extra credit assignment ideas for science

Secondary Science Extra Credit Opportunities That Are Actually Worthwhile

Extra credit ideas for the secondary science classroom

Have any other great extra credit ideas? Leave them in the comments!

Picture

  • Read more about: End of the School Year , Media in the Classroom , Projects

extra credit assignment ideas for science

Hi, I'm Becca!

Search the site, browse by category.

  • A list of ALL blog posts
  • Back to School
  • Biochemistry
  • Body Systems
  • Classification
  • Classroom Decor
  • Classroom Management
  • Distance Learning
  • End of the School Year
  • Experiments
  • Field Trips
  • For NEW Teachers
  • Formative Assessment
  • Media in the Classroom
  • Microscopes
  • Photosynthesis & Respiration
  • Plate Tectonics
  • Sustainability
  • Teacher Tips
  • Weather and Climate

Get Freebies!

You might also like....

science-seek-and-find-printable

Science Seek and Finds

layers-of-the-earth-lessons

Layers of the Earth Lessons

electromagnetic spectrum lesson plans

Teaching the Electromagnetic Spectrum

extra credit assignment ideas for science

Let me help your students with experimental design!

extra credit assignment ideas for science

Privacy Overview

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

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.

Assigning extra credit in English Language Arts

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!

How to manage extra credit assignment in High School ELA

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 .

High School ELA extra credit assignment ideas

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!

Assigning extra credit in English language arts

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!

What can we help you find?

  • Why TCI – Teacher Success Stories
  • Learning Management Systems and Technology Partners
  • Standards Correlations
  • TCI News and Insights
  • Elementary School Science
  • Middle School Science
  • Middle School Integrated Science
  • Elementary Social Studies
  • Middle School Social Studies
  • High School Social Studies
  • Free Lessons
  • Events and Webinars
  • Student Sign In
  • Teacher Sign In

2019 Extra Credit Ideas

extra credit assignment ideas for science

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.

Related News and Resources

extra credit assignment ideas for science

A Look Back at 2023 with TCI

active classroom

Assessment Strategies for an Active Classroom

Row of books

Books for Teachers – Summer Reading List

Get teaching inspiration delivered to your inbox..

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

logo

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.
  • [email protected]

extra credit assignment ideas for science

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.

Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter!

  • Academy 4SC
  • Educators 4SC
  • Leaders 4SC
  • Students 4SC
  • Research 4SC

Accountability

extra credit assignment ideas for science

Extra Credit Ideas for Middle School Teachers

Laney Lee

“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. 

Astronomy Study Guide

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!

Continue the discussion in my Facebook Group for Middle School Science Teachers or my Classroom Management Facebook Group .

Or get free science resources delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for my newsletter! I promise to never be spammy. I’m just a regular teacher who likes helping teachers teach and students learn.

RELATED POSTS

extra credit assignment ideas for science

OUTDOOR SCIENCE CLASS ACTIVITIES

extra credit assignment ideas for science

Teaching Students How To Study

extra credit assignment ideas for science

Student Note Taking in the Middle School Classroom

extra credit assignment ideas for science

5 Extra Credit Activities That Promote Engaged Learning

We may earn money from the companies or products mentioned in this post, as there may be affiliate links included below. For more information, see our disclosure policy.

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.

Twitter

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!

extra credit assignment ideas for science

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

College Courses Course Design extra credit Pedagogy Teach

' src=

February 18, 2020 at 4:15 PM

Awesome suggestions!

' src=

February 20, 2020 at 2:20 PM

I’m glad you like them!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Note: Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer. 

Access the Ever Educating Resource Library

My YouTube Channel Intro Video:

Recent posts.

  • Ideas for the Last Day of Class
  • 5 Strategies for Using LMS Announcements in an Online Course
  • My Career Pivot: Transitioning from College Instructor to Instructional Designer
  • Using Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy in Your College Classroom
  • Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction

Newsletter Sign-Up

Email address:

Blog Post Categories

Ever Educating Logo

Privacy Policy

Disclaimers & Terms and Conditions

Erika Romero is a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

© 2020 Erika Romero

© 2024 Erika Romero

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑

Privacy Overview

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

' height=

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.

extra credit assignment ideas for science

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!

extra credit assignment ideas for science

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!

  • Grades 6-12
  • School Leaders

Looking For Your Next Teacher Job? You'll Want This Email Series!

The Big List of Funny Extra Credit Questions

When you want to make your students smile.

The Big List of Funny Extra Credit Questions

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.

Printable Extra Credit Questions for Your Final Exams - WeAreTeachers

[contextly_auto_sidebar]

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. 

