WCC Teaching Materials Collection

Mystery Boxes: Exploring the Process of Science
Nathan Rice, Whatcom Community College; 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.

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.

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

Investigating Right Triangle Trigonometry
Lee Singleton, Whatcom Community College
Students use a hands-on approach to investigate right triangle trigonometry definitions. Students also solve right triangles given an angle and a side.

Course Summary Portfolio
Yumi Clark, Pierce College District

Pre-lab 1: Students Ideas about the Relationship between Position-time and Velocity-time Graphs
Tran Phung, Pierce College District; David R. Sokoloff; Ronald K. Thornton; Priscilla W. Laws
Student Initial Ideas about Position-time and Velocity-time Graphs

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.

3 Part Calendar Assignment for Introductory Computer Science Courses - Building a meaningful, useful, long term project
Ryan Parsons, Whatcom Community College; Brody Coleman, Whatcom Community College
This 3 part assignment is designed to be worked on over the entire quarter for an introductory computer science course. The end result is to create a calendar program that has a visual display and several different functionalities, allowing the students to demonstrate many core programming skills while taking ownership of their own large project.