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Secondary Science Extra Credit Opportunities That Are Actually Worthwhile

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Extra Credit Assignment Ideas that Support Student Learning

Classroom Management , Project-Based Learning , Writing

Close to the end of the semester, you likely get requests from students to complete extra credit assignments. You might be looking for extra credit assignment ideas , or maybe you’re wondering if extra credit should be allowed in the first place. Maybe you find last-minute requests annoying – grading extra credit projects can be frustrating and confusing! In this blog post, I’ll share some reasons to consider extra credit in your classroom. It can be an enriching learning opportunity for your students. You’ll also receive some examples of extra credit assignments , along with some strategies to stay organized with extra credit assignments.

Is Extra Credit a Good Thing?

Not everyone agrees that students deserve extra credit. Many teachers believe in only assigning “regular” credit. Sometimes the top performers in our class request the opportunity to boost their grades. Oftentimes, students who have unfinished assignments or lower grades request extra credit too. Teachers who do not assign extra credit often decline these requests to emphasize the importance of turning in regular assignments on time .

Meanwhile, some teachers do not assign extra credit because their schools do not allow it. School-wide policies may not permit extra credit in order to promote equitable grading practices. Before you decide whether or not you will offer extra credit, be sure to check your school’s policy.

Equitable Extra Credit Policies

Another place to consult before assigning extra credit is with any staff that teaches the same course as you. If either one of you approaches extra credit differently, your students may interpret this as inequitable . One of the main reasons that teachers believe students do not deserve extra credit is that it is unethical. There are ways to ensure that extra credit is equitable, but you will need to ensure that your colleagues are in agreement .

Students deserve extra credit when it is an opportunity offered to everyone . To ensure that your policies are ethical and equitable, do not assign extra credit on a case-by-case basis. This does not mean that everyone needs to complete an extra credit assignment. This also does not mean that every extra credit assignment needs to be the same. Equity is about access . Case-by-case simply implies that you should not approve extra credit for one student and deny it for another – unless there is a valid reason to do so.

Whether you believe students deserve extra credit or not, be sure to include your policy in your syllabus . If you allow extra credit, you may also wish to note your requirements. These can include when and how to request extra credit opportunities. Mondays Made Easy includes an Extra Credit Application with our Editable Full Course Syllabus Template .

Why Should Teachers Give Extra Credit?

Teachers should give extra credit if they support differentiation for students. When implemented properly, extra credit assignments can be a fantastic way to differentiate for different learner profiles. Many teachers hold the belief that a student’s grade in a course should reflect their understanding of the curriculum. In an equitable setting, there should be several opportunities to demonstrate that understanding.

There are multiple reasons why a student may perform poorly on an assessment. There are also multiple factors that may prevent students from being present in class or turning in work on time. Extra credit assignments, when assigned to correlate with your curriculum requirements and course expectations, provide students with another opportunity to meet course standards .

This is especially true if the extra credit is able to assess learning goals while catering to different learning styles . I saw a great example the other day of a student who baked a literal cake of symbolic elements from The Great Gatsby. Their write-up described the literary elements in the novel in relation to the cake: from rum-flavored icing to pearl necklace piping, this culinary creation fused course requirements with the student’s passion!

Tips for Assigning Extra Credit

One reason why teachers hate extra credit is that it can be a real headache! Keeping track of extra credit assignments and due dates requires additional effort on our part. On top of that, grading additional assignments around report card time is stressful. Thankfully, these hardships are minimized with a simple system in place.

Mondays Made Easy’s FREE Extra Credit Application is a great tool to help you keep track of extra credit assignments and requests. Students typically ask for extra credit in person; an application provides a paper trail for these conversations. Additionally, an application provides space to note assignment instructions and due dates – if your students are anything like mine, they might need a reminder about these details.

Extra credit applications can also double as a metacognitive reflection tool . I often have students explain why they need the extra credit in the first place. This provides them the opportunity to reflect on their performance and participation in the course. If the same student repeatedly asks for extra credit in your class, it can also be useful to have a record of each request . This can provide you both with documentation to discuss the student’s habits and performance.

A final reason why I love using extra credit applications is that they encourage students to be proactive . I introduce my extra credit application with my syllabus at the start of the course. I notify students that I require extra credit applications to be submitted three weeks before report cards. This sets the expectation that extra credit requests should not be made last minute. I also schedule assignments to be turned in before grades are finalized. This eliminates any last-minute grading .

Extra Credit Assignment Ideas for English Class

To simplify extra credit assignment ideas, you can adopt the popular approach of offering an assignment re-do to students. This is the easiest way to avoid additional grading while accommodating extra credit requests.

Another approach to extra credit that requires very little assessment is to implement a pass system . At the start of the semester, you can provide each student with a number of passes. For example, each student might receive three hallway passes and one late pass. In order to receive extra credit, students must have all of their passes remaining at the end of the semester. If your school policy allows, you can give students bonus points for simply showing up to class on time and avoiding hallway distractions.

For novel studies , you can offer students the opportunity to create a movie trailer. This example for an extra credit assignment idea requires a bit of effort, but it is a great alternative assessment for older students . A movie trailer will prompt students to avoid simple plot summaries and establish characterization and theme. To facilitate this assignment, Mondays Made Easy offers a Movie Trailer Project Outline and Rubric .

If your students have written research essays , you can offer them the opportunity to turn their work into a “ real-world resource .” A “real-world resource” is any type of media or document that delivers students’ research to the general public. This example of an extra credit assignment is a great opportunity for differentiation because it allows students to be creative and select any medium they like. Mondays Made Easy also offers a Real-World Resource Assignment Outline and Rubric .

Aligning Extra Credit Assignment Ideas with Your Curriculum

When it comes to selecting an extra credit assignment idea, the most important consideration should be how the assignment aligns with your curriculum. If you’re not sure what to assign for extra credit, one option could be to review the student’s performance . If they scored low on a particular assessment, it would make sense to opt for an assignment that covers similar curriculum strands .

For example, the Common Core State Standards require students to “write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence” ( English Language Arts Standards – Writing – Grade 9-10 ). If your student requesting extra credit scored lowest on an assessment for this strand, it would not be best practice to assess an argumentative writing assignment.

Mondays Made Easy’s Extra Credit Application prompts students to reflect on their performance in your course. It also offers them the opportunity to suggest extra credit assignment ideas . Oftentimes, students are able to recommend an assignment idea that evaluates similar skills to those that were evaluated poorly on a previous assessment. If their recommendation doesn’t align, you can facilitate a conversation to guide them in the right direction. This is a great way to implement differentiation and student choice . It also enables you to incorporate your students’ examples of extra credit assignments into your curriculum. Students have great ideas, and I’ve benefitted from reusing their suggestions with future classes!