The Big List of Funny Extra Credit Questions

You Might Also Like

Harry Potter Science Featured

Turn Muggles into Wizards With Harry Potter Science Experiments

Because sometimes science seems like magic. Continue Reading

Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

  •   /   Teaching Resources
  •   /  Teaching Tips

Expand the section navigation mobile menu

  • Syllabus Guides
  • Teaching Tips
  • Learn and Attend Online
  • Inclusive Teaching
  • Learning Communities
  • Faculty Development Institutes
  • Conferences and Presentations
  • Grants and Awards
  • OU Research and Publications
  • OU Teaching Initiatives
  • New Faculty
  • Chairs' Corner
  • Graduate Student Series

Kresge Library, Room 430 100 Library Drive Rochester, Michigan 48309-4479 (location map) (248) 370-2751 [email protected]

Facebook Logo - Link to Facebook account

Using Extra Credit Effectively

Should instructors offer extra credit? Some believe it makes students lazy and more likely to want to make up material only after they have missed it. While extra credit can certainly have this effect on students, well-designed extra credit assignments can have a range of benefits instead. I always use extra credit in my courses rather than scaling grades, dropping the lowest grade, or assigning ad hoc assignments at the end of the semester to boost students’ grades. I apply several strategies when creating extra credit to make it a meaningful and enriching part of students’ experience in my courses.

Well-designed extra credit assignments have the following benefits for students and the instructor.

  • Students engage with the material beyond the assigned coursework, which helps reinforce their understanding of concepts taught in class.
  • Students have more agency in working toward the final grade they want to achieve. Rather than taking action myself to boost student grades, I give students the opportunity to improve their course performance if they wish.
  • Assigning extra credit enables me to avoid the dreaded question, "Can I do anything to improve my final grade?" The few times I am asked for more lenience, I have a fair answer: "All students had the same opportunities for extra credit during the course. There is no 'extra' extra credit." The ball is in the students' court; I am just the recordkeeper.

I use the following strategies to create effective extra credit assignments.

  • All students are given the same opportunities for extra credit so that everyone has an equal chance to improve their grade. This is stressed on the syllabus and throughout the course.
  • Extra credit point values can be flexible. Mine are based on the nature of the assignment and the amount of extra credit the class needs as a whole.
  • I assign extra credit regularly during the semester rather than waiting until the end of the semester. Students have an opportunity to submit extra credit at predictable intervals, which helps them keep their interest in the course and avoid anxiety about their final grade.

Types of Extra Credit

A wide range of work can be assigned as extra credit – it's really up to the instructor's imagination! My extra credit assignments fall into two categories:

  • additional problems – I assign these in my linguistics courses to give students more practice with difficult concepts and methods of analysis.
  • engaging applications – I create fun assignments that apply ideas covered in class. Basically anything goes as long as it’s relevant for the course! I have assigned Moodle surveys , interviews of individuals in the student’s social circle, discussion forums with thought-provoking questions, reflections about online videos or articles, and educational activities on websites that tie into course themes. (Consider using H5P in Moodle to create some of your extra credit activities. e-LIS has H5P help documents to assist you, or contact the e-LIS ID team for a one-on-one consultation .)

Viewing extra credit as a positive component to include in your course opens up a useful additional avenue to increase student learning. Methodically and creatively designing extra credit that fits with course themes is an excellent way to give students supplementary practice with course material and further opportunities to see applications of course material in the real world. Extra credit assignments might even take more effort than regular homework, but if they are well-designed, students will be happy to do them!

Save and adapt a Google Doc version of this teaching tip.

About the Author

Helena Riha teaches Linguistics and International Studies. She has taught over 3,300 students at OU in 16 different courses and is currently developing a new online General Education course. Helena is the 2016 winner of the OU Excellence in Teaching Award. This is her thirteenth teaching tip. Outside of the classroom, Helena enjoys watching her sixth grader design his own Lego creations.

Edited and designed by Christina Moore, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Oakland University. Others may share and adapt under Creative Commons License CC BY-NC .  View all CETL Weekly Teaching Tips . 

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

Share Button

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”]

Recent Posts

  • WHSAD Students Attend Hamilton February 14, 2024
  • WHSAD MBK/MSK Students Visit The Jackie Robinson Museum February 13, 2024
  • WHSAD Students Visit Crème/Jun Aizaki Architecture Firm February 7, 2024
  • Senior Bulletin #5 – February February 1, 2024
  • January Bulletin January 20, 2024

Avatar photo

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] .

College Clarity

Extra Credit Assignment Ideas: Engaging Activities for Student Learning

Looking to go beyond the usual and mundane for your next extra credit assignment? It’s time to embark on a journey of creativity and innovation. We understand that traditional school assignments can be dull and uninspiring, which is why we’re here to shake things up.

From creating an interactive multimedia presentation to designing a virtual museum exhibit, these unique assignment ideas in the course will challenge you to think outside the box and showcase your skills in unconventional ways.

So buckle up and get ready for an exhilarating ride filled with unexpected twists and turns. Say goodbye to monotonous semester assignments and hello to exciting opportunities for self-expression in your course. Get ready to unleash your creativity like never before!

