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For 2012:**
The word "Comment" hangs outside the comment box. In the comment box, place th e following: (Student name) is commended for:

(Student name) would benefit from:

Reading
Commendations is commended for: is commended for: > the thoughtful comments he offered during our discussions of __The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963__ that reflect his excellent understanding of the setting, characters, and plot of the novel, and his ability to relate to the text in a personal manner
 * his her enjoyment of independent reading as demonstrated by her use of silent reading time in class, and her faithful completion of her weekly //Book Blog//
 * the thoughtful comments he offered during our discussions of __The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963__ that reflect his understanding of the setting, characters, and plot of the novel
 * his participation in our activities and discussions of __Where the Mountain Meets the Moon__ that reflect his motivation, engagement with the text, and growing understanding of the folktale and fantasy genres
 * publishing an informative and creative interactive poster on //Edu.Glogster// about __The House of the Red Fish__, by Graham Salisbury, a book review that demonstrates his ability to summarize, reflect on the literature, research the time period of the historical novel he read, and inform others through dynamic interesting carefully chosen multimedia
 * publishing an informative, creative interactive poster on Glogster, that reflects his her ability to summarize, reflect on the literature, and engage others through multimedia
 * retell, summarize, reflect, creative comprehension,
 * engaging completely in our reading of Stepping on the Cracks, often offering insightful comments, excited exclamations, text marking some sections incredibly well, and writing responses that reflect his her sound understanding of the concepts in the story
 * making and supporting reasonable predictions
 * using context and own his her own experiences to make thoughtful predictions
 * asking perceptive questions to improve understanding
 * making generalizations about character, setting, and plot
 * identifying key elements in a plot
 * participating actively in shared reading experiences
 * his her mature approach to reading and writing
 * identifying the main idea
 * his her ability to express feelings and share opinions
 * his her ability to use contextual clues to get meaning from text
 * reading fluently and with expression
 * volunteering to participate in class discussion
 * showing more focus in reading and writing
 * making connections between the literature and real life experiences
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">showing some gains in fluency with text
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">improvement in listening and speaking vocabulary
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">listening carefully to others’ comments and building upon their ideas in his her comments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">participating in brainstorming ideas
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">reading beyond the literal meaning
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">reading with sustained attention
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">recognizing story elements
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">rereading text to verify and confirm predictions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her ability to retell stories
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">selecting appropriate material and a variety of reading materials independently
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">self-correcting if reading makes no sense
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">understanding cause and effect
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">understanding literal meaning of text with simple structure
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using a balance of cues and self-corrects when reading
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using context and own experience to predict
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using extensive vocabulary in oral presentations
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using reference material independently
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using reference materials to locate information with guidance
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">writing thoughtful, perceptive responses to the literature discussed in class
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">the time, effort, and creativity she he spent on her his book review
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">demonstrating a solid understanding of class reading book, Stepping on the Cracks through class discussions, journal responses and formal assessments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">putting forth good effort in writing thoughtful journal responses in proper essay form
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">earning excellent scores on vocabulary and spelling assessments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">writing an interesting and intriguing “scary story”
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">presenting his her “Sell It” commercial well, expressing his her ideas with animation
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her heartfelt, thoughtful responses to the literature we read in class
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">remaining fully engaged in our discussions of the characters in the stories we’ve read, offering compassionate remarks and sensitively sharing personal experiences that relate to the situation in the literature
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her solid scores on open book comprehension tests related to the novel Stepping on the Cracks
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">writing comprehensive responses to the literature read in class, including many supportive details with reference to his her own life experiences
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her enjoyment of independent reading as demonstrated by her use of silent reading time in class, and her faithful completion of her weekly Reading Log
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">demonstrating a logical progression of ideas with a clear focus when responding to literature
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">expressing his her ideas clearly and correctly when responding to literature
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">completing assigned text marking assignments with ease
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her growing ability to compare and contrast character traits

