Fun with exams

I thought i'd share with you my exam highlights:

HIGHLIGHT NO. 1
My English Skills (vegie-English) paper had a section on job interviews and skills and what not. One of the questions was 'If a customer came up to you and asked you a question you could not answer, what would you do?'

One of my students (who does have learning difficulties admittedly) answered:

'Put your hand up and the teacher will come over to you'

I found that really cute.

HIGLIGHT NO. 2
In response to the argumentative essay topic 'Public Transport should be free' I had a number of students argue that public transport is worse for the environment than cars because of the amount of petrol they use. Where do these kids get their ideas from??!!

HIGHLIGHT No. 3
For exam practice, I set the practice essay question 'That circles are better than squares' Obviously its a wide open topic designed to make you think. One of my Year 8 students wrote this great essay about how squares were better than circles because:
1) Circles pushed modern transportation into existence as we would not have cars etc without wheels. Circles have thus enabled us all to get obese being ferried everywhere by modern transportation. Squares on the other hand have not contributed to obesity.
2: In its 3D form, spheres have injured more people than cubes. I can't remember his evidence for that (they were allowed to make up evidence) but it was good
I can't remember his third point.

What would you argue? I may have argued that circles were better and use the example that squares are conformist, as it is ideal to "think outside the square." However boxes are useful when moving, as i'd hate to fit all my crap into blow up balloons.

HIGHLIGHT NO. 4
Write a creative short story which looks at what might have happened had mobile phones existed in Romeo and Juliet

This was one of the writing piece options in the Year 10 paper.

One of my super quiet super shy never says a word boys wrote a story which satirises how SMS speak has in part infiltrated spoken English. Here is a short excerpt:

"Hey Romeo my man!" shouted Mercutio as he came running towards Romeo.
"Yo yo yo! Mercutio, wassup?" Romeo asked as he turned from looking at the sea.
"Ya heard? The party at da Capulet's house? Mercutio responded as his face was all red from running.

...

"Yo Ro-may-o! Benvolio is coming to da party, it's tonight dude you gotta come!" Mercutio said as he sat down beside Romeo.
"Yeah OK, but won't they recognise us?" Romeo queried.
"It's dress up" Mercutio said, as he got up and started to walk away. "I'll catch up wit you later. Mercutio out."

Outside the Capulet's mansion, Romeo, Mercutio and Benvlio wait to go in.

"I got a bad feeling about this guys. I tell ya somethin bad is gonna happen." Romeo whispered.
"Don't be such a wimp! You're comin in! Let's go," Mercutio said.

Mercutio went first dressed as Queen Elizabeth II. Benvolio followed dressed as Lincoln. Romeo entered last dressed as Prince Harry.

"All hail the Queen!" some idiot shouted.
Everyone turned towards them. Romeo's eyes met anothers. Was this gonna be his new chick? Romeo walked slowly towards her.
"Hey i'm Prince Harry" he said.
"And i'm the Queen of Norway, idiot" Juliet responded.
"Can I have your number?"

hehe. I thought it was funny. Particularly coming from a super shy kid.I can't remember what grade it actually got.

Better actually go mark the rest of these papers if Ihave any hope of finishing before going out tonight.

Peace out.