Active Learning Activities

Finding Catharsis in Film and Media

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

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.

Two-stage Testing for Second-year Math Students

Students are given four 2-stage tests throughout a semester; 1st stage written individually, 2nd students work in groups.

Put Your Theory on Trial

Scaffolded debate that explores the nuances of a belief that the teacher has introduced.

Crossing Dimensions: A Math Odyssey into Cross Products

In groups, students learn about orthogonality and cross products by creating geometrical shapes.

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

An Abundance of Bells

5 Senses Lab

Call Me By My Organelle

In this single-class activity, students use cards to match cells with their organelles and functions.

Disappearing Sea Otters

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

Two Stage Calculus Quiz

Sketching the graph of a curve

Experimental Design in Neurobiology

Nucleic Acids

This is an application-based activity that draws upon lesson material students have seen in previous classes.