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Reading
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Recommendations <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">would benefit from:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using the decoding strategies reviewed in reading class
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">support in developing an inferential understanding of text
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">developing reading strategies through one-on-one sessions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">continued support in selecting appropriate independent reading materials
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using context clues in order to comprehend vocabulary and concepts
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">paying closer attention to punctuation when reading aloud
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">spending more time and effort on book review assignments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">better planning and pacing when preparing for book reviews
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">re-reading the text before attempting responses to comprehension questions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more careful text marking
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">responding to the text with greater thought and detail
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">summarizing chapters for enhanced understanding
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">being more deliberate and selective about text marking
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">completing assigned text marking assignments with greater regularity
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">enjoying reading a book for pleasure for at least 30 minutes a night
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">reading independently on a regular basis
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">becoming a more active reader through text marking, participating in class discussions, and reflecting upon the daily readings
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">reading her writing aloud in order to detect errors in content and mechanics, particularly word omissions and irregularities in tense
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">volunteering even more regularly during literature discussions listening carefully to others’ comments and building upon their ideas in his her comments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">keeping better track of books, especially the novel we’re reading in class, in order to keep abreast of assignments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">thinking comprehension questions through more thoroughly, listing points he’d she’d like to make in her his responses to the literature, in order to avoid convoluted, confusing answers that don’t quite get to the heart of the matter
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">reading aloud the compositions she he creates in order to be certain they make sense, for sometimes she he loses track of the direction in which her his longer stories are heading, or from whose perspective the action is being described
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">brainstorming all kinds of possibilities, perhaps making a list of all the evidence or ideas that support her her opinion, before organizing her his thoughts into paragraph form, as written responses to the literature we’ve read in class this term have sometimes lacked sufficient detail to be considered satisfactory
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">spending more time and thought on responses to the literature we read in class, including concentrating on attention to detail in order to draw appropriate conclusions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">challenging himself herself to reflect and write beyond the minimal requirements when responding to literature in order to better express his her understanding and connection to the story
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">reading test instructions carefully to avoid major errors like providing synonyms instead of antonyms, as the directions stated
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">reading, reading, reading, and utilizing opportunities to discuss what she he has read with an adult
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">highlighting more passages in the literature that reflect pertinent plot development and characterization
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">providing more pertinent evidence to support his opinion when responding to the literature read in class
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">being more diligent about reading independently at home and completing her reading
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">carefully considering connections between the literature and her own real life experiences
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">solidifying his comprehension by discussing homework reading assignments with an adult whenever possible

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Writing
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Commendations <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">is commended for:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Glog...... Let's come up with some great comments about this assignment...retell, summarize, reflect, creative design, organized, thorough
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">beginning to use new words learned in class
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">incorporating powerful vocabulary in writing
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">widening his/her vocabulary base
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using interesting or descriptive words and ideas
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her great vocabulary usage
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">spelling core words accurately
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">spelling high-frequency words independently
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">following directions, checklists, and rubrics
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">editing work independently for punctuation and grammar
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">paying close attention to punctuation
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">learning to make notes and collect information before writing
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using graphic organizers to include more supporting details and examples in his responses to comprehension questions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">effectively using pre-writing brainstorming, graphic organizers, outlines, and checklists in planning his her writing
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">including appropriate details and examples
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her willingness to use writing as an outlet for his her thoughts and feelings. He She is quite the prolific writer!
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">exhibiting a strong, clear voice in his her creative writing
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">successfully integrating our lessons on building suspense in his her scary story
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">successfully integrating our lessons on paragraphing and punctuating dialogue in her his scary story
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">“ ,” a delightful scary story, that contains good character development and sophisticated sentence structure
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">beginning to understand “what makes people tick,” as evidenced in the excellent character development in her his scary story
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">impressing his her readers with the fabulous beginning to his her scary story, “ ”
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using powerful verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in his her story in order to set the tone
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">creating well developed characters in his her scary story
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">describing an interesting, appropriate setting for his her Halloween tale
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">following through on teacher/peer conferencing ideas when revising and editing
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using realistic dialogue in his her creative writing
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her wonderful imagination that flows readily throughout his her creative writing
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using sophisticated sentence structure
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">beginning to take the writer’s craft seriously as he she develops his unique style of expression
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">becoming thoroughly engaged in the experiential activities designed to supplement his her reading and writing
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her fabulous use of descriptive vocabulary in her his scary story, “ ,” especially alternatives for “said”
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">following through on transforming her his descriptions of the characters in her his scary story from lists of attributes to more full developed and integrated explanations of the people
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">written expression that exhibits her growing sense of self as she explores human relationships in her compositions, and experiments with images beyond the concrete.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">working diligently to incorporate conference suggestions in his her revision of his sudden twist tale,
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">revising, proofreading, and editing effectively
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">exhibiting story sense and a strong, clear voice in his her creative writing
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">readily identifying and punctuating appositive phrases
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his descriptive completion of our “Sudden Twists” pre-writing exercises