Extra Credit Assignment Ideas: Important Takeaways

Assigning extra credit remains a matter of personal preference. You know what works best for your students, and your professional discretion will best determine whether or not extra credit is an opportunity that they need. As mentioned, it is best to check if your approach aligns with your school policy and your colleagues’ practices. If you do decide to offer your students extra credit assignments , I hope that the suggestions and ideas in this blog post support you in your efforts!

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2019 Extra Credit Ideas

You’ve officially made it past the halfway point of the school year! As we near the summer months and the end of the current grade level for your students, you’re likely to start hearing requests for extra credit assignments. Students tend to get into panic mode around March and April and start stressing about their final grades. While some teachers don’t offer extra credit, it can be a great bonus for some students who are extra hard-working or who might need a little extra help at the end of the year. No matter what reason you have for offering extra credit ideas this year, take a look at some of our top ideas to implement in your classroom this spring.

Current Events Report

This is great for a social studies class especially but can be used in any subject. Have your students research a current event and write a report on it. It’s up to you if you allow them to use sensitive or political subjects, but be sure to lay out the guidelines for them on what you require. You may have them utilize various sources to research it, such as an oral news report, a written news report, an interview, and so on. This could be something that goes along with a unit you’re doing in class, or it can simply be a way to get your students involved in real-world events.

Business Letter

Especially great for language arts classes, having your students write a business letter is a great extra credit assignment. Have them pick a real business and write a letter to them about anything they choose. They can write to a candy company requesting samples for the class, they can write to a corporation about an issue they see with the company, or they can write to a sports organization asking about how they run their company. Ensure they are given appropriate guidelines on how to write a business letter and have them send the letter once it’s graded to see if they get a response.

Children’s Book

Writing a children’s book may sound easy, and students often enjoy it, but it tends to be more difficult than many of them realize. Whether you’re an English teacher or not, your students will gain a lot from writing a children’s book as an extra credit assignment. If you teach science or social studies, have them write about a particular concept they learned in class and explain it as thoroughly to a young audience as they can. It’s up to you whether you allow them to use digital images or if you require them to illustrate the book themselves.

Science Fair Project

Some schools require students to participate in the science fair, but if yours isn’t one of them, you can offer extra credit to your science students when they do a science fair project. Make sure they have the guidelines and requirements before they begin, and make sure their project idea and science experiment is approved before they start the process. It should be graded as an extra credit assignment in the same way that it’s graded as a science fair project, including all the requirements of the scientific method, pictures, and a completed display board.

Off-Campus Lecture

Encourage students to attend a lecture, performance, or conference off-campus to learn about something they’re studying in class. You can have them bring you a ticket stub and have them write up a review of the event and tell you what they learned. You can search your local area for academic events with college professors, authors, and more. Better yet, have your students research some local events that would be beneficial to them and get approval for a particular event.

Test Corrections

This is a common extra credit assignment. It’s easy for you to grade, and it is extremely beneficial for students. Let them take their old tests and go back through and rework the questions they got wrong. If you can manage it, it’s best to have them do this in class, where they can’t just borrow a friend’s test and copy the answers. Even better, have them explain what they did wrong (if applicable) and have them do another similar problem to prove that they’ve mastered the concept and skill that they originally got incorrect.

School Event Attendance

This isn’t so much of an academic assignment as it is a school spirit activity. Your school likely has a number of events going on, including concerts, plays, sporting events, and more. Have your students pick one to attend, bring you the ticket from it, and write about the event. This not only encourages school spirit and camaraderie amongst students, but it might also help students get involved in a club or activity they wouldn’t have otherwise known about.

Movie Review

You might need to set strict guidelines for this one, but this can be a fascinating extra-credit assignment, especially for social studies students. Have students pick a movie based on a true story—the easiest thing to do is have them find one about a historical event. Then they watch the movie and compare the events in the movie to the true events that occurred in history. Some examples might be Titanic, Pearl Harbor, Schindler’s List, Troy, and Gettysburg. Make sure the movies are age-appropriate for your students and that your students have parental permission to see them.

Social Media Profile

Another great idea for social studies classes is to have your students set up a social media profile for a historical figure. Have them create a biography for the individual, including an “About” page that lists the individual’s experiences, favorite things, family, etc. Be sure they include job information, hometown, and more.

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5 Extra Credit STEM Assignments to Engage Your Students & Give Their Grades a Lift

Extra credit assignments can be tricky because instructors wonder if it’s giving students a pass or allowing them to slack off. We found from our STEM educators in the Labster Community Campus educator network community that extra credit assignments help engage students and reinforce their learning when done meaningfully. 

A study by the Journal of Anatomy and Physiology Society found “[Extra credit] assignments can serve as a platform for students to apply the course material to their own lives, optimizing their strengths and creativity, and encouraging them to take ownership of their learning.”

It’s important to assign extra credit throughout the semester to allow students to interact with their learning so they don’t ask that dreaded question at the end of the semester, “What can I do to improve my grade?” Especially if it’s a challenging STEM course, offering extra credit assignments can keep students familiar with the subject matter.

We’ve gathered each of these extra credit STEM assignments you can try with your students to engage them better from our Community Campus members. 

Five extra credit STEM assignments

1. incentivize students to show up & participate.

Getting students to even show up to your scientific lectures can be challenging. Incentivizing them to show up may seem unecessary, but there are a few ways to make it work.

First, the EdSurge podcast had a recent episode about student engagement (and lack thereof after the pandemic started). They discussed how some instructors offer incentives for student participation in the lecture when they ask an organic question, whether or not the students get a question right. Points for answering questions encourage students to attend the lecture and participate, as instructors find it takes more to get students physically and mentally present. 

Second, one of the STEM professors in our Community Campus also found it helpful to offer incentives for coming to lectures:

“I offer an attendance bonus as an incentive to get students to lecture. We can not count attendance as part of their grade (which is ridiculous), but I can offer it in the form of a bonus.” - Marc Behrendt, Professor at Webber International University 

2. Offer additional quiz questions

Offering extra quiz questions can be a way to engage students with the material. You can add them to an existing exam or project, which would help students who got a question or two wrong. Or, you could post in-class quiz questions in real-time using an interactive response tool (like TopHat ). This real-time question-asking in class can encourage participation in a different way than students are used to, encouraging more active learning. You could ask the questions during lecture time or before/after a lab!

3. Gather survey data

Similar to participating in a research study, perhaps you’re looking to survey your students on their experience in class or with a particular edtech tool. This can help gather data so that you can improve your teaching methods. 

A STEM instructor in our Community Campus shared his experience with gathering data:

“I give the students extra credit for answering a survey about the course and especially about the relevance of the Labster simulations and how they work to prepare them for the real-world labs which we do afterwards. This helps me to see if the materials I offer help the students to succeed. This also helps me to collect data about student success and supplemental materials which I can present to the people in charge of the money.” - Eddy van Hunnik, Biotech/Bioscience Instructor at Alamance Community College

4. Utilize virtual labs

Labster virtual labs are a gamified way to engage students who are challenging to excite in STEM. We have over 300+ simulations to choose from across various disciplines (biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, etc.). Virtual labs can be offered as extra credit to reinforce learning or help a student prepare for an in-person lab. You can assign them as a stand-alone extra credit assignment or allow them to redo past virtual labs to do better next time.

