Summary

In this activity, students will participate in a trivia game created in support of the 2023 Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW) theme, The Curious Chemistry of Amazing Algae. Students will participate individually or as a team to test their knowledge about algae and related chemistry topics.

Grade Level

High School

Objectives

By the end of this activity, students should be able to:

• Discuss various uses of algae and provide several examples.
• Offer basic information about the harmful effects of toxic algal blooms.
• Explain that algae uses photosynthesis to produce oxygen.
• Understand the importance of algae.

Chemistry Topics

This activity supports students’ understanding of:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Photosynthesis

Time

Teacher Preparation: 10 minutes

Lesson: ~30 minutes

Materials

• Copy of the Student Handout (1 per student or team)
• Copy of the Trivia Questions (for the teacher only)
• Projector (optional) needed for Round 4 questions only

Safety

• No specific safety precautions need to be observed for this activity.

Teacher Notes

• This activity was created as part of the 2023 Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW) public awareness campaign. CCEW is celebrated the week of April 16–22, 2023 with the theme, “The Curious Chemistry of Amazing Algae.” Through this theme, students, teachers and all those interested are encouraged to explore Algae. Emerging as one of the most promising long-term, sustainable sources of food, feed, and other co-products, algae are extremely important both now and for our future.
• For years, chemists have been promoting a better world through recyclable plastics, cleaner-burning fuels, phosphate-free detergents, environmental monitoring, and green chemistry initiatives. To promote the positive role that chemistry plays in the world, ACS established the Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW) public awareness campaign. During CCEW, ACS members and chemistry enthusiasts celebrate by coordinating events and communicating the importance of chemistry. Read more about CCEW.
• This activity was created to give students an opportunity test their prior knowledge, while also improving their general understanding of algae.

• This trivia game can be played individually, requiring students to participate independently. Or it can be played in small teams, allowing students to discuss and brainstorm before answering each question. Teachers should determine what option is best for their students.
• Rules for the trivia game are below and are also included on the student handout for reference.

• Students can work independently or in small teams.
• The teacher will start with the questions in Round 1, reading each question aloud, and providing adequate wait time for students to record their answer.
• Students should record their answers on the answer sheet provided.
• Students cannot return to a previous question after the teacher has moved on.
• If a student does not know the answer to a question, encourage the student to make a best guess, or leave it blank.
• After each round, students should switch papers with a neighbor for grading. The correct answers will be revealed, and a score for that round will be calculated before moving to the next round. Each question is worth 1 point.
• Teachers should allow approximately 30-45 seconds for students to respond to each question—adjust as needed based on student ability.
• Round 4 is optional. It requires the teacher to show a picture collage. Specific instructions for this round are included on the trivia Questions .

• The Trivia Questions document is intended for the teacher only.
• An Answer Key document has been provided for teacher reference.
• The questions included in this trivia were sourced from the following:
  • ACS Celebrating Chemistry articles:
  • Bad Blooms: Algae Gone Wild!
  • Algae are Elemental
  • What are Algae?
  • Edible Algae
• ChemMatters Magazine articles:
  • Toxic Shorelines: The Science of Algal Blooms
  • From Fish Tank to Fuel Tank
  • Those Blooming Algae
• Science News Explores article:
  • Watermelon Snow is Helping Melt Glaciers