Activity Cite This: J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
The People Periodic Table: A Framework for Engaging Introductory Chemistry Students Adam Hoffman* and Mark Hennessy University of Dubuque, 2000 University Avenue, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, United States Hempstead High School, 3715 Pennsylvania Avenue, Dubuque, Iowa 52002, United States S Supporting Information *
ABSTRACT: Understanding the organizational framework and predictive powers of the periodic table is paramount in preparing students for success in chemistry. An interactive classroom activity was developed to engage students as they analyzed and evaluated the repeating trends in physical and chemical properties of elements displayed on the periodic table. This activity transforms the class into a “representative” periodic table, with each student portraying a unique element as they analyze their relation to their elemental neighbors, evaluate statements regarding their periodic peers, and explore of the power of periodicity present within the periodic table. Prior to this activity, the students correctly answered just over 10% of the questions asking them to evaluate periodic trends, while after the activity the students correctly answered over 50% of the questions covering the same content. Student feedback was positive and highlighted the interactive and engaging qualities of the activity. The People Periodic Table activity is flexible enough to be used in nearly any introductory chemistry class to enhance student engagement and learning with respect to the periodic table’s organization, predictive powers, and trends. KEYWORDS: First-Year Undergraduate/General, High School/Introductory Chemistry, Collaborative/Cooperative Learning, Hands-On Learning/Manipulatives, Inquiry-Based/Discovery Learning, Periodicity/Periodic Table
■
INTRODUCTION The periodic table is a fundamental and essential tool utilized in many scientific disciplines. It provides a useful framework for organizing, understanding, and analyzing numerous chemical and physical properties. Comprehending the structure of the periodic table gives one the ability to make logical predictions regarding variations in atomic size, electron configuration, electronegativity, ionization energy, electron affinity, effective nuclear charge, melting point, reactivity, or metallic character between elements. Thus, being able to use the information contained within the periodic table is essential to understanding the basic chemistry concepts needed to succeed in a multitude of scientific fields. Recognizing both the importance of the periodic table, and the pitfalls of rote memorization, including misconceptions and confusion regarding basic chemical concepts,1 many instructors have devised activities to engage students in learning the properties and contents of the periodic table. Especially valuable is an annotated bibliography of 122 entries, dating back to 1925, describing activities, book reviews, demonstrations, experiments, information, or software/video items related to the periodic table.2 Another describes several constructivist activities that can be used to learn about the periodic table using hands-on activities, visualization, writing, demonstrations, role play, and guided inquiry.3 More recently, educational activities have been described in the literature, including the use of building blocks, ping pong games, tasks involving play, board and card games, discovery© XXXX American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
based lessons, and quick response codes, that provide students the positive effects of exposure to active, hands-on learning.4−13 Although many of these activities engage entire classes, examine periodic trends, and are relatively low cost and easy to implement, none share the unique utilization of the factors found in The People Periodic Table activity. Especially noteworthy are the kinesthetic components of this active, hands-on activity. Although kinesthetic learning is uncommon in most chemistry classes, it has been identified as increasing student attention in class while creating deeper learning experiences that allow students to transfer content knowledge into subsequent lectures and subsequent courses.14,15 A thorough understanding of the periodic table paves the way for a greater ability to relate fundamental chemical concepts, such as atomic size, electron configuration, and physical properties, to one another. An emphasis of these relatively simple relationships has been shown to be important for gaining an understanding of the trends in the periodic table.16 The People Periodic Table activity was developed to be an additional resource for instructors to engage students in analyzing and evaluating the repeating trends in physical and chemical properties of elements displayed on the periodic table. Received: March 25, 2017 Revised: November 19, 2017
A
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00226 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
Journal of Chemical Education
■
Activity
ACTIVITY OVERVIEW
