This in-class activity is designed to give general chemistry students practice with drawing Lewis structures. Small groups of 3-5 students compete for points by creating hypothetical molecules that meet criteria (numbers of elements and atoms) assigned by the professor. Beginning with simple molecules, the basic challenge format calls for increasingly complex criteria in successive rounds of competition. One optional variation also allows student groups to challenge each other for bonus points.

This is a simple activity designed to help students visualize the interaction of atomic orbitals to form molecular orbitals.  Students construct atomic orbitals out of Play-Doh and determine whether overlap of a given pairs of atomic orbitals along the specified axis can result in a σ, π, or δ interaction or no net interaction.  I do this activity following a reading assignment and lecture on the formation of molecular orbitals from atomic orbitals that cover the various types of interactions.  Students then work in groups of 3-4 to complete the instructions described on the attached worksh

In this activity, the provided d orbital splitting patterns need to be matched with ligand geometries. Students are provided with the d orbital splitting diagrams for 6 ligand geometries (octahedral, trigonal bipyramidal, square pyramidal, tetrahedral, square planar, and linear). A web browser is used to view an animation (developed by Flick Coleman) which allows for the visualization of the relationship between the positions of the metal d orbitals and the ligands. Given this information, students should then be able to qualitatively rank the orbitals from highest to lowest energy.

This spoof of the song "Isn't It Ironic" (by Alanis Morissette) summarizes the properties of ionic compounds in verse. Suitable for General Chemistry classes as well as Inorganic Chemistry, although a reference is made to the Born-Meyer equation.

This is an in-class PDB exercise based on the paper "Mechanisms Controlling the Cellular Metal Economy" by Gilston and O'Halloran. Students are asked to visualize the metal binding sites of several proteins discussed in the paper, highlighting unusual metal geometries. After identifying the amino acid residues involved in metal binding, students will discuss the bond structure in terms of HSAB theory. 

This is a fun chemistry project where students make model compounds to learn various structural aspects of the compound. This is an individual project that is each student is assigned with one compound.  They can use any item (for e.g. Styrofoam balls etc) to make their very own model compound. The model should contain all the atoms (visually distinctive), bonds, lone pairs. Student is expected to create something novel rather using molecular model kit. They can use text book and lecture material for the resources.

This in-class activity is to introduce the pairing of diatomic MO diagrams and photoelectron spectroscopy (PES).  I will be testing this out in the fall, and will post how it goes.