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Writing
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Recommendations <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">would benefit from:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">including sufficient detail when writing narrative, for sometimes he omits story parts that are integral to understanding the plot
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more careful attention to end punctuation in sentences containing dialogue
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">following directions, checklists, and rubrics
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using pre-writing brainstorming, graphic organizers, outlines, and checklists in planning his her writing
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">following directions, checklists, and grading rubrics in order to better meet the length requirements for class writing assignments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more careful attention to the pre-writing stage of the writing process, (brainstorming, keeping a journal of ideas, listing interesting vocabulary, using a graphic organizer, etc.)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">avoiding run-on sentences
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">reading his her writing aloud in order to detect errors in content and mechanics
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">re-reading his her writing to identify inconsistencies in verb tense and point of view
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">expanding his her ideas by including more details in his her compositions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more careful formation of letters and words in handwriting
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">closer attention to the revising and editing stages of the writing process
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more consistent use of capitals at the beginning of sentences
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">broadening his her vocabulary in order to avoid repetition of words
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">editing work for simple punctuation errors
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">indenting paragraphs
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">proofreading work for spelling mistakes
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using more sentence variety
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using a more logical sequence and development of ideas in writing
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">organizing their ideas for greater clarity
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">developing adequate paragraphs
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">separating her his ideas into paragraphs
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">paying closer attention to the use of commas and quotation marks in punctuating dialogue
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">sequencing events more logically in his her longer written compositions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">learning the correct usage and spelling of homophones such as “there/their/they’re,” “to/too/two,” “you’re/your,” “its/it’s”
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">utilizing word processing in order to facilitate the revision and editing of his her work
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">combining short sentences properly in order to create more interesting sentence structure and variety
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">taking care to avoid sensationalism in his her creative compositions; his her scary story contained a few gory details that tended to distract from the excellent story line
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">attending to paragraphing and avoiding run-on sentences
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">making his her often epic responses to straightforward questions more concise, for he she often gives so many sides to an issue or so many possibilities, it’s hard to determine just what his her final decision about it is
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">making a list of positives and negatives during the pre-writing stage that might enable him her to draw more definitive conclusions more directly
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">brainstorming further ideas in order to develop ideas in his her creative writing, as sometimes details are missing that he she has assumed we, the readers, have been able to “fill in the blanks” and decipher
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using more adjectives and adverbs in his her creative compositions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">double checking that he she has correctly spelled common words he she uses in everyday writing, like where/were, tough/though, for one letter can make a huge difference
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">making use of the pre-writing brainstorming and graphic organizer tools in order to develop his her creative ideas further and add sufficient detail to his her topic sentences
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">taking care to keep his her thoughts organized and sequential when developing the storyline in his her longer narratives, in order to avoid convoluted plots
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">attending to end punctuation, especially when writing dialogue
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">correctly using commas in a list
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">correctly using commas to separate dialogue from the rest of the sentence
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using apostrophes for possessives and contractions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">punctuating dialogue correctly, using proper paragraphing for each new speaker in the story, commas inside the quotes, and appropriate ending marks of punctuation
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">avoiding run-on sentences by using transitions, introductory phrases, and appositions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">remembering to change the “y” to “i” before adding “es” in verbs like “cry” and nouns like “story”
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">careful attention to consistent verb tense in his writing
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">re-reading a selection, with careful attention to the details, before attempting to answer comprehension questions about the novels she is reading, for she sometimes misinterprets author’s intent or jumps to an inaccurate conclusion
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more attention to correct usage and spelling in her everyday writing, especially with homophones such as “there/their/they’re” and “to/too/two,” “you’re/your,” “its/it’s,” and with words from our priority and core vocabulary lists
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">continued practice with utilizing new and challenging vocabulary words accurately in sentences
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">punctuating dialogue correctly (using proper paragraphing for each new speaker in the story, commas inside the quotes, and appropriate ending marks of punctuation)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">challenging herself to put a little more effort into her written work so that it is more thoughtful, and is proofread more thoroughly
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">experimenting regularly with the variety of pre-writing techniques taught in class, including brainstorming, graphic organizers, and outlines
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">catching up on late assignments and revisions more promptly and independently