electron orbitals are covered prior to using this activity. The variation discussed below is one example of how these central features have been used in high school and introductory college chemistry classes. More detailed information and variations allowing this activity to be used with various classroom layouts/ spaces and class sizes can be found in the Supporting Information. After the students were arranged into a People Periodic Table, they were asked to brainstorm what they knew about the periodic table. A video followed, introducing both the genius of Dmitri Mendeleev’s arrangement of the periodic table and the predictive powers of the table. At this point, the students were told that they had been assembled into a People Periodic Table and were asked to identify which element they were. Then they were asked to introduce themselves to their elemental neighbors and verify one another’s identity. Electron configuration and valence electrons were discussed, and each student wrote down their respective electron shell diagrams and discussed with the person behind them and to their left and right the differences and similarities that existed between them in terms of valence electrons (Figure 2). Then the class engaged in predictions regarding the previously defined periodic properties of atomic size, electronegativity, ionization energy, electron affinity, and metallic character. This was accomplished, for example, by instructing the students to discuss with their neighbors to their left and right to decide whom in the period has the largest ionization energy. Then each student was prompted to point in the direction of the person with the largest ionization in their period. Often as they pointed, the students noticed that the people directly next to them were pointing toward the same person as them, while the people in front and behind them were not pointing to the same person, yet they were pointing in the same direction. At this juncture, many students realized, visually, what a “periodic trend” is: every period (or group) was acting similarly. Teachable moments abound during this part of the activity, as invariably not everyone in the same period (or group) will be pointing to the correct element. Often people right next to one another are pointing at one another, and they realize they cannot both be correct. This presents a great opportunity for the instructor to ask the students to discuss with the people around them which person is correct and to explain to each other why they are correct.
Materials
The materials needed for this 50 min activity include something to write on, and something to write with, for each student in class. A follow-up class period is used to clarify any remaining questions regarding periodic trends or concepts. Creating the People Periodic Table
The class is assembled into a “representative” periodic table, with each student occupying a spot corresponding to a single representative main group element (“s” and “p” block element) of the periodic table (Figure 1). For a variety of logistical and
Figure 1. Arrangement of students and their corresponding representative elements (groups IA−VIIIA). The empty spaces in the left panel indicate a space or open seat between students. The activity is easier to implement if the students are seated by filling up the seats from the top down and only staring a new row only when the row prior is full; however, a full row is not necessary.
pedagogical reasons the transition and inner transition elements (“d” and “f” block elements) are not included in The People Periodic Table seating arrangement. The learning environment should be arranged, either by moving the desks/tables or by setting out paper/white boards in spots that are acceptable for students to sit, prior to the students entering the classroom. Using The People Periodic Table
This activity is best implemented when introducing the periodic table, discussing how it is organized, or noting the trends exhibited for various physical properties. It is suggested that atomic number, valence electrons, electron configurations, and
Figure 2. Students, arranged in the People Periodic Table, display electron shell diagrams as indicators of their elemental identity. B
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00226 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
Journal of Chemical Education
Activity
ionization energy, and the postactivity assessment showed that students still mistakenly thought that, of all the elements, hydrogen had the lowest ionization energy. This was a common misconception in the pretest that also manifested itself in the post-test. The current iteration of this activity, as shown in the Supporting Information, clarifies this trend as it pertains to hydrogen. A different subset of high school students (n = 36) and college students (n = 56) were asked for anonymous feedback regarding what, if anything, they liked and disliked about this activity (see Supporting Information for student prompts utilized). Reponses were coded using a simplified version of the general inductive approach to identify important themes and characteristics from the student responses.17 This approach was accomplished by performing an initial reading of qualitative responses, and then specific response data related to learning objectives of the activity were identified. Then the data were labeled to create the categories, and then the categories were examined to reduce overlap and redundancy. Finally, the most important categories were reported out (Table 1). The most
After each trend was observed, the class was led in a discussion examining why these periodic trends occur. The activity ended with the students writing down their thoughts regarding the activity, writing down questions they had about periodicity or the trends discussed, and taking a short quiz to check for understanding and areas of confusion. The next class period examined the questions brought up by the student feedback, explored areas of confusion as evidenced by the posttest, and probed the exceptions/inconsistencies in periodic trends that occur in the transition metals.