Key Takeaways

  • Extra credit assignments can be a valuable tool for promoting engaged learning and motivating students to go above and beyond.
  • Incorporating unique assignment ideas not only adds variety to the classroom but also encourages creativity and critical thinking.
  • Engaging science ideas for extra credit assignments can include conducting experiments, creating models, or researching current scientific topics.
  • Creative English assignments, such as writing short stories or analyzing literature, can help students develop their writing and analytical skills.
  • Innovative Spanish class ideas for extra credit assignments can involve practicing conversational skills, creating videos, or exploring cultural aspects of the language.
  • Assigning an artistic sketchbook as an extra credit project allows students to express themselves visually and develop their artistic abilities.
  • Social studies worksheets can be used as extra credit assignments to reinforce concepts, encourage research, and promote a deeper understanding of historical events.
  • Establishing clear policies for extra credit, such as deadlines and grading criteria, ensures fairness and consistency in offering these opportunities.
  • By promoting engaged learning activities through extra credit assignments, teachers can foster a love for learning and encourage students to take ownership of their education.

Importance of Extra Credit

Extra credit assignments can play a crucial role in student learning. They offer valuable opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of the subject matter. By completing extra credit assignments and reading blog posts, students are able to explore topics in greater depth and gain a more comprehensive grasp of the material.

When given the chance to earn extra credit, students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning. The additional assignments and posts provide them with a sense of responsibility and motivate them to go above and beyond what is required. This not only benefits their academic performance but also instills important life skills such as self-motivation and perseverance.

Engaged learning is another significant aspect that extra credit assignments promote. These assignments foster active participation and engagement in the classroom by allowing students to delve into topics that interest them personally through posts. When given the freedom to choose an area they are passionate about, students become more invested in their studies, leading to increased retention of knowledge and skills.

Moreover, incorporating extra credit assignments and posts into the curriculum enhances student understanding and application of course material. These assignments can supplement existing lessons by providing additional learning opportunities that reinforce key concepts or introduce new perspectives related to the curriculum. For example, if a history class is studying World War II, an extra credit assignment could involve researching lesser-known aspects or analyzing primary sources from that time period.

Unique Assignment Ideas

There are a variety of unique ideas that can engage and challenge students. These assignments not only provide an opportunity for students to earn additional points but also encourage them to think creatively and explore their interests in different ways.

One type of extra credit assignment that can inspire creativity is creative projects . These projects allow students to express themselves through various mediums such as art, music, writing, or even multimedia presentations. By offering creative projects as extra credit assignments, teachers can tap into the diverse talents and abilities of their students. For example, a student who excels in visual arts may choose to create a painting or sculpture related to the subject matter being studied in class. On the other hand, a student with strong writing skills might opt for composing a short story or poem on a relevant topic.

Creative projects not only showcase individual talents but also foster innovation and critical thinking skills. When given the freedom to explore their own ideas and present them in unique ways, students are encouraged to think outside the box and develop new perspectives on the material they have learned. This type of assignment allows for greater engagement with the subject matter while providing an avenue for self-expression.

Another category of extra credit assignments that promote independent learning is independent work . These assignments require students to take charge of their own learning by conducting research or completing tasks independently outside of regular classwork. Independent work provides an opportunity for students to delve deeper into topics they find interesting or challenging.

By assigning independent work as extra credit, teachers are able to assess not only knowledge acquisition but also skills such as time management and self-directed learning. Students who excel at working independently demonstrate initiative and autonomy in pursuing their academic goals.

For instance, an English teacher might offer an optional book review assignment where students choose a novel from a list provided by the teacher and write a thoughtful analysis highlighting key themes and literary devices used by the author. This assignment allows students to explore their personal interests within the broader context of the subject matter.

Engaging Science Ideas

Experiment projects.

Experiment projects are a great way to make science assignments more engaging and exciting. By offering experiment projects as extra credit assignments, teachers provide students with the opportunity to apply scientific principles in a hands-on manner. This allows them to develop essential research and analytical skills that will benefit them both inside and outside of the classroom.

Extra credit experiment projects also enable students to explore scientific concepts beyond what they learn in their textbooks. These projects encourage curiosity and creativity by giving students the freedom to design their own experiments or explore topics of interest. For example, a student interested in chemistry could conduct an experiment on chemical reactions or investigate the effects of different variables on plant growth.

By completing these experiment projects as extra credit assignments, students gain practical experience in conducting scientific investigations. They learn how to formulate hypotheses, collect data, analyze results, and draw conclusions based on evidence. These skills are crucial for success not only in science but also in other academic disciplines and future careers.

Research Papers

Research papers offer another avenue for engaging science extra credit assignments. By assigning research papers as extra credit tasks, teachers give students the opportunity to delve into a specific topic of interest within the realm of science. This allows them to develop strong research skills while exploring an area that captivates their attention.

