) to model the arrangement and movement of particles in solids, liquids, and gases.

  • Investigation: Metal vs. Non-Metal Properties. Test samples of different elements (e.g., iron, sulfur, carbon, copper) for properties like conductivity, malleability, and lustre.

• Processing and Analyzing Data and Information:

  • Classify substances as elements or compounds based on their chemical formulas.

  • Create a chart comparing the properties of metals, non-metals, and metalloids.

• Evaluating:

  • Evaluate different models of atoms and molecules and discuss their strengths and limitations.

• Applying and Innovating:

  • Research an element and create an “Element Superhero” poster that highlights its properties, uses, and “powers.”

  • Contribute to care for self, others, and community by investigating the chemistry of safe water treatment.

• Communicating:

  • Use scientific language to explain the difference between an element and a compound to a younger student.

Sample Learning Standards from the BC Curriculum

• Content: “Explain the behaviour of matter in terms of the particle model.”

• Content: “Distinguish between elements and compounds.”

• Content: “Use the periodic table to obtain information about elements.”

• Curricular Competency: “Experience and interpret the local environment.” (e.g., identifying elements and compounds found in local rocks, water, and air).

Key Connections to Other Grade 7 Science Units

• Connection to Physics: The Particle Model of Matter connects to physics concepts of temperature and thermal energy. The motion of particles explains heat transfer and changes of state.

• Connection to Biology: The elements carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are the fundamental building blocks of all living things. Understanding elements and compounds is essential for understanding biochemistry.

• Connection to Earth Science: The composition of Earth’s crust, atmosphere, and oceans can be understood in terms of elements and compounds.

This unit provides the foundational knowledge for all future chemistry studies and helps students see the hidden patterns and organization in the material world around them.