■
ASSESSMENT Over 300 students from multiple sections of high school chemistry and college general chemistry classes participated in the People Periodic Table activity. Participants from a subset of high school (n = 55) and college chemistry (n = 80) classes were given the same five questions (provided in the Supporting Information) to examine their ability to analyze and evaluate trends in physical and chemical properties of various representative elements before and after the activity. Most students had little knowledge of periodic trends prior to the activity, but the number of students answering the postactivity questions correctly increased dramatically following the activity (Figure 3). Although the college students averaged slightly
Table 1. Positive People Periodic Table Activity Characteristics Identified by Participants
a
Responding, % (N = 92)
Characteristic
18 16 12 11 10 5
Hands-ona Collaborativea Content Role-playa Kinesthetica Visual
Active learning feature.
apparent theme was the positive response from participants in the activity regarding the student-centered learning features of the People Periodic Table activity. A majority, 60%, identified a feature associated with active learning as a favorable characteristic of the activity. Nearly 70% of students either responded that there was nothing about the activity they did not enjoy or chose not to answer that question. Of the remaining students, 5% said the aspect they found unfavorable was the fast pace of the activity.
Figure 3. Number of high school and college students answering each question correctly before and after The People Periodic Table activity. Question one dealt with periodicity, question two dealt with atomic radius, question three dealt with electronegativity, question four dealt with ionization energy, and question five (the only multiple-choice question) dealt with electron affinities. Total number of high school students answering each question was 55, and the total number of college students answering each question was 80.
■
DISCUSSION The strength of this resource does not lie in the specific implementation of the activity, but rather it lies in utilizing the framework of organizing the students into the “representative” periodic table seating formation and having them engage in discussion with their neighbors. When the students begin discussing their proton and valence electron characteristics with their elemental peers (those in their same group or period), they engaged with both their classmates and with the periodic table in an active manner as reflected in student responses (Table 1). Although only short-term learning gains were assessed by the postactivity assessment, a large meta-analysis review research study revealed that bringing active learning activities into science classrooms increased student performance on exams and led to lower dropout rates.13 In our experience, it was not unusual for students to answer test questions pertaining to periodic trend question with both the correct element, while also adding, totally unprompted, the correct name of the classmate who portrayed that element in The People Periodic Table activity.
more correct answers on the pretest, there was not a significant difference, t(133) = 1.09, p = 0.276, between the average pretest score between high school and college students. However, paired t tests showed statistically significant increases in correct answers when comparing performance before and following the People Periodic Table activity for both the high school students, t(54) = 8.65, p < 0.001, and college students t(79) = 13.69, p < 0.001. The percent of students answering post-test questions one, two, three, and five correctly ranged from 51% to 71%, and overall the students answered more than 56% of the postactivity questions correctly after answering only 11% correctly prior to doing the activity. Question four dealt with C
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00226 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
Journal of Chemical Education
■
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This research was supported by funds for the Dorothy Taylor Chair in Chemistry. The authors would like to thank multiple sections of general chemistry and advanced placement students for their patience, effort, and feedback in implementing and optimizing this activity. The University of Dubuque Institutional Review Board reviewed and approved this research to ensure that study participants’ rights were duly respected and their well-being protected. This manuscript was strengthened thanks to astute and helpful comments from Ken Turner, Ken Walz, David Snyder, and three anonymous reviewers.