Completing research papers as extra credit assignments promotes academic rigor and scholarly inquiry among students. It encourages critical analysis and synthesis of information from various sources such as books, articles, or online databases. Students must evaluate the credibility of sources before incorporating them into their papers—a skill that is valuable for distinguishing reliable information from misinformation.

Research papers also foster independent thinking as students form their arguments based on evidence gathered through extensive research. They learn how to organize ideas coherently and present findings clearly—an important skill set applicable across many disciplines beyond science itself.

Creative English Assignments

Ela projects.

Extra credit assignments in English Language Arts (ELA) can be a great way to enhance students’ reading, writing, and communication skills. These projects provide students with the opportunity to explore different literary genres and analyze texts in a creative and engaging manner. By offering ELA projects as extra credit assignments, teachers encourage students to express their creativity while also developing their language proficiency.

For example, one ELA project could involve creating a book review or analysis of a novel that goes beyond just summarizing the plot. Students could delve into themes, character development, and symbolism within the story. This type of assignment allows them to demonstrate their understanding of the text while honing their critical thinking skills.

Another idea for an ELA project is organizing a poetry slam event where students write and perform original poems. This activity not only encourages creativity but also requires students to think critically about word choice, rhythm, and delivery when crafting their poems. It provides them with an opportunity to showcase their individuality and develop public speaking skills.

Literary Analysis

Extra credit assignments focused on literary analysis are another valuable option for English classes. These assignments enable students to deepen their understanding of literary works by critically analyzing them. Through this process, they develop important skills such as critical thinking and interpretation.

One possible extra credit assignment could be asking students to choose a specific theme or motif from a novel or play they have studied in class and write an essay exploring its significance throughout the work. This task challenges them to closely examine the text’s nuances while formulating well-supported arguments based on evidence from the literature.

Teachers can assign extra credit activities that require students to engage with complex texts independently outside of class hours. For instance, assigning short stories by renowned authors like Edgar Allan Poe or William Shakespeare can prompt deep analysis through written responses or classroom discussions.

Innovative Spanish Class Ideas

Cultural studies.

Extra credit assignments in cultural studies provide students with the opportunity to explore diverse cultures and broaden their perspectives. By delving into different aspects of culture, such as traditions, customs, and history, students can develop intercultural competence and gain a deeper appreciation for diversity.

For example, students could be tasked with researching a specific country or region and creating a presentation that highlights its unique cultural elements. They might delve into topics like traditional celebrations, cuisine, music, art forms, or famous historical figures. This not only allows them to learn about other cultures but also encourages them to present their findings to the class—fostering public speaking skills.

Offering cultural studies as an extra credit assignment is beneficial because it promotes global awareness and understanding among students. It exposes them to new ideas and perspectives outside of their own experiences while encouraging empathy towards others. These assignments can help create a classroom environment that celebrates diversity and fosters inclusivity.

Language Practice

Extra credit assignments focused on language practice offer valuable opportunities for students to improve their Spanish language skills. By engaging in activities that require active use of the language beyond regular coursework, they can enhance vocabulary acquisition and fluency.

One effective approach is assigning tasks that encourage real-life application of Spanish in various contexts. For instance, students could be asked to write short dialogues or skits using vocabulary related to everyday situations like ordering food at a restaurant or asking for directions. Alternatively, they might be challenged to record themselves giving presentations entirely in Spanish on topics they are passionate about.

These types of assignments not only reinforce what has been learned in class but also motivate students by allowing them creative freedom within the boundaries of practicing the language. It helps make learning more enjoyable while reinforcing key concepts through practical application.

Furthermore, offering these language practice extra credit assignments incentivizes consistent effort from students throughout the course since they know there are additional opportunities to earn points and improve their grades. It encourages them to actively engage with the language outside of class, helping to solidify their understanding and mastery of Spanish.

Artistic Sketchbook Assignments

Extra credit assignments in the visual arts offer students a unique opportunity to unleash their creativity and express themselves visually. These projects allow students to go beyond the boundaries of traditional classroom assignments and explore their artistic potential. By engaging in extra credit visual arts projects, students can develop their artistic techniques and aesthetic sensibilities.

Visual arts as extra credit assignments provide a platform for students to experiment with different mediums, such as painting, drawing, sculpture, or photography. They can create artwork that reflects their personal experiences, emotions, or ideas. For example, they may choose to paint a landscape that holds special meaning for them or create a sculpture inspired by an important social issue.

In addition to fostering creativity and self-expression, offering visual arts projects as extra credit promotes artistic exploration. Students have the freedom to explore different styles and themes within the realm of visual arts. They can research famous artists and art movements for inspiration or incorporate elements from various cultures into their work.

Design concepts serve as another engaging option for extra credit assignments. These assignments enable students to apply principles of design in various contexts while developing problem-solving skills and nurturing their creativity. By engaging in design projects as extra credit opportunities, students learn how form follows function and how aesthetics play a role in everyday objects.

