Let’s think of a bag of Legos for a while. One might recall that legos are used to create various items. In these created pieces, the legos are the elements, different legos put together to make a car are the compounds, and different legos mixed with different types of toys are the mixture.
Elements are pure substances that are made up of a single type of atom, such as gold or oxygen. Compounds are made up of multiple elements chemically bonded together, such as water (H2O) or salt (NaCl) and there are some really interesting activities to learn about these bonds. Mixtures are made up of multiple substances that are physically combined but not chemically bonded, such as a bowl of cereal and milk or a mixture of sand and water.
As these concepts can seem a little complex to understand, the best way to gain a deeper understanding is by involving children in chemistry classroom games. Below is a list of games and activities through which children can learn and reinforce their understanding of elements, compounds, and mixtures.
Exploring the world of matter: Interactive games and activities for elements, compounds, and mixtures
Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures are all easy-to-grasp concepts when the practical approach is applied. So, here’s a list of games and activities to foster curious minds in chemistry class.
Games:
1. Elements or Compounds Chemistry Game
The “Elements or Compounds” game is an educational chemistry game that aims to teach players about the difference between elements and compounds. The game is played by identifying whether a given substance is an element or a compound.
Instructions:
- The game presents the player with a substance, and they must click on the “Element” or “Compound” button to indicate whether the substance is an element or a compound.
- The player will be given a score based on how many correct answers they gave.
- If they gave an incorrect answer, the correct answer will be shown.
- One can play this game as many times as you want to improve your score.
This game is a simple and interactive way to learn about the basic chemistry concepts of elements and compounds. It can be a helpful tool for students who are studying chemistry or anyone looking to brush up on their chemistry knowledge.
2. Sort Elements Compounds Mixture of Elements Game
Elements, Compounds, Mixture of Elements, Mixture of Compounds” is an educational game that aims to teach players about the different types of matter and how to classify them. The game is played by sorting different substances into the correct categories of elements, compounds, mixtures of elements, and mixtures of compounds.
Instructions:
- The game presents players with a list of substances, and they must drag and drop each substance into the correct category of elements, compounds, mixtures of elements, or mixtures of compounds.
- They will be given a score based on how many correct answers you give.
- If they give an incorrect answer, the correct answer will be shown.
- One can play this game as many times as you want to improve your score.
This game is a fun way to tighten one’s grip on chemical substances and the basics of their formation.
3. Elements and Compounds Game
Elements and Compounds” is slightly similar to the game Elements or Compounds as it aims to teach players about the difference between elements and compounds. The game is played by identifying and matching elements and compounds based on their properties.
Instructions:
- The game presents players with a list of elements and compounds, and they must match each element or compound with its corresponding properties.
- Players will be given a score based on how many correct answers they give.
- For every incorrect answer, the correct answer will be shown.
- Players can play this as many times as they want to improve their score.
The game is the perfect way to learn about the basic chemistry concepts of elements and compounds and how to identify them based on their properties.
4. Elements Compounds and Mixtures Game
Elements, Compounds and Mixtures” is the perfect game to learn about the differences between elements, compounds, and mixtures. The game is played by identifying and sorting different substances into the correct categories of elements, compounds, and mixtures.
Instructions:
- The game presents players with a list of substances, and they must drag and drop each substance into the correct category of elements, compounds, or mixtures.
- They will be given a score based on how many correct answers they give.
- In case of an incorrect answer, the correct answer will be shown.
- One can play this game as many times as you want to improve their score.
This chemistry game offers a medium through which chemistry concepts of elements, compounds, and mixtures can be easily learned and how to identify them based on their properties.
5. Elements and Compounds Game
Similar to other elements and compounds games, “Elements and Compounds” is a great game that helps players learn about the difference between elements and compounds. The game is played by identifying and matching elements and compounds based on their properties and chemical formula.
Instructions:
- The game presents players with multiple choice questions and they must select the correct answer.
