Celebration of Teaching Excellence at UBC – Zoë Soon

Discover the techniques and practices of outstanding teachers at UBC

Dr. Zoë Soon

Biology, Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathophysiology

Favourite Learning Activities

  1. Clay Muscle Building
  2. Histology Hall of Fame
  3. Team-based Learning
  4. Interactive Case Studies
  5. Clever catch ball review
  6. Pathophysiology Scavenger Hunt
  7. Indigenous Summer Scholar’s Camp Workshop
  8. Split pea DNA milkshakes
  9. Mercury poisoning cup activity
  10. Bone Role Playing
  11. Yoga muscles
  12. Archaeological boneyard
  13. Mystery bone
  14. Got lactase?
  15. Ligament race
  16. Vision impaired bowling
  17. Sensory deprivation escape room!


various items related to list

Why did you choose this slide?

A few of my favourite things! This slide contains pictures from some of my favourite learning activities that I’ve done with my students over the years.

What are you aiming to convey with it?

A sense of the active-learning, student-centric lessons I try to design for my students with the goal of helping them understand and remember tricky concepts.

How do you think it contributes to student learning?

All of these activities have visual, auditory, read/write, and kinesthetic components in an attempt to appeal to a wide variety of learners. These activities have also been designed to encourage students to work together in a fun, engaging, stress-free environment. All designed in advance, these activities are relatively quick and easy for the TAs and I to set up when working with large groups in the creation of a learning community.

I also like that all of these activities involve communication, collaboration, and student movement. They say that sitting is the new smoking, and student movement and active learning lends itself well to promoting healthy living as well as sending blood flow to the brain, contributing to a boost in energy, spirit, and comradery.


View Dr. Zoë Soon’s one-minute presentation on their teaching practice.