Differentiating Science through

the Layered Curriculum

An Inquiry Project

David Conneely
The Brooklyn International High School
June 2010
Table of Contents

Methods ............................................................................12
Results...............................................................................13
Interviews................................................................................13
Surveys....................................................................................17
Conclusion..........................................................................20
References.........................................................................22
Appendix: Example Unit Sheets and Student Interviews........24
Student Interview with Melissa..................................................37
Student Interview with Katherine, Juan, and Yessica...................39
The Brooklyn International High School
I am a teacher at The Brooklyn International High School (BIHS),

which is a school of 400 recent immigrant students. The mission of

BIHS is to, “Assist new learners of English in developing their linguistic,

intellectual, cultural, and collaborative abilities so that they may

become active participants in today’s interdependent world.” At BIHS

students are placed in normal content classes, such as English, Math,

Science, and Social Studies, in which the lessons are implemented in a

way that students learn content while also improving their English

language skills. The classes are heterogeneous. It is normal to have

students in a class that have very strong literacy and learning skills

with students who have low literacy in their native language and in

English.

The challenge with teaching at BIHS (and probably any

International school) is finding ways for the students to access the

information, and to be challenged for their level of learning. How can I

allow the students at early stages of learning English access my

Advanced Biology class? How can I challenge students who are at the

later stages of learning English? What about the students in the middle

stages? I have struggled with how to answer these questions since

starting to teach at BIHS in 2006.

In the winter of 2009 Kathie Nunley, author of The Layered

Curriculum, spoke at our school. She instructed us on why and how to

implement the Layered Curriculum. I chose to implement the Layered

Curriculum model this past semester. The purpose of this research

paper is to provide background information about the Layered

Curriculum, and to present student views on the Layered Curriculum

approach in my class.
Why We Need Differentiated Instruction
Differentiated Instruction is a mode of teaching that provides

students with different ways to accumulate content knowledge, apply

that knowledge, and expand that knowledge by connecting it to other

topics and disciplines. Two important benefits of differentiated

instruction include the idea of choice and the idea of connected

science.

In her book, The Layered Curriculum, Kathie Nunley tells a story

of when she visited a zoo. She found out that the elephants and the

gorillas often threw their dung at the people who came to watch them.

This behavior was unusual. It had never been observed in a natural

setting. Nunley hypothesizes one of the reasons the elephants and

gorillas throw their dung is because they are frustrated (Nunley). They

are held captive. This story points at a big conflict in education.

Students do not have much choice in what they learn and, more

importantly, in how they learn it. The lack of choice may be

contributing to phenomena such as high school dropouts rates.

One of the factors contributing to low performance in science is a

lack of connection to science. How many times have a teacher seen a

student falling asleep in their class get up when the period ends and

run out in the hallway in a state of excitement to talk to their friends?

Students do not see the relationship between science and their lives
outside the classroom. Buillion and Gomez (2001) performed research

on what they call “connected science” which is a model of teaching

that helps students see the connection between science and their

communities. Their research indicates students are more invested in

learning science when they see how it impacts them directly. In their

case study, students were more invested in learning because the

science project was focused on a water pollution issue affecting their

neighborhood. Emdin (2009) expands upon this concept in his book,

Urban Science Education for the Hip-Hop Generation. In his book,

Emdin outlines a new approach to teaching called Reality Pedagogy,

which is centered on teaching from a place in which the realities of the

students is present in the classroom. He uses hip-hop as an example.

Many urban youth are involved in hip-hop and Emdin has found that

students are more motivated to learn when hip-hop is included. The

realities of students are different from those of their teachers.

Furthermore, their realities are diverse. However, if teachers take the

time to experience and understand the realities of their students and

integrate aspects of those realities (e.g., local environmental problems

or hip-hop), students will feel more connected to science.

As a science educator, my objective is to help students develop

the content knowledge and skills that help them develop more agency.

I want all my students to walk out of my classroom at the end of the

year with more ideas and skills to help them shape their lives. The
challenge is in motivating students to gain the knowledge and skills.