- They will be given a score based on how many correct answers they give.
- In case of incorrect answers, the correct answer will be shown.
- Players wanting to improve their scores can play it as many times the way.
Through the game, players can learn about basic chemistry concepts of elements and compounds and how to identify them based on their properties and chemical formulas.
Activities:
1. Element House Hunt
In this activity, students are given a list of common elements and asked to search for objects around their home or classroom that contain those elements. To set up, educators must create a list of elements and worksheets and distribute them among the students. Then, Allow them some time to find objects and fill in the worksheet.
Once they find an object, they must identify the element it is made of and write it down on their worksheet. This activity helps students to see the connection between elements and everyday objects, and it also helps them to learn about the properties and uses of different elements.
2. Periodic Table Puzzle
The periodic table puzzle is one of the periodic table activities that can offer an amazing way to have students learn the periodic table. In this activity, students use clues to arrange a set of elements in the correct order on a blank periodic table. The clues might include the element’s atomic number, symbol, or other properties.
Teachers just have to provide students with a set of elements and clues and give them some time to arrange the elements on the periodic table. This activity helps students to learn about the organization of the periodic table and the properties of different elements. Along with the activities, periodic table online games can also be used in order to solidify the concept.
3. Elementary Escape Room
The elementary escape room, as the name suggests carries both educational and adventurous undertones. The activity asks students to solve a series of puzzles related to elements and their properties in order to escape a classroom. For example, one puzzle might involve using the periodic table to identify the symbol for a certain element, while another might involve using the element’s properties to solve a riddle.
Educators simply have to create an escape room with puzzles related to elements and properties and allow the students to work through the puzzles to escape. This activity helps students to learn about the properties of different elements and how they relate to the periodic table.
4. Elementary Elements Game
An activity that works best to strengthen students’ grip on the periodic table, the elementary elements game must be played in every chemistry class. The activity asks students to play a game where they have to match elements to their symbols, atomic number, and properties.
The game can be played as a group or individually and it helps students to learn about the properties of elements and how they are represented on the periodic table. Students and teachers must prepare cards with element names, symbols, atomic numbers, and properties. Then, after dividing students into teams or letting them play individually, teachers have to draw a card from the deck of element names and display it for all players to see.
Students have to match the element from the deck with the correct symbol, atomic number, and property. The first team or individual to match the element correctly wins the round. The team or individual with the most correct matches wins the game. The game can also be modified to have students identify elements based on their properties or find elements with specific properties.
5. Mixture Mix-up
Turning the game of creating compounds upside down, the mixture mix-up is an interesting tweak to introduce in class. In this activity, students are given a set of mixtures and must use clues to identify the components of each mixture. For example, a mixture of sugar and water might be described as “sweet and clear.”
Teachers can create a set of mixtures and clues, and give students time to identify the components of each mixture. This activity helps students to learn about the properties of mixtures and how to identify their components.
Conclusion
Engaging activities are a vital ingredient in the recipe for understanding elements, compounds, and mixtures in chemistry. They serve as the hands-on laboratory for students to experiment, discover, and solidify their understanding of these fundamental concepts. Through these activities, students can gain a deeper, more intuitive comprehension of the unique characteristics, properties, and behavior of elements, compounds, and mixtures.
Learning about this concept acts as a foundation for other concepts like balancing chemical equations which can also be practiced using balancing chemical equation activities and online games. These activities are like the sparks that ignite the curiosity and imagination of students and help them to appreciate the beauty and complexity of the chemical world around them.
I am Shweta Sharma. I am a final year Masters student of Clinical Psychology and have been working closely in the field of psycho-education and child development. I have served in various organisations and NGOs with the purpose of helping children with disabilities learn and adapt better to both, academic and social challenges. I am keen on writing about learning difficulties, the science behind them and potential strategies to deal with them. My areas of expertise include putting forward the cognitive and behavioural aspects of disabilities for better awareness, as well as efficient intervention. Follow me on LinkedIn