This project is not only educational, but fun and creative as well. Each student must do research on a particular element and create a print advertisement for their chosen element. This ad should include all the facts pertaining to the element, such as the element's symbol, atomic weight and number. The student must also create a slogan that describes how the element is used, the price of the element and pictures to accompany the slogan. The finished ads can then be placed on the wall for everyone to see.
Element trading cards are a fun way for students to learn about the basic elements and their properties. Ask them to complete fact cards for the first 18 elements on the periodic table, using a variety of print and Internet sources. The cards must contain the properties of each element, along with the atomic number and weight, the phase (liquid, solid or gas) and the melting and boiling points. Older students man also include a drawn Lewis structure and Bohr diagram. The cards can then be color coded and arranged according to atomic number to form a mini periodic table.
Making candy compounds is an excellent way to illustrate both ionic and covalent bonds in compounds. The materials required for this project include toothpicks, gumdrops (at least 6 different colors), zipper storage bags and a "candy key" to tell which molecule each color of candy stands for. Candy keys may be selected by the teacher or selected and colored by the students. Students may work alone or in groups. Each bag will vary in molecules (colored gumdrops) it holds and students will put the different compounds together using toothpicks. The compounds may also be taken apart and the "molecules" can be reused for other elements.
Give students a tag or necklace bearing the symbol of a particular ion, along with the oxidation number. Positive ions and negative ions should each be a different color. Students then form a bond with at least five other students in turn, working with each one to create a formula and a name for their compound. Students may also restart the bonding process by switching tags with another student.