Active Learning Activities

Group Work Project Contracting

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

Put Your Theory on Trial

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

Past, Present & Future: A Belize Timeline

Students collaborate to create a historical timeline for a country they will soon be travelling to.

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.

It’s All in the Delivery: 6 Rounds to Effective Presentation

Groups of students orally present a poem six times, focusing on six key aspect of effective oral presentations

Card Sorting Activities for Mechanics

Real-World Physics: Mini Video Projects

These mini-video projects require students to engage with course concepts and make connections to the world in which we live.

Can I Use the Internet?

Physics Worksheet Based Activity

The aim of the activity is the application of concepts and math to solve complex problems.

Categorizing for Review

Peer Review, Assessment & Feedback

Group Problem Solving with Show and Tell

Students learn to build a conceptual model describing a Mechanics-based situation and practice mathematical problem-solving.

Model Building

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

Yeas and Nays: Using Smartphones for Gathering Data

This Field Day of Mine

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

Building Effective Teams

The Right Tool for the Right Job

This activity encourages students to consider the nature of a chemistry problem and to identify the tools to solve it.

If You’re Not Part of the Solution You’re Part of the Precipitate

Forget the Math! Draw Pictures to Learn the Wave Theory of Light

Kinematics Concept Mapping

Bottle Rocket Tracker

Using video and Tracker software, students learn to analyze and fit equations of motion to raw data.

Dart Gun Velocity

In this activity, students will find the muzzle velocity of a foam dart gun and predict its maximum range.

Forces Scavenger Hunt

Elemental Superhero