When looking for organic compounds all you need to remember are Hydrogen (H), Carbon (C), and Oxygen, because all living things are made of these elements. Carboxylic acid is organic and is the main compound used to make aspirin. To help discuss this topic of organic compounds, we will be playing a game similar to Cootie. Here is a way to use gumdrops to make an aspirin compound.
A board game with a picture of aspirin structure
A bowl with red,purple and white gum drop candy
One Periodic Table of the Elements for each table
A pair of dice
Toothpicks
In this game you will be connecting the elements by chemical bonds to form a molecule. The outcome will produce a three dimensional model of aspirin. The gum drops representing each element will be in the center of each table. Roll the dice to collect the element, using the periodic table of the elements to match the atomic mass of Hydrogen (H), Carbon (C), and Oxygen (O). Can you remember the atomic mass of each one without looking? The toothpicks represent the chemical bonds connecting them together. The white candy stands for Hydrogen (H). The red stands for Carbon (C). The black stands for the Oxygen (O).
Step 1:
Each table will play as a group. Each person will take turns rolling the dice
Step 2:
When a player rolls a 1, they will gather one H (white gum drop).
Step 3:
When a player rolls a 6, gather one C (red gum drop).
Step 4:
When a player rolls and 8, gather one O (purple will take the place of a black gum drop).
If you roll doubles of a 1 or a 6, you get two of them; also with doubles, that player will roll again. Any combination of six or eight will work. The first player to collect eight Hydrogen, four Carbons, and eight Oxygen’s, and complete the 3-D picture, using the candy as the elements, and connect them with toothpicks will be the WINNER!
If you roll a 1, you will receive one WHITE/Hydrogen and you will need 8 of them.
If you roll a 6, you will receive one RED/Carbon and you will need 4 of them.
If you roll a 8 you will receive one Purple, it will take the place of the black Hydrogen and you will need 8 of them.
It is just like playing the game Cootie, but you are building a molecule instead of a cootie. Have fun!
This tool/game will reinforce a lesson on chemical bonding. This game connecting the elements by chemical bonds teaches students how to build a molecule. The outcome will produce a three dimensional model of aspirin. To add to this Unit on molecules, work sheets would be handed out and have the students work on them together or in a group depending on the student's comprehension of this unit.
Preparation time before the game, takes around 30 minutes. The toothpicks could be left at the length, but it is hard to maneuver when completing the process. I would suggest the toothpicks be cut before hand.
The materials for this game are very easily acquire; a pair of dice that you may already have from previous games. Depending upon the amount of students for each group will determine the amount of dice that will be needed to play the bonding game.
Worksheet: "Predicting the 3-D shapes of molecules" Worksheet: "Organic Molecules,"If you have no dice, Wal-Mart has five dice at $1.25 a box. That totals to $3.75.
Cootie game purchased at Wal-Mart totaled $5.00.
Toothpicks purchased at the Dollar Store should last a while totaled $1.00.
Four bags of gumdrops purchased at the Dollar Store totaled $4.00.
One Periodic Table of the Elements for each table at .10 each times 7 totals $0.70
Poster board purchased at Wal-Mart in a package of five totaled $4.85. The total of the expenses to make this game comes to around $20.00. The Cootie game is not necessary, the poster board will have extra, as you only need one sheet of poster board that totals to about $1.15. If you already have dice, no need for them, and if you already have tooth picks you will not need to purchase them either. Depending on the materials you already have the cost would be much cheaper. The cost could range from $20.00 to $5.00. Either way it is inexpensive game to play with students and they can eat the remaining gumdrops and that also puts a smile on their face after playing such a fun game.
The students playing the aspirin game will enjoy rolling the dice to build their own 3-D model. The students will memorize by learning how many atomic masses Hydrogen, Carbon and Oxygen have while rolling the dice while making a three-dimensional structure using toothpicks to bond the gumdrops together.
Assisted by Kegan Cochrane, Shaelah Cochrane and Daniel Allen. I am greatful for all their help with this project.
I give permission to view this site created by Cheryl Gipfert on December 2, 2009. Thanks for visiting. I know I had fun playing this game, and you will too!