Motivation is the key factor. Differentiation through the Layered

Curriculum, as espoused by Kathie Nunley, provides choice and an

opportunity for teachers to develop different options so students feel

connected to the material. When students have choice and when they

feel connected to the content, they will be motivated to learn. If

students have more choice and more connection to science, then they

have more motivation. Figure 1 shows the relationship between

Agency and the Layered Curriculum.

 Figure 1. The pathway to building agency in students.

The Layered Curriculum

The Layered Curriculum model involves three layers. Over a two-to-

three week period, students work on a unit. I lecture for about 15

minutes each day for the first five days. The lecture is optional.

Students have the option to work on other activities instead of listening

to the lecture. However, if they listen to the lecture and take notes,

they get points. Once the lecture is finished, students do their work.

• Layer 1: Content Acquisition: In this layer, students access the

Content through a variety of activities such as watching a video and

taking notes, making vocabulary cards, making a rap or a poem

using key vocabulary, reading a science article related to the topic,

making a poster, reading the book and answering questions from

the book, and making a concept map about the ideas.

• Layer 2: Hands-on Learning: In this layer students design and

perform an experiment related to the unit.

• Layer 3: High Order Thinking: In this layer, students perform

research on a related topic. They are given choice of a questions to

research. They find sources, paraphrase them, and then write

paragraphs that state their findings and their opinions. This gives

students the chance to take the topic and apply it to a bigger issue.

Examples of topics include, “Should leeches be used as medicine

(Mollusk unit),” “Should the government be involved in the overuse

of antibiotics (Bacteria unit),” “Is xenotransplantation a safe and

effective method (Biotechnology unit)?”

In addition to providing more choice for students, the Layered

Curriculum model involves oral defense. All activities in the first layer

are presented to the teacher orally. For example, when a student

finishes watching the video, the teacher can ask the students several

questions about the video to assess their learning. Points are given

based on the number of questions answered correctly. Nunley notes

that having students defend their understanding of the content orally

accomplishes many things (Nunley). One important thing is that it

makes sure the teacher is checking in with students individually every

day. This allows the teacher to redirect students if they are struggling,

and also to access content knowledge in different ways. Second, while

a test is a “same size fits all” approach to assessing learning, oral

defense can be adjusted to fit the needs of a student. A student who

just arrived from another country has different needs than a student

born in the United States with high literacy skills.

While science is often a fun class because it involves hands-on

experiments, traditional science classrooms do not offer students

choice in when and how they do the hands-on experiment. The

Layered Curriculum includes choice with hands-on learning, which

makes the experiments even more fun. For example, I had students do

experiments on bacteria and I gave them different questions to choose

to research. They enjoyed having the choice, and discussing with their

partners which question to choose. In fact, the discussion of which

question to choose helps the students feel more invested in the

experience. When they do the experiment, they feel more like it is

“their” experiment. Students who were interested in personal hygiene

products focused on how facial cleansers affect bacterial growth, while

students interested in One of the reasons the layered curriculum is

useful is that it allows for choice of hands-on learning. Nunley says,

“The layered curriculum provides choice within the hands-on

component, which increases the likelihood that students will “buy in”

to the activity (Nunley).”

The Layered Curriculum can also improve classroom

management. Researchers find choice reduces classroom

management problems. Kathie Nunley has written that students feel

more relaxed and more in control when they are given choice.

Consequently, they feel no need to lash out at teachers. Giving the

students choice puts the responsibility of learning on them (Nunley).

Methods

The purpose of the investigation was to assess student opinions about

the layered curriculum method. This year I had different groups of

students. I teach Advanced Biology to 11th grade students. During the

first semester, I taught all 11th grade students and I taught using

conventional methods. During the second semester, I only taught half

of the 11th grade students and I implemented the Layered Curriculum

model. This gave me the chance to explore student views on science

with two different groups.

I performed two data collection methods. First, I surveyed students

who I only taught first semester. I wanted to assess their views of

science, and compare it to those from the second semester. I also

surveyed students who I taught in the second semester.

