Making chemical nomenclature fun: a structured bingo game for learning inorganic compounds name

Chemical nomenclature is probably one of the less amusing learning subjects of any chemical courses. Moreover, in facing both traditional and IUPAC naming of compounds, students must overcome several cognitive difficulties. In particular traditional nomenclature supposes an acquaintance with chemical reactivity and oxidation number, both helping in the reconstruction of the compounds name. In this communication we present an activity, based on the popular tombola game, for the learning of traditional nomenclature. Bingo game has already been proposed to enhance the memorization of chemical name but, in our didactic act, the game is a part of a more structured learning process, mainly conducted using a cooperative approach. Initially the students, in groups, are asked to make a roughly classification of a large number of compounds. With the help of supplemental material and of intermittent explanations of the teachers the students start to construct a rational frame where compounds take place. After such a work is concluded the game can start. Tombola cards were prepared at different levels of difficulties and are organized with the purpose of stimulating different cognitive representation of compounds (similarity, oxidation number, cation position in the periodic table, etc). The result of this approach was very satisfying, as attested by a specific evaluation on the topic and to the very strong emotional participation of the student to each step of the activity