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Mathematics
This year (student name) participated in a (pacing slower-faced, moderately-paced, faster-fast) math group taught by (teacher name) 2014: <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"> Johnny is working in a skills-based group that focuses on mastery of grade level skills with an emphasis on the application of those skills to solve multi-step problems in context. <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Commendations <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">is commended for:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">statistics?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">measurement?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">asking perceptive questions to improve understanding
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">applying problem-solving skills
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">increased comfort with basic arithmetic computations
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">computing accurately
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">demonstrating good problem-solving skills
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">demonstrating understanding of place value
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">following directions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">grasping new concepts readily
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her sound grasp of math concepts
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her ability to follow oral and written directions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">her his ability to understand tasks and complete them
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her speed at mental computation
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">reaching solutions using good math reasoning
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">recognizing patterns
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">recording and presenting reasoning clearly
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">taking risks
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using appropriate strategies to find solutions to math problems
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using estimation skills to check his her work
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">correcting previously graded work
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">being an active participant in problem-solving challenges
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her ability to get his her math materials organized and submit assignments on time, after a bit of an adjustment period
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">being an enthusiastic participant in math group activities
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">volunteering readily in class, usually with the correct answer
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of the mathematical concepts introduced in class
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">enjoying problem solving challenges, particularly where multiple solution strategies are possible
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">trying Math Olympiads, for the exposure to more abstract thinking will help her him begin to dig more deeply into her his own number sense
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">trying Math Olympiads, for the exposure to more abstract thinking will help him her clarify and expand his own number sense
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">working diligently to learn new concepts in class
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">keeping a neat math notebook, conscientiously recording key concepts and reminders in his notes
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his /her diligent efforts with regard to researching Charles Lindbergh/Amelia Earhart in preparation for his/her transatlantic flight simulation involving rate, time, and distance challenges
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">making strong progress with regard to evaluating expressions and solving for unknown variables
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using mental math and applying his her understanding of mathematical properties to achieve reasonable estimates
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">working diligently to learn new concepts in class
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his enthusiastic appreciation for the study of mathematics
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">her diligent efforts with regard to researching Amelia Earhart, in preparation for her transatlantic flight simulation involving rate, time, and distance challenges
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">providing clear written explanations of her thinking when problem solving
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">coming to math with a positive attitude and willingness to learn
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">working hard to understand concepts, and focusing in class on the work at hand
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">asking questions for clarification
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">showing good improvement in his/her recall of multiplication facts
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">developing his/her confidence in math and is coming to enjoy it
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">becoming more focused and involved during math classes as of late
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">recently sought extra help to improve understanding of concepts, must continue to do so
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">demonstrated improvement in recalling multiplication facts; please keep working on this
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">increasingly strong scores on most daily quizzes and “Math Minutes” assessments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">her diligent efforts with regard to researching the Tuskegee Airmen in preparation for her WWII flight simulation involving rate, time, and distance challenges
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">becoming more adept at employing the order of operations
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">identifying and using compatible numbers in her mental calculations
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">making the commitment to participate in this year’s challenging Math Olympiad program

