SCH4U - Chemistry 12 (2024-25) - A

Electron Configuration Battleship

Learning Goal

To practice electron configurations.  Students will have to look at an element on the periodic table and quickly determine its electron configuration.

Materials

-2 file folders ( 1 per person)

- 4 periodic tables (2 per person - one taped to the top and one taped to the bottom on the inside of the folder)

 Playing the Game

- The game is played like traditional battleship in pairs of two. Each student has a file folder open so that the opponent cannot see either of his/her periodic tables.

-The rules for battleship can be found by clicking here.

-Each player will layout their battleships by drawing lines (or placing an object) across elements on the periodic table according to the following criteria:

• An aircraft carrier (5 elements)
• A battleship (4 elements)
• A destroyer (3 elements)
• A submarine (2 elements)

- The first player calls a valence configuration for an element of his/her choice, for example, Carbon would be 2p², and the other player states the name of the element called (in order to verify understanding of the “code” between the players), and then says “hit” or “miss”. 

- The player stating the configuration marks the top periodic table to note shots taken, and the player being “shot at” marks hits and misses on the bottom periodic table.

- Play continues until all ships are sunk