All of our virtual labs operate on a storyline that keeps students engaged! We have a biology simulation called Cellular Respiration: Glycolysis , where students will help the basketball players understand how the food they eat gets converted to energy by investigating glycolysis, the first stage of cellular respiration. 

5. Offer reflection opportunities

STEM has many real-world applications, so getting them to reflect is a great part of the process. Instructors can offer meta-cognitive reflection opportunities so students can think about their learning and ways to improve. Some sample reflection questions you could offer are:

• What’s something you learned in class?
• Reflect on how you can apply something you learned in class to your life.
• Share a question that you still have.
• What did you find most challenging about this topic?
• What did you like most/least about this class?

A member of our Labster Community Campus shared their experience with reflection: 

“My extra credit is in the form of optional exam reflections, where students not only make corrections but dig deeper into why they got the question wrong (material not in notes, misread the question or focused on the wrong part of it, etc). They also have to evaluate their study habits & try new approaches to studying.” - Academic Staff at a 4-year public university

Questions for your reflection:

• Have you found extra credit to work in your class? How do you go about it?
• Can you apply any of these to your current teachings? Join our Community Campus for STEM educators and share with us what’s working!

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Teaching with Extra Credit

Introduction

No matter how far they stray from the standards of common-core curriculum, educators often find themselves wanting to add to their lesson plans halfway through a semester. Extra credit opportunities can often ease the circumstances of these situations, allowing students a chance to further enrich their schooling. However, educators have different opinions about the effectiveness of such a practice. Some may argue that earning additional points on their own terms may motivate students. Others argue that the opportunity discourages students’ motivation in their required assignments. By any means, extra credit has had a history of catalyzing learning in some classrooms, and highlighting inequalities of opportunity in others. Before enabling it into their classes, teachers should weigh the effectiveness of such a practice, and find fair methods of creating such opportunities for their students.

With the offering of extra credit being such a routine, yet polarizing practice, the internet is swarmed with articles and activities surrounding the topic. Utilizing the following resources could assist teachers in deciding whether to or how to blend these credits into their classroom structure.

Lesson Plans

• Extra Credit Activity Examples : This page from TeachTCI lists 10 ideas for extra credit assignments. The activities allow for students opportunities to complete activities that strengthen their academics, as well as ones that get them more involved with their local communities. Some of the activities involve attending school activities or listening to speakers, experiences that the students might not normally gravitate towards. These ideas are meant to limit exploitation of inequalities among students and to give all a fair chance at extra points.
• Engaging Activities : In this post, schoolteacher Erika Romero begins by reflecting on her implementation of extra credit as a means of getting students to go above and beyond in applying what they’ve learned. She gives five examples of ways in which she has incorporated opportunities for extra credit into her classes. She delineates the activities and the students responses thoroughly in the hopes that teachers can gain ideas for creating similar assignments. She describes plans in a variety of formats, including reflection papers, peer responses, event attending, and digital projects. Teachers can look up to class formatting should they choose to allow chances for bonus points.
• Middle School Ideas : This resource from ProTeacher Collection lists 10 examples of extra credits that one teacher offered for her sixth, seventh, and eight grade classes. This page could be helpful for educators teaching within that grade range who may need some ideas. Most of the assignments can be completed by students on their own schedules throughout the year, limiting the chance that a student will be too swamped to accept such opportunities.
• Unfair for Students? : This op-ed piece from Small Pond Science illustrates why one teacher strongly refuses to offer extra credit in their classroom. The teachers claims that most forms of extra credit and pay little respect to a students’ time. The writer lists six common reasons that teachers will engage in the practice, and attempts to refute each one. The article goes on to say that when students become accustomed to the practice, they tend to strive less on required assignments throughout the year. When students study less for their required assignments, the quality of their education ultimately depreciates. In turn, the constant availability of the custom implements unhealthy behaviors and as a result should not be encouraged by educators.
• Pros of Extra Credit : In this article from Inside Higher Ed, Professor Deborah Cohen from the University of South Carolina at Beaufort, explains her shift in teaching style and decision to offer opportunities for extra credit in her classes. In the opportunities that she offers, she pushes her students to engage deeply with required materials and campus culture. She holds her students accountable by basing her grading system on the effort that students put into the assignment. She requires a two-page paper with every event that students attend for extra credit, but she finds that many students attend the event out of their own curiosity and choose not to submit a paper. 
• Analyzing Forms of Extra Credit : This chapter from the book Charting a Course to Standards-Based Grading , by Tim R. Westerberg explores the use of extra credit, eventually ruling against certain forms of the practice. The section criticizes the practice of bringing in classroom supplies in exchange for a grade boost. It suggests that rather than call it “extra credit,” teachers should call the act what it is: one of “citizenship.” As such, those actions should not be met with a reward that would in turn marginalize students less capable of affording these supplies. The author then goes on to defend his stance forms of extra credit, but still for the standard of giving students second chances. This chapter touches upon some very insightful points in warning against some of the most prevalent yet most depreciating teaching practices.

Informational Sites

• The Extra Credit Question : This page from the Chronicle of Higher Education analyzes the different perspectives on whether or not to include extra credit, listing reasons why teachers would or would not want to include it. The article also lists eight strategies for teachers in incorporating extra credit assignments. Overall, the article gives plenty of great information for both sides of the question, and even lists advice for those considering incorporating the practice into their classrooms.
•   The Laws of Extra Credit : This TeachHub article lists the unwritten “laws” of giving extra credit. For teachers who would like to offer extra credit in their classes, this article presents advice and guidelines for setting boundaries. Teachers often need to be careful with how they give extra credit in order to optimise the students’ learning. This article gives instructions for best improving the classroom’s efficiency through extra credit.
• Extra Credit: An Undeserved Gift or a Second Chance to Learn? : This transcript of an online seminar, by Maryellen Weimer, Ph.D attempts to teach educators how to offer extra credit more fairly and most effectively. The speaker aims to keep these opportunities reinforcing “procrastination or other irresponsible behaviors.” 

Within the seminar, four different educators share their experiences with extra credit in their classrooms, with feedback from Weimer. The lecture acknowledges that even college students are not fully matured and still make mistakes. Therefore, another chance at succeeding should be appreciated, but only in the circumstances that encourage the right types of habits from the students. Weimer lists a plethora of options for teachers who decide to incorporate the practice into their classrooms.