In addition, I interviewed four students. One student was from the first

semester group. Three students were from the second semester group.

Results
Results
Interviews

Melissa is a student from Haiti. She is a good student. She always

completes her homework on time. She earns good grades. However,

last semester it seemed like she did not like my class. I interviewed her

in order to get the point of view of someone who did not like my class.

Overall, I learned Melissa did like my class. However, she does not like

science. She is not sure why she does not like science. Interestingly,

she enjoyed the mitochondrial DNA experiment and project. The

purpose of that project was for students to compare their DNA to other

students in the school. Given that all students are from other parts of

the world, it shows students who related they are to people who are

from a country far away from their own country.

Melissa was not very open with me. When I asked her if she liked

my class, she said she did like it. The one main conflict that came up in

the interview was that Melissa enjoys doing hands-on things. I did not

do as many experiments first semester as I did second semester

because of the mitochondrial DNA project. It was an experiment and a

research project, and I did not put as much time into giving them

hands-on activities. That is clearly important to Melissa, and most likely

to other students, as well.

The second group (Katherine, Juan, and Yessica) provided more

interesting results. Katherine is one of the most enthusiastic science

students in the 11th grade. She had a hard time with the Layered

Curriculum at the beginning because she liked the teacher-centered

model. The reason she liked it is because she likes to ask a lot of

questions in front of the class. In the Layered Curriculum, I am only in

front of the class for 15 minutes. The rest of the time I check with

students one-on-one. She had difficulty with at at first, but then she

adjusted. Yessica seemed to like the second semester. However, she

sometimes had difficulty managing her time. Lastly, Juan is a solid

student but he also had a hard time with the Layered Curriculum at the

beginning.

The results indicate students preferred the second semester to

the first semester. They prefer the Layered Curriculum approach. One

of the main things students liked is the choice. They felt that having

choice made them responsible for their own learning and they liked it.

For example, Katherine said, “In the second semester you tell us what

we need to do to pass the class. And we get to do different things. And

it’s like this is so interesting. And we’re in control of the grade we get.”

Students like to feel like they are in control. This feeling also prepares

them for life after high school where a teacher won’t be telling them
what to do all the time.

Another thing that came up in the interview relates to

motivation. At the beginning of the semester, Juan had difficulty with

the Layered Curriculum. He repeatedly turned in assignments that

were not related to what we were doing – or they were not one the

assignments on the list. In this case, Juan was not following the

directions. When I asked him why he did not follow directions, he was

not able to answer. It seemed like Juan just didn’t “want” to pay

attention. I challenged him on several occasions and I encouraged him

to pay attention more. He started to listen and he was able to do the

assignments in accordance with the instructions. I saw a big shift in

Juan throughout the semester. Once he started to pay attention, his

grades went up. In the interview Juan said the following: “(In the

second semester)… you have to realize how you are going to use your

time. For me there was one problem when I didn’t take the time to do

it. Because if you don’t do something in the time it is supposed to be,

then you lose the points. It motivates you to do everything on time.”

His answer indicates the Layered Curriculum approach taught him to

pay attention and manage his time better, which is in important skill.

Overall, the choices inherent in the Layered Curriculum showed Juan

where he needed to improve (time management). It provided the

motivation for him to improve himself.

 The interview also indicates that students like being responsible

for their learning. They like to be put in a place where they cannot

blame the teacher for their mistakes. For example, Katherine said the

following: “If they [students] are in control, they are motivated to do

things that are good for them. If I’m like, ‘I know what I need to do to

pass. I know what I need to do to get an A. It’s not like someone

saying, ‘You need to do this and you need to do that.’ It’s my choice.

And this time I can’t blame the teacher for why I failed.”

The interview indicates the students have more motivation, and

they are developing their agency. Yessica said the following after I

asked her which semester she preferred – the first or the second: “The

second semester. Because everything is there. You give us the activity

sheet. You know what you are supposed to do to to pass. It’s like you

taking the choice for how you want your grade to go up. And plus what

grade you’re going to get.”