For instance, one design concept assignment could involve creating an innovative product prototype that solves a specific problem faced by people today. This project would require critical thinking skills as well as an understanding of user experience and functionality.

Another example could be designing an eye-catching poster using graphic design principles like color theory and typography layout techniques. Through this assignment, students would learn about effective communication through visuals while honing their design skills.

Social Studies Worksheets

In the field of social studies, extra credit assignments can provide valuable opportunities for students to deepen their understanding and engagement with the subject matter. Two areas where extra credit assignments can be particularly effective are historical analysis and current events.

Historical Analysis

Extra credit assignments in historical analysis allow students to delve into past events and explore their significance. By engaging in this type of assignment, students have the opportunity to develop important research skills and hone their critical thinking abilities. They are encouraged to analyze primary and secondary sources, evaluate different perspectives, and draw conclusions based on evidence.

For example, a historical analysis extra credit assignment could involve researching a specific event or time period in history and writing an essay that examines its causes, consequences, and broader implications. Students might be asked to consider how the event shaped society at the time or how it continues to impact our world today.

By offering historical analysis as an extra credit option, teachers promote a deeper understanding of the complexities of history. Students gain a more nuanced perspective on past events by actively engaging with them through research and analysis. This type of assignment also encourages students to think critically about historical narratives they encounter elsewhere – whether in textbooks or popular media – helping them develop a healthy skepticism towards simplistic interpretations.

Current Events

Extra credit assignments focused on current events provide an opportunity for students to stay informed about what is happening in the world around them. Engaging with current events as part of their coursework helps students develop media literacy skills by encouraging them to critically analyze news sources for bias or misinformation.

For instance, a current events extra credit assignment might involve choosing a news article related to one of the topics covered in class (such as immigration policy or climate change) and writing a short summary along with an evaluation of its reliability using criteria discussed in class (e.g., source credibility). This exercise not only reinforces classroom learning but also empowers students to make connections between academic concepts and real-world issues.

Policies for Extra Credit

Extra credit assignments can be a valuable tool for both teachers and students. They provide an opportunity for students to earn additional points towards their grade, while also allowing teachers to assess student understanding in different ways. However, it is important to establish clear policies surrounding extra credit assignments to ensure fairness and alignment with the curriculum.

Equitable Policies

When designing extra credit assignments, it is crucial to consider equity and inclusivity. All students should have equal opportunities to participate and benefit from these assignments. To achieve this, teachers should establish clear guidelines and criteria for earning extra credit. By doing so, they create a level playing field where all students understand what is expected of them.

For example, instead of offering extra credit based on arbitrary factors such as attendance or participation alone, teachers can tie the assignment directly to course content or learning objectives. This ensures that all students have an equal chance of earning the additional points by demonstrating their knowledge and skills.

Implementing equitable policies for extra credit assignments not only promotes fairness among students but also supports student success. It encourages active engagement with the material and provides an opportunity for struggling students to improve their grades through additional effort.

Alignment with Curriculum

Another important aspect of extra credit policies is aligning these assignments with the overall curriculum goals and learning objectives. Extra credit should serve as a supplement to classroom instruction rather than a separate entity.

Teachers should carefully design these assignments so that they complement and enhance the content covered in class. For example, if a social studies class has been studying ancient civilizations, an appropriate extra credit assignment could involve researching another civilization not covered in depth during regular class time.

Promoting Engaged Learning Activities

Group discussions.

Extra credit assignments involving group discussions can be a great way to promote engaged learning activities. When students participate in group discussions as part of their extra credit work, they have the opportunity to collaborate with their peers and develop important communication skills.

Through these group discussions, students can engage in meaningful dialogue and exchange diverse perspectives. This not only enhances their understanding of the subject matter but also encourages them to think critically and consider different viewpoints. For example, in a literature class, students could discuss various interpretations of a novel or analyze different themes present in a play.

Offering group discussions as extra credit assignments also fosters active participation among students. Rather than passively listening to lectures or reading textbooks, they actively contribute to the conversation by sharing their thoughts and ideas. This shared learning experience creates an inclusive classroom environment where everyone’s voice is valued.

Interactive Sessions

Another effective method for promoting engaged learning activities through extra credit assignments is by incorporating interactive sessions into the curriculum. These sessions provide opportunities for hands-on learning experiences that go beyond traditional classroom instruction.

By offering interactive sessions as extra credit assignments, students are encouraged to actively participate in simulations, debates, or role-playing activities related to the subject matter at hand. For instance, in a history class studying World War II, students could engage in a mock trial where they take on roles such as lawyers or witnesses representing different countries involved in the conflict.

The benefit of interactive sessions lies in their ability to promote experiential learning. Instead of simply memorizing facts and figures from textbooks, students are able to apply what they have learned in real-world scenarios. This deepens their understanding of the material and helps them make connections between theory and practice.

