Activity pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Elements Are Everywhere: A Crossword Puzzle Susan G. Cady* P.O. Box 262, Clover, Virginia 24534-0262, United States S Supporting Information *
ABSTRACT: A crossword puzzle with 24 common elements as answers is presented. Clues describe familiar objects that are made with the element or common phrases that can be associated with the element. This puzzle may be used in the classroom as an activity to review element names, spelling, and to relate the composition of everyday objects to specific elements. Also the descriptions can be used without need for the grid. Thus visually impaired and blind students can participate and benefit from this exercise when the clues are read out loud. Extensions of this puzzle are to generate more clues describing additional elements, to use the clues to create elemental flash cards, and to use the clues as a basis for a visual periodic table display.
KEYWORDS: General Public, High School/Introductory Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Humor/Puzzles/Games, Enrichment/Review Materials, Nomenclature/Units/Symbols, Periodicity/Periodic Table
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variety of games and puzzles1,2 has been used to review and reinforce students’ knowledge of many topics in chemistry. Element names and symbols have been the focus of many types of puzzles including word searches,3 anagrams,4 the creation of words using the chemical symbols as letters,5 and the translation of a series of element names into their symbols to reveal a word.6 Such puzzles are appropriate for many ages because they do not require chemical knowledge. These exercises reinforce the spelling of element names and the learning of element symbols. Additional element-based exercises, such as trivia,7 forming related words,8 drawing,9 and line matrix puzzles,10 depend on chemical knowledge and allow students to absorb information in a way that does not involve straight memorization. Of all the crossword puzzles found in this Journal, only one crossword puzzle11 resembles the current crossword puzzle in that all of its clues describe elements. The “Elements Are Everywhere” crossword puzzle (Figure 1) requires students to match the names of 24 elements with familiar objects where the element is used or can be found. Several specific and general clues (Table 1) are given for each element, including nonchemical clues that can give students hints to the answer (Figure 2). The goal is for students to relate the chemical composition of objects they might encounter everyday with various chemical elements and to understand that elements are everywhere. The descriptions or clues can also be used without the crossword puzzle grid. Thus this is an activity in which visually impaired and blind students also can participate. Clues can be read out loud or print can be made audible by text to speech software. Traditional crossword puzzle rules were expanded in this puzzle to accommodate a few more elements. Certain answers need to be filled in the puzzle in specific ways, which are indicated in the clues. © 2012 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
Figure 1. Elements Are Everywhere crossword puzzle.
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EXTRA ACTIVITY As an extra activity, students can use conventional rules and nonconventional crossword puzzle features to expand this puzzle Published: February 15, 2012 524
dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed1004323 | J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89, 524−525
Journal of Chemical Education
Activity
Table 1. Clues for the Elements Are Everywhere Crossword Puzzle HORIZONTAL VERTICAL 1. A radioactive, noble gas found in unventilated attics and basements; decay product of clue 1. This solid explodes in water; _+ chloride = table salt; _ nitrate used 10H; sounds like two male names to preserve and flavor meats 2. Type of bomb; proton; _2O; acid scale p_ 2. Air contains 78% _ gas; an element in ammonia; can be condensed into a very cold liquid; produced by clover plants and lightning 3. Main element in pre-1983 penny; shiny brown metal; bottom of some cooking pans; 3. Element found in ash; two common forms are graphite and plumbing pipes, wires, roofs, and rain gutters diamond; organic; 14_ used for age or date determination 4. Element found in rust, blood, and spinach 4. A noble gas, when stimulated by electricity, creates colorful light; _ lights on Broadway; name of a past Dodge car model 5. A poisonous, liquid metal; element used in thermometers; name of the planet closest to 5. A gas that humans breathe and plants produce; needed for the sun combustion; H2_ 6. Metal once commonly used for cups, cans, and foil; in the “Wizard of Oz”, _man; a dog’s 6. Element found in bleach and table salt; swimming pool smell; H_ is name, Rin _ _ a strong acid; poisonous gas 7. Element in and name of a five cent coin; “__-Cad” or __-cadmium battery 7. Element found in Fort Knox and karat jewelry; fool’s _; pair of precious metals with names describing their colors, clue 12H and _ 8. Element found in black walnuts and seaweed; important for thyroid function; tincture 8. Element found in milk, teeth, bones, shells, and chalk of _; _, you, she, he 9. Nonmagnetic, lightweight metal found in recyclable soda cans, foil, and building siding 9. A poisonous element found in plumbing pipes, solder, and old fishing weights; heavy _ bib or neck shield used when taking dental X-rays, un_ed gasoline; _ based paint 10. Marie Curie discovered; pitch blende; a radioactive element once used in ″glow in the 10. (Answer fills 7 blocks down) Nuclear power fuel; decays to form dark″ paint for old watch dials and airplane instrument control panels clue 1H; planet between Saturn and Neptune; Yo_Tube.com 11. (Answer fills 7 blocks from right to left) A poisonous element found in gold mining 11. (Answer fills 6 blocks up) Gas that makes party balloons rise; α waste and treated wood; first syllable of element sounds like the response given when a particle; I, you, she, _, it medical doctor says “Open your mouth and say “__”. 12. Element in dental braces, sterling jewelry, flatware, and mirrors; pair of precious DIAGONAL UP metals with names describing their colors, _ and clue 7V 1. Yellow solid; element associated with the odor of skunks, hot springs, geysers, and rotten eggs
Additionally, these clues can be used to create various visual periodic table displays. The periodic table grid can be drawn on a large piece of paper or an inexpensive tablecloth. Then the audience (students in other grades, general public) is asked to match provided objects (actual items or pictures or names of items) with an appropriate element block. For example, a piece of chalk and a seashell are placed on calcium (Ca).
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ASSOCIATED CONTENT
S Supporting Information *
Blank crossword puzzle and clues; puzzle solution. This material is available via the Internet at http://pubs.acs.org.
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AUTHOR INFORMATION
Corresponding Author
*E-mail:
[email protected].
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REFERENCES
(1) Thomas, N. C. J. Chem. Educ. 2009, 86, 1208. (2) Jacobsen, E. K. J. Chem. Educ. 2009, 86, 1156. (3) Mandelin, D. J. J. Chem. Educ. 1990, 67, 1005 and 1044. (4) Thomas, N. C. J. Chem. Educ. 1992, 69, 984. (5) Cady, S. G. The Science Teacher 2005, 58. (6) Helser, T. L. J. Chem. Educ. 2003, 80, 409. (7) Feinstein, H. I. J. Chem. Educ. 1982, 59, 763. (8) Wieder, M. J. J. Chem. Educ. 2001, 78, 468. (9) Dkeidek, I. M. J. Chem. Educ. 2003, 80, 501. (10) Kelkar, V. D. J. Chem. Educ. 2003, 80, 411. (11) Barr, I. J. Chem. Educ. 1980, 57, 495. (12) Sevcik, R. S.; Hicks, O.; Schultz, L. D.; Alexander, S. V. J. Chem. Educ. 2008, 85, 514. (13) Granath, P. L.; Russell, J. V. J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76, 485.
Figure 2. Solutions to the Elements Are Everywhere crossword puzzle.
grid and collection of clues. Clues could follow the style of the current puzzle, describing where each element is found everyday in nature and used in man-made objects, along with nonsciencebased references (literature, popular phrase, names) associated with the element or its symbol. These descriptive clues can be printed on flashcards to enhance classroom activities12,13 that use traditional flash cards bearing only the names and symbols of the chemical elements. 525
dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed1004323 | J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89, 524−525
