First, I teach them how to write chemical formulas for ionic compounds. We take baby steps, though. We talk about what makes an atom want to gain or lose electrons and whether or not it will form a cation or an anion. Next, we talk about how to “drop and swap” to write the chemical formulas. “Drop and swap” is the catch phrase that we use often to remind them to drop (the charges) and swap (the numbers). We start with binary compounds first and then add in polyatomic ions for the tertiary compounds.
Second, we talk about how to name the compounds by using Sodium chloride as an example. Most of the students know that the name of NaCl is Sodium chloride and not Sodium chlorine. Using this information helps them to derive the naming rules on their own. The students see that the name of the compound ends in -ide.
Last, we practice with lots of different activities and assignments. Check out some of the ones we use below and share your ideas, too. Comment with your BEST ionic compounds activity, include your email, and we will send you the Ionic Bonding and Compounds Mystery Picture for FREE.