Concept attainment exercises often use verbal or written forms of thought. The attached student exercise uses visual imagery to teach the concepts of Elements, Compounds and Mixtures at the atomic and molecular level. The recent emphasis on literacy all too often only refers to written or numeric forms. Yet how often, as science teachers, do we not start explaining various concepts by drawing rough pictures? New technologies have made the use of visual imagery and animation much easier, yet the way I use this particular exercise is with the old-fashioned and technologically simplistic scissors and glue stick.
