I Have, Who Has? – Chemistry Element Symbols Game - Christmas Edition

I Have, Who Has? – Chemistry Element Symbols Game - Christmas Edition

I started using this game as a simple way to review the periodic table, especially the main group elements. Over time, it’s become one of those go-to activities that just work – low prep, easy to explain, and students are surprisingly focused once it gets going.

The idea is simple: each student gets one or more cards. A card might say, “I have Na. Who has the symbol for Oxygen?” Whoever has the right answer reads their card next, and the round continues until all cards are used. It’s nothing fancy, but it gets students speaking, listening, and thinking about element names and symbols without it feeling like a quiz.

What I like is that you can use the game in different ways, depending on the class. In some groups, I stick to the first 20 elements. In others, we go all the way up to element 118. There are also versions where only the names are shown, only the symbols, or a mix of both – so you can adjust the difficulty. I’ve used it with students from grades 8 to 11, sometimes as a warm-up, sometimes as a review at the end of a unit.

The materials are printable and easy to store. I’ve printed mine on colored paper to help sort the different versions. Laminating helps if you plan to reuse the cards from year to year, but even unlaminated sets hold up pretty well for a few rounds.

It’s a quiet way to reinforce chemistry basics, especially when students need to move a bit or when you want to switch things up without losing content. In my experience, even students who usually hang back tend to join in, since the rules are simple and everyone has a role.

📍 Happy teaching,

Heike from Lernfitness

Did You Know?

I teach with a certified therapy dog, and together we create a positive and welcoming learning environment. 🐶