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.

Cross-Disciplinary Synergy 101: Uniting Expertise for Success

In teams, students interact, share information on their profession, and create cases where each discipline is needed

Crash Course: Collision Theory

Students use PhET simulation to learn how factors affect reaction rate (collision theory) through hands-on activities

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

How to Write Reading Annotations

This activity helps students improve their quality of reading annotations using platforms like Perusall.

5 Senses Lab

CLAW At-Home Experiment: Crystallization of Borax

CLAW At-Home Experiment: Organic Chemistry Introduction to Solubility

Who are We? Class Demographics

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

Live Demonstrations of Beats and Interference of Sound

In this activity, students learn to apply the principal of superposition to two new sound contexts.

CLAW At-Home Experiment: Spectrophotometry Using Gatorade

CLAW At-Home Experiment: Volumetric Analysis of Household Acid with Cabbage Juice

CLAW At-Home Experiment: Paper Chromatography of Food Dyes and Ink

CLAW At-Home Experiment: Colligative Properties

CLAW At-Home Experiment: Activation Energy in Chemical Kinetics

CLAW At-Home Experiment: The Rate Law in Chemical Kinetics Using Blue Dye

This Field Day of Mine

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

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.

The Index of Hydrogen Deficiency

In this activity, students review chemical bond concepts, determine structures & calculate Hydrogen Deficiency (IHD).

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.