Active Learning Activities

Keeping Up With the Trends

This activity is aimed at getting students to write sound, scientific rationales for observed phenomena.

Silent Discussion

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

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

Peerwise Assignment: Human Body

Connotation Exercise: Interview and Presentation

This activity introduces basic concepts of literary analysis and interpretation.

Model Building

Students learn to build a conceptual model describing a situation involving an accelerating charged particle.

Gender Socialization throughout the Life Course

Students complete a grid that illustrates different life periods that reinforce gender narratives.

Harvard Implicit Bias Test

Reflective Reading on Islam

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

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

Brazil Nut Tree

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

The Genetics of PTC Sensitivity and Tongue Rolling

Cloning of the Human Insulin Gene

Identity Dot Exercise

Holding Your Seat: A Mindfulness Exercise

How to Read a Research Article

Students learn how to read a research article and what information is contained in each section of the article.

Presentation skills: Conveying emotion

Biological Molecules

Phylogeny

Circus Launch Clicker Questions

Projectile Tracker

Students use the Tracker software to analyze projectile motion to determine which equations fit the plots produced.

Energy Tracker

Students learn to analyze data using spreadsheet programs and gain a deeper understanding of conservation of energy.