Characteristics of the People Periodic Table activity that are widely considered best practices in science education for their ability to enhance student learning include the following: enhanced participation, engaged multiple learning styles (visual, verbal, logical, kinesthetic), and collaborative learning. Enhanced participation, as required as the students take on the role of a representative element, has been shown to increase learning in science.18 Kinesthetic learning, as required as students arrange into the table and gesture to indicate trends, although still uncommon in chemistry classes has demonstrated its utility through benefits of longer-term content retention and heightened student interest and attention.15,19,20 The collaborative learning, as exhibited through student discussions with their periodic neighbors, also has been shown to improve content retention and enjoyment of chemistry.21 The periodic table, atomic structure, atomicity, and electron configuration have been identified as threshold concepts in chemistry.22−24 Threshold concepts, although often difficult concepts for students to grasp, are important ideas that prove to be gateways to new ways of thinking within a discipline of study.25,26 The People Periodic Table activity offers students the opportunity to engage through multiple learning styles with these difficult concepts in an active, collaborative, and lowstakes manner. This activity has the potential to start students down the road of mastery, paving the way for students to more fully engage with chemistry, integrate multiple lines of chemical thinking, and centralize their way of thinking about chemistry and other threshold concepts.24
■
CONCLUSIONS The People Periodic Table activity provides a flexible and novel framework to engage students with the physical and chemical trends present in the periodic table. The activity can be adapted to work regardless of classroom layout, class size, or preferred teaching style. With its unique combination of best teaching practices, this activity has the potential to increase student interest in, and retention of, content relating to the periodic table and trends associated with physical and chemical properties. The People Periodic Table activity provides teachers with another student-centered learning activity to engage students with threshold concepts in the chemistry classroom. HAZARDS There are no hazards associated with this activity. ASSOCIATED CONTENT
S Supporting Information *
The Supporting Information is available on the ACS Publications website at DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00226. Pre/postassessments with rubric (PDF, DOCX) Instructor handout and notes (PDF, DOCX)
■
REFERENCES
(1) Osman, K.; Sukor, N. S. Conceptual Understanding in Secondary School Chemistry. Am. J. Appl. Sci. 2013, 10 (5), 433−441. (2) Jacobsen, E. K. National Chemistry Week 2009: Chemistry−It’s Elemental! JCE Resources for Chemistry and the Periodic Table. J. Chem. Educ. 2009, 86 (10), 1154. (3) Cherif, A. A.; Adams, G. E.; Cannon, C. E. Nonconventional Methods in Teaching Matter, Atoms, Molecules and the Periodic Table for Nonmajor Students. Am. Biol. Teach 1997, 59 (7), 428−438. (4) Martí-Centelles, V.; Rubio-Magnieto, J. ChemMend: A Card Game to Introduce and Explore the Periodic Table While Engaging Students’ Interest. J. Chem. Educ. 2014, 91 (6), 868−871. (5) Bayir, E. Developing and Playing Chemistry Games to Learn About Elements, Compounds, and the Periodic Table: Elemental Periodica, Compoundica, and Groupica. J. Chem. Educ. 2014, 91 (4), 531−535. (6) Bonifacio, V. D. B. QR-Coded Audio Periodic Table of the Elements: A Mobile-Learning Tool. J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89 (4), 552− 554. (7) Franco-Mariscal, A. J.; Oliva-Martínez, J. M.; Almoraima Gil, M. L. Students’ Perceptions About the Use of Educational Games as a Tool for Teaching the Periodic Table of Elements at the High School Level. J. Chem. Educ. 2015, 92 (2), 278−285. (8) Franco-Mariscal, A. J.; Oliva-Martínez, J. M.; Blanco-López, Á .; España-Ramos, E. A Game-Based Approach To Learning the Idea of Chemical Elements and Their Periodic Classification. J. Chem. Educ. 2016, 93 (7), 1173−1190. (9) Kuntzleman, T. S.; Rohrer, K. N.; Baldwin, B. W.; Kingsley, J.; Schaerer, C. L.; Sayers, D. K.; West, V. B. Constructing an Annotated Periodic Table Created with Interlocking Building Blocks: A National Chemistry Week Outreach Activity for All Ages. J. Chem. Educ. 2013, 90 (10), 1346−1348. (10) Lee, C. H.; Zhu, J. F.; Lin, T. L.; Ni, C. W.; Hong, C. P.; Huang, P. H.; Chuang, H. L.; Lin, S. Y.; Ho, M. L. Using a Table Tennis Game, “Elemental Knock-Out”, To Increase Students’ Familiarity with Chemical Elements, Symbols, and Atomic Numbers. J. Chem. Educ. 2016, 93 (10), 1744−1748. (11) Melaku, S.; Schreck, J. O.; Griffin, K.; Dabke, R. B. Interlocking Toy Building Blocks as Hands-On Learning Modules for Blind and Visually Impaired Chemistry Students. J. Chem. Educ. 2016, 93 (6), 1049−1055. (12) Selco, J.; Bruno, M.; Chan, S. Discovering Periodicity: HandsOn, Minds-On Organization of the Periodic Table by Visualizing the Unseen. J. Chem. Educ. 2013, 90 (8), 995−1002. (13) Freeman, S.; Eddy, S. L.; McDonough, M.; Smith, M. K.; Okoroafor, N.; Jordt, H.; Wenderoth, M. P. Active Learning Increases Student Performance in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2014, 111 (23), 8410−8415. (14) Bridgeman, A. J.; Schmidt, T. W.; Young, N. A. Using Atomic Orbitals and Kinesthetic Learning to Authentically Derive Molecular Stretching Vibrations. J. Chem. Educ. 2013, 90 (7), 889−893. (15) Bunce, D. M.; Flens, E. A.; Neiles, K. Y. How Long Can Students Pay Attention in Class? A Study of Student Attention Decline Using Clickers. J. Chem. Educ. 2010, 87, 1438−1443.
