Atomic Theory Timeline Project

Purpose

Upon completion of this project, you will have a visual timeline of the atomic theory including our understanding of the atom and its structure.

Background

According to the atomic theory, all matter is composed of atoms. Around 400 BC, Democritus first suggested that matter is made up of small particles. Since that time, the atomic theory has evolved due to new discoveries and technologies. The majority of this new evidence has been found in the last three centuries.

Assignment

  1. Your timeline must include the following scientists.

Henri Becquerel                Dmitri Mendeleev        

Neils Bohr                        Robert Millikan

James Chadwick                Henry Moseley

Marie Curie                        Isaac Newton

John Dalton                        Wilhelm C. Roentgen

Democritus                        Ernest Rutherford

Werner Heisenburg                J.J. Thomson

In addition, you must include six other scientists that have attributed to the atomic theory.

  1. Your atomic timeline must include the following information:
  1. Date of discovery
  2. Name of the scientist
  3. A statement indicating his/her major contribution

More information can be added if it will enhance your timeline.

  1. A timeline is a visual product, so include a picture or diagram for each scientist’s contribution (hand drawn or printed with proper citations).

  1. Properly cite all of your sources.

Grading Rubric

Criteria

Poor

Fair

Excellent

Scientists

____/5 points

14 or fewer

15-19

20 or more

Chronology

____/10 points

Timeline has several errors in chronological order and several dates are not shown clearly.

Timeline has few errors in chronological order or some dates are not shown clearly.

Timeline is in chronological order and all dates are shown clearly

Scientific Contribution

____/10 points

Few explanations of scientific contribution are thorough.

Most explanations of scientific contribution are thorough.

Contains thorough explanations of the scientific contribution for each scientist.

Pictures and Illustrations

____/10 points

Few pictures and illustrations are accurate and the placement, size, and visual appeal enhance the timeline.

Most pictures and illustrations are accurate and the placement, size, and visual appeal enhance the timeline.

All pictures and illustrations are accurate and the placement, size, and visual appeal enhance the timeline.

Overall quality

____/10 points

Project is not neat, visually appealing, and/or of appropriate size. Project has several spelling or grammatical errors

Project is not neat, visually appealing, and/or of appropriate size. Project has few spelling or grammatical errors

Project is neat, visually appealing, of appropriate size, and has no spelling or grammatical errors.

Sources cited

____/5 points

Sources are not properly cited or only some of the sources are cited.

Sources are properly cited for most of the information.

Sources are properly cited for all information.

PHYSICS by MN Partnership for Collaborative Curriculum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.