Active Learning Activities

Active learning activities are tailored to specific learning outcomes and content. They incorporate one or more of the evidence-based strategies. Structured to expose their theoretical underpinnings, the activities can be used by practitioners and researchers alike.

Active Learning Activities

47 Results

Languages and Literature

Editing Exercise: Mock Academic Conference

Research, writing & editing activity that builds interpretive skills and the ability to incorporate research.

Photo by Kaleidico from Unsplash
Education STEM

Drawing to Learn: Doing Science is more Complex that You Think

Students draw a diagram of how they think scientists "do science." These are improved then compared with an expert diagram.

Photo by Noom Peerapong from Unsplash
Humanities Social sciences

Finding Catharsis in Film and Media

Students analyze a film or piece of media watched in the course using two concepts: climax and catharsis.

Humanities Social sciences

Group Work Project Contracting

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

Photo by Michael Fenton from Unsplash
Languages and Literature

Taskmaster: Diction Icebreakers

These gamified activities will help sensitize students to the nuances of diction and allow them to work together.

Water rat - Photo by Matt Seymour, Unsplash.
Biology STEM

Evolution of Sexual Reproduction: Construct a Species

Students construct a fictional animal species by selecting traits related to sexual reproduction.

Languages and Literature

Silent Discussion

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

Languages and Literature

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.

Health science Biology

Family Matters : Inclusive Genetics Pedigree

In teams, students will build a pedigree chart and determine inheritance patterns using inclusive pedigree practices.

Chemistry Biology

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.

Biology STEM

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

STEM Biology Social sciences

Peerwise Assignment: Human Body

Humanities

5 Senses Lab

Languages and Literature

Les Ateliers de Creation

In this multiple-class activity, students write three 250 texts, then learn to revise their writing based on peer feedback.

Languages and Literature

Connotation Exercise: Interview and Presentation

This activity introduces basic concepts of literary analysis and interpretation.

Languages and Literature

Visual Interpretation of “The Story of an Hour”

Students learn to interpret a text and analyze a theme by creating a visual interpretation of a story.

Interdisciplinary Languages and Literature

Who are We? Class Demographics

In this icebreaker activity, students answer questions about themselves, which is included in a anonymous class profile.

Biology Health science STEM

Case Study: Anophthalmia

Biology Health science STEM

Case Study: Malignant hyperthermia

Biology Health science STEM

Case Study: Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa

Biology Health science STEM

Case Study: Discovering the Structure of DNA

Biology STEM

Mouse Coat Colour

Languages and Literature

Activité sur les Homophones

Students pick a homophone out of a hat and are asked to first analyze and prepare a short 2 minute teaching lesson.

Biology STEM

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