Naming compounds

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Aims of the activity

To promote groupwork and deductive thinking skills.

By the end of the activity, most students shoiuld be able to name some chemical compounds using the rules that they work out.

Preparation

Photocopy the worksheet and sort out the working groups - I tend to allow self chosen groups of 2-4 students. That seems to work well for me.

Students will also need access to a periodic table with both the symbols and the names of the elements. Differentiation - provide, where necessary, a list of the named elements rather than a periodic table.

Resource

Naming compounds activity sheet

Outline of the activity

Recap on the basic meanings of atom, element and compound. Introduce and distribute the sheet, I tend to give only one per group. It is then a case of monitoring and guiding students for the next 30 mins or so, after which there should be a plenary session in order to consolidate the rules.

Homework possibilities

Students to reproduce the rules for naming compounds in their own words (differentiation - provide gap fill exercie for lower ability).

And/or

Provide a list of formulae and ask students to name each compound (extension - state the number and type of each atom present in the compounds, low ability - provide the list but with gap fills).

Assessment

Informal - through discussion, observation and listening in during the main activity and through the plenary.

Formal formative assessment - through marking of books and feedback on successes and failures.

I think this is around NC level 6, please feel free to email me to agree or disagree!

Links

to atoms, symbols and elements

to chemical changes in a variety of contexts