This is a list of Nobel Prizes that in my opinion were either in Inorganic Chemistry or in an area that has impacted Inorganic Chemistry.  I pass this out to students on the first day of class when we are talking very generally about what inorganic chemistry is all about.  This could be extended into a longer discussion at this point or at a later point on one or more of the prizes.  For example, later in the semester I have them read the Nobel Prize address of Alfred Werner.  This helps to inform their lab work and introduces coordination chemistry, which we have not yet discussed in lectu

    After several days of lecturing on the topic of polyatomic molecular orbital diagrams, students break into small groups of 3-4 and form LGO’s that can be used to interact with a central atom to form a Molecular Orbital (MO) diagram.  This assignment is part of a larger 4-5 week unit on MO theory. 

This is an assignment designed to help students begin to reflect on professional ethics of scientific practice.  I have used this in a freshman and a senior seminar after 2-3 days of discussion of what professional ethics is and how one goes about choosing a course of action in an ethical dilemma.  I use:

Students are sent to find (and take pictures) of  items in various point groups around campus.  Generally, I give them a list of possible offices (though they are free to go to other places) and point groups (some hard) and the following ground rules: