Educational Media Reviews Online

This CD-ROM program is intended to help high school students recognize patterns in the behavior of the elements that can then be used to predict chemical reactions. The program begins by encouraging students to look for patterns that distinguish between metals and non-metals first with regard to an element’s density and melting point and then by its products and reactions when mixed with air, water, or an acidic solution. Short movies are provided that demonstrate the reactions. These are clear and well done. Next the user is presented with information about the historical development of the Periodic Table as well as a discussion of how the elements are categorized into reactive metals, transition metals, other metals, metalloids, and non-metals. The correlation between the number of electrons in an element’s outer shell and that element’s group is presented, as well as a brief demonstration of electron transfer and electron sharing. The third lesson of the program takes a closer look at the reactive metals. A relative comparison with the transition metals is made with an emphasis on how the properties of transition metals make them easier to extract from ores and use for a variety of construction products. This section concludes with an explanation of corrosion including the benefits of galvanizing and anodic protection. The last lesson looks at useful non-metals: halogens, Nobel gases, and semiconductors. These latter two lessons give practical examples of how the properties of various metals and non-metals make them commercially useful elements.

This program can be used in a classroom setting, in a small group, or by individual students. It is interactive and provides excellent graphics and video demonstrations. The lessons are brief and none of them provide in-depth explanations of atomic structure, bonding, or chemical equations. It is assumed that students have already been exposed to these basics beforehand. Periodically quizzes or exercises are given. Sometimes questions are asked before the information that would provide the answer is given so students are occasionally left to their own resources to provide the answer. This will either challenge or frustrate the user depending on his/her learning style. Either way, the program will likely require intervention on the part of the instructor to fill in some gaps. A useful Periodic Table is provided from the help screen. Documentation includes a user’s guide and strategies for using the CD-ROM. There is also a collection of information and activity sheets that can be reproduced for use by the teacher and/or students. This program can be a good activity for a high school chemistry course. Students will enjoy it and learn from it.