You sunk my battleship! (the electronic configuration version)

Battleship, a classic game by Milton Bradley, is a game easily adaptable to learning electronic configuration.

Electronic Configuration is a mathematical calculation proposed by Schrodinger as a way to predict where to find an electron around the nucleus in the electron cloud model.

We learn it as a way to give directions to an element following a pattern going across and then down on the periodic table.

There are four main parts of the periodic table known as orbitals. The S block, P block, D and F. Within each block, you just count over how many spaces it is.

So to identify Hydrogen you would say 1s2 because it is in the first period, in the s block, and the first member of the first block.

Everyone seemed to get this concept, but there was a little confusion (as I expected). Playing battleship was an excellent way to really practice identifying electronic configuration and get straight some of the silly oddball rules. I don't think the students realized how much they practiced as they attempted to sink destroyers, submarines and battleships. Here Angie concentrates as she attempts to sink one of Elijah's boats.

The test for Unit 2 on the Periodic Table will be on Tuesday.