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Mathematics
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Recommendations <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">would benefit from: > <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">reading directions more carefully
 * ** more consistent completion of his homework, and more diligent follow through on assignments that he’s missed because of absences
 * checking his written explanations of mathematical concepts to be certain they are thorough, clearly stated, and use accurate mathematical terminology
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">following directions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using estimation skills to check his her work
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more thoroughly explaining the processes used to arrive at solutions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">utilizing math resources (textbook, First in Math, class notes, and workbooks) in order to complete the assigned task independently
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">increased practice with computational skills
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using physical models in order to conceptualize beyond the concrete
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">completing assignments in the allotted time
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">completing and submitting homework punctually
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">slowing down in order to compute more accurately
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">focusing more in order to complete assigned class work
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">working more independently on assignments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">listening more carefully to instructions and directions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">persisting with problems that at first appear difficult
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more consistent effort
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more thorough preparation for class (work materials)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">correcting previously graded work
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">taking full advantage of the “Look Back” stage of the problem solving process in order to determine if his her answers make sense
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">organizing his belongings promptly each day, and remembering to hand in assignments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">gaining speed with completion of his Math Minutes (He may certainly practice on the unused empty pages in beginning of his new workbook.)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more careful formation of his numbers so that he can read them and avoid careless computational errors
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">checking solutions conscientiously in order to avoid careless errors on assignments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">working at a faster pace by avoiding distractions and focusing on the task at hand
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more careful formation of his her numbers so that he she can read them
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">taking the initiative to ask questions when unsure
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">continued close monitoring of daily assignments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">asking for help on instructions or concepts not understood
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">asking for additional help when unsure of an assignment
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">arriving to class with all necessary math materials
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">a more self-directed and responsible math student
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">paying close attention to details
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">memorizing the basic math facts
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more thorough completion of Math Olympiad assignments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">a review of scientific notation, especially multiplying and dividing by powers of 10
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">greater attention to the rules of decimal computation
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">reviewing the rules of re-grouping when subtracting
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">further practice with decimal place value
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">taking full advantage of the “Look Back” stage of the problem solving process in order to avoid careless errors made in haste
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">further practice in articulating problem solving strategies and solutions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using real life experiences to apply and practice math skills learned in class
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">organizing belongings promptly each day, and maintaining a math folder, limiting its contents to math related assignments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">working to develop clear and concise written explanations that utilize appropriate mathematical terminology
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">focusing carefully on the borrowing/regrouping facets of subtraction, keeping careful track of where she is in the process
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">taking full advantage of extra credit opportunities and enrichment activities conducted in class; not shying away from challenges
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">avoiding careless errors by arranging math problems in an organized fashion on the page, and by forming numbers carefully
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">reviewing the ten problem solving strategies in order to choose the appropriate solution strategies for more complicated word problems
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">always attending to the final step in problem solving, the “Look Back” stage, in order to be certain an answer makes sense and that it has indeed answered the question that has been asked
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">working more slowly and carefully, checking for errors that might be easily self-corrected
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">practicing “long division” problems that require using a zero as a place holder in the quotient
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">completing all “Writing in Math” assignments in workbooks and incorporating relevant mathematical terminology to the best of his her ability
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more careful placement of the decimal point when multiplying decimals
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">remembering to place the decimal point in the product. She has multiplied accurately, but without proper placement of the decimal all of her hard work does not yield the correct answer..
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">reading instructions carefully and following directions explicitly. When a problem call for estimating, she should not give an exact answer. Further practice with estimation should help.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">correcting previously graded work, especially “Math Minutes”
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using mental math and applying his her understanding of mathematical properties to achieve reasonable estimates
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">double checking computation for careless errors, particularly when multiplying and dividing
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">double checking his work for careless errors in computation and decimal placement
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">a closer examination of work to spot careless errors on homework and formal assessments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">continuing to reinforce math concepts at home by finding real life opportunities for exploring math, and utilizing First in Math to further build upon her mathematical skills
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">developing her ability to take his/her math understanding to the next level (problem solving and expressing ideas in writing)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">developing his/her understanding of order of operations, measurement, exponents and division as they are explored further in the coming months
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">reviewing the rules of long division with regard to expressing decimal remainders in the quotient
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">continued practice with long division of whole numbers and decimals, in order to gain both confidence and accuracy
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">being more precise in the written explanations of his her thinking when problem solving
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">reviewing the rules for order of operations, including accurate calculation of exponents
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">continued practice with identifying and applying the various properties of addition and multiplication
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">carefully counting the number of times he has used the base number as factor, when calculating the value of exponents
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">checking routinely for careless mistakes with regrouping and errors in decimal placement, particularly when multiplying
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">re-reading instructions slowly to be sure he is not misinterpreting what needs to be done
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">referring to textbook examples and class notes to augment his understanding of material covered in class
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">increasing his/her speed and accuracy on Math Minutes drills by reviewing her typical errors and trying extra practice problems

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Social Studies
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Commendations <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">is commended for:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">continued attention to the use of a timeline to organize and visualize important dates
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">the high marks he earned on both his twentieth century tests to date – he clearly is developing a love of history, along with superb study skills
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his/her understanding of intolerance, not just from a historical perspective, but in his/her own life experience
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">asking perceptive questions to improve understanding
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">communicating understanding of concepts effectively
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">being a consistently active participant in topic discussions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">demonstrating understanding of key historical concepts presented in class
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">developing main ideas effectively in writing by including sufficient supporting details
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">displaying critical thinking skills
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">grasping new concepts readily
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">locating information efficiently and utilizing resource materials effectively
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">participating in class discussions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">showing curiosity about the world
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">understanding and following directions well
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using creative problem-solving techniques
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">taking careful notes during multimedia class presentations
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">effectively uses note-taking strategies such as highlighting, “Who, what, where, when, why, so what” charts, graphic organizers, paraphrasing, etc.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">completing webquests using the prescribed guidelines
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">attending well and contributing positively during conferences
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her interest in our study of the twentieth century, becoming involved and participatory during class discussions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">exploring study strategies and discovering ones that work best for his her learning style
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">earning high marks on all assessments, including ones related to the “Bronze Book” and to the memorization of the states, capitals and postal codes
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">researching and writing an informative paragraph about
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">demonstrating strong knowledge of Microsoft Word and Inspiration
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">gaining ability in Fireworks and Dreamweaver programs
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">completing an impressive portrait of
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her ability to take copious notes on American history in 20th Century Almanac
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her responses in his her 20th Century Almanac to “quotes of the week,” the films we have viewed, and the guest speaker presentation, that reflect his her keen sense of justice, his her compassion for the “underdog,” and his her understanding (far beyond his her years!) of some relatively sensitive issues faced in American history
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">building upon prior knowledge to gain greater understanding of new facts and concepts
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">never hesitating to share his her considerable technology skills with others
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">the artistic talent she he exhibits in the completion of projects
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">his her thoughtful comments during discussions of controversial issues
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">learning to take full advantage of the “Brain Dump,” or extra credit sections of tests
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">possessing a keen sense of right and wrong, and not hesitating to defend the underdog when she he feels an injustice has occurred in American history
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">completing research and creating an impressive portrait of
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">brightening our social studies discussions with insights beyond his years
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">conducting and documenting a fascinating 2oth Century interview with his grandfather
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">locating information efficiently and utilizing resource materials effectively, as evidenced by the informative paragraph she capably wrote about Bessie Coleman
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">developing his report writing skills by writing a biographical paragraph on * that was organized and constructed with care
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">composing thoughtful and well-written responses in his 20th Century Almanac and on Nicenet to “quotes of the week,” films we’ve viewed, and the guest speaker presentation, all indicating his appreciation of the sensitive issues faced in American history
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">remembering to place information on both sides of flash cards, to make them a more valuable study resource
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">developing his research skills by writing a brief report on Martin Luther King, Jr.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">participating constructively and thoughtfully with his peers during class debates pertaining to Hiroshima and the Little Rock Nine
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">becoming more aware of her learning styles and honing study strategies that will be effective for her
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">contributing to her group discussions during our, “You Are the President” activity, in which students had to argue their group’s perspective on Hiroshima
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">becoming a more diligent about highlighting and text marking when reading content area material

