The periodic table is the visual representation of the periodic system. All of the elements, natural and artificial, radioactive and not, fit into this system. However, in the mid-twentieth century periodic table, two groups of elements, the rare earths and the actinides, were placed together outside the main body. These groups are a part of the periodic system yet apart from it. This placement emphasizes some of the unique properties of these elements, particularly their physical characteristics. But it also makes it harder to illustrate the chemical characteristics they have in common with elements in the main body of the table. Various visual strategies have been used in periodic tables to show where these groups would fit into the main table with the intent of allowing users to visualize relationships between the elements. These strategies often differ depending on the intended audience. Those used in periodic tables in textbooks, on wall charts, and in other educational settings are often not the same as those used in tables meant for consultation by researchers. Using popular chemistry textbooks, such as those by Linus Pauling and Wood & Keenan which were used for several decades, this paper will examine the use of several of the visual strategies and their varying levels of success in illustrating how the rare earths and the actinides fit into the periodic system.