Teachers oftentimes find that many of their students choose not to take advantage of most opportunities for extra credit. Simply having the opportunity available has the potential to highlight the students that care the most about their learning. Or perhaps it highlights just the ones that care mostly about their grades. Either way, the different methods of implementing extra credit opportunities into the classroom can have a major impact on student absorption of class materials. Teachers should decide carefully and be willing to back up their decisions when organizing these tasks into their gradebooks.

Additional Resources  

• Study on Extra Credit’s Effect on Student Learning : This four-page study conducted by Brian Miller from the University of Delaware investigates the underlying effect of extra credit on student learning. The study compares exam score of 1204 undergraduate students to their level of participation in extra credit assignments. It found that the mean exam scores for those that completed more extra credit assignments ultimately fell higher than the mean scores for those that choose not to participate.
• Pros and Cons : This resource from the Spartan Oracle includes two different articles, one written in favor of extra credit, and the other against it. Both writers articulate their points concisely and clearly. The page presents the arguments in an interesting way, placing both opinion pieces side-by-side and allowing the reader to decide with which one to identify more closely.
• Middle School Science Examples : This site created by a middle-school science teacher lists detailed, science-related extra-credit assignments for her students. This page can give teachers, regardless of what subjects they teach, ideas for assignments outside of general curriculum. The teacher also some ground rules for students who complete these assignments, including that they must have turned in at least 80% of their work. The teacher’s clear expectations outlined on this website can stimulate teachers in creating more fair opportunities for their students.

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Accountability

Life happens. I understand that there are many demands placed on students these days - family expectations, academic responsibilities, work schedules, extracurricular commitments - that might make getting every homework assignment turned in on time tough. I do not accept late work for a number of reasons, including providing feedback to students in a timely manner and reducing student stress. Therefore I provide extra credit opportunities each semester that enables students to recover points for missing a few assignments.

Rules for Extra Credit

• Students may complete any combination of the following options to earn up to 15 points in the homework category and 30 points in the lab category in a single semester. For example, a student may watch one movie and listen to one podcast and take pictures of five scavenger hunt items and earn up to 45 points for a semester.
• A student may NOT complete the same extra credit option both semesters. For example, he/she may not submit the book, My Sister's Keeper for extra credit in both the fall and spring semesters or listen to the same podcast both semesters.
• Students are to work on projects individually. If they want to travel together for the scavenger hunt or watch movies together, that's fine but each student must turn in his/her own scrapbook with pictures of himself/herself and answer the movie questions individually.
• Extra credit points will be awarded in either the homework or lab categories. The only way to earn extra points in the test category is by completing the progress checks on AP Classroom or retaking the multiple choice tests.
• Projects are due by 11:59pm on Tuesday the week before finals. There is NO GRACE day for 10% off with extra credit.
• If you have any questions, come talk to me or email me prior to the night before it is due. I will not help you if you have waited until the last minute to throw together a haphazard project.

Extra Credit Projects

• Please be careful to NOT DESTROY any habitats as you visit and collect your pictures.
• Plants that have red spots or red areas on the stem or leaf may be poisonous...DO NOT TOUCH!
• A photograph of you with an item can only count for one point once. For example, if you take a picture with a mushroom, that can be used to earn a point for EITHER mushroom OR fungus, not both.
• Do your research beforehand to determine what a specimen should look like and where to find it.
• Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
• Portland Rose Test Gardens
• Japanese Garden
• Hoyt Arboretum
• Clark County Parks and Recreation
• Powell's Books
• Portland Art Museum
• Oregon Coast Aquarium
• Bonneville Dam and Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center
• Medicine Man
• Lorenzo's Oil
• Stress, Season 1 : Stanford University neurologist (and part-time "baboonologist") Dr. Robert Sapolsky takes us through what happens on our insides when we stand in the wrong line at the supermarket, and offers a few coping strategies: gnawing on wood, beating the crap out of somebody, and having friends. Plus: the story of a singer who lost her voice, and an author stuck in a body that never grew up.
• Sleep, Season 3 : Every creature on the planet sleeps--from giant humpback whales to teeny fruit flies. What does it do for us, and what happens when we go without? We take a peek at iguanas sleeping with one eye open, get in bed with a pair of sleep-deprived new parents, and eavesdrop on the uneasy dreams of rats.
• Memory and Forgetting, Season 3 : Remembering is an unstable and profoundly unreliable process--it’s easy come, easy go as we learn how true memories can be obliterated, and false ones added. And Oliver Sacks joins us to tell the story of an amnesiac whose love for his wife and music transcend his 7-second memory.
• Laughter, Season 4 : If you look closely, you'll find that humor has very little to do with it. We ask what makes us laugh, and how it affects us. Along the way, we tickle some rats, listen in on a baby's first laugh, talk to a group of professional laughers, and travel to Tanzania to investigate an outbreak of contagious laughter.
• Race, Season 5 : When the human genome was first fully mapped in 2000, Bill Clinton, Craig Venter, and Francis Collins took the stage and pronounced that "The concept of race has no genetic or scientific basis." Great words spoken with great intentions. But what do they really mean, and where do they leave us? Our genes are nearly all the same, but that hasn't made race meaningless or wiped out our evolving conversation about it.
• Inheritance, Season 11 : Once a kid is born, their genetic fate is pretty much sealed. Or is it? This hour, we put nature and nurture on a collision course and discover how outside forces can find a way inside us, shaping not just our hearts and minds, but the basic biological blueprint that we pass on to future generations.
• Intelligent Plant, PRI interview : Michael Pollan wrote an article in The New Yorker with this title. This interview by Ira Flatow for PRI Science Friday discusses the new research into plant intelligence. Use this link to access this interview, as you won't find it on RadioLab.
• Read the book.
• Answer the questions on the worksheet linked to the title of the book in your own handwriting. (Answers can NOT be typed).
• Complete the supplemental reading verification form and have your parents sign it.
• Turn in completed papers by 11:59pm Tuesday before finals. I will NOT accept it on the last day of the semester.

Ms. Pratt's 7th Grade Science

Students in my science classes can use this blog to easily access class information, labs, activities, and projects. It is a great way to be in communication!

