Student Input

On the first day, I asked students to take a moment and write on an index card their feelings/past experiences with science.  Do they love it or hate it?  Was there a teacher that made them feel one way or the other?  What parts of science do you like?  Those kinds of questions.  Here's some of my favorites:

"I like science with chemicals and activities that I can interact in, but I don't really know much about Earth Science.  I'm not really interested in the Earth."

"My first year I was a freshman I had a teacher who was monotone dull and science seem very boring.  Really I love science and learn about things that go beyond this world.  I failed by the way the first time and got a like 42% average for my grade."    (yes, I have quite a few repeaters, at least 5 that mentioned it on their index cards)

"I am neutral."

"about the world.  Yhea!"

"Science is not my favorite subject, although I enjoy certain parts of it.  For example, chemistry is amazing.  I love things having to do with the periodic table."     (oh, that girl doesn't know how happy she has made me!)

"I like doing experiments.  I don't like writting.  I like working in groups.  And I might come in [to 4th period] like a zombie because my third period teacher is sooo boring."

"I think science is dreadfully boring."

"I think science is boring.  It isn't that interesting at all except for that stars are pretty.  Their are too many technical terms and stuff."

"I love science it's just that every teacher have their different way to teach it and my past teachers were just too boring but you seem fun to me :) "    (a girl I had been pre-warned about by her ESL student for having a bad attitude)