Chemdoku: A Sudoku-Inspired Activity for Middle and High School Students to Explore Element Nomenclature and History

The creation of new educational and playful materials has significant implications for science learning, particularly in chemistry. Game-based learning in chemistry has proven to be an effective approach to teaching complex concepts and methodologies. One of the first challenges young learners face when they are introduced to the world of chemistry is mastering a new language: the language of chemistry. This language encompasses new vocabulary as well as symbols and schematic representations of reality. We developed a game inspired by the classic Japanese puzzle Sudoku to help students discover chemical symbolism and its evolution throughout history. Chemdoku is an adaptation of a mathematical puzzle, but it uses symbols and names of elements and substances instead of numbers. By matching modern and ancient symbols with the names of elements and compounds on the grid, students not only learn to identify them but also gain general knowledge about chemistry and its historical context. Moreover, we added an extra layer of engagement: in the diagonal or central rows or columns of each of the five Chemdokus we created, students were invited to uncover relationships between elements or substances, making the puzzles even more intriguing. This science outreach activity has been implemented at several science fairs and career orientation events in recent months with middle and high school students. The qualitative results indicate that the students learned both chemistry concepts and the historical background of the discipline. This activity is highly flexible and can be adapted to virtually any educational setting.