Extra Credit

• Pictures from class
• Helpful Websites
• Projects and Labs
• "The Demise of the Halloween Pumpkins"
• Above and Beyond Science
• Students of the Months
• Notes, Graphic Organizers, and Cool Resources
• Science Songs and Raps!!
• Testimonials and Advice
• Course Syllabus and Expectations
• Portfolios in Science
• Conservation Awareness and Fundraising
• "How To" videos and Tutorials

Extra Credit Opportunities - 7A Life Science

• Students may complete TWO (2) of the following options per semester (not counting test/quiz resubmissions).
• Students are to work on projects individually. If they want to travel together for the scavenger hunt or watch movies together, that's fine but each student must turn in his/her own scrapbook with pictures of himself/herself and answer the movie questions individually.
• Extra credit points will be awarded in either the homework or lab categories. The only way to earn points in the test/quiz category is by doing a resubmission with corrected answers.
• Projects are due by the end of the term before grades close.
• If you have any questions, come talk to me or email me prior to the night before it is due. I will not help you if you have waited until the last minute to throw together a haphazard project.
• Go on a scavenger hunt : You can explore the nature of Massachusetts and New Hampshire while collecting points for Life Science! Each item on the list (copies are in a file on my desk) counts as one point. In order to earn those points, you need to take a picture of yourself with the item. You then need to present those pictures in either a PowerPoint presentation or a scrapbook. Each photo needs a caption that contains the title of the item pictured and the location where the photograph was taken. You should pay attention to everything on the same page as the list of items. You can check out these places, which are close to home.
• Arnold Arboretum, Boston Beaver Brook Trails, Hollis, NH
• Woods Hole, MA Quabbin Reservoir
• Plum Island, Newburyport, MA Purgatory Chasm, Sutton, MA
• Ponemah Bog, Amherst, NH Mt. Monadnock, Jaffrey, NH
• Franklin Park Zoo, Boston New England Aquarium, Boston
• Stonham Zoo, Stoneham, MA         Walden Pond, Concord, MA
• Callahan State Park, Malden, MA Breakheart Reservation, Saugus, MA
• Billerica State Forest, Billerica, MA Estabrook Woods, Concord, MA
• Big Pine Trail, Reading, MA The Reservoir, Burlington, MA
• Museum of Science, Boston
• Read a book : You can choose a book from the list (on the wall behind my desk). You may read a maximum of three books each semester. You can earn up to 100 points for the first book and up to 50 points for each additional book for a maximum of 200 extra credit points. Be sure to complete EACH of the following steps to earn full credit:
• Read the book.
• Answer the questions on the worksheet (you can find copies for each book title in a folder on my desk) in your own handwriting. (Answers can NOT be typed).
• Complete the supplemental reading verification form and have your parents sign it.
• Watch a movie : You can watch one or two movies a term and answer the questions on the worksheet (you can find copies for each movie in a folder on my desk) in essay form (typed). Each movie is worth 25 points, for the possibility of earning a total of 50 points each term. You can rent the movies from Netflix, stream from HULU or possibly even a local library.      
• Medicine Man Super Size Me
• GATTACA X-Men: The Last Stand
• Lorenzo’s Oil A Beautiful Mind
• Outbreak Double Helix
• Osmosis Jones Evolution
• Awakenings Gorillas in the Mist
• Save The Planet Bring photographic evidence of you and how you are saving the planet, and type a two-paragraph summary.  This extra credit may only be done ONCE per term.
• Ideas: Plant a tree(s), change light bulbs in your house to more efficient light bulbs, find ideas to conserve water/electricity, recycle, walk/ride a bicycle, encourage others (peaceably) to walk instead of drive, research your own way to help out, etc…
• Read 4 Newspaper/Magazine Articles Type a two-page report (your name and block in the upper left corner, 12 point font, Times New Roman).  The project must answer the following questions:
• What is the main field of science studied in the articles?
• Give 3 examples of the use of the scientific method.
• Describe 3 things you already knew before you read the articles.
• Describe 3 things you learned because you read the articles.
• Write 3 questions you have about the fields of science or something you read in the articles.
• Identify and describe ANY false scientific ideas you saw, or “bad” scientific processes found in the articles.
• Document the author, date, and place where you found the articles.
• Research the Life and Studies of a Scientist Create a high quality poster/presentation or type a two-page report (your name and block in the upper left corner, 12 point font, Times New Roman, references cited), about their contribution to science and humanity.  The project must answer the following questions:
• What were the scientist’s main fields of study?
• What major contributions to society have the scientist made?
• Any interesting or unique facts about the scientist?
• Any problems that the scientist faced in their research?
• How has other scientists built on their research?

8 comments:

I'm a first year teacher, your ideas for extra credit are amazing!! I hope to develop engaging and enriching ideas that will help my students learn the content and allow them to make the connection. I applaud you. If you don't mind, may I use your ideas? I really like the scavenger hunt activity. Please let me know, thank you so much for your time.

Thank you so much, Tara! Good luck and best wishes for years to come!

I am a substitute teacher who is doing a long-term sub assignment in a 7th grade science class. These ideas sounds great. Would you be willing to share your movie and book worksheets?

Sure, Sherri! Just let me know if you need anything else.

I love these extra credit ideas! I'd like to use them as well, with modification for new standards; I'd give you credit in the assignments, if that's okay!

I love these extra credit ideas. I am a 1st year 7th grade science teacher who moved up from 12 years of teaching Kindergarten. I would love to use these and possibly the worksheets for the movie list. [email protected]

I am a 1st year 7th grade science teacher after moving from 12 years of teaching Kindergarten. I love these activities. I would enjoy using them with my students and possibly the movie worksheets.

Thanks for the awesome ideas! It's right before winter break and kids are asking for extra credit. I didn't want to do a worksheet, though, so your ideas rock!

Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design

Redefining Career & Technical Education in New York City

Biology EXTRA CREDIT Assignments

March 10, 2014 By Ms. Bruno

Attached are the 3 extra credit assignments that have been available since last week. Each extra credit assignment can replace a quiz, homework, or classwork grade. Extra credit assignments are to be turned into the basket when they are completed. Answers must be well thought and supported with the information we have learned in class. If you do not understand, simply come see me. Refer to the notes below for support. Last day to turn in extra credit assignments is THIS Friday (3/14)

• DNA is a double-stranded molecule.
• DNA strands are connected by complementary base pairs.
• In DNA, the base A always pairs with T. The base G always pairs with C.
• Each strand serves as a template for the other.
• Following the rules of base-pairing, we can easily create a new strand of DNA by separating the strands, and using each as a template to synthesize the complementary strand.
• DNA is a universal code for life. DNA is found in all living things.
• The sequence, or order of the genetic code is what gives diversity to life.
• RNA is a single stranded molecule that can be synthesize from DNA.
• In RNA the bases are G C A and U
• There is no T in a strand of RNA, instead there is U.
• RNA G will attach to DNA C. RNA C will attach to DNA G. RNA A will attach to DNA T. RNA U will attach to DNA A. 
• Mitosis is cell division that creates identical cells with identical DNA
• Mitosis is involved with growth, repair, and asexual reproduction.
• Meiosis is cell division that creates gametes (sex cells) with a unique half of genetic material.
• Meiosis is involved with the production of sperm and egg ONLY.
• Genetic recombination occurs during meiosis and makes each sex cell unique.

