Filters

Difficulty

Prep Time Required

Class Size

Active Learning

Formative Feedback

Bloom's Taxonomy

Inclusive Learning

Whole-Person Learning

Activity Time

Class Modality

3-2-1 Survey
Conduct a structured exit survey. For example, ask 3 concepts students learned, 2 applications that interest them, and 1 question they still have.
Use this activity to evaluate what students learned relative to the session's objectives
Usually 3 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
2
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

  • Modify the structure of the 3-2-1 elements. For example, ask students 3 moments they were most engaged, 2 moments they were least engaged, and 1 thing they plan to do before next session.
  • Have students hand in their responses as an "exit ticket" when leaving the room.
  • Consider using survey technology like Slido or Poll Everywhere to anonymize responses.
  • Get more information on the 3-2-1 format from Northern Illinois University.
Affective Response
Let students express their first impressions about the topics or skills you're about to cover, or to material they have prepared for this session.
Use this activity to provide a "hook" for the session by considering the "so what?" question
Usually 5 to 15 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Acknowledge students' initial ractions while encouraging them to remain open to new ideas.
  • Promote metacognition by prompting students to interrogate the reasons for their reactions.
  • Consider pairing this activity with a discussion of Bloom's Taxonomy, showing students how higher-order skills like evaluation and critique are informed by foundational processes like understanding and analysis.
Backchannel Discussion
Open an online chat in the background of a live class session.
Use this activity to build community and promote the exchange of ideas through dialogue
Usually 1 to 5 minutes
Use in-person or online (synchronous)
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Use this activity in either live online or in-person classes.
  • When possible, have a TA monitor the chat and provide resources if necessary.
  • Consider pausing the session occasionally to see if any questions in the chat can be addressed.
  • Get more information on using backchannel tools from the University of Waterloo.
Background Knowledge Probe
Give a short pre-test to evaluate what students already know about the material you're about to cover.
Use this activity to connect what students are about to learn to things they already know
Usually 3 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
1
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

  • Clarify that students are not expected to know material that has not yet been covered.
  • Make the pre-test ungraded or only grade based on completion.
  • Use the results to pitch the lesson at the right level to address gaps in student understanding.
  • If results indicate high variability in preparation, consider using peer instruction activities.
  • Get more information on assessing background knowledge from Yale University.
Brainstorm
Quickly generate a large quantity of ideas on a topic or question.
Use this activity to allow students to test ideas and construct knowledge for themselves
Usually 5 to 15 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Wait until the end to synthesize results and highlight ideas that seem most important.
  • Remember that there are no "wrong" answers in a brainstorm.
  • Use positive affirmations to appreciate each student's contribution.
  • Record the list on the board or using digital brainstorming tools.
  • Get more information on brainstorming from Northern Illinois University.
Case Study
Ask students to analyze and evaluate a real-world situation.
Use this activity to allow students to test ideas and construct knowledge for themselves
Usually 10 to 60 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
2

Best Practices

  • Use a narrative story to convey the stakes of the case in question.
  • Ask students to take a position or make recommendations on key decision points.
  • Consider the data needed to investigate this case. Introduce students to library research skills.
  • For STEM courses, consult the case collection from the National Science Teaching Association.
  • Get more information on using case studies from Carnegie Mellon University.
Class Discussion/Seminar
Guide students' inquiry by facilitating dialogue on specific questions.
Use this activity to build community and promote the exchange of ideas through dialogue
Usually 5 to 30 minutes
Works best in-person
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

Closing Self-Assessment
Build metacognitive skills by inviting students to reflect on their own intellectual and affective reactions.
Use this activity to evaluate what students learned relative to the session's objectives
Usually 3 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
2
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

  • Prompt students to consider how the session resonated with them, how it compared to their expectations, or how confident they are that they met a given learning goal.
  • Encourage students to make a concrete plan to address any learning gaps they identify.
  • Promote help-seeking by pointing students to campus resources on personal well-being.
  • Get more information on teaching metacognitive skills from the University of Waterloo.
Collaborative Note-taking
Allow students to compare notes and engage in peer instruction.
Use this activity to allow students to test ideas and construct knowledge for themselves
Usually 3 to 10 minutes
Works best in-person
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Have students re-teach the material to each other to promote comprehension and retention.
  • Begin with a directed paraphrase, where students summarize the material in their own words.
  • Get more information on collaborative note-taking from the University of Notre Dame.
Concept Map
Emphasize relationships between ideas by allowing students to organize concepts visually.
Use this activity to allow students to test ideas and construct knowledge for themselves
Usually 5 to 15 minutes
Use in-person or online (asynchronous)
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

