The starting point of this communication is the consideration that a scientific concept cannot be explained only by its formal definition; the same one that appears in the texts or that the teacher offers in the classroom. Then, what other elements do they constitute a scientific concept? The study of the history of science and its application in science teaching, allows to enlighten several elements in the making of a scientific concept. Such elements, in turn, can structure a didactic model that can help to make teacher explanations of scientific concepts more meaningful. In this article these elements are described, taking as a reference the concept of chemical chemist