When I started teaching, I did not separate ionic and covalent bonding. I taught them alongside each other, and my students did fairly well it. Bonds were just one more thing that you could classify.
In my current school, they teach the types of bonds separately. Two weeks for ionic bonds and one to two weeks for covalent bonds. It works well enough, but I feel like my students are less able to hold both ideas simultaneously. For example, instead of learning how to identify the types of elements in the compound to determine the system to use for naming, they forget one method in favor of the other. Specifically, once they learn to name covalent compounds, they name everything with prefixes.
We are adjusting now that our state standards have shifted away from memorizing and are moving us more towards classifying by type (and even going even further in metallic bonds, covalent network, etc).
Here I’ve provided an example here of teaching them side-by-side. It’s just always worked better for me. If you want to split them up and spend time on each type- go for it! I would suggest teaching ionic first, followed by covalent. If you want to get into it, add some organic compounds too!
Chemical Bonding Lesson Plans
Total Duration: 12-14 days
Note: a day refers to 45-50 minute periods.
| Topic & Timeline | Tasks | Description |
| Ionic vs. Covalent 1 day | Conductivity Lab | I select several random substances from my supply, ensuring at least ten samples. Students test the conductivity of the solid substance as well as the solution of the substance. Make sure you use DI water for the solutions, so your tap water doesn’t give a false reading. I use the conductivity testers from Flinn Science, but you can make your own if you have a small budget. |
| Electronegativity + Bonding 1 day | Electronigativity Discussion Ionic Compound Bonding Patterns Discussion | I show my students a periodic table with electronegativities. We discuss Ionic bonding as metal-nonmetal bonds and covalent bonding as nonmetal-nonmetal bonds. I challenge them to determine how the electronegativities can help prove this. I then show them lots of different ionic compounds. In their groups, they have to figure out the pattern. Eventually, they figure out that Alkali metals bond with halogens in a 1:1 ratio, and the oxygen family in a 2:1 ratio, etc. A great alternative to this more free-form lesson would be to use the Types of Bonds AP POGIL. It uses electronegativity differences to discuss ionic, metallic, and covalent bonds. |
| Types of Bonding 1-2 days | Ionic Compounds Notes Covalent Compounds Notes + Practice Compounds to Ions Practice | Your students will need to know how to draw Lewis Dot structures. If you didn’t teach them this notation with the electron unit, now would be a great time to do it! Students will solidify their understanding of ionic and covalent compounds. They will learn the basic properties of these different compounds as well as how to write their formulas. |
| Bonding in Solids 1 day | Types of Solids POGIL | This is another AP Chemistry POGIL, but it has some great questions. I’ve had 1st year chemistry students complete it and they’ve been fine with the level of content. Students work through models of ionic solids, molecular solids, network covalent solids, and metallic solids. They look at their structures, bond types, melting points, enthalpy of fusion, solubility in water, and conductivity. |
| Polyatomic Ions 1 day (optional) | Polyatomic Ions POGIL | If you have time, exposing your students to polyatomic ions now is super helpful. This is a regular chemistry POGIL. It helps them think about a polyatomic ion as a unit that can be classified and dealt with as a single particle, which helps name as well as balance reactions later in the year. |
| Naming Compounds 1-2 days | Naming Ions + Practice Naming Ionic Compounds+Practice Naming Covalent Compounds + Practice | I like to teach my students how to name ions before we go straight into naming compounds. We spend a little time on ions and then put the names together for the full ionic compound. Make sure you tell them to check their elements first. If there’s a metal- no prefixes are allowed! Mono, di, tri! Time to name some covalent compounds. You can do this right after or in conjunction with naming ionic compounds. |
| Lewis Dot Structures 1 day | Lewis Dot Structures of Compounds + Practice | Let’s switch gears back to covalent compounds! Students learn how to draw Lewis Structures for Covalent compounds and the mechanism for making double or triple bonds. |
| VSPER 1-2 days | pHet: Molecule Shapes VSPER and Molecular Shapes + Practice | I like teaching molecule shapes to my students because it helps them understand polarity. We identify central atoms, lone pairs, and symmetry for a day or two. |
| Polarity 1 day | Polar Properties Lab | This is a station lab where students determine how polarity affects the properties of a compound. Station 1: Like Dissolves Like with water, paint thinner, isopropyl alcohol Station 2: Shaving Cream, Food Dye, + Index Card Station 3: Charged rod and stream of water (bending water) Station 4: Evaporation of acetone, ethyl alcohol, water I can make this lab available in my TPT store if you’re interested. |
| Review | Ionic VocabularyCovalent VocabularyStudy Guide | |
| Assessment |
Further Reading
The Chemistry Particle’s Guide to Teaching High School Chemistry, The Chemistry Particle
Network Covalent Solids and Ionic Solids, LibreTexts
Pattern Recognition & Misconceptions, OK State