  • First allow students to map concepts on their own, then compare ideas with others.
  • Consider providing students with a list of concepts to map, or have them brainstorm a list first.
  • Integrate other kinds of visual organizers such as T-charts, Venn diagrams, and timelines.
  • Consider using concept mapping technologies, especially for online classes.
  • Get more information on concept mapping from Northern Illinois University.
Course Logistics
Quickly address logistical issues that can't be handled outside class.
Use this activity to set student expectations by giving them a roadmap for the session
Usually 1 to 5 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
-1
FEEDBACK
-1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Maximize learning time by communicating logistical information over email or LMS.
  • Set the right tone for learning by discussing logistics at the end of class instead.
Course Logistics
Address any final logistical issues that can't be handled outside class.
Use this activity to highlight concepts and skills you will return to in the future
Usually 1 to 5 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
-1
FEEDBACK
-1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Remind students of any upcoming deadlines, office hours, or other learning opportunities.
  • Promote help-seeking by encouraging students to attend office hours and explaining their potential benefits.
  • Reiterate any crucial information stated in class via email or LMS.
Debate
Allow students to clarify their views by exploring opposing positions in dialogue with others.
Use this activity to build community and promote the exchange of ideas through dialogue
Usually 15 to 30 minutes
Use in-person or online (asynchronous)
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

  • Encourage students to investigate the premises, values, and assumptions of their position.
  • Consider holding a "forced debate," where students argue for a position they do not agree with.
  • Follow the debate with a class debrief to see what new ideas arose through the process.
  • Get more information on holding classroom debates from Northern Illinois University.
Demonstration
Make concepts live by demonstrating their application in practice.
Use this activity to allow students to test ideas and construct knowledge for themselves
Usually 5 to 15 minutes
Works best in-person
ENGAGEMENT
1
FEEDBACK
0
PREP TIME
2

Best Practices

  • Prompt students to predict results, then discuss how their predictions compared to actual results.
  • Clarify how the principles at work in the demonstration might apply to other use cases.
  • Get more information on interactive demonstrations from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Digital Whip Around
Allow each student to respond to a discussion prompt digitally in class, then synthesize the results together.
Use this activity to build community and promote the exchange of ideas through dialogue
Usually 3 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online (synchronous)
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
2
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

  • Consider using this activity as a warm-up for a whole group or small group discussion.
  • Use survey technology to anonymize responses.
  • Get more information on how to create open-text polls using Slido or Poll Everywhere.
End of Unit Review
Summarize key ideas and skills covered over the past several weeks.
Use this activity to introduce students to key ideas, methods, and skills in your discipline
Usually 30 to 60 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
0
FEEDBACK
0
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

  • Use before or after an exam to identify which concepts students will need going forward.
  • Try an "active review," where students formulate answers to questions in small groups.
  • Prioritize your time by concentrating on the most difficult material first.
  • Pair with a background knowledge probe or muddiest point activity to identify priority areas.
  • Get more information on leading review sessions from Vanderbilt University.
Entry Ticket/Do Now
Center students' attention through a warm-up activity or writing prompt.
Use this activity to set student expectations by giving them a roadmap for the session
Usually 3 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online (synchronous)
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
2
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Ask students to share their initial thoughts on today's topic, to review a difficult point from the previous session, or to reflect on the materials they studied in preparation for this session.
  • Use entry tickets on a consistent basis throughout the semester to establish a welcome routine.
  • Get more information on Do Now activities from Harvard University.
Fist to Five
Take a quick informal poll by having students use their fingers to rate things like their general mood, how their week is going, how prepared they feel, or how much they enjoyed the assigned reading.
Use this activity to set student expectations by giving them a roadmap for the session
Usually 1 to 3 minutes
Use in-person or online (synchronous)
ENGAGEMENT
1
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Consider asking non-content questions that build rapport and promote academic belonging.
  • Use the opportunity to check in with students about their well-being.
  • Try participating in the poll yourself to build community.
Guest Speaker
Invite an expert in the field to shed light on a particular topic.
Use this activity to introduce students to key ideas, methods, and skills in your discipline
Usually 20 to 60 minutes
Use in-person or online (synchronous)
ENGAGEMENT
0
FEEDBACK
0
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