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Social Studies
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Recommendations <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">would benefit from:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">recording a bit more detail when notetaking, as sometimes one word is not enough to relay meaning later when referring to the notes
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">including some additional specifics when note taking during video presentations, in order to more readily utilize such information at a later date
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">remembering instructions or directions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">following written guidelines in order to complete assignments more independently
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">including more relevant details to support research
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">assuming greater responsibility in completion of written assignments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">greater attention to instructional details in order to be a more self-directed learner
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">taking more initiative by asking questions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">asking appropriate questions to improve understanding
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">staying focused during computer activities and following instructions explicitly
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">spending sufficient time and effort on his her interdisciplinary
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more experience with researching and paraphrasing information
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">utilizing note-taking and highlighting skills taught in class
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">utilizing a variety of study skills/strategies taught in class, including note-taking, flash cards, graphic organizers, prioritizing, in order to prepare sufficiently for tests
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">delving more deeply when researching topics, in order to identify and learn about enough pertinent information
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">remembering to place information on both sides of flash cards, to make them a more valuable study resource
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using time management strategies for greater test-taking success
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">listening attentively during class presentations and discussions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">listening carefully before jumping to conclusions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">expanding main idea with sufficient supporting details when writing short essay responses
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">taking care to listen carefully and consider others’ ideas when working in group situations
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">stepping up to take on more of a vocal leadership role during small group projects, for he has much to offer
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">increasing keyboarding skills to enable him her to type with greater speed and accuracy
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">being more relaxed in expressing her his ideas in group collaborative projects
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">exercising a bit more patience when others don’t fully understand her his intentions or when they haven’t thought through all the possibilities, as he she has
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">building upon prior knowledge to gain greater understanding of new facts and concepts
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">further study of the US postal codes, as she he struggled with these on the test
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">learning the spelling of the 50 states and their capitals
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">allowing lots of time to prepare for future map and history tests and working closely with teacher to develop strategies that will enable success
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more thoughtful completion of “Bronze Book” lessons and other homework assignments to yield an even more thorough understanding of the material
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">being more selective when highlighting, separating the essential from the nonessential information
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">careful analysis of key events in order to identify cause and effect
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using more than one word when taking notes on a video presentation, so that connections can be made
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using lines or a chart to organize her notes
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">including more detail in written responses to historical quotes
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">searching in several resources to find sufficient information on his her research topics
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">taking full advantage of the “Brain Dump,” or extra credit sections of tests
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">including more details when taking notes on a video presentation, so that connections can be made and notes can be better utilized at a later time
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">brainstorming purposefully prior to writing short essay responses, in order to provide sufficient detail to support her opinions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">including more detail and clear explanations when completing written responses to historical quotes and short essays
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">paying greater attention to instructional details and written instructions, in order to become a more self-directed learner
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">avoiding distractions and participating more actively during class presentations, discussions, and video sessions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">working to hone her highlighting techniques when completing social studies readings
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">delving more deeply when researching topics to write reports with a bit more detail
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">delving more deeply when researching topics so that his her reports are written with a bit more thought and detail
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">taking care to research topics a bit more thoroughly, and organizing his thoughts more carefully when writing research papers
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">more careful re-reading of the “Bronze Book,” a history textbook, in order to complete the end-of-chapter exercises more accurately and thoroughly
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">including some specifics when note taking, for often writing down a name or date alone will not be enough to trigger its significance later when studying
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">incorporating more pertinent details on study guides, taking into account the information we normally identify in class, including: who, what, where, when, and why
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">continued practice with accurate usage of unit words related to our interdisciplinary studies
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">practicing appropriate saving techniques on the computer, to avoid duplication of files, such as on Nicenet.org
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">completing study guides in a more detailed fashion
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">re-reading directions when he she has completed an assignment, to be sure that she has, in fact, met all requirements
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">using bullets and outline formats routinely when note taking
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">improvement of his note taking technique, through identification of relevant “fact fragments”
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">further work memorizing the states, capitals, and postal codes
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">continuing to develop her report-writing skills, taking care to organize the facts and write in complete sentences
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">assuming greater responsibility in completion of written assignments, and paying more attention to instructional details in order to be a more self-directed learner
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">taking on more of a vocal leadership role during small group projects, for he has much to offer
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">allowing himself more time to study for assignments that require memorization
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">catching up on late assignments and revisions more promptly and independently

