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.

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

Preparation for Future Learning: Electric Flux

An Abundance of Bells

Peer Review, Assessment & Feedback

Model Building

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

A Self Introduction to Nomenclature in Chemistry

In this activity, students are presented with the concepts of nomenclature in organic chemistry to encourage self learning.

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

Organic Chemistry Flipped Classroom

Circus Launch Clicker Questions

Chemicards

Using cards in a "Chemicard' deck, students determine which ionic compounds are most likely to form.

Momentum Photoproject

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.

Problem Sorting