  • Consider inviting guests from both within and beyond the academy.
  • Ask students to prepare for the visitor by formulating questions in advance.
  • Give the speaker a copy of the syllabus and outline how they can contribute to course objectives.
  • Get more information on inviting guest speakers from DePaul University.
In Our Own Lives
Have students reflect on how the material you're about to cover relates to their own lives and communities.
Use this activity to provide a "hook" for the session by considering the "so what?" question
Usually 5 to 15 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Build trust by modeling openness. For example, begin by connecting the content to your own life.
  • Get to know your students and adapt the course to their interests and goals.
  • For sensitive topics, consider using an anonymous survey tool such as Slido or Poll Everywhere.
In the Media
Demonstrate the contemporary relevance of the material you're about to cover by bringing in related news articles, podcast clips, or other media.
Use this activity to provide a "hook" for the session by considering the "so what?" question
Usually 5 to 15 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

  • Consider using local media sources to connect course content to your campus community.
  • Ensure that students can access the materials. For example, turn on video captions and provide audio transcipts.
  • Get more information on using media in the classroom from Carleton College.
Jigsaw Discussion
Divide a problem into different components and assign one group of students to tackle each part. Then reorganize the groups and let students "piece together" the total solution. (For example, groups AAA BBB CCC become groups ABC ABC ABC.)
Use this activity to build community and promote the exchange of ideas through dialogue
Usually 10 to 25 minutes
Works best in-person
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

  • Plan in advance how you will break the problem down into individual components, how many initial groups you will have, and how they will be reorganized.
  • Reorganize smaller groups into bigger ones. For example, start with 6 groups of 3, then go to 3 groups of 6.
  • For in-person classes, consider how best to physically arrange the classroom before class.
  • Get more information on jigsaw activities from Harvard University.
Lecture
Highlight key ideas, questions, and methods at stake in your course.
Use this activity to introduce students to key ideas, methods, and skills in your discipline
Usually 5 to 20 minutes
Works best in-person
ENGAGEMENT
0
FEEDBACK
0
PREP TIME
2

Best Practices

  • Divide the lecture into short chunks by integrating other activities every 15-20 minutes. Clarification pauses, polls, think-pair-share, small group discussions, and collaborative note-taking activities are a great place to start.
  • Highlight key ideas visually by writing them on the board or projecting them a slide.
  • Present diverse perspectives on the topic, and discuss your field's historical biases.
  • Consider "flipping" your class by recording some lectures and assigning them as prework.
  • Get more information on lecturing effectively from the University of Waterloo.
Minute Paper/Exit Ticket
Get immediate feedback on an aspect of the session that interests you by asking students to respond in writing.
Use this activity to evaluate what students learned relative to the session's objectives
Usually 3 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
2
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Consider asking students to summarize the most significant concepts they learned, solve a problem related to the material, apply the material in a new way, or express the muddiest and clearest point of the session.
  • Have students hand in their responses as an "exit ticket" when leaving the room.
  • Consider using survey technology like Slido or Poll Everywhere to anonymize responses.
  • Get more information on minute papers from Northern Illinois University.
Muddiest Point
Pause to ask students what has been most confusing so far.
Use this activity to allow students to test ideas and construct knowledge for themselves
Usually 5 to 15 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
2
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Budget time not only for surfacing points of confusion but also for addressing them.
  • Consider allowing time for peer instruction or collaborative note-taking to clarify ideas.
  • Optionally, also ask students what has been most clear so far.
  • Consider using survey technology like Slido or Poll Everywhere to anonymize responses.
  • Get more information on muddiest point activities from Northern Illinois University.
Poll/Clicker Question
Get real-time feedback about how students are responding to the material and adapt instruction accordingly.
Use this activity to allow students to test ideas and construct knowledge for themselves
Usually 2 to 7 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
1
FEEDBACK
2
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

