Active Learning Activities

Group Work Project Contracting

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

Snowball Starter: Goals of Science Education

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

Nature of Science Ice-Breaker

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

Role Reveal 201: Exploring Interdisciplinary Collaboration

In teams, students from each discipline complete a patient interview then contrast their approaches.

Team Dynamics Rx (Part 2): Motivating Change For Better Health

In teams, students learn through role play to effectively motivate a client to want to change

Team Dynamics Rx (Part 1): Building Trust for Better Patient Outcomes

In teams, students learn through role play to effectively work together as a team and to build trust with a patient

Collaborative VeinVentures: Mastering Blood Draws Together

In teams, students read through a script, role play drawing blood, and discuss issues that arise between professions

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

Card Sorting Activities for Mechanics

Preparation for Future Learning: Electric Flux

Peerwise Assignment: Human Body

Categorizing for Review

Peer Review, Assessment & Feedback

Yeas and Nays: Using Smartphones for Gathering Data

Solving World Issues One Smartphone at a Time

Family HiStories of Migration

Students interview two members of their family to collect information about their family history and present it in class.

Reflective Reading on Islam

Students use homework questions to prompt a deeper engagement with the reading material to generate better class discussion.

Identity Dot Exercise

Action-Learning Sets

Forget the Math! Draw Pictures to Learn the Wave Theory of Light

Who am I: (Mis)conceptions of Self

Holding Your Seat: A Mindfulness Exercise

Teacher for a Day: Defining a Definition

Presentation skills: Conveying emotion