Final Remarks

In conclusion, extra credit assignments can be a valuable tool in promoting engaged learning and providing students with opportunities to explore their interests and talents. From creative English assignments to innovative science ideas, there are countless ways to design meaningful tasks that go beyond the traditional curriculum. By implementing these unique assignments, educators can foster a sense of curiosity and passion in their students, encouraging them to take ownership of their learning journey.

So, don’t be afraid to think outside the boxAnd create assignments that allow them to showcase their abilities while deepening their understanding of the subject matter. By providing these opportunities for growth and exploration, you’ll not only enhance student engagement but also cultivate a love for learning that extends far beyond the classroom. So go ahead, get creative, and watch as your students thrive!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can extra credit assignments benefit students.

Extra credit assignments provide an opportunity for students to improve their grades, demonstrate mastery of the material, and explore topics beyond the regular curriculum. They encourage motivation, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

What are some unique assignment ideas for extra credit?

Consider options like creating a podcast on a historical event, organizing a science fair project, writing and performing an original play in English class, or designing an interactive online quiz for Spanish vocabulary. The possibilities are endless – let your imagination soar!

Can you suggest engaging science ideas for extra credit assignments?

Absolutely! Students could conduct experiments at home or create educational videos explaining scientific concepts. They might also research recent breakthroughs in their field of interest and present their findings to the class. Encourage hands-on learning experiences that ignite curiosity.

Are there any creative English assignments suitable for extra credit?

Definitely! Students could write short stories with unexpected plot twists or compose persuasive speeches on current social issues. Another idea is to analyze famous works of literature from different perspectives or even create their own fictional world complete with characters and settings.

Any innovative ideas specifically tailored to Spanish classes?

¡Claro que sí! Students can record themselves speaking in Spanish about various topics such as travel experiences or favorite books. They could also design bilingual brochures promoting cultural events within their community or create comic strips showcasing everyday conversations in Spanish.

How can artistic sketchbook assignments be incorporated into extra credit opportunities?

Artistic sketchbook assignments offer students a chance to express themselves creatively while reinforcing skills learned in art class. Encourage them to experiment with different mediums, draw inspiration from nature or personal experiences, and document their artistic journey throughout the semester.

Can social studies worksheets be used as extra credit assignments?

Certainly! Social studies worksheets allow students to delve deeper into historical events, analyze primary sources, or debate controversial topics related to society and politics. They can also create visual timelines or infographics summarizing key information for a visually engaging extra credit option.

What policies should be in place for extra credit assignments?

Establish clear guidelines regarding deadlines, grading criteria, and the maximum number of extra credit opportunities allowed per semester. Encourage students to choose assignments aligned with their interests while ensuring they complement the learning objectives of the course.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

404 Not found

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

extra credit assignment ideas for science

  • Government efficiency, transparency and accountability
  • Government spending

Spring Budget 2024

This is the Spring Budget 2024 in full. You can find supporting and related documents below.

extra credit assignment ideas for science

Spring Budget 2024 (web)

Ref: ISBN 978-1-5286-4697-0, HC 560 2023-24

PDF , 1.1 MB , 98 pages

Order a copy

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

extra credit assignment ideas for science

Spring Budget 2024 (print)

PDF , 1.53 MB , 204 pages

Spring Budget 2024 (HTML)

extra credit assignment ideas for science

Impact on households: distributional analysis to accompany Spring Budget 2024

PDF , 194 KB , 17 pages

extra credit assignment ideas for science

Spring Budget 2024: Policy Costings

PDF , 412 KB , 56 pages

extra credit assignment ideas for science

Spring Budget 2024: Data Sources

PDF , 276 KB , 34 pages

Table 5.1 Spring Budget 2024 Policy Decisions

MS Excel Spreadsheet , 52.8 KB

Table 5.2 Spring Budget 2024 Measures announced at Autumn Statement 2023 or earlier that will take effect from April 2024 or later

MS Excel Spreadsheet , 86.1 KB

The Chancellor of the Exchequer presented his Spring Budget to Parliament on Wednesday 6 March 2024.

Distributional Analysis

This document sets out the estimated impact of changes to tax, welfare and public service spending policy that carry a direct, quantifiable impact on households. It also presents estimates of the overall level of tax paid and public spending received by households.

Policy costings

This document sets out the assumptions and methodologies used in the government’s costing of policy decisions announced since Autumn Statement 2023.  For each decision it contains a description of the measure, the base, and the methodology for the costing (including relevant adjustments for behavioural responses). It highlights main areas of additional uncertainty.

Data sources

This document sets out the data sources used in charts, tables and text in the Spring Budget 2024 document. This should be read in parallel to the references contained in the Spring Budget 2024 document.

