Active Learning Activities

Biologist Says: Mini-Game for Recalling Biology Terms

A familiar and easy to implement game to help students with recall of biological terms.

BioQuest: Mini-Game for Categorizing Biology Terms

A fun consolidating activity at the end of a topic or unit to help students categorize and consolidate biological terms.

Hemoglobin Hustle: An Adaptation of Race for the Hat

Used the Race for the Hat activity to create a Jeopardy-style session on blood & blood disorders for a pathophysiology class.

Electron Odyssey: Journey through the Mitochondria’s Electron Transport Chain

Students play the roles of protein complexes to see how electrons, protons, and energy moves through the ETC to produce ATP.

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

Instructional Survey

The aim of this activity is to provide students with an overview of survey design and execution.

Case Study: Anophthalmia

Case Study: Malignant hyperthermia

Case Study: Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa

Case Study: Discovering the Structure of DNA

Rock Paper Scissors Lizard

“Light, Camera, Action” Starring Reactions in Photosynthesis

Sustainability Development Plan (Part 1 and Part 2)

In this activity, students learn to define sustainability and apply this to a single Montreal neighbourhood. 

Don’t leave it to chance! Testing Biology Data Right the First Time

In this activity students learn how to apply statistics to biological data through a series of mini case studies.

Cytoskeletal Proteins in Amoeba

Taking the role of a biologist, students statistically determine how different drug treatments can affect amoeba cell shape.

A Case for Cystic Fibrosis (CF): A Québec Perspective

In this activity students take on the role of a geneticist helping an individual recently diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.

Disappearing Sea Otters

Students take the role of an ecologist and try to analyze species behaviours and predict population change.

Brazil Nut Tree

Students take on the role of ecologists, tasked with saving the Brazil nut tree from the effects of deforestation.

Managing Major Weather Hazards in Recreation

Students in this activity, create & perform a skit to demonstrate how a group should respond to various weather events.

Darwin’s Finches: Natural Selection

In this game-based activity, students learn about natural selection, evolution of traits, and data collection and analysis.  

Race for the Hat!

Alien Cell Dissection

Students learn to apply their knowledge of normal "terrestrial" cells to a new scenario (an alien cell).

Systems Ball Toss

Genetics: Patterns of Inheritance

Students analyze a pedigree chart to identify which individuals are carriers of the disease Alkaptonuria (ALK).