 Surveys

I surveyed students I had during the first semester, and students I had

both semesters. Figures 1 through 3 show some of the results form the

students in the first semester (N=21). The Figures indicate students

like my science class. They feel like they learned a lot in my science

class. The most interesting graph is Figure 3 because it indicates

students did not feel they had much

Figure 2. I liked David's science
“freedom or choice” in the class. class first semester.

Figure 1. I learned a lot of science in

David's class.

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Agree

Strongly Strongly
Figure 3. I had a lot of freedom and choice in
Disagree David's class.
Agree

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Agree
 I also surveyed students who were in my first and second semester

classes (N=20). The results are interesting because I asked students

whether they preferred the first (conventional) or the second (Layered

Curriculum). Figures 4 and 5 indicate students liked the Layered

Curriculum more than the conventional teaching method. Figures 6

and 7 indicate students felt they had more freedom in my class second

semester. Interestingly, students feel their writing improved more

second semester (Figures 8 and 9). Students said this is because I had

them take notes for five days in a row. They feel the note taking

helped them to write better.

Figure 4. I liked David's science class Figure 5. I liked David's science class
First semester. Second semester.

Strongly Strongly
Strongly Strongly

Disagree Disagree
 Figure 6. I had a lot of freedom and choice in Figure 7. I had a lot of freedom and choice in
David's class First semester. David's class Second Semester.

Strongly Strongly Strongly Strongly

Disagree Agree Disagree Agree

Figure 8. I improved my ability to read in Figure 9. I improved my ability to read in

David's class First semester. David's class Second semester.

Strongly Strongly Strongly Strongly

Disagree Agree Disagree Agree

Conclusion

This study indicates students prefer the Layered Curriculum

teaching method to more traditional methods. The reason students

liked the Layered Curriculum is because they have choice of which

assignments to do. Students also enjoyed feeling more responsible for

their learning.

It is unclear if my students felt more connected to the science

first semester or second semester. During the first semester, the

overall project was about mitochondrial DNA, which relates to genetics

and evolution. Students found it fascinating because it showed them

how interconnected they were. Michelle, who does not like science,

even liked the project because she felt like it reduced hate in the

school. However, the Layered Curriculum provides more access points

for students. For example, Katherine noted in the interview that she

initially was not happy to be studying about diseases. This is because

her brother has a serious disease and it has been difficult for her. At

the same time, Katherine learned a lot about diseases in the unit and

she had the option to research about different infectious diseases. She

learned disease is a vast field, and the option to do research motivated

her to take responsibility and find that out for herself.

I think there is more I could do to help students feel more

connected to science. Emdin (2009) writes about the importance of

hip-hop culture in a science classroom. While I did give students the

option to do a rap in several units, only one or two students did it. I

think the reason is because they were not sure how to incorporate rap

into the classroom. Next year, I will do an activity at the beginning of

the year to show students how to use rap in the science classroom.

In addition, I started the Layered Curriculum during the second

semester this year. I started with several choices and then I increases

the options in the later units. However, next year I want to start more

slowly so I can have students experience the different activities (e.g.,

posters, animotos, concept maps, etc.) so they understand how to do

those activities, and the expectations involved. One thing I need to

improve is making better rubrics. I want activities, such as the

experiments, to have rubrics so students understand how they will be

graded.

In terms of future studies, I want to continue to interview

students about their experiences in my classroom. I want to get their

point of view so I can improve the class by integrating parts of their

cultures into the classroom. I also need to pay attention to all my

students. One of my students at the higher level of English acquisition

told me he did not feel the pressure of time in my class second

semester. He moved through the activities quickly, and he finished

early. Other students told me I did not give them enough time to

complete the activities. I need to look at how I can structure the unit so

all students feel challenged for where they are at in their stage of

learning English and science.

Overall, I am grateful to have the opportunity to implement this

innovative approach to education.

