RACHAEL XXXXXX
D.O.B. : October XX, 1995
Age: 10
Grade: 5
Grading Key: Effort
& Skills
4 - Advanced E
- Excellent U - Unsatisfactory
3 - Proficient
G - Good
X - Not Applicable
2 - Approaching S - Satisfactory
1 - Below N
- Needs to Improve
Days of Instruction: 41 (5.4 hrs/day average)
Arithmetic: The areas of math Rachael continues
to study/practice are :
word problems factors
2 digit multiplication,division
fractions
multiples
addition
decimals prime factorization
subtraction
percents prime numbers
money math
number lines geometry
time/clocks
fact families times tables
real-life math experiences
squares
square roots powers
exponents factor
trees palindromes
communitive properties
Rachael no longer struggles with upper times tables. This is due to a publication
entitled, “Times Tales: A Trigger Memory System” by J.
von Eggers & M.J. Flanagan & Dena L. Wood. This supplement was a lifesaver to our homeschool curriculum! Now
that the times tables have been mastered, Rachael is doing really well with other mathematical concepts. She only continues
to struggle in areas where time is concerned. She has been reviewing 3rd, 4th and 5th grade math concepts through Saxon and
standardized test review workbooks. The confidence given to her through Times
Tales is priceless. Grade: 3( G)
Reading: Rachael demonstrates excellence in
her ability to read with accuracy, appropriate inflection and intonation, and poetic expression. She continues to struggle
with comprehension. Often she is able to determine meaning through context, however this is an area where she may continue
to struggle due to her Language Based Learning Disability. Rachael excels in memorization of vocabulary and spelling
assignments, regularly uses dictionaries to complete work, and reads for pleasure. Rachael has read Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes, Wild World
of Green by Jeanne Raymond, Little House in the Big Woods
by Laura Ingalls Wilder, If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon by Ellen Levine, poetry by Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow, and from A Child’s Anthology of Poetry (Sword
& McCarthy) and The Golden Books Family Treasury of Poetry(Untermeyer)
in addition to classic fairy tales, scriptures from the Bible, non-fiction articles in National
Geographic, and other reference sources for her upcoming research project on Western Frontier. She
is currently reading the 2nd book in the series, Little House on the Prairie in
our homeschool as part of our Prairie Primer curriculum.
Grade:
3 (G)
Spelling: Rachael has completed and mastered ten
spelling & vocabulary lists. Rachael corrects misspelled words and rewrites assignments so that spelling is correct throughout
her work. Her memorization skills have helped her excel in this particular area. Grade: 3 (G)
Writing, Grammar & Language Arts: The homeschool
curriculum has been integrating the Vocabulary Vine Latin & Greek Roots
program, which is challenging and fun. Rachael prints and writes in cursive daily, and her technique is naturally beautiful
and neat. Rachael continues to develop skills such as note-taking, brainstorming, and organizing ideas. She has posted
her ideas, assignments and essays on her internet homeschool webjournal. She has typed emails, improved her writing abilities
by continuing study of proper grammar; parts of speech, sentence structure, and phrases. Rachael continues to respond
to literature through writing and narration. This quarter she has spent much time on reviewing basic skills and concentrating
on content she is expected to be tested on through standardized tests. Grade: 3 (G)
Health & Safety: The focus this past quarter
has been on dangers and effects of narcotic drug use, “gate-way”drugs such as marijuana and cigarettes, alcoholism,
gambling & other addictions. Also the topics of malaria, West Nile Virus , mosquitoes & importance/impact of eliminating
their breeding sites and UV-ray protection from the sun were covered. Grade: 3(G)
History: Our homeschool has concentrated on The
Revolutionary War, The Civil War, WWI & WWII this quarter. The Biblical significance of these wars were studied as well.
The class created a timeline of these wars and studied key characters in history such as Winston Churchill, Woodrow Wilson,
Hitler, and several U.S. Presidents. The children spent much time on memorizing the map of the United States, as well as the
maps of Central and South America. Rachael has been reading the historical fiction of Laura Ingalls Wilder through her Little House on the Prairie series of books. Grade: 3(G)
Science: The study of electricity & circuits
evolved into an ongoing electronics project. Rachael has also learned taxonomy (classification of living things), studied
fossils, types of cells and viewed various cells through microscopes. Other topics investigated were macaque monkeys and how
they bond in social groups, their social order (hierarchy), the Blue Nile and the highlands, gorges, surrounding cultures.
Grade: 3 (G)
Art: Rachael is consistent in her pursuit
of creative expression. She enjoys painting and drawing even in her free time, assignments notwithstanding. She created a
haiku-inspired tissue-paper watercolor project, which has been posted on her homeschool website. She has also done chinese
brush painting, hemp jewelry, and conte crayon drawings. Grade: 4 (E)
Music: Rachael continues to practice guitar,
piano and fiddle regularly in addition to singing weekly at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. She has studied
the life of famous musician Beethoven. She mastered the Love Story
theme song by Francis Lai & Carl Sigman on piano which has been uploaded to her homeschool website. Grade:
4 (E)
Physical Education: Rachael has participated in
many physical activities including swimming at the XXXX, skateboarding, scootering (during the warm weather), sledding, skiing
and aerobics. Grade: 3(G)
Typing & Computer: Rachael is excelling at typing
with proper hand positioning and appropriate speed and accuracy. Her computer literacy skills are yet improving and she demonstrates
near-fluency in several programs and internet research to aid in completion of schoolwork, as well for the purpose of finding
information for personal interests. She continues to improve her punctuation skills with the use of various typing programs.
She is managing her computer files in an organized fashion. Additional skills worked on include: copying, pasting, using key
controls, linking, site organizing, weblogging, checking email, using SiteBuilder to prepare for future instruction in XHTML.
Grade: 4 (E)
Teacher Comments - 3rd Quarter
Rachael is progressing at a satisfactory level or above in all subject matter.
She has had two absences rom instruction this quarter, due to illness, but has nevertheless completed the required 225 hours
of instruction. She shines in art, music, reading, and typing. She was also impressive in her ability to master all the United
States and Central and South America on the map tests. Last quarter
I was very concerned about Rachael’s inability to recall her upper times tables math facts. After searching
the internet to see if there was something tried and true and I found this remarkable program that literally taught my two
youngest children their upper times tables in ONE HOUR OF TIME! This quarter our homeschool received significant help from
the Times Tales: A Trigger Memory System by J. von Eggers & M.J.
Flanagan & Dena L. Wood. This has caused a marked boost in Rachael’s self-confidence. Mastering these
basic facts was so key for her to help relieve some of the stress of learning additional concepts that build upon that necessary
foundation.
Our homeschool curriculum for the upcoming quarter will include the use
and guidance of the Prairie Primer, as it has for this past quarter
as well.
Submitted on April 25, 2006 by Daniela
