Spinner Games for Chemistry

Nov 25

Sometimes, we need an activity for our chemistry students to repetitively practice content. An easy way to do that is with a game set-up that includes a spinner wheel for additional engagement. And it can be done on 8.5x11 paper, which means you only really need the addition of the spinner. In this blog post, I’ll explain how to set up a spinner game that allows students to practice content in a competitive game format.

Supplies You’ll Need:

Digital Program to Create the Game (Google Slides, Canva, etc.)
Lamination pouches and laminator
Spinners
Bingo Chips in 2 Colors

Design Your Game

Create your document in your preferred program. I personally use Google Slides, but you could also use Canva or something similar. Size your design to be 8.5x11 if you would like it to fit on a standard sheet of paper. In a portion of the page, create a circle shape. I find that a 4 inch circle generally works well for spinners you can purchase to add to the board.

Add instructions for the game near the circle. On the remainder of the page, design the game aspect for your activity. I usually use a series of small circles that are set up in a grid (5x5 grid, etc.). In this set up, the game would follow rules similar to BINGO. But it does not have to be similar to BINGO, and you could incorporate different games to vary the activities you create.

Assembling the Game

Print your game on 8.5x11 cardstock and laminate for durability. If you are using purchased spinners (I recommend these), you will need to create a small hole in the middle of the spinner wheel. Once the hole is created, push the bottom part of the wheel up through the hole from the underside of the paper. Attach the top of the spinner to the other piece from the top of the paper. Give the spinner a test to make sure that it spins freely. If it gets stuck, trim extra paper/lamination away from the hole and spinner.

Depending upon the game, you might also need BINGO chips. I get two small bags, and fill each one with about 20 BINGO chips, with a different color for each bag. The game board and the bags of BINGO chips go into a mesh bag for storage.

Ideas for Chemistry Games

You can set up the game for repetition or recognition of a concept. In one game, I provide students with a set of bubbles at the bottom of the board that contain ionic formulas. The wheel contains statements such as “1:1 cation: anion ratio,” or “2:1 cation: anion ratio.” The student spins the wheel and lands on one of those statements. They then go to the bottom and find a formula that fits the statement, and place a BINGO chip in that bubble. Players take turns until one player gets a BINGO (complete row or complete column). Some other ideas could include:

Types of chemical reactions
Shapes and bond angles
Intermolecular forces
Strong and weak electrolytes

You might also want students to determine an outcome based on a set of parameters. In one game, I provide students with a rate law for chemical kinetics in AP Chemistry. The spinner wheel provides possible scenarios, such as “[A] is doubled,” or “[A] is cut in half.” Students spin the wheel and it lands on one of these scenarios. Students then consider the rate law and determine what would happen. For example, if the rate law is rate=k[A], and the student spins [A] is doubled, the student would need to determine that the rate would also double. At the bottom of the game, a student would find an appropriate bubble to place their chip. Players take turns until one player gets a BINGO (complete row or complete column). Some other ideas could include:

Using Le Chatelier’s Principle to determine if a change would cause a reaction to shift left or right
Using the Ideal Gas Law and Kinetic Molecular THeory to predict what would happen to a property of a gas if another is changed (i.e what happens to the pressure if the volume is doubled)

Conclusion

Spinner games offer an engaging and interactive way for chemistry students to practice and reinforce key concepts. By combining the tactile fun of a spinner with strategic gameplay, students can deepen their understanding while enjoying a bit of friendly competition. With a simple setup and minimal materials, these games are not only easy to create but also highly customizable to fit a variety of topics, from chemical reactions to gas laws.

Try incorporating spinner games into your classroom and watch as your students embrace chemistry practice with renewed enthusiasm! Thanks for reading. Happy teaching!