Covalent bonding | Structure strip | 14–16 | Resource

No comments

Support learners to retrieve information on the diagrams used to represent covalent bonds and their limitations

This resource is part of the Structure strip series of resources, designed to support literacy in science teaching.

Download this

Download the structure strips, which are printed five to a page, to support learners to find or retrieve information and write independently.

Find model answers in the teacher guidance.

Download All

Learning objectives

Define the term covalent bond.
Recognise, use and interpret different types of diagrams of covalent bonding in small molecules.
State the limitations of covalent bonding models.

Introduction

Covalent bonding occurs when electrons are shared. There are lots of different substances that have covalent bonding. Covalent bonding can be represented in different diagram types. In this activity learners will gain an understanding of these diagrams and their limitations.

How to use structure strips

Structure strips are a type of scaffolding you can use to support learners to retrieve information independently. Use them to take an overview at the start of the topic, to activate prior knowledge, or to summarise learning at the end of a teaching topic. For more ideas on how to use structure strips with your learners, see 5 ways to use structure strips effectively

Structure strips have sections containing prompts which are sized to suggest the amount that learners must write. Learners glue the strips into the margin of an exercise book and write their answers next to the sections, in full sentences. When learners have finished using the structure strip, they should have an A4 page set of notes and examples.

The strips are printed five to a page and will need to be trimmed to size. Find them on the second page of the student sheet.

Scaffolding

To further support learners to answer the questions you can include a list of keywords or add prompts to the structure strip.

As learners grow in confidence, they may be able to answer the question without the structure strip or attempt the question first and then use the structure strip to improve or self-assess their answer.

Metacognition

This activity supports learners to develop their metacognitive skills in three key areas.

Planning: the strips provide scaffolding to plan the written response. Learners will decide where to gather information from (textbooks, own notes, revision websites). Ask learners: is the source of information you are using reliable?
Monitoring: learners are prompted by the questions in the structure strip and can check their answer against the prompts. Ask learners: have you covered all of the questions in the space provided? Do you need to change anything to complete the task?
Evaluation: learners can self-assess or ask a peer to check their work against the answers. Ask learners: did you achieve what you meant to achieve? What might you do differently next time?

Keywords

Covalent, bonding, limitation, molecule, polymer.

More resources for teaching covalent bonding

Use this step-by-step infographic poster and supporting resource with your 14–16 learners to draw dot and cross diagrams for simple covalent molecules.
Review your learners’ understanding of key ideas, words and phrases relating to bonding with these Review my learning worksheets on bonding, three levels of scaffolding available.
Help learners to visualise the shape and structure of simple covalent molecules with our manipulative covalent bonding tiles.
Find a series of activities, demonstrations and experiments exploring simple covalent molecules and hydrocarbons in the bonding workshops for 14-16 years.

Follow-up question

Learners should answer this question after they have attempted the structure strip. The structure strip activates the required knowledge which learners can then apply to the question.

The photograph shows a small molecule built using Molymods(R).

ethane_U1A8797