Nomenclature is a tricky word with simple definitions. Choosing names is how we do it, especially in scientific fields such as biology and chemistry. Interestingly, the word nomenclature comes from Latin and literally means assigning names. We hope that the following activities and ideas will inspire you to teach this subject in creative ways and give your students the opportunity to learn more. We’ve put together a list of 10 fun games and activities for different learners at different stages of their educational journey.
1. Show a short video
With so much language and content to cover, this can be a difficult topic to teach. This handy video provides viewers with key information on organic nomenclature and links to everyday items such as soda.
More information: Crash Course
2. Mystery compound game
All of these compounds can be a little confusing. Students will easily begin to understand chemical nomenclature with this easy-to-play game. The idea is for students to come up with “composed” compounds and corresponding formulas for their classmates to decipher. It is easy to set up and promote.
Learn more: Study.com
3. Tree nomenclature for preschoolers
You can start working on nomenclature at an early age by simply assigning names to different parts of something. For example, the following activity can use different trees to explain to children that they are made up of different parts, each with a name. This is a fun matching activity that can be done individually or in small groups.
Read more: The Wonderful World of Montessori
4. Dice game
This fun game of 20-sided dice has several options for learners. Students must complete a worksheet and match the numbers on the corresponding dice to demonstrate that they understand the name of the compound. A scaffolded version is available for students who may need a little extra help to complete.
Details: Science by Mrs. Lau
5. Simple Matchups
This worksheet contains a selection of mixed nomenclature for students to decipher and match. This is suitable for older students practicing associating compounds with written names. This can be completed online or printed.
More information: pdfFiler
6. Animal taxonomy
We use nomenclature across several different subjects. Help students understand the naming process for specific animals with these live worksheets. A fun way to facilitate this is to ask students to research or guess the animal before matching.
More information: Live Worksheet
7. Regular puzzle
This recurring puzzle is a great crossword activity where students are given chemical compounds but must think of written words to fill in boxes. Turn this into a competition and let your students compete with their classmates!
Learn more: Education.com
8. Include all learners
Classification is an important part of every learner’s journey. Being able to recognize, organize and distinguish everyday objects is important for everyone. These autism friendly resources teach the concept of assigning names to objects in an easy to understand visual way. is useful for
Read more: Autism Helper
9. Interactive game
This online interactive can be used as a friendly game between classmates or adapted to help students beat their previous scores. Students must match the correct chemical compounds to symbols. I have. This will remove that symbol and the student will have to repeat the process until all the answers are gone.
More information: Wordwall
10. “Hot Seating”
This easy-to-follow game requires one student to sit in a “hot seat” and be asked questions about specific topics and words. It provides an effective way for students to practice nomenclature in various fields. Ask questions and practice formulas to help fellow students do well.
Read more: World of Education