Spring 2007

Grade 8
Student Questionnaire
Prepared for the U.S. Department of Education
National Center for Education Statistics by:

Westat
1650 Research Boulevard
Rockville, Maryland 20850

Use a #2 pencil to complete this questionnaire.

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 MARKING DIRECTIONS

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QUESTIONNAIRE.

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THIS QUESTIONNAIRE IS NOT A TEST. WE HOPE YOU WILL ANSWER EVERY QUESTION
(OTHER THAN THE ONES YOU ARE DIRECTED TO SKIP OVER), BUT YOU MAY SKIP ANY
QUESTION YOU DO NOT WISH TO ANSWER. PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT PAGE TO BEGIN
THE QUESTIONNAIRE.

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 YOUR SCHOOL EXPERIENCES

1. This school year, how often did you …

MARK ONE RESPONSE ON EACH LINE.

Never Sometimes Often Always

a. Feel like you fit in at your
school?
b. Feel close to classmates at
your school?
c. Feel close to teachers at
your school?
d. Enjoy being at your school?

e. Feel safe at your school?

2. How important are good grades…

MARK ONE RESPONSE ON EACH LINE.

Not Somewhat Very

important important Important Important
a. To you?

b. To your parents?

3. Overall, about how many hours do you spend on homework each week both in and
out of school combined?

Hours per week

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4. What best describes the math class you are taking now? MARK ONE RESPONSE
ONLY.

General mathematics
Introduction to Algebra/Pre-algebra
Algebra
Integrated or sequential mathematics (course that includes high school
algebra and high school geometry topics)
Algebra II
Geometry

5. What best describes the science class you are taking now? MARK ONE RESPONSE
ONLY.

General science
General physical science
Biology
Botany or zoology
Earth science
Science and Technology (course that includes applications of science to real
world problems)
Other science

6. In the past year, have you…

MARK ONE RESPONSE ON EACH LINE.
Yes No
a. Had a tutor or mentor to help with your reading
skills?
b. Had a tutor or mentor to help with your math
skills?
c. Attended summer school for a class you did not do
well in during the school year?
d. Attended summer school so that you could take an
advanced or enrichment course?

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7. As things stand now, how far in school do you think you will get?
MARK ONE RESPONSE ONLY.

Less than high school graduation

High school graduation or GED only
Attend or complete a 2-year program in a community college or vocational
school
Attend college, but not complete a 4-year degree
Graduate from a 4-year college
Obtain a Master’s degree or equivalent
Obtain a Ph.D., M.D., or other advanced degree
Don’t know

8. Among your close friends, how important is it to them that they…

MARK ONE RESPONSE ON EACH LINE.

Not applicable,
Not Somewhat Very I have no
important important important close friends.
a. Attend classes regularly?

b. Get good grades?

c. Continue their education
past high school?

9. How often are the following statements true?

MARK ONE RESPONSE ON EACH LINE.

Never Seldom Sometimes Often Always

a. My classmates think it is
important to be my friend.
b. My classmates like me
the way I am.
c. My classmates care about
my feelings.
d. My classmates like me as
much as they like others.
e. My classmates really care
about me.

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 ACTIVITIES
10. Have you participated in the following school-sponsored activities this school year?
MARK ONE RESPONSE ON EACH LINE.
Participated
Did not as an officer,
participate Participated leader, or captain
a. School sports

b. Drama or music
c. School clubs (e.g., school
yearbook, newspaper, hobby
club, photography)

11. In a typical week, how many total hours do you spend on all school-sponsored
extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, or other activities)?