[gview file=”https://www.whsad.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Assignment-2-Stop-copying-me.docx”] [gview file=”https://www.whsad.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Assignment-1-meowsis.docx”] [gview file=”https://www.whsad.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Assignment-1-A-with-U.docx”]

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About Ms. Bruno

Ms. Bruno has been an Assistant Principal at Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design since 2009. She oversees the departments of Science, Mathematics, Architecture and Design (Career and Technical Education (CTE)), Physical Education and Health. She can be reached at 718-388-1260 ext. 2080, or [email protected] .

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5 Extra Credit Activities That Promote Engaged Learning

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If you'd like access to my free resource library, sign up here. Hope you enjoy this post! Note: I use affiliate links in my posts. Also, opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer.

The end of the semester is approaching quickly. Only two more weeks of coursework before finals week arrives. At this point of the semester, it’s not uncommon to receive requests for extra credit opportunities. I’ve never received an extra credit request from a student, though, because I build in multiple opportunities into the semester. There’s a lot of debate over whether extra credit should be an option in the classroom. Personally, I believe that if students are willing to put in extra effort to complete additional work, then they should have that opportunity. I’m more than willing to allow students to increase their project grades by a few points by completing additional activities that require students to deepen their understanding and abilities to apply what they’ve learned. Here are five forms of extra credit activities I offer in my various courses. [ A video version of this information is included at the end of this post, too!]

Responses to Classmates’ Work

In my literature courses , my students are required to complete 3-5 literary analysis discussion posts throughout the semester. They post them using our LMS forums tool. The forums are set to not allow students to read earlier posts in a specific forum until they themselves have submitted a post. At that point, the rest of the posts are revealed and they are free to reply to them. Once the deadline for a post passes, I change the setting so that all students can see the posts even if they did not complete one. Students have at least double the number of possible forums to post to than required of them, so they can pick which required texts they are most interested in analyzing before they are discussed in class.

As this is a digital assignment that all students easily have access to via our course website, I always include an extra credit opportunity at the end of the assignment sheet. Students were required to complete 3 posts in this semester’s ENG170 . The assignment equates to 15% of the student’s course grade. With this grade dynamic in mind, my students could receive up to 10 points extra credit on individual posts by completing the activity below. The language that follows is copied directly from my assignment sheet:

Extra Credit: Up to 10 points total

• Additional quote(s) and analysis that support their points
• Additional analysis of the quote(s) they used that further support their points
• Quote(s) and analysis that can counter their points
• Additional analysis of the quote(s) they used that counter their points
• A discussion of why their points/arguments are significant
• There is no word requirement for these comments. The detail you put into them and/or the points you make in them will equate to the amount of points you receive for each comment. Once you receive 10 points total, you will not be able to receive more of this extra credit, though additional comments can help with your participation grade in a manner similar to the Discussion Addition forums.

Very few students tend to take advantage of this extra credit opportunity, but I offer it every time I use this assignment. The students aren’t required to reply to classmates who submitted a post to the same forums they did. So, while a student might not have written a post about El Deafo , this extra credit activity gives them the chance to earn points by thinking further on a text that they originally passed on analyzing in written form. If they do respond to a post from a forum they chose earlier in the semester, then they’ve chosen to approach a text they’ve analyzed from an angle they might not have thought about on their own. In either case, students gain more literary analysis writing skills and work on rhetorically responding to someone else’s analysis rather than just always writing their own without any concern to the complications of collaborative writing.

Creative Project

This extra credit activity is posted during Week 1, but it’s not due until the last day of class. In contrast to the activity above, this project is not attached to any one assignment. For my children’s literature courses, this activity takes on the form of creating a picture book or first chapter of a graphic novel. In my YA literature course , they have the option of writing a piece of fanfiction based on one of our required texts. Here’s the assignment from my ENG170 course:

Step 1: Create a picture book or graphic novel chapter

You can work with one partner or by yourself. The picture book should be at least 14 pages long; the graphic novel at least 8 pages in length. The picture book can be a narrative or concept book. Your intended audience should be children, though you can pick any age group. It should be designed to look like a picture book or graphic novel (front cover to back cover, not just the story). 

Step 2: Write a Reflection

Write a short reflection (400 words or more). In it, discuss topics like how you came up with the idea for your book, why you decided to create this idea, why you designed the book the way you did (colors, shape, materials, etc.), what message(s) you want (or don’t want) your reader to get from the book, etc. Submit this reflection into the “Extra Credit Project” assignment link. If you work with a partner, each of you must write a reflection.

This project is much more popular with my students. Most complete the project without a partner, but I’ve seen some amazing writer and illustrator pairs. Most tend to create a narrative picture book. Graphic novel chapters are very rare. Students can earn up to 5 points extra credit on an exam by completing this activity, depending on the detail of their reflection and effort in creating their children’s text. We spend so much time analyzing the content and design of visual texts. This activity allows students to learn first hand just how hard creating these texts can be. Putting in the effort to experience this creative process and reflect on it is worth adding a few points to an exam that they might have struggled with because of how much information is included in this prerequisite course.

Digital Project

A new extra credit activity I offered this semester is the “class blog” project. Our LMS has a blog tool that allows students to construct a collaborative blog on our class website (so there is no need to grapple with creating their own blog or posting to the online public). So far, no student has posted to the blog. But, they have three more weeks to post. Here’s the assignment description I created for my students:

You can blog about anything related to children’s literature/media and culture. There is no word requirement for these blog posts. You can post as many as you want and include as much detail as you want. The more detail/depth you include in the posts, the more points you will earn. Just make sure it’s your own writing, and if you cite someone else in your posts, make sure to credit them. Once you receive the 5 points available for this extra credit, additional posts can function similarly to the discussion addition forum posts in regard to improving your participation grade. Here are some ideas for what you can blog about, though you might come up with other ideas:

• Children’s literature book reviews
• Children’s movie reviews
• Children’s app reviews
• Your thoughts/opinions about something going on in the media that connects to children’s texts or children in general
• Your experiences reading to children at a library or at home
• Your childhood memories of reading/watching one of the texts we’re reading for class
• Your ideas for how you’d teach a children’s text in your future classrooms

You can also reply to others’ blog posts. It’ll likely be harder to earn the same amount of points in comparison to creating your own, but replying is an option for anyone who doesn’t feel comfortable creating their own posts. If your post inspires a lot of comments, this community response can also increase the amount of points you earn for that post.

Like the creative project, students can earn up to five points extra credit on an exam by completing this activity. In adding this activity, my hope was to inspire students to connect our class to the world outside the classroom. I consider what I teach to be incredibly relevant to my students’ lives outside the classroom. Getting students to have that same belief can be difficult, so I created this extra credit opportunity so that students would have reason to put in extra effort to make these connections. I’m curious to see if any student will do so in the coming weeks.

Event Attendance and “Takeaways” Response

ISU’s English department hosts the Lois Lenski Lecture every spring semester. We invite a children’s and/or young adult literature scholar to speak at our campus and host a Q&A session after their talk. I’ve learned so much from these presentations, and always mention them to my children’s and ya literature students. I also offer extra credit if they attend the event and write up a “takeaways response” to it that night. They submit them digitally by midnight, or just turn it in physically at the lecture.