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Full-blown comments: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Language Arts <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Language Arts

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">is an enthusiastic participant in our literature discussions, listening carefully to others’ comments and building upon their ideas in his comments. He She has obviously enjoyed reading about famous 20th century people and events, and has been able to respond thoughtfully to comprehension questions in discussions and in his her writing about Stepping on the Cracks and The Watsons Go to Birmingham, the two historical fiction texts we are reading this fall. His Her comments reflect a firm understanding of the issues involved, as well as much compassion and empathy for the unjustly treated members of our society. ’s insights during these discussions have added much to our lessons.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">This semester centered upon the Twentieth Century

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> ’s approach to his her studies is commendable. He She attends well, offers his her opinion readily, and is motivated to do his her best on most assignments. Though writing remains his her least favorite area of academic pursuit, he she is progressing satisfactorily. He She thoroughly enjoyed the experiential activities designed to supplement his her reading and writing. From imagery-gathering ventures, virtual field trips, and video viewing, to deep discussions of the literature, he she has been given the opportunity to add richness to his her writing and creativity to his her thinking. His Her sensitive rendition of Langston Hughes’ “ ,” the poem he she memorized, was well received by his her peers. has obviously enjoyed reading about famous 20th century people and events, and has been able to respond thoughtfully to comprehension questions in discussions and in his writing Stepping on the Cracks and The Watsons Go to Birmingham. must refer more conscientiously to the rubrics and checklists that are provided him her though, if he she is to achieve the success he she desires on his her more lengthy writing assignments. His Her terse style is not sufficient when he is she is asked to include factual information and fully developed characters in creative compositions such as his her scary story. Though tried to incorporate some adjectives, adverbs, and powerful verbs in his her tale, “ ,” he she left out some important details, leaving his her audience a bit confused with his her very sudden ending. His Her initial draft of the story did not reflect his her use of any of the pre-writing skills we had addressed in class. It was lacking in details that detracted from the overall enjoyment of writing, and later, reading the story. It did not contain a well-developed character, or a carefully described setting. worked diligently on it, however, and with some one-on-one instruction, was able to include all the necessary parts in his her final draft. His Her story now is a delightful tale, imaginative and clearly written. should be proud of the effort he she exerted on the project. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> makes several careless spelling errors in his her daily writing, especially with homonyms. I know he she has earned to spell these words, for when tested in a traditional manner, he she spells most of them perfectly. must get accustomed to the fact that I will be checking his her daily writing for spelling errors as a more authentic assessment of his her spelling ability, so he she should take more care with those easily confused words.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> ’s written expression exhibits his her growing sense of self as he she explores human relationships in his her compositions, and experiments with images beyond the concrete. He She has thoroughly enjoyed the experiential activities designed to supplement his her reading and writing. From imagery-gathering ventures to “coffee house” poetry recitations to deep discussions of the literature, has taken advantage of the opportunities to add richness to his her writing and creativity to her thinking. I am particularly impressed with his her use of techniques to build suspense in her scary story, “ .” Though some parts of this composition required further attention to details of point of view and sentence structure, his her story was a delight to read, with its interesting characters and plot. s solution to making her sentences more sophisticated, though, involved adding several commas to a run-on sentence. Using transitions such as “and,” “because,” or “for,” should be helpful to him her as she attempts to create more complex and sophisticated sentence structures.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Alex has engaged completely in our reading of the novel Stepping on the Cracks, often offering insightful comments, excited exclamations, tex tmarking some sections incredibly well, and writing responses that reflect his sound understanding of the concepts in the story

