1. Determine the number of valence electrons.
* Fluorine is in Group 7A, so it has 7 valence electrons.
2. Place the symbol for the element.
* Draw the letter "F" to represent the fluorine atom.
3. Distribute the valence electrons around the atom.
* Fluorine needs 8 electrons to achieve a stable octet.
* Start by placing one dot on each of the four sides of the "F" symbol.
* Then, add one dot to each side, pairing them up with the existing dots. You'll end up with three pairs and one lone dot.
The Lewis Structure for Fluorine:
```
.
:F:
.
```
Important Note: Fluorine is a highly electronegative element. It is very likely to gain an electron and form a fluoride ion (F-) which would have a complete octet:
```
:F:
-
```
