Hints

 

1. If you want to narrow down the shapes search, search by shape and then go back to the periodic table to deselect any atoms you do not want to have included in your search or if you have particular molecules in mind for them to look at do a text search for the name or formula of the compound.

2. to have the rotatable structure display a particular bond angle double click on an outer atom then click once on the center atom and then double click on the other outer atom. (for instance to see an HOH angle in water, double click on hydrogen, click once on oxygen and then double click again on the other hydrogen)

 

3. there's a neat website that will help students learn sigma and lewis structures by helping them count the electrons. It also calculates formal charges on the atoms which further aid the transition from sigma to lewis structures.

http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/chemistry/courses/toolkits/121/js/lewis/

 

4. it might be useful to explore the database and then suggest some very simple molecules for the students to start with so they don't get bogged down trying to predict the entire shape of a large molecule when the central atom and those directly bonded to it are the only ones that matter.