Hours per week

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12. How often do you spend time…
MARK ONE RESPONSE ON EACH LINE.
Less than Once or Every day
Rarely once a twice a or almost
or never week week every day
a. Having friends over to
your home?
b. Hanging out at a friend’s
home?
c. Out with friends (not at
someone’s home)?
d. Talking with friends on
the telephone or
Internet?
e. Working on hobbies, arts,
crafts, or playing a
musical instrument?
f. Taking music, art,
foreign language, or
dance classes outside of
school?
g. Playing non-school
sports?
h. In an organized non-
school activity (such as,
scouts, 4-H, or youth
groups)?
i. At home by yourself?
j. Using a computer for
school work?

13. How many hours of reading do you do each week not counting schoolwork?
(Do not count any school-assigned reading.)

Hours per week

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14. What are the titles of the last two books you have read? (Do not count any school-
assigned reading.)

Did not read any books

ENTER BOOK NAME.

st
a. 1 book

b. 2nd book

15. How many days in the past week did you …

WRITE A NUMBER ON EACH LINE.

Number
of days
a. Read national or local news in a newspaper or
from an online news service?

b. Watch national or local news on TV?

16. How many hours a day do you usually watch TV, videotapes, or DVDs?
WRITE A NUMBER ON EACH LINE.

Hours
per day

a. On weekdays

b. On weekends

17. Do you have a TV in your bedroom? (If you have more than one bedroom, please
tell us about the bedroom you spend the most time in.)

Yes
No

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18. How many hours a day do you play computer or videogames such as Nintendo, Play
Station, or Xbox? WRITE A NUMBER ON EACH LINE.

Hours
per day

a. On weekdays

b. On weekends

19. How many hours a day are you on the Internet (for example, emailing/instant-
messaging with friends, doing school work, surfing the web)? WRITE A NUMBER
ON EACH LINE.

Hours
per day

a. On weekdays

b. On weekends

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 ABOUT YOURSELF
20. How true is each of these about you?
MARK ONE RESPONSE ON EACH LINE.
Not at A little bit Mostly Very
all true true true true
a. Math is one of my best subjects.
b. I feel angry when I have trouble
learning.
c. I like reading.

d. I worry about taking tests.

e. I get good grades in math.

f. I often feel lonely.

g. English is one of my best subjects.

h. I feel sad a lot of the time.

i. I like math.

j. I worry about doing well in school.

k. I enjoy doing work in reading.

l. I worry about finishing my work.

m. I enjoy doing work in math.

n. I worry about having someone to hang
out with at school.
o. I get good grades in English.
p. I feel ashamed when I make mistakes at
school.

REFERENCES

1. Adapted with permission from Self-Description Questionnaire II (SDQII; Marsh, 1990).

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21. How do you feel about the following statements?
MARK ONE RESPONSE ON EACH LINE. Strongly Strongly
disagree Disagree Agree agree
a. I feel good about myself.
b. I don't have enough control over the
direction my life is taking.
c. In my life, good luck is more important
than hard work for success.
d. I feel I am a person of worth, the equal
of other people.
e. I am able to do things as well as most
other people.
f. Every time I try to get ahead,
something or somebody stops me.
g. My plans hardly ever work out, so
planning only makes me unhappy.
h. On the whole, I am satisfied with
myself.
i. I certainly feel useless at times.

j. At times I think I am no good at all.

k. When I make plans, I am almost
certain I can make them work.
l. I feel I do not have much to be proud
of.
m. Chance and luck are very important for
what happens in my life.

22. What adult do you to talk to when you need…

MARK ALL THAT APPLY IN EACH ROW.

Adult
Adult at Other
Parent relative school adult No one
a. Someone to cheer you up?

b. Help with school work?

c. Advice about making
important decisions?

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23. What kid do you to talk to when you need…
MARK ALL THAT APPLY IN EACH ROW.

Friends
Brother at Other
or sister school friends No one
a. Someone to cheer you up?

b. Help with school work?

c. Advice about making
important decisions?

24. Is English your native language (the first language you learned to speak when you
were a child)?

Yes (GO TO NEXT SECTION ON PAGE 13)

No (GO TO QUESTION 25)

25. How often do you speak your native language with…

MARK ONE RESPONSE ON EACH LINE.
IF AN EXAMPLE DOES NOT APPLY TO YOU, MARK “Does not apply.”

