Chemistry for Everyone edited by
Chemistry for Kids
John T. Moore
Elements— A Card Game of Chemical Names and Symbols
Stephen F. Austin State University Nacogdoches, TX 75962
David Tolar 1835 Dogwood Trail Corsicana, TX 75110
Richard S. Sevcik, O’Dell Hicks, and Linda D. Schultz* Department of Chemistry, Geosciences, and Environmental Science, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX 76402; *
[email protected] Susan V. Alexander Comanche High School, Comanche, TX 76442
Students are usually introduced to chemical elements in grades 5–7, although many already recognize the names and symbols of some elements. “Elements” is a competitive card game that helps students recognize and correlate the names and symbols of the most significant chemical elements. The game requires students to construct their own playing cards (similar to flash cards) and compete against their classmates in a minitournament. Scores are based on students’ ability to correlate the names and chemical symbols of the elements (1). Best played with a class of 25 or fewer students, the game can be modified for larger class sizes or a more advanced student group. (See the online supplement for more details and materials.) Suitable for both classroom and summer camp use, “Elements” works best as a two-day activity. Supplies and Preparation A few commonplace, inexpensive supplies are needed for this activity, including:
• Index cards (4 × 6 inches, 15 for each student)
• Timers that measure minutes and seconds for each table
• Color markers
• Scissors
• Rulers
For homework, at least one day before the game, each student prepares two decks of 30 cards. The finished cards measure 2 × 3 in. and are made by cutting 4 × 6 in. index cards into quarters. The two decks are edged in different colors. The cards in one deck have the names of the chemical elements spelled out, while cards in the second deck have the corresponding elemental symbols. The instructor supplies the students with a list of 30 elements and their symbols; these are available in the online supplement. Game Description The game requires a dealer and 2–4 players per group or table. Dealers and groups of players are best chosen randomly by drawing numbers. Each initial group sits at a separate table. The game is played in two rounds, tournament style. Each round will consist of 3–5 games or “hands” depending on the number of players at each table. The object of the game is to discard as many cards as possible by matching the element name with its corresponding symbol. Specific playing rules are listed on the student handout sheet in the online supplement. 514
In general, for Round 1, players are dealt cards with symbols and the dealer draws from the names deck. (This is reversed in Round 2 so that players are dealt cards with names and must draw from the symbols deck.) For each table select one full deck (30 cards) of each type and assign one student to be the dealer. The dealer keeps time and deals cards but does not play. For Round 1, the dealer gives five symbol cards to each player, places the deck of name cards face down on the table, then turns the top card face up. Players take turns matching the face-up card with those in their hands. The first player to discard all of his or her cards is the winner of that game. If there is no winner at the end of the game, the player with the fewest cards after all cards in the second deck have been drawn is the winner of that game. Students must record how many cards they are holding at the end of each hand. Remind dealers to shuffle both decks between each game. The first player to win two games is the Round 1 winner for that table. The person with the next lowest total cards left (sum all the hands played), is in second place at that table for Round 1, and so on. Because of the large degree of chance in the game, winners should not be picked on the basis of a single hand, thus the “win two hands” rule. It is possible that five hands might need to be played for one person to win two hands, and time must be budgeted accordingly. Before Round 2 can begin, students must shift to new tables as follows: All the first place winners from each table now regroup into a winner’s table. The second place winners from each Round 1 table form a second place table, dealers form a dealers table, and so on. Ties may be resolved by coin toss. New dealers for each table are selected. Repeat the game, this time reversing which deck is dealt and which is drawn. Again the first student to win two hands at a table is that table’s winner. Token prizes may be awarded for overall champion (winner of Round 2 at the first place table), winners at other Round 2 tables, dealers, or whatever the instructor deems appropriate. Conclusions This game provides an enjoyable way for a class to work together in groups to learn the names and symbols of the chemical elements and serves as a foundation for later, more traditional study of periodic properties of the elements and their placement on the periodic table. The activity also supports learning of less familiar elements and those with less obvious symbols and is more stimulating to students than traditional memorization techniques.
Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 85 No. 4 April 2008 • www.JCE.DivCHED.org • © Division of Chemical Education
In the Classroom
Acknowledgments This game was originally developed by undergraduate students as part of their response to the American Chemical Society’s 2005 National Chemistry Week “Chemvention” challenge to “develop a toy that teaches chemical principles for a total cost of less than $250” (1). The financial assistance of The Robert A. Welch Foundation, Chemistry Departmental Grant AS-0012 is gratefully acknowledged. Literature Cited 1. Hicks, O.; Martinez, E.; McGinty, R. L.; Sevcik, R. S. Chemvention: Toys for Chemical Education. In Abstracts of 231st National Meeting of the American Chemical Society; Atlanta, GA, March
2006; pp 26–30. http://oasys2.confex.com/acs/231nm/techprogram/ (accessed Jan 2008).
Supporting JCE Online Material
http://www.jce.divched.org/Journal/Issues/2008/Apr/abs514.html Abstract and keywords Full text (PDF) Links to cited URLs Supplement
Documents for playing this game include a list of chemical elements, a score sheet, timing tips, possible modifications for adapting the game, and specific playing rules compiled on a student handout sheet
© Division of Chemical Education • www.JCE.DivCHED.org • Vol. 85 No. 4 April 2008 • Journal of Chemical Education
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