Active Learning Activities

Keeping Up With the Trends

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

Finding Catharsis in Film and Media

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

Group Work Project Contracting

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

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.

Peerwise Assignment: Human Body

Instructional Survey

The aim of this activity is to provide students with an overview of survey design and execution.

Urban Planning Project

In this multiple-class activity, students explore a chosen neighborhood in Montreal and investigate significant social issues

Gender Socialization throughout the Life Course

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

Solving World Issues: One Smartphone at a Time

The purpose of this activity is to familiarize students with the potential of online tools for problem-solving.

This Field Day of Mine

This activity takes a look at the environmental impact of mining and the quantification of environmental contaminants.

Summative Assessment: My Diagnosis Assignment

In this activity, students analyze 5 characters from a film in order to diagnose them using techniques learned in the course.

The Matching Game

Students use a matching game to pair chemical compounds and their characteristics using a set of question cards.

Durkheim Suicide: Functionalist and Conflict Theory

In this activity, students compare 4 psychological perceptive of suicide (anomic, fatalistic, egoistic, and altruistic).

Sustainability Development Plan (Part 1 and Part 2)

In this activity, students learn to define sustainability and apply this to a single Montreal neighbourhood. 

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

Understanding Agro-Ecosystems by Observing, Writing & Discussing

In this semester-long activity, students visit a farm several times to engage in a critical analysis of that ecosystem.

Holding Your Seat: A Mindfulness Exercise

Teacher for a Day: Defining a Definition

Defining a Definition

In this single-class activity, students practice problem-solving related to definitions.

Organic Chemistry Flipped Classroom

Presentation skills: Conveying emotion

Geography Video Test

The aim of this project is to get students thinking about facts and concepts related to rivers in the field (in real life!).