About Always
half or most
of the of the Does not
Never Sometimes time time apply
a. your parents?
b. your brothers and
sisters?
c. friends in your
school?
d. friends outside of
your school?

12
 WEIGHT AND EXERCISE
26. How would you describe your weight?
MARK ONE RESPONSE.

Very underweight
Slightly underweight
About the right weight
Slightly overweight
Very overweight

27. Are you trying to do any of the following about your weight?
MARK ONE RESPONSE.

Lose weight
Gain weight
Stay the same weight
I am not trying to do anything about my weight

28. On how many of the past 7 days did you exercise or participate in physical activity
for at least 20 minutes that made you sweat and breathe hard, such as basketball,
soccer, running, swimming laps, fast bicycling, fast dancing, or similar aerobic
exercise?
MARK ONE RESPONSE.
0 days 3 days 6 days

1 days 4 days 7 days

2 days 5 days

29. In an average week when you are in school, on how many days do you go to
physical education (PE) classes?
MARK ONE RESPONSE.
0 days 3 days

1 days 4 days

2 days 5 days

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 YOUR DIET
These questions are about buying food and drinks at your school. Please only think about
buying things at school; do not think about eating at school.

30. In your school, can kids buy candy, ice cream, cookies, cakes, brownies or other
sweets in the school?

Yes
No (GO TO QUESTION 33)

31. During the last week that you were in school, how many times did you buy candy,
ice cream, cookies, cakes, brownies or other sweets at school?
MARK ONE RESPONSE.

I did not buy any at school during the last week in school
(GO TO QUESTION 33)
1 or 2 times during the last week in school
3 or 4 times during the last week in school
1 time per day
2 times per day
3 times per day
4 or more times per day

32. During the last week that you were in school, where in the school did you usually
buy candy, ice cream, cookies, cakes, brownies or other sweets?
MARK ONE RESPONSE.

Vending machine in school

School cafeteria
Somewhere else in school

33. In your school, can kids buy potato chips, corn chips (Fritos, Doritos), Cheetos,
pretzels, popcorn, crackers or other salty snack foods at school?

Yes
No (GO TO QUESTION 36)

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34. During the last week that you were in school, how many times did you buy salty
snack foods at school?
MARK ONE RESPONSE.

I did not buy any at school during the last week in school
(GO TO QUESTION 36)
1 or 2 times during the last week in school
3 or 4 times during the last week in school
1 time per day
2 times per day
3 times per day
4 or more times per day

35. During the last week that you were in school, where in the school did you usually
buy salty snack foods?
MARK ONE RESPONSE.

Vending machine in school

School cafeteria
Somewhere else in school

36. In your school, can kids buy soda pop (EXAMPLES: Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew),
sports drinks (EXAMPLE: Gatorade), or fruit drinks that are not 100% fruit juice
(EXAMPLES: Kool-Aid, Hi-C, Fruitopia, Fruitworks) in the school?

Yes
No (GO TO QUESTION 39)

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37. During the last week that you were in school, how many times did you buy soda
pop, sports drinks, or fruit drinks at school?
MARK ONE RESPONSE.

I did not buy any at school during the last week in school
(GO TO QUESTION 39)
1 or 2 times during the last week in school
3 or 4 times during the last week in school
1 time per day
2 times per day
3 times per day
4 or more times per day

38. During the last week that you were in school, where in the school did you usually
buy soda pop, sports drinks, or fruit drinks?
MARK ONE RESPONSE.

Vending machine in school

School cafeteria
Somewhere else in school

The next questions ask about food you ate or drank during the past 7 days. Think about all
the meals and snacks you had from the time you got up until you went to bed. Be sure to
include food you ate at home, at school, at restaurants, or anywhere else.

