The Layered Learner

This card sort is a great alternative to traditional "rule learning" for naming chemical compounds. Students are given a set of fifteen compounds: 5 binary ionic, 5 ternary ionic, and 5 covalent. Each card has the formula and name on it. Students must sort the cards into the three categories and justify their classification. Based on the groupings, they write their own rule for naming each type of compound. I do this as an opener early in my bonding units. Then I follow up with frequent che

"Develop models of how things work" Next Generation Science Standards Science and Engineering Practices (NGSS SEP) Modeling is one of the eight Science and Engineering Practices emphasized by the NGSS. In this activity, introduce your students to models using an inquiry approach. Students start by discussing their own definitions, and then through a card sort and class discussion, begin to expand their view of what a model is. File includes a pdf with 6 "Is It a Model?" headings and 20 cards de