This activity teaches students to recognize organic monomers, form organic polymers, and name and classify them into the different classes of organic molecules (Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, Nucleic Acids). 

Teacher Instructions:

• Several complete and laminated decks of Condensation Rummy cards are available in the bottom drawer of the PBL and SI Resource cabinet outside my office. Use as many decks as you need for your class.
• PLEASE KEEP THE DECKS ORGANIZED!  EACH DECK IS NUMBERED, AND EACH DECK SHOULD BE RETURNED TO THE CABINET BOUND WITH A RUBBER BAND!
  
• Students work in teams of 3-5 players.
• Dealer passes out 5 cards to each person, and then places the rest of the cards face down in the center of the table.
• The first player selects one card from the face down deck.  If he/she wishes to keep it, s(he) must discard one of their cards so that it is in the face up pile.
  
• The next player can select from either the face up or face down deck...one card!
• The object of this game is to get rummy by forming one of the organic polymers from one of the classes of organic monomers.  The table below shows how to get rummy.  Note that each hand must have one water molecule to get rummy..this simulates the condensation reaction that occurs in polymer formation...hence the name of the game - CONDENSATION RUMMY!!!
• Here is a PowerPoint file that you can use to show students what they need to get rummy for each of the different polymer groups.
  

• Prior to the start of the game, I usually give the teams time to practice, and I leave the table above on an overhead or a PowerPoint slide.  When it is time to begin the rummy tourney, I remove the table from the students' view.  Students must play the game with NO notes or the use of their textbook.  I then tell the students, BEFORE the tourney begins, that when a student gets rummy from a team, I will then choose one student at random from the team to identify each of the monomers (i.e. they are monosaccarides), the polymer that was made (i.e. polysaccharide), and the class of organic molecules (i.e. carbohydrates).  If the student I choose gets this correct, the TEAM gets a 10/10 for a grade, and the player on the team who got rummy gets a bonus point (i.e. they get an 11/10 as a grade).  This provides an incentive to prevent the team from not actually playing the game, and insures that ALL members of the team are ready to explain the hand.