39. During the past 7 days, how many glasses of milk did you drink? (Include all types
of milk, including cow’s milk, soy milk or any other kind of milk; include the milk
you drank in a glass or cup, from a carton, or with cereal. Count the half pint of
milk served at school as equal to one glass.)
MARK ONE RESPONSE.

I did not drink milk during the past 7 days (GO TO QUESTION 41)
1 to 3 glasses during the past 7 days
4 to 6 glasses during the past 7 days
1 glass per day
2 glasses per day
3 glasses per day
4 or more glasses per day

16
40. What kind of milk did you drink during the past 7 days?
MARK ONE RESPONSE.

Regular milk from a cow (including whole milk, low fat milk, chocolate
milk, or any other kind of cow’s milk)
Soy milk
Both regular milk and soy milk
Some other kind of milk

41. During the past 7 days, how many times did you drink 100% fruit juices such as
orange juice, apple juice, or grape juice? (Do not count punch, Kool-Aid, sports
drinks, or other fruit-flavored drinks.)
MARK ONE RESPONSE.

I did not drink 100% fruit juice during the past 7 days
1 to 3 times during the past 7 days
4 to 6 times during the past 7 days
1 time per day
2 times per day
3 times per day
4 or more times per day

42. During the past 7 days, how many times did you drink soda pop (EXAMPLES: Coke,
Pepsi, Mountain Dew), sports drinks (EXAMPLE: Gatorade), or fruit drinks that are
not 100% fruit juice (EXAMPLES: Kool-Aid, Hi-C, Fruitopia, Fruitworks)?
MARK ONE RESPONSE.

I did not drink any during the past 7 days

1 to 3 times during the past 7 days
4 to 6 times during the past 7 days
1 time per day
2 times per day
3 times per day
4 or more times per day

17
43. During the past 7 days, how many times did you eat green salad?
MARK ONE RESPONSE.

I did not eat any green salad during the past 7 days
1 to 3 times during the past 7 days
4 to 6 times during the past 7 days
1 time per day
2 times per day
3 times per day
4 or more times per day

44. During the past 7 days, how many times did you eat potatoes? (Do not count french
fries, fried potatoes, or potato chips.)
MARK ONE RESPONSE.

I did not eat potatoes during the past 7 days

1 to 3 times during the past 7 days
4 to 6 times during the past 7 days
1 time per day
2 times per day
3 times per day
4 or more times per day

45. During the past 7 days, how many times did you eat carrots?
MARK ONE RESPONSE.
I did not eat carrots during the past 7 days
1 to 3 times during the past 7 days
4 to 6 times during the past 7 days
1 time per day
2 times per day
3 times per day
4 or more times per day

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46. During the past 7 days, how many times did you eat other vegetables? (Do not
count green salad, potatoes, or carrots.)
MARK ONE RESPONSE.
I did not eat other vegetables during the past 7 days
1 to 3 times during the past 7 days
4 to 6 times during the past 7 days
1 time per day
2 times per day
3 times per day
4 or more times per day

47. During the past 7 days, how many times did you eat fruit, such as apples, bananas,
oranges, berries or other fruit? (Do not count fruit juice.)
MARK ONE RESPONSE.
I did not eat fruit during the past 7 days
1 to 3 times during the past 7 days
4 to 6 times during the past 7 days
1 time per day
2 times per day
3 times per day
4 or more times per day

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48. During the past 7 days, about how many times did you eat a meal or snack from a
fast food restaurant such as McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Burger King, KFC (Kentucky
Fried Chicken), Taco Bell, Wendy’s and so on?
MARK ONE RESPONSE.
I did not eat food from a fast food restaurant during the past 7 days
1 to 3 times during the past 7 days
4 to 6 times during the past 7 days
1 time per day
2 times per day
3 times per day
4 or more times per day

49. Date questionnaire completed:

2007
MONTH DAY YEAR

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.

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