This semester, my students have the option of exploring a children’s literature display at our university library. A special collections display was created by students in a graduate course. If my students explore it and write up a response to it, they can receive a few extra credit points were they most need it (up to 3, depending on the detail in their response). They had two weeks to complete this activity. Fewer than a handful did so. This activity and other events are great for helping students see how others outside the classroom study and use children’s and YA literature. Note: The takeaways can’t just be regurgitated facts. Students have to reflect and metacognitively respond to what they’ve heard/seen during the event.

Aesthetic Additions

I include this option when students complete a highly visual project. For the picture book festival activity I’ve used in past ENG170 sections, students could increase their poster grade by up to five points depending on the effort they put into designing their posters. All students were automatically eligible for earning these points. Students could earn a high grade as long as they included all the required material on their poster. But, if their posters’ design aesthetic was well thought out, extra credit points could be earned. Some students focused on emphasizing the content of their text (crafting a tree on a The Giving Tree poster), while others focused on the medium (designing their poster as a TV screen when analyzing Gilmore Girls ). Most students tend to receive only a point or two for this extra credit opportunity, but I’ve been amazed by the thought and effort put into a few poster designs over the years. It livens up my grading experience at the end of the semester too, which is always welcome.

Final Thoughts

Of the five activities listed above, four were options in this semester’s ENG 170 course. Giving my students the chance to earn up to 23 extra credit points likely seems excessive to some of you reading this post. Here are a few points I’d like for you to keep in mind, especially if you’re considering what extra credit activities you might want to offer next semester: 1. In a 30 student course, usually less than half the students will attempt even one of the extra credit options. 2. Less than a third will attempt more than one option, and they are often the ones that don’t even need extra credit. 3. It’s rare for a student to earn the max number of points for any of the activities because of how much extra effort and work I expect from them in order to gain these points. 4. The only activity that creates the opportunity to gain 10 points is the forum posts extra credit. These points are added to individual posts rather than to the activity grade as a whole. In this specific case, one post equates to just 5% of their overall course grade. 5. If students are willing to put in the extra time and effort, and the activities actually require them to learn something, why not offer them the opportunity for engaging in additional ways with the course material?

I’ve never regretted including extra credit options in my courses. Few students take me up on my offers, and a bump up in their overall grade definitely isn’t guaranteed. But, by having these activities in my course design, I’m making clear to my students that hard work will be rewarded and that doing poorly on one assignment doesn’t mean they’ve done irrevocable damage to their course grade > GPA > financial aid/grad applications. Even one offer of extra credit can demonstrate to students that we as instructors understand that sometimes they need an extra chance to show their willingness to put in the effort to learn and grow. Why not give them that chance?

>>If you’d like to download a PDF that lists the various extra credit activities described above (and a few other activity ideas!), just subscribe to my blog. You’ll receive access to all my blog-related PDFs and will receive an email every time a new blog post goes up!<<

Do you include extra credit opportunities in your courses? If so, share what activities you offer in the comments section below!

Assignment Examples , ELA , Full Archive , Teacher Life , Teaching Tips

College Courses Course Design extra credit Pedagogy Teach

February 18, 2020 at 4:15 PM

Awesome suggestions!

February 20, 2020 at 2:20 PM

I’m glad you like them!

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Extra Credit Ideas for Middle School Teachers

“What can I do for extra credit?!”  ​I’m pretty sure there isn’t a middle or high school teacher that hasn’t heard these exact words coming from a student’s mouth. Students are HUGE fans of the concept, and honestly, who can blame them? Another way to boost their grades? Most students will leap at the opportunity (especially if their grades are suffering.) But what do teachers think about the use of extra credit? Truthfully, it’s mixed. In this article, I’m going to take a (brief) stab at explaining the pro’s and con’s of offering additional points to your middle school science students, as well as offer a few extra credit ideas for middle school teachers. 

Let’s dive in, shall we?  

Reasons to offer extra credit:.

Offering extra credit isn’t just about boosting bad grades or humoring your students’ last-minute requests for a better grade. Fans of extra credit assignments typically view extra credit opportunities as a way to provide students with extra enrichment in addition to their regular assignments. Here are a few reasons you should consider offering extra credit in your classroom: 

• Extra assignments (even those given for extra credit) are a great way to give greater exposure to the course material. 
• These opportunities give struggling students the chance to keep trying. 
• Extra credit work can be a fun way to explore different concepts related to your curriculum that you might not otherwise cover. (Ex: Current events) 
• Extra credit assignments are a great way to boost student engagement. 

EXTRA CREDIT PITFALLS TO AVOID:

Not every teacher is a fan of extra credit (and with good reason.) Personally, I believe that extra credit assignments can be a helpful tool within the classroom, but like all things, it can be misused and abused. Here are a few extra credit pitfalls to avoid: 

• Offering bonus points for attendance. In my opinion, just “showing up” is not enough to earn extra points. Students should earn extra credit when they go the extra mile. 
• Giving too many extra points. Extra credit can be nice to boost the grade of an individual assignment, but it shouldn’t radically change a student’s overall course grade. In this case, their class grade is no longer a true refection of their learning, content understanding, and effort.  (Ex: A student earning a D receives a B after factoring in extra credit points.) 
• ​Offering extra credit for every assignment or assessment. This may decrease students’ motivation to give a good effort the first time they complete an assignment. After all, why try if you know you’ll essentially be given a “do-over.” Instead, I recommend offering extra credit sporadically and for different types of assignments. 

​EXTRA CREDIT IDEAS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS 

​Alright, so you’ve decided you DO want to offer extra credit opportunities in your classroom, but you need some extra credit assignment ideas to get you started. Well, my friend, I’ve got you covered. Here are a few of my favorite extra credit ideas for middle school teachers: 

COMPLETING STUDY GUIDES

Periodically, you may consider offering bonus points to students who complete their study guides. Not only will this encourage students to finish this important classwork, it’s also a great way to ensure that your students have everything they need to prepare for tests and quizzes. The following items are a few of the study guides I’ve used with my science classes. You might offer bonus points for the entire study guide or just for a specific section. 

TEST CORRECTIONS  

Test (and other assignment) corrections can be a powerful exercise for students. It teaches the valuable life skill of being able to reflect on mistakes and learn from them. When having students make test corrections, I HIGHLY recommend that you ask for more than a list of correct answers. (Let’s face it…any middle schooler can look up or copy down the correct answers without learning a darn thing.) Instead, I’d recommend having your middle school students give a written explanation for why their original answer was incorrect and what the correct answer should have been. Yes, it’s extra work…but this process helps facilitate true learning. 

It might look something like this:

#1. I answered ____________________. This is incorrect because _______________. The correct answer is _______________ because ____________________. 

