Chemistry
Standard 3, Objective 2
Title: Ionic Compound Game
Description: Students will practice naming ionic compounds as a review.
Time Needed: 30 minutes
Materials: student sheet and compound cards (see below)
Prior knowledge: Students should know how to name ionic compounds (including those with transition metals).
Safety considerations: Students can be pretty competitive so watch that they don’t hurt each other.
Procedure:
1. http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/ballc/animals/animals.html has animal sounds that you can play for the students. It’s a good idea that everyone makes the same sound for each animal (you might be surprised by the students that don’t know animal sounds-especially ESL students). It will be hard to find another “bird” that is chirping and another that is making a tweet sound.
2. Have the students gather in an open area (like a gym). As a teacher, you will mix up the cards and throw them up in the air. The cards are paired with the name of an animal (or something that can make a noise) on top. The cards are cut to match the cation with the anion and make a net charge of zero. The compound name is written on top and the formula is written on the bottom.
3. After tossing cards, the students scramble to get a card each (make sure there is a card per student). They begin to make the noise indicated by the card until they find their partner making the same noise. When they find each other, they sit down right by each other until the last two people are standing. Students will be out if they say the name on the card (rather than make the noise), show students their cards before they pair up, or are across the room from their partner and sit down (they don’t sit down together).
4. The last two people standing must put their cards together and explain how the cards match up and tell about their compound. If it is hard to hear in the room, the students can keep their cards and pair up when they come back to your room. The students can then take turns standing in front of the class and explaining their card.
5. Keep playing the game, each time taking out two people holding cards, until two ultimate champions are found.
Scoring Guide: Scores are not given, but it is kind of fun to give ribbons to the winners that say something funny for them to wear.
The cards are example of ones you can use or you can come up with some of your own.