Active Learning Activities

Group Work Project Contracting

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

Running on Water: Activating Prior Knowledge of Static Equilibrium

Students watch, discuss, then analyze the veracity of a video in which hydrophobic shoes allow people to run on water.

Decoding Decimal, Binary & Octal: Number System Adventures

In teams, students explore the binary number system and create parameters for an octal number system.

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.

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

Controversy in the Science Classroom: Nature of Science Quiz

Peerwise Assignment: Human Body

Categorizing for Review

Peer Review, Assessment & Feedback

Solving World Issues One Smartphone at a Time

Schools of Thought in Psychology

In-Class Think Pieces: Course Pack

4 Sociological Perspectives: Working with Theoretical Frameworks

The Perry Scheme of Intellectual Development

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

Sketching the graph of a curve

Forget the Math! Draw pictures to learn the wave theory of light

Holding Your Seat: A Mindfulness Exercise

Teacher for a Day: Defining a Definition

Organic Chemistry Flipped Classroom