INFOGRAPHICS <sh>  Science is a discipline that lends itself well to the creation of infographics! Have your students create an infographic, chart, or diagram that illustrates an important concept within your unit. Having to synthesize the information in their notes and create a visual representation of this information is a great way for students to deepen their understanding of important concepts (and in my opinion, is well worth a few bonus points.) 

For example… <SH4> 

If you are teaching the  states of matter,  you may ask your students to create their own visual diagram or infographic representing how one substance might move between the different states of matter.

​FAMOUS SCIENTIST SUMMARIES

Who doesn’t love a good biographical assignment? I like to offer famous scientist summaries as an extra credit assignment students can tackle for homework or free time assignments. Personally, I think it’s a good idea to let students choose their own famous scientist to research. This encourages creativity and ownership over the project. 

QUESTION OF THE DAY

If you’re looking for an easy way to offer bonus points, having students complete a science “question of the day” can be a great way to do just that! These extra credit questions could be used a bell ringers or a simple addition to a homework assignment. 

NEWS ARTICLE SUMMARIES

​Incorporating current events and news articles into our class discussion is one of my favorite extra credit ideas for middle school teachers. Having students read and summarize news articles is an interesting way for them to see the “real world connection” of our science curriculum. 

What are YOUR favorite ways to use extra credit in your classroom? 

Let’s Stay Connected!

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The Big List of Funny Extra Credit Questions

When you want to make your students smile.

Looking for a few of the best extra credit questions ever? Want to make your students laugh—and love you? Our list of printable extra credit questions to the rescue!

You may or may not decide to give students points on assignments for clever answers to these questions; that’s up to you. All we know is that you’re building up some serious street cred by including a silly extra credit question on your next assessment.

Promise. Bookmark this post, and you’ll thank us for it. 

Of course, use your discretion and adapt these ideas to best fit your students’ level and ability. 

Get the printable big list of extra credit questions here.

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Use these extra credit questions and get a serious laugh from your students.

• What do people learn at school?
• Why was six afraid of seven? [Because seven eight nine = seven ‘ate’ nine]
• Explain the relationship between Mario and Luigi. [They are brothers.]
• Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?
• What does the fox say?
• How many colors are there in a rainbow? Name the colors. [There are seven colors: red, orange, yellow, green blue, indigo, violet.]
• Name two songs that have the same tune as the “Alphabet Song”. [“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and “Baa Baa Black Sheep”]
• What’s black and white and red all over? [A newspaper, an embarrassed zebra, a penguin with a rash, a chocolate sundae with ketchup on top. . . ]
• How do you “floss”? [Either a description of the dance or what you do with your teeth!]
• What is the official motto of the United States of America? [E Pluribus Unum]
• Why is the sky blue? [Blue light is scattered in all directions by the tiny molecules of air in Earth’s atmosphere. Blue is scattered more than other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves. This is why we see a blue sky most of the time.
• What is the silliest question you’ve ever asked?
• Draw a picture of your teacher on vacation. 
• Would you rather have a pet dinosaur or a pet dragon? Explain.
• How do you make a hot dog?
• What is the first product to ever have a barcode? [A pack of Rigley gum]
• Finish this sentence: Here’s the story, of a lovely lady who was bringing up three very lovely girls. . . [. . . all of them had hair of gold, like their mother. The youngest one in curls.]
• Name 5 of the greatest all-boy bands. [The Backstreet Boys, Jackson 5, Beatles, One Direction, NSYNC, New Edition, The Monkees, New Kids on the Block]
• What was the first video ever uploaded to YouTube? [Me at the Zoo, by Jawed Karem]
• When was the first video uploaded to YouTube? [April 23, 2005]
• Who is the highest-paid NFL quarterback of all time? [Peyton Manning, $248 million]
• Write the first stanza of the song sung in the 7th inning at baseball games. [Take Take me out to the ball game, Take me out with the crowd; Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack, I don’t care if I never get back. Let me root, root, root for the home team, If they don’t win, it’s a shame. For it’s one, two, three strikes, you’re out, At the old ball game.]
• What do we wear on Wednesdays? [pink]
• What is the full name of Mike Wazowski’s best friend in Monsters, Inc.”? [James P. Sullivan]
• In Star Wars, where does Luke find Yoda? [Degobah]
• How many stitches does a Major League baseball have? [108]
• Name the movie this line is from: “I’m king of the world!!” [ Titanic ]
• Who’s never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and desert you? [Rick Astley]
• Name all of Snow White’s 7 dwarfs. [Sleepy, Dopey, Grumpy, Sneezy, Doc, Happy, and Bashful]
• What are the four types of human blood? [A, B, AB, & O]
• Name the type of footwear invented in 1815 that allowed people to move quickly over hard, smooth ground. [Roller skates]
• Which former president had a toy named after him? What was the toy? [Theodore Roosevelt, teddy bear]
• How many sides does a dodecagon have? [12]
• What was Mozart’s full baptismal name? [Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart]
• What are three things you know about the Dewey Decimal System? [It’s a system for categorizing books. It was created by Melville Dewey in 1876. It has a number for all subjects, and each number has two parts: a class number (from the Dewey system) and a book number.]

What extra credit questions do you use? We’d love to hear! Come and share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.  

Plus, sample report card comments. 

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Course info.

• Prof. John D. E. Gabrieli

Departments

• Brain and Cognitive Sciences

As Taught In

• Cognitive Science

Learning Resource Types

Introduction to psychology, "extra credit" writing assignment.

Topic: Is it ethical to use cognition-enhancing drugs?

Use any of the sources listed below in support of your thesis. Provide critical rebuttal of arguments against your thesis.

The President’s Council on Bioethics. “‘Beyond Therapy’: General Reflections.” Chapter Six in Beyond Therapy: Biotechnology and the Pursuit of Happiness . Washington, D.C., October 2003. ( PDF )

Editorial: “ Enhancing, not Cheating .” Nature 450 (2007): 320.

Sahakian, B., and S. Morein-Zamir. “ Professor’s Little Helper .” Nature 450 (2007): 1157–9

Six letters published in Nature 451 (2008): 520–1, in response to Sahakian and Morein-Zamir Nature 2007 commentary.

Maher, B. “ Poll Results: Look Who’s Doping .” Nature 452 (2008): 674–5.

Swanson, J. M., and N. D. Volkow. “ Increasing Use of Stimulants Warns of Potential Abuse .” Nature 453 (2008): 586.

Greely, H., et al. “Towards Responsible Use of Cognitive-Enhancing Drugs by the Healthy.” Nature 456 (2008): 702–5. ( PDF )

Seven letters published in Nature 457 (2009): 532–3, in response to Greely et al. Nature 2008 commentary.

Szalavitz, M. “ Popping Smart Pills: The Case for Cognitive Enhancement .” Time Magazine , January 6, 2009.

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