Element Auditions for the Life Builders Team

Element Auditions for the Life Builders Team

CHONPS elements are auditioning for a role in building life. Students act as judges reviewing candidates or as elements making their case.

1. Atomic Number: 8
2. Valence Electrons: 6
3. # of Bonds It Can Form: 2
4. Bond Types: Single and double covalent
5. Fun Fact: Oxygen’s electronegativity makes it great at pulling electrons — and it’s key to water and respiration.
6. Why It’s in Life: It creates polar bonds, helps dissolve substances, and powers cellular energy.

1. Atomic Number: 6
2. Valence Electrons: 4
3. # of Bonds It Can Form: 4
4. Bond Types: Single, double, triple covalent
5. Fun Fact: Carbon is the master connector — it can bond with many atoms to form long chains, rings, and branches.
6. Why It’s in Life: Its versatility builds strong, stable backbones for life’s molecules.

1. Atomic Number: 1
2. Valence Electrons: 1
3. # of Bonds It Can Form: 1
4. Bond Types: Single covalent
5. Fun Fact: Hydrogen is small but mighty — often the first and last atom added to molecules.
6. Why It’s in Life: It forms quick, easy bonds and plays a major role in storing and transferring energy.

1. Atomic Number: 7
2. Valence Electrons: 5
3. # of Bonds It Can Form: 3
4. Bond Types: Single, double, triple covalent
5. Fun Fact: Nitrogen helps form strong triple bonds — and is found in DNA and proteins.
6. Why It’s in Life: It builds stable, information-carrying structures and helps store usable chemical energy.

Team Life Builders

CER Format Prompt

Claim:

• I, ___________, should be part of the team because....

Evidence:

• I have ___ valence electrons

• I can form ___ bonds (how many + what kind)

• I bond with ___ to build stable structures

• My bonds are (strong/weak/flexible/etc.)

Reasoning:

• Because of these bonding abilities, I help create stable molecules and manage energy efficiently in living things.

Choose one CHON element to represent. You will write a short CER in character, arguing why it deserves a spot on the “Builder of Life" team.