Table 5.1 shows the cost or yield of all government decisions accounted for at Spring Budget 2024 which have a direct effect on Public Sector Net Borrowing (PSNB) in the years up to 2028-29. This includes tax measures, changes to aggregate Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL) and measures affecting annually managed expenditure (AME).

Table 5.2 shows the cost or yield of all announced government policy decisions that will take effect from April 2024 or later, with a direct effect on Public Sector Net Borrowing (PSNB), costed using the determinants from the OBR’s March 2024 forecast in the years up to 2028-29. This includes tax measures, and measures affecting annually managed expenditure (AME).

Also publishing alongside Spring Budget 2024:

Spring Budget 2024: Personal Tax Factsheet

Spring Budget 2024: Non-UK domiciled individuals - Policy Summary

Changes to the taxation of non-UK domiciled individuals

Debt Management Report 2024-25

Vaping Products Duty consultation

UK ISA: Consultation

Reserved Investor Fund - Summary of Responses

Business Rates Avoidance and Evasion: Consultation response

Seizing the Opportunity: Delivering Efficiency for the Public

Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System (PISCES): Policy Paper

NatWest Retail Offer

Memorandum of Understanding for the “Trailblazer” Single Settlements for Greater Manchester and West Midlands Combined Authorities

Taxation of environmental land management and ecosystem service markets: Consultation response

Technical Note on New UK Independent Film Tax Credit

Investment Zones update

Spring Budget 2024: Overview of tax legislation and rates (OOTLAR)

Stamp Duty Land Tax: mixed-property purchases and Multiple Dwellings Relief

Stamp Duty Land Tax Relief for Multiple Dwellings Evaluation

Raising standards in the tax advice market: strengthening the regulatory framework and improving registration

Understanding the Vaping Market

Cryptoasset Reporting Framework and Common Reporting Standard

Operational reforms to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) consenting process: Government response

An Accelerated Planning System Consultation

North East Deeper Devolution Deal

Investment Opportunity Fund Prospectus

Buckinghamshire Level 2 Devolution Framework Agreement

Surrey Level 2 Devolution Framework Agreement

Warwickshire Level 2 Devolution Framework Agreement

The Case for Cambridge

Addressing Water Scarcity in Greater Cambridge: Update on Government Measures

Joint Statement on Addressing Water Scarcity in Greater Cambridge

Community-Led Housing

A Vision for Leeds

Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund Round 2

Written statement to Parliament - Revised National Networks National Policy Statement

Consultation outcome -  Draft revised National Networks National Policy Statement

National Networks National Policy Statement

Appraisal of sustainability for National Networks National Policy Statement

National Networks National Policy Statement habitats regulation assessment

Government response to Transport Committee report on draft revised National Networks National Policy Statement

Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 6 Statutory Notices

Alternative Provision Free Schools Application

Access HMRC’s collection of tax documents.

The following documents have been added: Written statement to Parliament - Revised National Networks National Policy Statement, Consultation outcome - Draft revised National Networks National Policy Statement, National Networks National Policy Statement, Appraisal of sustainability for National Networks National Policy Statement, National Networks National Policy Statement habitats regulation assessment, and Government response to Transport Committee report on draft revised National Networks National Policy Statement

First published.

Is this page useful?

  • Yes this page is useful
  • No this page is not useful

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone.

IMAGES

  1. Science Extra Credit Ideas by Wild World of Science

    extra credit assignment ideas for science

  2. Extra Credit Assignment Ideas that Support Student Learning

    extra credit assignment ideas for science

  3. Extra Credit Assignment Ideas that Support Student Learning

    extra credit assignment ideas for science

  4. Science Extra Credit Assignment by Blanca Martinez

    extra credit assignment ideas for science

  5. Extra Credit Assignment Ideas that Support Student Learning

    extra credit assignment ideas for science

  6. Extra Credit Assignment Ideas that Support Student Learning

    extra credit assignment ideas for science

VIDEO

  1. The Landlady Alternate Ending

  2. write application to the principal of your college requesting him for some financial help//financial

  3. Business Law Extra Credit Assignment

  4. Extra Credit Assignment Anthony Gagliardi II

  5. Our Erosion Song Extra Credit Assignment In My Science Class

  6. Ch. 2 Extra Credit Assignment Self-Concept Bag.pdf

COMMENTS

  1. Secondary Science Extra Credit Opportunities That Are Actually

    Here are a list of extra credit opportunities that are actually worthwhile (opposed to bringing in boxes of tissues or cleaning your lab tables!) Some require more effort than others, so you can decide how much each assignment should be worth.

  2. I need extra credit activity ideas. : r/Professors

    ADMIN MOD. I need extra credit activity ideas. In normal semesters, I usually have an optional activity for my students to get some extra credit. Now, here's the thing: I usually have them do something that benefits them or the community (volunteering, running a 5k with a cause, attending a mental health talk, etc.).

