Glencoe Chapter 7
The Periodic Table Poster Project

Objective: Each student will investigate and research an element from the periodic table.  Students will learn about the element's atomic properties, the element's physical and chemical properties and how the element is used in industry, commerce, research, or any application of that element in "real life."  They will creatively present information about their element on foam board in order to be attached to the periodic table wall in one of the chemistry classrooms.

Parameters:

• DUE date:
  • For all Gray Day classes - Wednesday, November 11, 2009 If you turn in your project Thursday, you will be 10 points off your score. No projects accepted after Thursday for gray day students.
  • For all Maroon Day classes - Thursday, November 12, 2009 - If you turn in your project Friday, you will be 10 points off your score. No projects accepted after Friday for maroon day students.
  • If necessary, have a parent or designee bring in your project on time (regardless of the reason for absence).
  • If you have some very special circumstance and feel that you cannot turn in your project on-time, you must personally contact your chemistry teacher PRIOR to the due date to make arrangements.  It is the expectation that projects will be turned in on-time.  (Just like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), few excuses are considered valid .......)
• Points total: 50  (For particularly fabulous work, extra points may be awarded.)
• Each student will draw their element "out of the hat" in class.  Students may not "switch elements" with anyone else.
• Structural limitations:
  • Each poster must be attached to an 8.5 inches wide x 11 inches tall piece of 3/16" foam board ("portrait" style - "up & down" not "sideways").  (Foam board can be purchased at Wal-Mart, Michaels, United Arts in Education - Castleton, etc.) The foam board will be stapled to the bulletin board in the back of room 169, 170 or 171.  CLEANLY cut (using an X-acto knife or a single edge razor blade) the foam board to size.  The foam board MUST be exactly 3/16" thick because we are stapling the project to the wall.
  • After you have cut your foam board to size, use a dark BLACK magic marker to carefully outline 1/4" as a BLACK BORDER on the poster board.  This way, when all the elements are stapled to the wall size periodic table, each element will be outlined in black in the same way they are on a "regular" periodic table.
  • Each poster must include a minimum of FOUR three dimensional components. 
    • For example, if you had the element nickel, you could hot glue a nickel coin to your poster and hot glue a nickel-cadmium battery to your poster to show how this element is used in everyday life.
  • Each poster must be created using technology to print the information (NO hand drawing nor printing of any kind).  But, again, build your poster so it is visually appealing - not boring...
  • Each poster must include several colors.  See additional notes below.
• Design framework CONSTANTS:
  • Include the SYMBOL of the element in the middle of the poster board.
  • The background color of the poster must remain white.  However, to make your poster visually interesting, keep the white space to a minimum.
  • The phases of the elements (at room temperature and at 1 atmosphere) must follow this color scheme:
    • Solids symbol must be in black.
    • Gases symbol must be in red.
    • Liquids symbol must be in blue.
  • The name of the element must be in black at the very top of the poster board.  The name should be easy to read from a distance.
  • The atomic number must be indicated at the top right of the poster board.  It should be easy to read from a distance.
  • The atomic mass must be indicated immediately below the symbol.
  • The noble gas electron configuration must be indicated immediately below the atomic mass.  Be sure to use "superscript" for the number of electrons in the subshell - e.g.  [Ne] 3s² 3p⁴  (<ctrl> + <shift> + <=> keys pressed simultaneously and then <ctrl> + <spacebar> to go back to normal)
  • Your name, teacher name and block must be on the FRONT side of the poster in the lower right hand corner in size 12 font type.
• Design framework OPTIONS:
  • Three dimensional:  You must physically attach a minimum of 4 different items that demonstrates the application of that element in some commercial or industrial or research use.  If the element has no commercial, industrial or research application, you must indicate this on your poster and explain why.  But again, you must make several aspects of your poster 3D!
  • You must include interesting information about your element - see task details below.
  • Make your poster "interesting" and "creative" - use colors - keep the "blank white" space (empty space) to a minimum.  Remember, this is a POSTER PROJECT so it must LOOK attractive and interesting - NOT BORING!  Remember, this project is as much about PRESENTATION as it is about CONTENT!
• If you are having difficulty finding everyday applications for your element, you need to figure out a way to explain this creatively on your poster board. 
  • For example, Europium (Eu) is never found in nature as a free element.  Furthermore, there are only very, very small amounts in the earth's crust.  However, Europium has been identified spectroscopically in the sun and some stars.  So, you could attach a 3D structure of the SUN on your poster board and make the connection between the previous statement and the sun!
  • For example, Lawrencium (Lr) is a synthesized element.  It was named in honor of Ernest O. Lawrence, inventor of the cyclotron but Lawrencium has no known commercial applications.  But, you could research what a cyclotron is and attach a representative model of it to your poster board and show the connection in this way.

Task:

Using the internet, search out as much information as you can about your assigned element.  Start by using one of the Periodic Table sites on ChemCentral.  Google your element as well.  Read chapter 7 in your book.

Besides finding the "typical" information about your element (see parameters above), find out how the element is USED in ''everyday" life.  Ask yourself these questions below as you research your element.   Now, it is not necessary to answer ALL of these questions...these are meant to give you ideas on what kinds of things you might be looking for.  Whatever information you CHOOSE to include should NOT be written in sentence form on your actual project - use short phrases or bullets.  Choose the MOST IMPORTANT or MOST INTERESTING or MOST RELEVANT facts to include.  Present these creatively on your poster board.

• What are the element's applications? 
• How much of the element is present in the earth's crust? 
• What is the source of this element?
• Is this element readily available for purchase?  How much does it cost?
• What are the commercial applications of his element?
• Is this element found closely associated with another element or is it found by itself in nature?
• When was this element discovered or created?
• If the element was synthesized in the lab, how did the scientists accomplish this?

After you have thoroughly researched your element, build your poster.  Follow parameters above and read the grading parameters below. 

Grading Rubric:

Here are the parameters upon which you will receive a grade (scale of 0 to 50) (50 points total possible):