What is the first step in drawing a Lewis diagram for a molecule?

Count all of the valence electrons in the molecule.

Draw the Lewis diagram for carbon dioxide (CO₂).

O=C=O (with two lone pairs on each oxygen atom)

The octet rule states that atoms want to have 8 valence electrons. Hydrogen is an exception; it only wants 2.

A single line represents a single bond, which is the sharing of two electrons between two atoms.

Carbon in the center, single bonded to four hydrogen atoms. No lone pairs on carbon.

I can draw Lewis structures for small molecular compounds.

1
In Lewis diagrams, dots are used to represent valence electrons.
2
In covalent bonding, atoms share valence electrons in order to obtain a full octet or duet.
3
When drawing Lewis diagrams, the five steps are: Count valence electrons, determine the central atom, draw single bonds, add remaining valence electrons as lone pairs, and turn lone pairs into double or triple bonds to give every atom an octet or duet.