Stories from the classroom... part II

With the third week of classes finished, I've been allowing students the joy of recalling all the information they've learned in the classroom, in the form of examinations. As a result, this has armed me with more ammunition for my blog. My colleagues in the office think I'm crazy because I usually burst out with laughter while grading my tests. Some may consider grading an arduous task, but I usually find it mildly entertaining. Ah, the perks of working at an international school... The test question is in bold, my sarcastic response in italics.

Please list 8 characteristics of all living organisms:
1) Egg
2) Food
3) Mushroom
4) Leaves
What is this? Her shopping list?

Please give an example of an Arachnid:
Sneaker
I feel the student may have been trying to write "spider" or "snake"... or perhaps they really thought a pair of Nikes was an arthropod.

Describe a Crustacean:
The crab meat is inside, you have to crack it to get to it.
I may have used the crab as an example during class to give an example of the exoskeleton. In order to paint a more vivid picture for them, I may have mentioned how they had to crack a shell to eat crab. At least the illustration struck a chord.

List the 5 Phylum of the Animal Kingdom:
Mummy
Ramhibit
The best part was when I was describing to the student what a "mummy" was and how it was different than a "mammal". Not sure if the second answer was a cross between an amphibian and a rabbit or not. Two answers I couldn't put on this blog was a drawing of a lizard and of a jellyfish. Creative.

What is the function of Ribosomes?
So much
Agreed.

What is the different between an animal cell and a plant cell?
One is in animals and one is in plants.
Logical. Who said science was complicated?

What are the special features of striated muscle?
If you have a strong muscle, you will be powerful.
The best part is that for my illustration of the flexor and the extensor muscles, I showed off my own arm... Am I powerful? haha.

What is an isotonic solution?
Enough.
I'm serious, this was the answer to the last question on the test. It's kind of fitting it was the last thing the student wrote on the paper.

Since the grades on this test weren't stellar, I offered the students to correct their test and wrote an explanation, i.e. why the answer they wrote was wrong and why the right answer fits the question... Simple enough task, funny enough results.

"I forget it"
"I don't know this word means"
"I can't write these words"
"I don't know this knowledge"
"I can't study seriously and clearly"

At least they're honest... The funniest response so far though, is when I asked an individual if he had any siblings... The reply? "Siblings? I don't even have a wife!"

Stay tuned...