  • Use well-written questions to see how students are grasping important or difficult ideas.
  • When results suggest confusion, ask students to confer with each other, then take the poll again.
  • Vary the level of difficulty, including complex questions students can expect to find on an exam.
  • Use polling technologies like Slido, Poll Everywhere, or iClicker.
  • Get more information on polling from Washington University in St. Louis.
Predictions and Preconceptions
Ask students to speculate about the answer to a question you're about to cover, or surface their preconceptions about upcoming material.
Use this activity to connect what students are about to learn to things they already know
Usually 5 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Investigate preconceptions when students are likely to have entrenched beliefs about a topic.
  • Consider using sentence completion or concept mapping activities.
  • Try stating a common misconception, then have students explain why they agree or disagree.
  • Attempt to understand the source of misconceptions. Are they due to a lack of factual knowledge, a misinterpretation of the facts, or a broader mischaracterization about the nature of the problem?
  • Get more information on addressing student misconceptions from the American Psychological Association.
Problem-Based Learning
Assign student teams to work on a complex, open-ended problem.
Use this activity to allow students to test ideas and construct knowledge for themselves
Usually 10 to 60 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
2

Best Practices

  • Identify a real-world problem that requires students to apply course concepts and skills.
  • Use a narrative story to convey the stakes of the problem in question.
  • Help students access resources to investigate this problem, such as library research skills.
  • See example problems from the University of Delaware.
  • Get more information on problem-based learning from the University of Illinois.
Q&A/Pause for Clarification
Use a strategic pause to respond to student questions at critical points.
Use this activity to introduce students to key ideas, methods, and skills in your discipline
Usually 5 to 20 minutes
Use in-person or online (synchronous)
ENGAGEMENT
1
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Give ample waiting time (at least 10-30 seconds) for students to formulate questions before calling on anyone.
  • Communicate to students that you plan to take at least 2-3 questions before moving on.
  • Ask "What questions do you have?" rather than "Are there any questions?"
  • If students are reluctant to speak, try a quick turn and talk activity to get the conversation started.
  • Get more information on using question strategies from the University of Waterloo.
Real-World Case Study
Get students curious about the material you're about to cover by applying it to a real-world scenario.
Use this activity to provide a "hook" for the session by considering the "so what?" question
Usually 5 to 15 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

  • Bring in accessible media, articles, maps, data, etc. to make the case come alive.
  • Use the case to highlight emerging questions or ideas you plan to cover later in this session.
  • Choose a case that diversifies existing course materials in some way.
  • Get more information on case-based learning from Yale University.
Recap and Preview
Emphasize key ideas by revisiting your initial goals. Preview how you will build on this session in your next class.
Use this activity to highlight concepts and skills you will return to in the future
Usually 3 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
-1
FEEDBACK
-1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Ask students to participate in the review by allowing them to summarize the key concepts covered in the session.
  • Revisit the most difficult ideas covered in this session.
  • Clearly communicate how students should prepare for the next session and seek help if needed.
Retrieval Practice
Ask students to recall key concepts from previous sessions.
Use this activity to set student expectations by giving them a roadmap for the session
Usually 3 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
1
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Let students write down their own recollections first, then compare notes with others.
  • Clarify or emphasize ideas that students will need most going forward.
  • Start a conversation with students about effective study habits and highlight any relevant campus resources.
Review and Set Goals
Set goals for the session and show how they build on past material.
Use this activity to set student expectations by giving them a roadmap for the session
Usually 3 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
-1
FEEDBACK
-1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Invite students to conduct the review by recalling key ideas from recent sessions.
  • Clearly communicate how this session's material relates to broader course themes.
  • Be transparent about why and how you determined this session's objectives.
  • Find ways to identify and incorporate students' own learning goals and interests.
  • Get more information on creating learning outcomes from Stanford University.
Review or Reading Quiz
Quiz students on past material or material assigned for this session.
Use this activity to set student expectations by giving them a roadmap for the session
Usually 3 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
-1
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