References

Buillion, L. and L. Gomez (2001). Connecting School and Community with Science
Learning: Real World Problems and School-Community Partnerships as Contextual
Scaffolds, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 38(8): 878-898.
Emdin, C. (2010). Urban science education for the hip-hop generation. New York: Sense
Publishers.
Nunley, K. (n.d.). Why Hands-on tasks are good. Retrieved from
http://www.help4teachers.com/hands.htm

Nunley, K. (n.d.). Helping johnnie read through jr./sr. high shool.

Retrieved from http://www.help4teachers.com/JohnnieCanRead.htm

Nunley, K. (n.d.). In defense of oral defense. Retrieved from Nunley, K.

(n.d.). Helping johnnie read through jr./sr. high shool. Retrieved from
http://www.help4teachers.com/JohnnieCanRead.htm

Nunley, K. (n.d.). Choice - the forgotten basic human right. Retrieved

from http://www.help4teachers.com/choice.htm
Appendix: Example Unit Sheets and Student
Interviews
 Chemical Reactions and Enzymes
Name:____________________________________
Class:_____
Section 1 – Basic Understanding (65 Points Maximum)
Activity Points

1. Complete warm-ups and take notes from daily presentations (5 points per
day. Must be present. 4 days):

2. Make vocabulary flash cards using the vocabulary terms from this unit:
Chemical Reaction, Reactants, Products, Activation Energy, Catalyst,
Enzymes, Substrate, Active Site. (20 points)

3. Be able to answer what each vocabulary word means in your own words.
(20 points)

4. Read pages 156-160. Be able to answer questions 1-4 on page 160 (20
points).

5. Watch the BrainPop Video about Digestion and Enzymes. Go to the

following website: www.brainpop.com.

• Username: brooklyninternational

• Password: bihs

Type in “Enzymes” next to Search and click on the video. Use the Web
Sheet and draw and write what you learn. (20 points)

6. Pass the Quiz on Reactions and Enzymes (10 points)

Total Points
 Section II – Hands-On (15 Points Maximum)
Activity Points

1. Complete the lab on page 159 of your book about apples and browning.
(15 Points)

2. Cut out paper models of the substrate, enzyme, and product in an

enzymatic reaction. Be able to explain what each piece means. Then
paste them onto a poster. (15 points)

3. Make a foldable poster as shown on page 147 of the substrate, enzyme,

and product in an enzymatic reaction. Be able to explain what each part
means. (15 Points)

Total Points

Section III – Analysis (20 points Maximum)

Activity Points

1. Answer the Analysis questions on page 159 for the Lab. (10 points)

2. Are digestive enzymes good for you? Use the Larger Connections Sheet
(20 points)

Grading Scale: 86+ = A, 71-85 = B, 56-70 = C, 40-55 = D

 Lab Sheet
Name:_______________________________________Date:__________________
___
Title:_________________________________________________________________
_
Question:
What do I want
to find out?

Introduction

Procedure

Materials

If:

(Prediction)
What I think will Then:
happen
(Hypothesis) Because:
Why I think it
will happen
Variables Independent:

Dependent:

Constants Variables I keep the same:

What is the
control in this
experiment?

Results:
Data Table

Conclusion
Summary (Use words
to describe what the data
are telling you.)
Name:_________________________________________Date:_____________________________
_

Web Sheet
Title of Website:_______________________________________

1. Drawing

I learned…
I learned…
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________

2. Drawing
3. Drawing

I learned…
I learned…
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________

4. Drawing
Topic:_______________________________________________________Name:_________________________________
Class:_____

Research Sheet
Direct Quote Paraphrase the Quote Source (Book, page #; Internet
Address)

1.

2.

3.

4.
 Section 3 Sheet: Larger
Connections

Topic:_______________________________________________________Name:_________________________________
Class:_____

Direct Quote (3 points) Paraphrase the Quote (3 points) Source (Book, page #; Internet
Address) (3 points)

1.

2.

3.

