Ceramic periodic table

Teacher Kate Smith used a grant from our IYPT Fund to construct an amazing teaching tool for her school – a giant periodic table make from ceramic tiles, each designed by the students themselves.

By Kate Smith, Teacher with responsibility for chemistry, The Weald School

I have wanted to build a large scale periodic table for a few years but have never found the opportunity to fund the project. Building a periodic table to this scale was going to cost money which I knew the school did not have so when I saw the article to apply for funds to celebrate Mendeleev's achievement in this international year of the periodic table, it was a perfect chance to realise my vision. I applied for the grant from the Royal Society of Chemistry and was very surprised and pleased to see that I had been successful.

We ran a competition for students in year 7 and 8 to each design a ceramic tile for a different element. About 600 students took part and the best designs were selected by teachers in the department to be printed. There was some trial and error during the printing process and the best results were found using an inkjet printer and decal that was lacquered to protect it.

My motivation for the project was to engage the students with the periodic table and its value. If they can truly understand why Mendeleev placed the elements in the 2,8,8 arrangement and why elements in group 1 all have the same chemistry then they would have made progress. The large scale of the periodic table makes presenting the science they need to understand much more engaging.

The size of the periodic table that I have constructed is a fantastic teaching tool. The periodicity, the trends, the uses, properties and history of each element are displayed in a colourful, eye catching permanent exhibit. Since its construction from the beginning of term, I have witnessed students pointing to the periodic table and talking about it; I don't believe they would have done this with the black and white versions displayed in the laboratories. 

Without the help of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Outreach Fund we would never have been able to realise the project, so we are extremely grateful for the opportunity – not only for the students currently attending but also for future students.

Many people have helped complete this project and made it successful. I have relied on support from the premises team, the finance staff, the bursar, the art department, the students in years 7 and 8 who designed the tiles, the teachers and technicians, a neighbour who helped start hanging the tiles, a science colleague and her two daughters who came to help adhere the tiles, my head of department who was a constant sounding board when I needed a new perspective and finally my fantastic husband who designed the database to bring together the designs with the elements symbol and key facts that we wanted printing.

This project was a lot of hard work but it was definitely worth it. The end result is fantastic. Students and staff stop and look at the display. I think everyone sees different aspects and so the appreciation of what they see is varied – there is something for everyone.

During a recent parents' evening a student proudly came to show his mum his design and they took pictures of it. We have two major events this term when we will have prospective students and their parents visiting the department – so there will be more interactions with our periodic table.