  • Promote accountability by quizzing students on material they read or prepared for this session.
  • Promote retention by quizzing students on material they have covered in previous sessions.
  • Make quizzes ungraded or low-stakes, and announce the quiz in advance of this session.
  • Use quizzing technologies like Slido, Poll Everywhere, or iClicker.
  • Get more information on quizzing strategies from the University of Nevada.
Self-Assessment
Have students identify their familiarity level with upcoming material.
Use this activity to connect what students are about to learn to things they already know
Usually 3 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

Simulation/Role Play
Design a game that asks students to imagine themselves into realistic roles or situations.
Use this activity to allow students to test ideas and construct knowledge for themselves
Usually 10 to 60 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
2

Best Practices

  • Introduce students to the topic, format, rules, and goals of the activity, allowing them to do background research on their assigned role.
  • Pause at significant moments to provide feedback and guide students toward learning goals.
  • Immediately afterward, debrief orally as a class and individually in writing, asking students to reflect on what happened, why it happened, and how the experience related to course goals.
  • Avoid scenarios that may invite harmful representations, such as historical attrocities.
  • Get more information on simulations and role playing from Carleton College.
Small Group Discussion
Allow students to discuss in groups, then synthesize ideas as a class.
Use this activity to build community and promote the exchange of ideas through dialogue
Usually 3 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online (synchronous)
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

Snowball Discussion
Start a discussion in pairs, then gradually grow or "snowball" the size of the groups to four, then eight, etc.
Use this activity to build community and promote the exchange of ideas through dialogue
Usually 10 to 25 minutes
Works best in-person
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

Student Presentation
Allow students to practice their research, collaboration, and communication skills by presenting to their peers.
Use this activity to introduce students to key ideas, methods, and skills in your discipline
Usually 5 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
0
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Avoid using presentations to cover key ideas. Instead, ask students to apply concepts to their own interests.
  • Set clear expectations and goals for the presentations, including a time limit (usually no more than 10 minutes).
  • Let students choose their preferred format (recorded video/audio, reading a paper, slide presentation, etc.).
  • Provide students with resources for delivering effective presentations and give timely feedback.
  • Get more information on teaching oral presentation skills from Princeton University.
Student-Generated Test Questions
Ask students to formulate example test questions based on the content covered in this session.
Use this activity to evaluate what students learned relative to the session's objectives
Usually 3 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
2
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Allow students to work either independently or in groups.
  • Ask students to indicate example solutions to the questions the generate.
  • Consider integrating some of these questions into your next quiz or exam.
  • Get more information on student-generated test questions from Griffith University.
Think-Pair-Share
Students think independently about a question, pair up to discuss ideas, then share takeaways with the class.
Use this activity to allow students to test ideas and construct knowledge for themselves
Usually 5 to 15 minutes
Works best in-person
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Remember to let students think independently for a minute or two before pairing up.
  • Pose higher-order analysis and evaluation questions.
  • Write the question on the board or online chat so that students can refer back to it.
  • Get more information on think-pair-share activities from Northern Illinois University.
Turn and Talk
Give students a brief opportunity to process ideas with a partner.
Use this activity to build community and promote the exchange of ideas through dialogue
Usually 2 to 5 minutes
Works best in-person
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
0

Best Practices

  • Invite students to clear up each other's confusions through peer instruction.
  • Consider using this activity as a warm-up for a whole group or small group discussion.
Values Affirmation
Allow students to reflect on the values, skills, experiences, identities, and other assets they bring to the course.
Use this activity to connect what students are about to learn to things they already know
Usually 3 to 10 minutes
Use in-person or online
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

Video/Audio/Quote
Capture students' attention by using a media clip to introduce the material you're about to cover.
Use this activity to provide a "hook" for the session by considering the "so what?" question
Usually 5 to 15 minutes
Use in-person or online (asynchronous)
ENGAGEMENT
2
FEEDBACK
1
PREP TIME
1

Best Practices

  • Ensure that students can access the materials. For example, turn on video captions and provide audio transcipts.
  • Consider who is represented and how they are portrayed in the materials you bring in.
  • Get more information on using media in the classroom from Carleton College.
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Active Learning Library

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