4.
 Introduction to Bacteria (100 points Possible)
Name:____________________________ Class:_____
Section 1 – Basic Understanding (65 Points Maximum)

Activity Points
7. Pass a quiz about bacteria. (10 points)
1. Take notes from daily presentations (5 points per day. Must be present):

1 infection:
8. Research three types of bacterial 2 3 4botulism,
5 tetanus, and strep
throat. Write a small, half-page report on each. List your sources of
2.information. (15 points)
Make a three-dimensional model of a prokaryotic cell with paper. Label
the different parts of the bacterial cell. (15 points)
Total Points
3. Make 15 vocabulary flash cards using the vocabulary terms from this
unit. Be able to define the terms in your own words. (15 points):
Bacteria, Archaea, Nucleoid, Capsule, Pili, Binary Fission, Conjugation,
Heterotrophs, Photoautrotrophs, Chemoautrotophs, Endospore

4. Read pages 516-524 in the Biology book and write down 10 things you
learn in the book. Be able to answer questions 1-4 on page 524. (15
points)

1. Watch the BrainPop Video about Bacteria. Go to the following website:

www.brainpop.com. Username: brooklyninternational, Password: bihs

Type in “Bacteria” next to Search and click on the video Bacteria: They’re
Everywhere. Use the Web Sheet and draw and write what you learn. (15
points)

5. Using construction paper and plain paper, make a 5-page children’s book
on 5 ways to prevent bacterial infections. Make pictures for your book
(15 points)

6. Write two paragraphs. Write one paragraph on ways bacteria are helpful
to humans and one on ways bacteria are harmful to humans. (15 points)

7. Translate your previous paragraphs into your native language. (15 points)
 Section II – Hands-On (15 points Maximum) Choose one. These
must be done in class.

Activity Points

4. Which surface in the school contains the most bacteria? Which surface
contains the least? Using a plate with agar, swab and streak between 5
and 7 sources of bacteria around the school.

5. Does hand washing reduce bacteria numbers? Prove your hypothesis

using fingerprints and a plate with agar.

6. Do current face cleansers reduce bacteria present on the face? Make

bacterial plates by putting cotton swabs on from the tip of your nose
before and after using facial cleanser. Describe the colonies.

Total Points
 Section III – Use a Larger Connections sheet to analyze one of
these issues. (20 points Maximum)
Activity Points

3. What issues are we currently facing due to the overuse of antibiotics?

4. Would a campaign to encourage hand washing reduce the rate of illness

at our school?

5. What role should government play in making our meat safe from
bacteria?

Grading Scale: 86+ = A, 71-85 = B, 56-70 = C, 40-55 = D

Student Interview with Melissa

D = David, M = Melissa

D: What do you think about science?

M: I don’t like science

D: Why?

M: I don’t know. It’s too much.

D: Why?

M: It has many different types. I like to focus on one thing.

D: Did you enjoy any part of my class last semester?

M: Yeah… the DNA stuff. Well the DNA part of the projects. When we had to take
out the salivea.

D: So you liked the experiments.

M: Yeah…

D: Why did you like the experiments.

M: Because it showed us who we were similar to. We saw how we were similar to
them.

D: Do you feel like I listened to you?

M: Yes, even if we had arguments?

D: Were you motivated in my class?

M: I was motivated to do it.

D: Why were you motivated?

M: It was the way you spoke to us. It showed us you knew what you were talking
about.

D: Did you gain any skills in my class?

M: Researching skills.

D: What about writing skills?

M: I improved that too. The paragraphs every week.

D: What would you suggest I do to improve it?

M: More experiments. Students would like that more. They use their hands.

D: Anything else? Were the paragraphs too much?

M: No. Because you gave it to us weekly. I like the way you gave it to us.

D: Would you suggest I do that project again?

M: Yes. Definitely. Because it brings out the hate in the school. People get along
more.

Any thing else you would say about how to improve the class?

M: More projects.

D: So less time on one thing.

M: Yeah.
Student Interview with Katherine, Juan, and Yessica

D: If you remember, I changed the class. What do you think about the way I
taught second semester?

K: I think the second semester was better. We learned about more stuff. We
learned about disease. And also you choose what you want to do. And you give us
a lot of information so we can revise and stuff.

