Project: Discovering the Periodic Table Through Play

Background

Introduction

The Periodic Table is one of the most comprehensive and powerful representations in Chemistry, providing a wealth of information about chemical elements in a single view. Its organization is an explicit demonstration of the so-called Periodic Law, which states that the properties of elements are periodic functions of their atomic numbers. In this arrangement, elements that show similar physical and chemical properties are grouped into families and periods, revealing trends across the table.

This magnificent tool not only summarizes the existing molecular knowledge but also predicts the properties of elements that were still unknown at the time of its formulation. This contributed to the fundamental understanding of matter and the development of new technologies. Hence, understanding the Periodic Table and the periodic properties of elements is essential for any chemistry student.

The Periodic Table that we know today is the result of many years of discoveries and hypotheses from several scientists who refined the ways of organizing the known elements based on their properties. It is not just a list of elements but a tool that allows chemists to predict the behavior of elements and the substances they form.

Relevance of the Periodic Table

In the real world, the Periodic Table is a fundamental piece in developing new materials and drugs, exploring natural resources, and understanding and mitigating environmental challenges. It is present in classrooms, research laboratories, factories, and even in space exploration, guiding scientists in their discoveries and innovations.

When a new element is synthesized, its location in the Periodic Table can provide information about its properties even before any experiments are carried out. This allows, for example, predicting the reactivity of a new material, the possible compounds it can form, and how it can be safely manipulated. To start this project, I suggest you explore the following resources that will give you an overview of the Periodic Table and its properties:

1. Interactive Periodic Table: This digital tool allows users to explore the properties of each element individually and observe the trends across the table.
2. The story of the Periodic Table: This BBC article provides an overview of the history and development of the Periodic Table.
3. Periodic Properties: This text from the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility discusses periodic properties and chemical periodicity.
4. Video lecture on the Periodic Table: This video lecture from the "Crash Course" YouTube channel discusses the organization and properties of the Periodic Table.

Remember, these are just starting points. I encourage everyone to explore and search for other reliable sources of information to complement your knowledge!

Practical Activity

Activity Title: "Discovering the Periodic Table Through Play"

Project Goal:

The project aims to encourage students to explore the Periodic Table and the properties of elements in a fun and collaborative way through the creation and implementation of a game based on the Periodic Table.

Through this project, students should:

• Acquire a deeper knowledge of the Periodic Table and its properties.
• Develop collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills by working in teams to create and play the game.
• Critically reflect on the properties of elements and how they are organized in the Periodic Table.

Detailed Project Description:

The proposed game is an adaptation of the famous "Monopoly" game. However, instead of buying properties on a board that represents a city, students will buy elements on the Periodic Table. Each group of students should create their own game with rules adapted to reflect the properties and characteristics of the elements.

Each element in the Periodic Table will be a "property" that can be bought by the players, and the price of each element should reflect one or more of its properties (such as atomic mass, atomic radius, electronegativity, and so on). The groups of elements (families) in the Periodic Table, like alkali metals or noble gases, can be equivalent to the property sets of the same color in "Monopoly."

Each group should think about how the properties of the elements can influence the game, creating rules that reflect these properties. For example, they can create "chance or setback" cards that represent events related to the element's properties.

Required Materials:

• Printed Periodic Table on a large sheet of paper to serve as the game board
• Game pieces to represent the players (they can be small objects, such as LEGO pieces, bottle caps, etc.)
• "Chance or setback" cards created by the students
• Play money
• Dice
• Colored pens, pencils, eraser, and sheets of paper for game creation

Detailed Step-by-Step Guide to Carry Out the Activity:

1. Divide the class into groups of 3 to 5 students.

2. Each group should study the Periodic Table and its properties.

3. Each group should then create their game, starting with defining the price of each element and creating the rules. The group should reflect on how the element's properties can be represented in the game.

4. After creating the game, the groups should exchange games and play the game created by another group.

5. At the end of the practical activity, the group should reflect on the experience, discussing what they learned and how the activity helped them better understand the Periodic Table and its properties.

6. Finally, each group should write a report in the format of a paper containing the Introduction, Development, Conclusions, and Bibliography used.

   • Introduction: The group should contextualize the Periodic Table, its relevance, and real-world applications, as well as the goal of the project they carried out.
   • Development: The group should explain the theory behind the game created, explaining the activity in detail, indicating the methodology used, and finally presenting and discussing the results obtained.
   • Conclusion: The group should conclude the work by revisiting its main points, explaining the lessons learned, and drawing conclusions about the project.
   • Bibliography: The group should indicate the sources they used to work on the project, such as books, web pages, videos, etc.

Project Deliverables:

1. Game based on the Periodic Table: each group should deliver the game they created, including the game board, rules, "chance or setback" cards, and any other materials that were created for the game.
2. Report: each group should deliver a complete report describing the game and the experience of creating and implementing it, including the Introduction, Development, Conclusions, and Bibliography. The report must be written in a clear and coherent manner, with well-developed arguments supported by evidence and references.

I encourage students to be creative in designing the game and to have fun while learning about the Periodic Table!