Active Learning Activities

Silent Discussion

Conduct a discussion in your class without students ever speaking a word!

Snowball Starter: Goals of Science Education

In this activity, the snowball strategy links students' prior beliefs to a deeper inquiry of science education goals.

More Than One Way to Cook an Egg: Exploring Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Teams explore Gardner's Theory, present one component, summarize presentation content, and conduct a self-assessment.

Who Are You? A Multidimensional Examination of Self-Concept

Students investigate their self-concept, compare it to a classmate, assess differences between self- and social perception.

Nature of Science Ice-Breaker

A first class ice-breaker activity introducing the nature of science.

Rough Draft Workshop: Group Peer Assessment Jigsaw Activity for Case Study or Procedural Writing

Students bring a rough draft of a written group project for peer evaluation and feedback

To Pass or Not to Pass: Acting out membrane transport

Aim of the activity is to increase students’ understanding of molecules’ movement through the cell membrane.

Real-World Physics: Mini Video Projects

Controversy in the Science Classroom: Nature of Science Quiz

Don’t go NUTS: A Case Study on the Physiology of Stress

Case Study: Anophthalmia

Case Study: Malignant hyperthermia

Case Study: Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa

Case Study: Discovering the Structure of DNA

Harvard Implicit Bias Test

Let’s Role Play the French Revolution!

Identity Dot Exercise

Rhetorical Strategies

Holding Your Seat: A Mindfulness Exercise

Reflective Writing On Waves

Muscle Snowballs