E-portfolio Reflections

The culminating project for all students is an e-portfolio showcasing their best work in all subjects from the year. Students create a website which includes a homepage, a page for each subject that links to their two best projects from that class, reflections on those projects and lastly a (minimum) five paragraph reflective essay on what they learned etc... Here are some entertaining excerpts from three of my Biology students.

EDIT: this one just added*
There has to be some spark in me that ignites into fire, causing me to produce work of pure genius. I wouldn’t say that my DNA Summary project was one of pure excellency, but it is one that I learned a great deal....One thing that I have learned that I must keep in mind is the concept of evolution. I come from a religion that shuns this form of belief. I used to be afraid to even consider it for the fear that I may be ridiculed or seen as a traitor. I feel that the fact that I am faced with this notion more makes me see things differently. I shouldn’t only consider what I have been brought up in or what I feel comfortable with, I should consider the fact that evolution is highly possible and that there is concrete evidence to back up this theory.

One of the first things that I was most proud of in biology this year was my hemophilia project that I did. This project had a lot to do with it because one I don’t like learning about blood because I feel weak, but anyways we had to make a poster about a type of disease. I have no idea why I picked hemophilia but it sounded cool, come to find out it has to do with blood. (junior boy)

At the start of the year when I did a mini reflection for Biology I was asked the question what did you find interesting about biology so far. My answer was, “I really don’t like biology so I don’t find anything interesting about it.” But as you see from my previous paragraph I have found at least one thing interesting. My view of biology still hasn’t changed much though. I still do believe that science it boring and I still don’t see why we would ever have to take an MCAS test on Biology. (sophomore girl who is very religious and when asked by another teacher how she liked science she said, Ms. S is always talkin' bout evolution, I don't believe in it. But she's nice so I just smile and nod.)

The year’s ending, and that means no more Biology Honors or Ms. S., and that makes me sad :-( Biology Honors was big step up from Physics last year, with the “Triangles of Doom” and all. During this year, I got to learn many things, things I never even knew about before. (sophomore boy)