In learning chemistry, students will always need to solve the problems by sorting and classifying. The process of sorting involves grouping substances/properties/concepts according to their similarities and differences, whereas the process of classifying involves grouping them into pre-determined categories. By sorting and classifying, students can determine the attributes that the substances share or don’t share. Classifying and sorting help them to develop a range of thinking skills and build the foundations for problem-solving in the learning of chemistry.

At the beginning of April, all the students from G9 were assigned to finish a project about the periodic table of elements. For the first part, each student had to finish one poster about the periodic table’s history and state clearly how the scientists used the properties of the elements to sort and classify them into a chart or a table. For the second part, students made a new periodic table which showed the arrangement and classification of the elements based on other properties and attributes instead of atomic numbers.

We hope all the students learn the periodic trends and the methodology behind the periodic table to further develop their problem-solving skills to use in the future.

(Written by Chen Lin Pictures by G9 Chemistry projects Reviewed by Qian Zuo)