Complete GCSE Chemistry lesson on Electronic Structure for AQA, Edexcel & OCR – 49 editable slides + differentiated worksheets with full answers. How are electrons arranged in an atom – and how does that arrangement explain the periodic table?

Lesson 5 of the C1 Atomic Structure & the Periodic Table unit. Suitable for Combined Science (Trilogy) and Triple Chemistry, Foundation and Higher tiers. Just open and teach – every slide, worksheet and answer is done for you.

What’s included

• 49-slide editable PowerPoint – every word at least 28 pt, so it reads clearly from the back of the room (great for SEN, dyslexia and visual impairment)
• Do Now retrieval starter with answers, a hook, I do / we do / you do modelling and clear diagrams
• Mini-whiteboard quiz, a hinge question with explained answers, and click-by-click answer reveals
• Exam-style question with mark scheme and sentence starters, 3-2-1 exit ticket, homework and glossary
• Clickable countdown timers and full teacher notes (spec match, 60-minute lesson plan, common misconceptions)
• 6-page differentiated worksheet pack (Word + PDF) – Bronze, Silver and Gold tasks, a stretch challenge, exam question, exit ticket and full answers and mark schemes

Learning objectives

• Bronze: State how many electrons fit in the first three shells (2, 8, 8). Draw the electronic structure of an element from its atomic number.
• Silver: Write electronic structures in number form (e.g. 2.8.1) for all first 20 elements. Use the structure to find an element’s group and period.
• Gold: Explain why elements in the same group react in similar ways. Predict the group, period and behaviour of an element from its structure – and write structures for simple ions.

Specification

• AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 / Combined Science Trilogy 8464 – 4.1.1.7, 4.1.2.1
• Edexcel GCSE Chemistry 1CH0 / Combined Science 1SC0 – matching topic content
• OCR Gateway Chemistry A J248 / Combined Science A J250 – matching topic content

Key words: electron, shell, energy level, electronic structure, configuration, outer shell, group, period, noble gas, full shell

Save money: this lesson is also in the discounted C1 Atomic Structure & the Periodic Table complete unit bundle and the full GCSE Chemistry course bundle (C1–C10).

Ideal for KS4 / Year 10 and Year 11 GCSE Chemistry teaching, cover lessons, intervention and revision of electronic structure.