Summary

In this activity, students will be challenged to apply their understanding of chemical reactions. They will analyze and organize provided reactant cards in order to create four correct chemical equations that can each be categorized as a specific type of chemical reaction. In order to be successful, students will use their knowledge of solubility rules, activity series, and ionic bonding.

Grade Level

High School

NGSS Alignment

This activity will help prepare your students to meet the performance expectations in the following standards:

• HS-PS1-2: Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.
• Scientific and Engineering Practices:
  • Developing and Using Models

Objectives

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

• Properly classify chemical equations as a particular reaction type.
• Use patterns in chemical reactions to predict products, using solubility rules to determine whether a precipitation reaction will occur.
• Use patterns in chemical reactions to predict products, using the activity series to determine whether a single replacement reaction will occur.

Chemistry Topics

This activity supports students’ understanding of

• Chemical Reactions
• Classification of Reactions
• Predicting Products
• Balancing Equations
• Solubility Rules
• Activity Series

Time

Teacher Preparation: 20 minutes

Lesson: Varies depending on how it is implemented (~10 minutes or 45minutes)

Materials

• Cardstock for 1 or more copies of each of the 6 sets of cards
  • These can be laminated and organized into sandwich baggies for easy re-use
• Choose between:
  • Student Worksheet, or
  • Small whiteboards with dry-erase markers, or
  • Easel pad paper cut into halves w/ permanent markers
• Activity Series of Metals
• Solubility Rules
• No specific safety precautions need to be observed for this activity.

Safety

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

Teacher Notes

• This activity was selected for the Chem Fun section of the May 2025 issue of Chemistry Solutions.
• In preparation for this activity, teachers should make copies of the card sets and cut the individual cards prior to starting. Card sets can be laminated and saved for future use.
• Before doing this activity, students should know how to write chemical formulas for ionic compounds and should know or recognize the 7 elements that naturally exist in diatomic form.
• The chemical substances used in the card sets for this activity were chosen as follows:
  • Only elements and ionic compounds are used.
  • Synthesis and decomposition reactions involve only elements and binary ionic compounds.
  • Single Replacement reactions were chosen based on the activity series.
    • Card Set 6 requires the halogen reactivity series instead of a metal activity series. If preferred, you could substitute Cl₂ with any metal that is higher than Ni on the activity series.
  • Double Replacement reactions were chosen based only on precipitation reactions and using solubility guidelines
• Note that based on the parameters above, some of the card sets have only a single system of correct answers while other card sets contain substances that could work in various configurations.
• It is important that the teacher helps students to fully understand the rules:
  • The cards are only for the reactants, and they are not intended to make complete reaction equations out of the cards.
  • Each card in the set can only be used in one equation.
  • Every card in the set must be used.

Suggested ways to use this activity

1. As an activator or summarizer (group or individual).
   • In Groups:
     • Give one set of cards to each pair or group of students and announce that it is a race to see who can finish first (organize their set of cards with full balanced equations).
     • This works best if you have whiteboards or half-sheets of easel-sized paper for each pair to write and display the final equations. They could hold it up to show they are finished, so you can quickly check their work to see who wins the race. (Warn students that you must be able to read it to verify that they won!)
   • Group Variations:
   • Distribute the six sets of cards to various groups, so that each group has a different set. After they are completed, rotate the cards for up to six cycles.
   • Distribute copies of the same card sets to all groups so that every group is working with the same set of cards at the same time. This will allow you to have a “card set 1 race” then a “card set 2 race”, etc.
   • Individually:
     • Distribute one card set to each student (such that students next to each other have different sets) and direct students to complete the Student Worksheet to turn in or to be reviewed.
     • Teachers could choose to ask students to balance the equations or to just write skeleton equations, as appropriate to your lesson sequence.
2. As station work.
   • For an introductory lesson make 6 stations that students rotate through individually or in pairs.
     • For each student, make a packet containing three copies of the Student Worksheet, so they can write equations for all 6 card sets (or for the number of sets you choose).
     • Give students model equations using A,B,X,Y (such as A + B à AB or AB + XY à AY + XB) or shapes (such as square, circle, triangle, star) to show the reaction patterns and direct them select reactants using cards with the appropriate element or compound combinations to match the simple patterns.
     • Once students succeed in identifying reactants, they could be prompted to use the patterns to figure out what the products would be and, if desired, to balance the equations.
     • For reinforcement practice stations could be part of a larger rotation including simple common chemical processes that demonstrate the four reaction types in this activity.
   • Example activity directions to review with students:
     • The goal for each card set is to assign each individual card to be a reactant in a chemical equation.
     • Within a given card set, all cards must be used as a reactant, and no card may be used twice.
     • The reaction types you will practice in this activity are:
       • Synthesis
       • Decomposition
       • Double Replacement
       • Single Replacement
     • The cards in each set should be organized to create one of each of these four reaction types.
   • Optional additional directions:
     • When creating the double replacement reaction in each card set, you must ensure the reaction will occur by checking the solubility guidelines.
     • When creating the single replacement reaction in each card set, you must ensure the reaction will occur by checking the activity series.
     • In some cases, there may be more than one card that could work in a given equation, but you may have to choose carefully to ensure that all cards can be used.
     • Formulas for the products should be correct based on elemental form (monatomic or diatomic) and based on ion charges (for the ionic compounds).
     • Equations should be balanced by placing coefficients in front of the chemical formulas as needed.
   • The card sets for this activity are available as a download to print.
   • An Answer Key document has been provided for teacher reference.