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> ’s efforts in language arts this term have been inconsistent. He has thoroughly enjoyed the experiential activities designed to supplement his reading and writing. From imagery-gathering ventures in the GA woods to “coffee house” poetry recitations to deep discussions of the literature, has had the opportunity to add richness to his writing and creativity to his thinking. He has obviously enjoyed reading about famous 20th century people and events, and has been able to respond so thoughtfully to comprehension questions in discussions and in his writing. ’s scary story, “ ,” a classic tale of good conquering evil reflects his attempt to show how “the power of kindness” can resolve differences. What a wonderful message his story contains! I am disappointed that did not follow through on suggestions to improve the mechanics of his piece, however. He submitted as a final draft writing that still contained the same errors I had pointed out and explained to him several times. This lack of commitment will hinder in his attempt to become a more effective writer, so it is my hope that will make these assignments more of a priority in the months to come. ’s solution to making his sentences more sophisticated sometimes involves adding several commas to run-on sentences. Learning to use transitions such as “and,” “because,” “for,” should be helpful for him as he attempts to create more complex and sophisticated sentence structures.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> has written a beautifully descriptive scary story, “The Shadow,” in which he incorporated carefully selected adjectives, adverbs, and powerful verbs. His easily flowing style of writing, including a realistic, conversational dialogue, makes his compositions enjoyable to read. Continued exposure to correct punctuation of dialogue should ensure Ian’s improvement in that area. I look forward to Ian’s continued development as a writer.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Mathematics

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">In math class, has worked steadily to internalize basic decimal concepts. He She is an enthusiastic problem solver who contributes productively to small group challenges. I have been impressed with the consistency with which has volunteered accurate answers in class and has achieved successful totals in his her “Math Minutes.” His Her quiz and test scores, however, are not always indicative of his her understanding of the material. Failure to read directions carefully, careless omission of decimal points, and not checking back to see that his her answers make sense have prevented him her from achieving success in some areas. I will continue to encourage him her to follow the steps and strategies taught in class in order to eliminate the inadvertent errors he she sometimes makes. I will continue to work with on the addition, subtraction, and multiplication and division of decimals, and I am certain that continued practice with the algorithms will ensure a firmer understanding of the concepts covered in class. Continued instruction and experiences to strengthen his her estimating skills will also increase his her success rate in math.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> has had a very good term in mathematics. A creative problem solver who is quick to learn and apply new concepts, he she has worked conscientiously on every undertaking. is currently involved in a “Flight Simulation,” a multidisciplinary extension of classroom lessons involving map and research skills, advanced multiplication and division, estimation, ratio and proportion, problem solving, and algebraic formulae of rate, time, and distance. has enjoyed this opportunity to learn about the famous transatlantic air crossing of Amelia Earhart, the heroic flights of the Tuskegee Airnmen in WWII, as well as to work with authentic flight maps and hear firsthand accounts from a pilot about the math-related challenges of preparing for a real flight.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> ’s participation in the Flight Group has been commendable, as he she has completed pre-flight preparations with meticulousness and exceptional quality. With his her precision and commitment, a successful flight is predicted. He She is certain to advance in his her study of algebra this year, as he she proceeds with “Hands-On Equations” and problem solving far beyond the fifth grade level. should be proud of his her achievements in this academic area.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> has been an enthusiastic math student this term, enjoying our “Stump the Class” sessions and group problem solving challenges. He is working hard to learn the decimal concepts covered in class, but a lack of precision has sometimes hampered him. He must concentrate more fully when he is computing, for when he loses his focus he is likely to forget that he has borrowed when subtracting decimals, or he is apt to confuse place value of decimals when rounding. I’m convinced he is a capable math student who eventually understands the concepts taught, but one who must “keep his wits about him” while he is working.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Interdisciplinary Studies

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> has been an animated participant in our social studies activities this fall, submitting assignments punctually, and achieving test scores that reflect his her excellent study skills and grasp of the material. He She researched, and completed an impressive portrait and plaque about the famous. He She is obviously quite the history buff, offering comments frequently and excitedly throughout our study of WWII, and the turbulent civil rights era of the 50s and 60s. Whether our topic is the plight of African-Americans in the 20th Century, or of environmental issues throughout our history, brings a wealth of experiential knowledge to our support group discussions. He She remembers a wealth of factual details, and is quite adept at analyzing the facts, finding patterns of behavior, and drawing accurate conclusions about fairly sophisticated concepts and complicated situations. Sharing insights beyond his her years and exuding compassion towards all, is indeed special individual with an extended view of the world.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">.