■
■ ■
Activity
AUTHOR INFORMATION
Corresponding Author
*E-mail: AHoff
[email protected]. ORCID
Adam Hoffman: 0000-0002-3109-4105 Notes
The authors declare no competing financial interest. D
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00226 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
Journal of Chemical Education
Activity
(16) Larson, K. G.; Long, G. R.; Briggs, M. W. Periodic Properties and Inquiry: Student Mental Models Observed During a Periodic Table Puzzle Activity. J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89 (12), 1491−1498. (17) Thomas, D. R. A General Inductive Approach for Analyzing Qualitative Evaluation Data. Am. J. Eval. 2006, 27 (2), 237−246. (18) Kerby, H. W.; Cantor, J.; Weiland, M.; Babiarz, C.; Kerby, A. W. Fusion Science Theater Presents the Amazing Chemical Circus: A New Model of Outreach that Uses Theater to Engage Children in Learning. J. Chem. Educ. 2010, 87, 1024−1030. (19) Parsons, C. J.; Salaita, M. K.; Hughes, C. H.; Lynn, D. G.; Fristoe, A.; Fristoe, A.; Grover, M. A. Group Intelligence: An Active Learning Exploration of Diversity in Evolution. J. Chem. Educ. 2017, 94 (6), 717−721. (20) Masonjones, S. R.; Masonjones, H. D.; Malone, M. C.; Williams, A. H.; Beemer, M. M.; Waggett, R. J. Styrofoam-And-Velcro: An Alternative to Ball-And-Stick Models. J. Microbiol Biol. Educ. 2014, 15 (2), 295. (21) Shibley, I. A., Jr; Zimmaro, D. M. The Influence of Collaborative Learning on Student Attitudes and Performance in an Introductory Chemistry Laboratory. J. Chem. Educ. 2002, 79 (6), 745. (22) Park, E. J.; Light, G. Identifying Atomic Structure as a Threshold Concept: Student Mental Models and Troublesomeness. Int. J. Sci. Educ. 2009, 31 (2), 233−258. (23) Park, E. J. Impact of Teachers’ Overcoming Experience of Threshold Concepts in Chemistry on Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) Development. J. Korean Chem. Soc. 2015, 59 (4), 308−319. (24) Talanquer, V. Threshold Concepts in Chemistry: The Critical Role of Implicit Schemas. J. Chem. Educ. 2015, 92 (1), 3−9. (25) Meyer, J. H. F.; Land, R. Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge: Linkages to Ways of Thinking and Practising. In Improving Student LearningTheory and Practice Ten Years On; Rust, C., Ed.; Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development: Oxford, U.K., 2003. (26) Raker, J.; Holme, T.; Murphy, K. The ACS Exams Institute Undergraduate Chemistry Anchoring Concepts Content Map II: Organic Chemistry. J. Chem. Educ. 2013, 90 (11), 1443−1445.
E
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00226 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