J: At the beginning, I didn’t like it . First semester we had to do the paragraphs

and we didn’t have to explain anyting. But now I think it’s better because we
have to explain things to you and show that we know.

D: What was the favorite thing we did in science class this year?

K: The mitochondrial DNA Project

J: The Finger printing project.

D: Why?

K: Because we learned about our heritage. How is it that we all look different but
we are still the same.

D: Did you like the paragraphs?

K: Yeah. Even though it was a lot of work it opened your mind to a lot of different
things.

J: Do you think your writing improved?

K: Yeah. A lot.

D: What about you Juan?

J: I like the fingerprint because police use it to find criminals. Most I didn’t even
know about it.

D: And you liked it because you’re interested in being a police officer?

J: No. With this you can find the guilty people.

D: Do you think you’re more motivated in class second semester?

Both: Yes

K: In the second semster you tell us what we need to do to pass the class. And we
get to do different things. And it’s like this is so interesting. And we’re in control
of the grade we get.
J: Yes. You have to realize how you are going to use your time. For me there was
one problem when I didn’t take the time to do it. Because if you don’t do
something in the time it is supposed to be, then you lose the points. It motivates
you to do everything on time.

D: Why is it important students feel they are in control?

K: If they are n control, they are motivated to do things that are good for them. If
I’m lie, “I know wwhat I need to do to pass. I know what I need to do to get an a.
It’s not like someone saying, ‘You need to do this and you need to do that.’ It’s
my choice. And this time I can’t blame the teacher for why I failed.

To Y: I changed how I taught the semesters. Which did you prefer?

Y: Because everything is there. You give us the activity sheet. You know what you
are supposed to do to to pass. It’s like you taking the choice for how you want
your grade to go up. And plus what grade you’re going to get.

D: What was your favorite project or thing we did in science class?

Y: The lab thing. The fingerprinting thing.

D: Why?

Y: I don’t know. It was fun. Because I watch a lot of law and order and because I
get a chance to see what they do to identify criminals and stuff. It’s fun.

D: Do you think I listen to you?

K: Well yeah, you have to listen in order to see if we are actually learning.

Y: People don’t understand but it’s so nice when you get to do things by yourself.
It’s better than the teacher talking and talking. You do power points, and then you
let us do the activities by ourselves.
D: Do you feel like you gained skills in my classs this year?

Y: Presentation.

K: Like research skills. Speaking skills because we have to talk in order for you to
know what we learned.

Y: I don’t know but it helps a lot with the English because you learn more words,
and more decent words to use and stuff. You don’t stick with the street language.

J: Yes. Researching on the internet to find answers. And the listening, too, and
writing and explaining to what you are saying on the board.

D: Of the activities that you get to do on the activity sheet, which ones are your
favorite?
K: The disease part. I like when you have us research about stuff, like worms. In
the past, like four types of disease. That’s interesting because we have to go to
websites, and then come back and show you what you learned.

J: I like The Brain Pop because you see the process. They explain through a
movie. People sometimes learn more when they are watching what they need to
do.

Y: On the brain pop, I guess it’s easier because the words are not big words. It
explains you… it’s easier and you understand what’s going on.

D: Do you think it’s good I give you an option to take a quiz?

Y: Yeah. On a quiz you know what you learn. On a quiz, you have all the words
you learn. The Brain pop is good but the quiz is where you know if you know this
or that.

K: Also, a lot of people are not good quiz takers and giving them the chance,
whether they want it or not. People whoa re not good at it won’t take it. Before if
you failed a quiz or a test, your grade will drop.

Y: Where with this you have something to cover it with. David doesn’t have to tell
you, “Oh quiz tomorrow. Everybody has to take it.”

D: If you were to suggest improvements for next year, what would you suggest?
Any activities you would have liked to have done or activities?

Y: Diabetes. I want to learn about diabetes. 50% of my family has diabetes. My

mom has diabetes.

K: How about rare disease?

J; The one when people lose their mind. Alzheimer’s.