  3. Extra Credit Assignment Ideas that Support Student Learning

    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, you'll learn reasons to consider extra credit in your classroom. You'll also receive some extra credit ideas, along with some ...

  4. PDF Creating Extra Credit Assignments That Challenge, Inspire, and Empower

    the intentionality of the extra credit assignment. Good extra credit assignments must connect to course content and support the course objectives. They must be clearly explained, stating in the syllabus the maximum range of points that can be earned by doing extra credit in addition to other course assignments and policies.

  5. 2019 Extra Credit Ideas

    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 ...

  6. Science Freaks Extra Credit

    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.

  7. Teaching with Extra Credit

    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 ...

  8. Extra Credit Ideas for Middle School Teachers

    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.

  9. Teacher Tools Extra Credit Science Project

    Give extra credit to students if they bring a family member or mentor to visit the science fair. Implementation. Let students know about the chance to earn extra credit a few weeks before the science fair so they have time to select and notify a family member or mentor, and so that person has time to arrange schedules to attend.

  10. Extra Credit Assignments In Science Teaching Resources

    Forensic Science Article : Fingerprint HistoryGrades: 9-12This assignment is perfect for class work and discussion, homework, or extra credit.The assignment is a 2-page article that highlights the origin of fingerprint use in forensics and some of the first cases where fingerprints proved useful in solving crimes.There is a 2-page question ...

  11. Secondary Science Extra Credit Opportunities That Are Actually

    Primary Science Extra Credit Opportunities Such Exist Actually Worthwhile Are all have those few students who slack during the semester, having a 57%, also come panhandling with extra credit before grades are due.

  12. 5 Extra Credit Activities That Promote Engaged Learning

    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. Comment on a classmate's post.

  13. Extra Credit Assignment Ideas that Support Student Learning

    Here are 10 extra credit assignment ideas that you can use for your classes: If you are looking for some extra credit assignment ideas, we have compiled a list of 10 extra credit assignment ideas that you can use in your classroom. Write a book report on a book of your choice. The book should be related to the topic of your course.

  14. Ms. Pratt's 7th Grade Science: Extra Credit

    This extra credit option will only be applied to the multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and matching questions on quizzes and tests. The questions and answers must be hand-written on a separate sheet of paper, attached to the original test or quiz and turned in before the close of grades. The answers given on the extra credit must be correct ...

  15. Science Extra Credit Ideas by Wild World of Science

    Ideas for students to earn extra credit in science... Science Extra Credit Ideas. Rated 4.94 out of 5, based on 8 reviews. 4.9 ...

  16. Printable Extra Credit Questions for Your Final Exams

    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.

  17. Extra credit ideas? : r/ScienceTeachers

    I only offer extra credit if students have no missing assignments. Even then, I only offer it if they've re-done or revisited relevent course work. I want them to master the skills we're working on before tackling any extra work. I (HS science) do offer extra credit at the end of the semester if they meet the above criteria.

  18. Extra credit ideas for Chemistry? : r/ScienceTeachers

    Also, you should offer it to everyone if you offer it to her. Some student cultures don't lead to advocating for extra points from the teacher. Maybe when y'all get to molecular geometry have her use vectors to derive that symmetrical 4-bond molecules like methane have equilibrium bond angles of cos -1 (-1/3) ~ 109.47°.

  19. Using Extra Credit Effectively

    Benefits. Well-designed extra credit assignments have the following benefits for students and the instructor. Students engage with the material beyond the assigned coursework, which helps reinforce their understanding of concepts taught in class. Students have more agency in working toward the final grade they want to achieve.

  20. Biology EXTRA CREDIT Assignments

    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. ... 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 ...

  21. Extra Credit Assignment Ideas: Engaging Activities for Student Learning

    Engaging science ideas for extra credit assignments can include conducting experiments, creating models, or researching current scientific topics. Creative English assignments, such as writing short stories or analyzing literature, can help students develop their writing and analytical skills.

  22. 2019 Extra Credit Ideas

    Looking for extra credit ideas for your classroom? We have it covered. Here's a look at some of our top extra credit ideas to implement in to classroom. ... Middle School Integrated Science. Social Studies. Elementary Socialize Studies. Middle School Social Studies. Large School Social Studies. Social Studies Standards Linkages. Free Lessons ...

  23. Extra credit assignment geography

    GEOLOGY COORDINATE MAPS (2)GRADES: 5-9SUBJECTS: SCIENCE & SOCIAL STUDIESThis assignment is great for review, extra credit, early finishers, and as a connector between geography and science. It pairs great with any of the Daily Science Earth Science articles I sell in my store (perfect for sub plans).Geology Coordinate Map #1: Students will discuss four key items that geologists study.

  24. Spring Budget 2024

    The Chancellor of the Exchequer presented his Spring Budget to Parliament on Wednesday 6 March 2024. Distributional Analysis. This document sets out the estimated impact of changes to tax, welfare ...