BACKGROUND

The chemistry syllabus for form four involves the teaching of fundamental concepts.  A chemistry lesson should be properly planned so as to make it an enjoyable learning experience for the students.  An enjoyable teaching and learning process will stimulate the two hemispherical sides of the students’ brains.  In effect, this will enhance the long term memory of the students.

OBJECTIVES

1.       To enable students to memorise symbols for elements.
2.       To enable students to remember the positions of the elements in the Periodic Table

BENEFITS FOR TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS

1.       This activity is student-centred and makes learning more enjoyable.
2.       It can be played as an indoor game which can be used as an activity for Science Society.

APPARATUS/MATERIALS NEEDED

3 manila cards, scissors, markers, colour pencils and the Periodic Table of Elements.

 

CONSTRUCTION OF TEACHING AIDS

1. To make the Periodic Table Board, copy the Periodic Table onto the manila card as shown in Appendix 1. Every square on the board measures 3 cm x 3 cm. Write the name and atomic number of elements on each square.

2. With the second manila card, cut out 103 pieces of cards measuring 3 cm x 3 cm.  Write the symbol and atomic number of  each element on each card.

3. To make a card holder, fold a 12 cm x 32 cm manila card into 3 equal parts lengthwise along the dotted lines as shown in figures (i) and (ii).

IMPLEMENTATION

1. The game is for 2 - 6 players

2. This game consists of a Periodic Table Board and 103 cards with atomic numbers and symbols of elements written on them.

3. Ten cards are given at random to each player and the cards are placed on the card holder. The remaining cards are stacked face down in a box.

4. Each player takes a card from the stack.  The player with the highest number will start, followed by the player on the right, moving anti-clockwise. 

5. The first player puts at least 2 adjacent cards on the board. These cards may be placed horizontally, vertically or diagonally, provided the atomic number of the card matches the appropriate square on the board.  (Refer  to the diagram below)

6. For every two adjacent cards, 10 points are awarded.  If a player places more than two adjacent cards in a single turn, a bonus of 10 points is awarded.  (Refer to diagram below)

7. At the end of every turn, each player takes randomly from the stack to bring the total number of  cards back to ten.

8. If a player cannot place his cards according to rule No. 5, he may make use of his turn to exchange one of his cards for a new one from the stack.  The discarded card must be placed face down on top of the stack.  The player draws a card from the bottom of the stack.  To play again, he must wait for his next turn.

9. After the second round of the game, a player is allowed to place a single card on the Periodic Table Board provided the adjacent squares on the board are already filled.  Such a card placement earns the player 5 points.

10. If a card placed by a player completes a vertical group or a horizontal period, bonus points equivalent to the number of elements multiplied by two are given. (Refer to the diagram below).

                        If the “Na” card is placed together with “Mg” or “Be” or “Ca” cards,

                        the player gets 10 points for adjacent cards.  In addition, he gets a

                        bonus of 10 points (5 elements x 2) for completing a group by virtue

                        of the “Na” card.

11. The game continues until there are no more cards left in the stack and one of the players has used up all the cards on his holder.  The other players add the value of the atomic number of their remaining cards.  Then each player adds up his total score and deducts the total value of the atomic number of the remaining cards.  The player with the highest score is the winner.

SUGGESTIONS FOR MODIFICATION

1. The Periodic Table Board could be coloured to differentiate between metals, semimetals and non-metals.

2. Different colours could be used to write the symbols of the elements to denote their physical states.

                  For example:  red for solids

                                        blue for liquids

                                        green for gases

3. Make squares with an award on the Periodic Table Board by marking it with an asterisk.  These squares have questions concerning the particular elements.  If a card is placed on such a square, a player can earn a bonus of 10 points provided he answers the question correctly.  (Refer to the example below)

* Question:  What is the electronic arrangement of the sodium atom?
Answer:    2.8.1