Chemistry · Grade 12

Active learning ideas

Functional Groups and Nomenclature

Dive into the building blocks of organic chemistry by introducing functional groups, the specific atom arrangements that give molecules their unique character and reactivity.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• Ontario Curriculum: SCH4U, Strand B - Organic Chemistry, B3: Demonstrate an understanding of the structure, properties, and chemical behaviour of compounds within each class of organic compounds.

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Hexagonal Thinking
• 20 min · Individual

Functional Group 'Bingo'

Create bingo cards with the names or structures of different functional groups. Call out the corresponding structure or name, and students mark their cards. This gamified approach reinforces quick identification.

Identify the key functional groups in a given set of organic molecules.

Facilitation Tip

Use a mix of line-angle diagrams, condensed formulas, and full structures to challenge students.

What to look for

Use an exit ticket where students are given three molecules and must identify the functional group in each and provide the correct IUPAC name for one of them.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Hexagonal Thinking
• 25 min · Small Groups

Molecule Naming Relay

Divide the class into teams. Each team member runs to the board, names a displayed molecule or draws a structure from a given name, and then runs back to tag the next person. The first team to correctly complete all their molecules wins.

Explain how the IUPAC nomenclature system adapts to name compounds with different functional groups and priorities.

Facilitation Tip

Prepare molecules of increasing difficulty to keep the challenge level appropriate as the relay progresses.

What to look for

A unit test section containing a mix of problems: naming compounds from given structures, drawing structures from given IUPAC names, and identifying all functional groups in a complex molecule.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Hexagonal Thinking
• 45 min · Pairs

Everyday Organics Scavenger Hunt

Students bring in labels from household products (food, cosmetics, cleaners) and use online resources to find the chemical structures of the ingredients. They then identify and circle the functional groups present in these everyday chemicals.

Compare the structural differences between an alcohol, an ether, and an aldehyde.

Facilitation Tip

Provide a curated list of common ingredients to ensure students can find structures easily.

What to look for

Provide students with a practice worksheet that includes a variety of nomenclature problems and a detailed answer key. Students can work through the problems and check their own work to identify areas of weakness.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Introduce functional groups one family at a time, pairing the structure with its naming rule. Use molecular model kits to help students visualize the 3D shapes and bonding. Once several groups are mastered, introduce multi-functional molecules and explicitly teach the priority rules for naming, using a reference chart to scaffold learning.

After this topic, your students will be able to decode the language of chemistry, translating complex molecular structures into systematic IUPAC names and vice-versa.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• Aldehydes and ketones are the same because they both have a C=O bond.

  The location of the carbonyl group (C=O) is critical. In an aldehyde, the carbonyl group is at the end of a carbon chain (bonded to at least one hydrogen). In a ketone, the carbonyl group is within the carbon chain (bonded to two other carbon atoms).

• The longest carbon chain is always the parent chain, regardless of functional groups.

  The parent chain is the longest continuous carbon chain that *contains* the principal (highest-priority) functional group. The numbering of this chain then starts from the end that gives the principal functional group the lowest possible number.

• An ether and an ester are easily confused.

  An ether consists of an oxygen atom single-bonded to two carbon groups (R-O-R'). An ester contains a carbonyl group adjacent to the ether linkage (R-CO-O-R'). Highlighting the C=O in the ester is key to distinguishing them.

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Methods used in this brief

• Hexagonal Thinking