As the large timer on the projector ticked down from five minutes in my World History classroom last year, my heartbeat quickened. I was on the last page of my World War I test and couldn’t remember which country Kaiser Wilhelm II was exiled to.
But at the last minute, I recalled the trial we had just a few weeks prior, when I had to act as Kaiser Wilhelm II and ultimately get banished to the Netherlands — I promptly filled in the correct answer. Later that day, I found out that I received an A on that test, and I had no doubt the earlier simulation had cemented my understanding of the period.
Throughout my education, activity-based classes — ones where teachers have their students engage in activities that are both academic and fun — have spoken to me the most. These types of classes help me absorb knowledge more efficiently, improving my learning experience.
History teacher Jerry Sheehy commonly used documentaries or traditional lectures to help convey key ideas. But for me, the most memorable content in his class came in the form of activities like mock press conferences with some students acting as reporters and others as historical figures.
My Spanish classes have also included frequent effective in-class activities. Spanish teacher Sarah Voorhees integrated games like Blooket and bingo. In fact, since my first Spanish class in middle school, I’ve always used platforms like Gimkit, Quizlet and Blooket to practice vocabulary. As a result, I learn the content especially well. These games work by gamifying multiple-choice questions on vocabulary, such as fishing in Gimkit or standard trivia in Kahoot!, allowing for an easy and rewarding study process.
On the other hand, the concepts in lecture-based classes like math classes more often fail to stick with me. After taking Algebra 2 Honors and Precalculus Honors, I have sat through countless math lessons spanning the period’s full 85 minutes. While I do learn during these lessons, the topics I learn are usually not memorable at all and require hours of practice to nail them into my head. Similarly, long lectures in both Biology and Chemistry have not resonated with me.
These lectures feel less effective because they expect students to absorb large amounts of information mainly through listening rather than active engagement. Many of us are kinesthetic learners, and we tend to remember concepts better when we perform actions related to them.
Activity-based learning isn’t limited to just games and simulations. It also includes in-class work like labs.
In Kathy Nakamatsu’s Chemistry Honors class last year, we did around 10 labs. More than anything else, they did the most in solidifying my understanding of the subject.
For me, the most notable was a titration lab, where we experimented with acids, bases and pH levels. What I learned from the lab greatly benefited me later on the acids and bases test, which was crucial in my final grade in the class.
Activity-based learning focuses on interaction rather than passive listening. When I can connect a lesson to something interactive — whether it’s playing a game, performing an experiment or stepping into the shoes of a historical figure — the knowledge resonates. Through these activities, high school is not only more enjoyable but also more effective in increasing students’ knowledge and skills.
