WCC Teaching Materials Collection

Mystery Boxes: Exploring the Process of Science
This page is authored by Nathan Rice, Whatcom Community College, based on an original activity by Kaatje Kraft, Whatcom Community College. ,
In this activity, students will work in groups to follow the steps of the scientific method to investigate the unknown contents and internal structure of sealed boxes. They will generate questions and hypotheses and then test those hypotheses using their senses and a few tools. Then they will share their conclusions with the class and reevaluate their conclusions after peer review.

Ecology Modules
John Rousseau, Pierce College District
The ecology section of a year-long introductory biology course was reworked from a lecture style format to a small-group activity format that involved both in-class and field activities.

Stoichiometry: An inquiry-based general chemistry activity
Paul Frazey, Whatcom Community College
This in an inquiry-based activity on stoichiometry for college-level general chemistry. It use the POGIL approach for collaborative group work.

Combination Jigsaw and Gallery Walk activity
Tommaso Vannelli, Pierce College District; Paul Frazey
A combination Jigsaw and Gallery Walk activity exploring the five periodic trends typically discussed in Genenral Chemistry texts (atomic and ionic radii, ionization energies, electron affinity, and electronegativity). this activity spans two class periods and employs an on-line (Canvas) discussion prior to class for sharing research results within expert groups.

Properties of Real Numbers in-class group activity
Mei Luu
Real Numbers properties worksheet

Chemistry and Cell Review for Microbiology
Debbie Lancaster, Pierce College District
Basic Chemistry and Cell Biology are two subjects that are reviewed in Introduction to Microbiology. These two activities are both designed to have the students actively participate in the review processes and to be able to relate the information to a new area of study, microbiology.

Wax Paper Folding - Discovering the Conic Sections
Leslie Glen, Whatcom Community College
Students fold "patty paper" to create the conic sections, and in the process, discover their properties.

Student Directed Review
kimberly reeves, Pierce College District
Incorporation of a student generated whiteboard review session, whereby groups created critical thinking questions for the other peer groups in the class to answer, generated an increase in exam average by 10.25 points.

Translating English to Algebra, a Modified Gallery Walk for Online Students
Jessica Conner, Whatcom Community College
An online assignment based on a gallery walk where students read, write, identify, translate, and use phrases that indicate the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.

Pre-lab 1: Students Ideas about the Relationship between Position-time and Velocity-time Graphs
Tran Phung, Pierce College District
Student Initial Ideas about Position-time and Velocity-time Graphs