Active Learning Activities

Group Work Project Contracting

For instructors planning student group work projects over many weeks or months.

Put Your Theory on Trial

Scaffolded debate that explores the nuances of a belief that the teacher has introduced.

Silent Discussion

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

Reimagining the Reading Quiz: Peer Instruction in English

Students do a reading quiz in class and revise their answers after developing and sharing a rationale for their choice.

Mechanics in Motion: Iterative GIF Creation

In groups, students create GIFs to demonstrate and explain how mechanic principles apply in real-life scenarios.

Nature of Science Ice-Breaker

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

It’s All in the Delivery: 6 Rounds to Effective Presentation

Groups of students orally present a poem six times, focusing on six key aspect of effective oral presentations

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.

Card Sorting Activities for Mechanics

Peerwise Assignment: Human Body

Low Stakes Debate

Categorizing for Review

Peer Review, Assessment & Feedback

Connotation Exercise: Interview and Presentation

Projet Specific: Webzine

Building Effective Teams

Three-Tiered Writing

Mouse Coat Colour

Homophones Talent Show

Fireweed and Seals, oh my! Mini Cases in Population Ecology

The Sailing Iguanas: A Mini Case in Speciation

AR’e You Talking to Me? Mini Case Study in Cell Signalling

Now you see me, now you don’t: Fluorescent tagging membranes

What numbers tell us about enzyme inhibition