Courses in Engineering Mechanics at TUD Dresden University of Technology traditionally rely on lectures and exercises, a format that poses challenges for student engagement, self-assessment, knowledge transfer, and collaborative learning. To address these issues, four activation measures were introduced: lecture questions, online quizzes, introductory videos for exercises, and learning group tasks. This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of these measures for one cohort of students across three semesters of Engineering Mechanics, from October 2024 to February 2026. Quantitative and qualitative analyses reveal increased participation, improved exam outcomes (with scores up to 11% higher for quiz participants), and enhanced group collaboration. The measures require a relatively small amount of additional effort while they are flexible and transferable to other curricula, offering a robust framework for activating students in engineering education.