Teacher Notes

Activity What Element Am I?

Summary Students apply their knowledge of periodic trends and electron configuration in a game format where teams compete against each other. Points are awarded based on accuracy. If limited time is available, speed also becomes a factor since students must work quickly while avoiding careless mistakes. Time Frame !"#$% minutes. Chemistry Concepts: periodic trends, electron configuration, timed testing Materials Set of element cards in an envelope &' per group( What Element Am I? overhead transparency What Element Am I? Scoring Sheet Procedure Notes )opy the element cards onto card stock for greater durability. )ut out cards in put them in an envelope in numerical order. *ach team receives an envelope and must correctly identify each element before moving onto the ne+t. ,o over the game rules using the What Element Am I? overhead transparency. Students must record their reasoning and answers to receive points. -hile notebook paper can be used for this purpose, small marker boards work very well. The marker boards allow students to write in large print, clearly display their results to the teacher, easily correct mistakes, and erase to begin the ne+t element. .se the What Element Am I? Scoring Sheet to keep track of points. -rite team names or initials on the top row. The symbol of each element appears in the /0ns1 column for quick reference. If a team2s answer is correct on the first try, circle /%1. If not, place an /31 over the /%1. If a team2s answer is correct on the second try, circle /$1. If not, place an /31 over the /$1. )ontinue this process until a correct answer is achieved. In the case of an incorrect answer, you may choose to give a hint as to where they went wrong. For e+ample, /4ook back at step $.1 or /)heck your electron configuration.1 -hen all teams are finished or time runs out, tally up the points for each team and award pri5es to the winning team members. The climate is more e+citing when time is limited and the game becomes more of a race in which students must balance speed and accuracy. This can be a good lesson for students who tend to rush through their work. 6n the other hand, providing a longer time frame will prevent students who need more process time from being left behind. 7ote that students must take turns as the recorder for each element. This will help ensure that everyone participates in the activity.

Teacher Notes

Detailed Answer Key The general reasoning for each clue and the final answers are as follows. Element #1: '. top#right corner of the periodic table &right of 5ig#5ag( 8. ,roup '9 !. not the top or bottom element : could be )l, ;r, I $. above I # could be )l or ;r %. )l is a gas : must be ;r Answer: ;r, 's88s88p<!s8!p<$s8!d'"$p% Element #2: '. left of 5ig#5ag on periodic table 8. in the middle section &d#block( !. Period $ &top of its group( $. count in < bo+es : must be )r Answer: )r, 's88s88p<!s8!p<$s'!d%

)hromium is an e+ception to the rule. For conceptualBregular students, accept the e+pected configuration of 's88s88p<!s8!p<$s8!d$.

Element #3: '. forms a cation : left side of the periodic table 8. ,roup ' or 8 !. ,roup 8 $. below )a : could be Sr, ;a, =a %. above ;a : must be Sr Answer: Sr, >?r@%s8 Element #4: '. ,roups '!#'A 8. melting point peaks in carbon2s group : ,roup '$ !. not the top element : could be Si, ,e, Sn, Pb $. above ,e : must be Si Answer: Si, 's 8s 8p !s !p Element #5: '. ,roups '#8 or '!#'A &s# or p#block( 8. ,roup '% !. below 0s : could be Sb or ;i $. not the bottom element : must be Sb Answer: Sb, >?r@%s8$d'"%p! Element #6: '. forms an anion : right side of the periodic table 8. ,roup '< !. above Te : could be 6, S, Se $. top element : must be 6 Answer: 6, 's 8s 8p

What Element Am I?
!"ES# '. *ach team member must participate. Take turns being the recorder for each element. 8. Cou must complete one element before beginning the ne+t. !. Cou must complete the elements in numerical order. $. Cou must write down the following information and show it to the teacher to receive your points 0 brief description of your conclusion for each clue. For e+ample, /in ,roup 'A1 or /can2t be sodium1. The symbol of the mystery element. The correct electron configuration or orbital diagram of the mystery element.

S$% IN&# )orrect element and configuration............................% points *ach incorrect guess..................................................#' point WINNE # The team with the most points winsD

E"EMENT '( '. I am a non#metal. 8. I belong to the Ealogen family. !. I am not the largest or smallest atom in my group. $. Fy first ioni5ation energy is greater than that of iodine. %. I am a not a gas at room temperature. -hat element am IG -rite my symbol and electron configuration using standard notation.

E"EMENT ') '. I am in the p#block of the Periodic Table. 8. Fy melting point is the highest in my period &ignore transition metals(. !. I am not the smallest atom in my group. $. Fy first ioni5ation energy is greater than that of germanium. -hat element am IG -rite my symbol and orbital diagram.

E"EMENT '* '. I am a metal. 8. I am a transition metal. !. I have the smallest atomic radius in my group. $. I have < valence electrons. -hat element am IG -rite my symbol and electron configuration using standard notation.

E"EMENT '+ '. I am a main group element. 8. I have ! p#orbital electrons in my valence shell. !. I have a lower first ioni5ation energy than arsenic. $. I am not the largest atom in my group. -hat element am IG -rite my symbol and electron configuration using noble gas notation.

E"EMENT ', '. The radius of my most common ion is smaller than my atomic radius. 8. Fy valence shell contains only s#orbital electrons. !. I form an ion with a 8H charge. $. I have a lower first ioni5ation energy than calcium. %. I have a smaller atomic radius than barium. -hat element am IG -rite my symbol and electron configuration using noble gas notation.

E"EMENT ''. The radius of my most common ion is larger than my atomic radius. 8. I have < valence electrons. !. I have a higher first ioni5ation energy than tellurium. $. I am the smallest atom in my group. -hat element am IG -rite my symbol and orbital diagram.

What Element Am I? Scorin. Sheet

$lass /////
# 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ans Br Cr Sr Si Sb O

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

Total

$lass /////
# 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ans Br Cr Sr Si Sb O

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

Total

$lass /////
# 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ans Br Cr Sr Si Sb O

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

54321 54321 54321 54321 54321 54321

Total