Teaching Classes of Organic Compounds with a Sticky Note on Forehead Game

Abstract

An in-class game has been developed to teach students the classes of organic compounds that arise from the common functional groups in organic chemistry. The rules are simple and straightforward and are already familiar to students because they are based on a popular party game. All of the students have either the structure or name of an unknown class of compound written on a sticky note that they place on their foreheads. The objective is for each student to figure out what his or her molecule is by asking other students a series of provided questions. The game is a fun alternative to rote memorization or using flash cards. The strategy is effective because it requires students to think about these molecules through discussion, especially their similarities and differences. I call it The Organic Compound Name Game.