Ionic+Compounds

=Ionic Compounds Activity, over Halloween=

Author: Kristin Labby, 2011

Costume: "cat-ion", I had cat ears and tail and wore all black, but my tshirt said "K+" and I had an "electron" around me (a foil ball on a hula hoop).


 * Procedure:**

1. Place periodic table in prominent place.

2. As soon as they got to class, students asked, "what are you?" "a cat?", some also noticed the periodic table and asked about that as they entered the room.

3. Go through [|10-31-11Cation.pptx] about atoms, protons, neutrons electrons (and atoms make up molecules). At this point some recognize the electron and think I'm an atom, or even a "cat-atom".

4. I then explained the periodic table is an organized chart of the types of atoms. Had them name elements they'd heard of (most could see the table, as hints), then I'd tell them a fact about the element. At this point some recognize the "K" on my shirt means potassium.

5. Then I explained to them ions are charged atoms, and the two types are called "anions" and "cations". By this point they could put it together that I was a "potassium cation", which the students thought was fun.

6. [|Ionic Compounds Activity.docx]: I handed out color coded cards with ions on them. When the colors came together they made an "ionic compound" ex. NaCl, KI or even groups of three or 4, MgCl2 or AlCl3. When the groups or two three or four got together, and put their cards together on the back, they could read about what they compound is or does. They shared this info in front of the class to their classmates and on a table on the prjector listing "ionic compound name", "ions" and "ionic formula", which I helped them fill out.