• Choose 3-5 different elements. Listen to the rhyme or song and look at the picture. Do some research about each of the elements. Use sources on the internet or your textbook. Of the 3-5 elements you looked at, which rhyme best fits the element it describes? Why?
    Of the 3-5 elements you looked at, which rhyme does not fit the element it describes? Why? Can you think of a nursery rhyme or song that you think would be a better fit with the properties of the element?
    Try to write your own rhyme. Draw a picture to go along with your rhyme.
    What are some other properties of these elements that are not included in the rhymes?
  • Choose one of the elements that is not completed. Research the properties of that element. Write a poem or song or story about that element. Draw a picture to go along with your poem.
  • What is an isotope? Which of the chemistry rhymes refers to isotopes?
  • What is electron configuration? Choose 3 elements from the table and explain how the properties described in the rhyme can be explained by their electron configuration.
  • Many elements are necessary for human life. Find three examples of element rhymes that refer to the element’s role in biology.
  • Some elements are poisonous or dangerous for humans. Find examples of chemistry rhymes that refer to such elements.  Can you think of other examples?
  • The rhymes for Scandium and Yttrium refer to the discovery of the element. Choose 3 other elements and research the story of how they were discovered and purified.
  • Boron and Beryllium argue about the merits of metals versus non-metals. What properties distinguish metals from non-metals? Are there other metalloids? What are their properties?
  • Some rhymes refer to the reactivity of the element. What are some examples from the table of rhymes? Why are some elements more reactive than others? What makes an element highly reactive or non-reactive?  Discuss the difference between ionic and covalent bonds.
  • Some of the rhymes refer to specific compounds of the element. Find several examples and explain the bonds that hold the molecules together. Are they ionic or covalent? Can you draw a Lewis dot diagram for the compound? What are some other common compounds of the element?
  • Find examples of elements that are gaseous at room temperature. Using their atomic and electron structure, explain why they exist as gases at room temperature.
  • There are several elements on the periodic table that were predicted by Mendeleev and discovered later. Explain how Mendeleev was able to predict the properties of unknown elements.
  • Several rhymes are about elements that are radioactive. Find several examples. Explain what it means for an element to be radioactive. What is the difference between alpha and beta decay? What are gamma rays?