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. 

Students practice assignment of symmetry elements and point groups, practice developing a character table, and learn about the link between orbitals and irreducible representations.

This is a worksheet on Lewis structures and formal charges. The learning goal is for students to be able to use formal charges to defend the relative stabilities of resonance structures of molecules.

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: