What's the Matter?

Object of the Game

Work as a team to gather and interpret enough clues to correctly identify the mystery element in the envelope. The teams do this by landing on the clues and/or stealing clues from other teams.

The Rules

Setup

1. Put one electron card on each electron space on the board.
   2. Place the mystery element envelope on the mystery element box on the board.
   3. Put the question cards on the question box on the board.
   4. Pick a game piece and place it in the nucleus.
   5. Distribute markers and periodic table folders to each team.

Playing Game - read all directions before playing

1. BEGINNING PLAY - Each team rolls a die. The highest number goes first.
   2. One at a time, all teams must answer a question card correctly to cross from the nucleus to the first shell.
   3. If answered incorrectly, wait until your next turn to try again. You must answer the question correctly to leave the nucleus and start playing.
   4. After your team has correctly answered a question card, move your piece from the nucleus along one of the bridges and remain there until your next turn.
   5. CONTINUING PLAY - On your next turn, roll the die and travel in any direction along that shell.
   6. ELECTRON CARDS - When you land on an electron clue card, pick up the card and share it only with your team. Use your periodic table to mark off elements that the clue eliminates. Once an electron clue card is picked up, the space becomes null.
   7. QUESTION BRIDGES - Use the question card bridges to travel to available clue cards in different shells. You must answer the question correctly to use the question card bridge.
   8. ELEMENT SYMBOL/DIAGRAM SPACES - If you land on an element symbol, jump to the corresponding element diagram, and vice versa.
   9. WINNING THE GAME - Once your team thinks they have determined the mystery element, travel back to the nucleus, answering question cards correctly to travel across the bridges and rolling the die. It is not necessary to land in the nucleus by an exact roll of the die. Once in the nucleus, you may announce your guess and check the envelope. If you are right, you win! If you are wrong, place the card back in the envelope, your team is out and the game continues with the other teams.