School Improvement
& Testing

Assessments | Kansas Curricular Standards | Math and Reading Resource Handbook
Academic Improvement Mission
In an effort to focus on enhanced student performance, the staff of GMS has developed a plan to engage students in high quality improvement activities in reading and math throughout the school year. This plan will be implemented at varying levels in all classes across the curriculum. 
Our Commitment to Every Child’s Academic Success in Math
  • Teach math standards in all math classes.
  • Speak common math vocabulary in every content.
  • Incorporate math computation in every content.
  • Apply problem solving strategies in every content.
Our Commitment to Every Child’s Academic Success in Reading
  • Teach reading standards in all reading classes.
  • Speak common reading vocabulary in every content.
  • Reinforce vocabulary skills in every content.
  • Strengthen comprehension in every content.
  • Integrate reading and writing in every content.
Click one of the links below to download the state 
Adequate Yearly Proress (AYP) for that year.
2009
2008
2007
ASSESSMENTS
Throughout the school year, students will be required to take one formal assessment that provides the data GMS uses in the school improvement process. This assessment is an important indicator of student progress and may determine future courses students are required to take. 

State Assessments are administered during the months of March and April. During the 2009-2010 school year, all seventh grade students will complete the math, reading and science state assessments. All eighth grade students will complete the math, reading and social studies state assessments. These assessments indicate how well students are mastering the Kansas Curricular Standards that make up each subject’s curriculum.

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KANSAS CURRICULAR STANDARDS
 The State Board of Education established standards, benchmarks and indicators for all students in the subject areas of reading, math, science, social studies and writing. The standards and benchmarks are general statements of what students should know and be able to do at various grade levels. The indicators are the specific skills students must master and these vary among grade levels. At RGMS, that state curricular standards are taught to all students, and all students participate in state assessments as a means to measure mastery of indicators.

State Math Standards

  1. Standard 1: The student uses numerical and computational concepts and procedures in a variety of situations.
    1. a. Benchmark 1: Number Sense 
      b. Benchmark 2: Number Systems and Their Properties
      c. Benchmark 3: Estimation 
      d. Benchmark 4: Computation
  2. Standard 2: The student uses algebraic concepts and procedures in a variety of situations.
    1. a. Benchmark 1: Patterns
      b. Benchmark 2: Variable, Equations, and Inequalities
      c. Benchmark 3: Functions
      d. Benchmark 4: Models
  3. Standard 3: The student uses geometric concepts and procedures in a variety of situations.

  4. a. Benchmark 1: Geometric Figures and Their Properties
    b. Benchmark 2: Measurement and Estimation
    c. Benchmark 3: Transformational Geometry
    d. Benchmark 4: Geometry From an Algebraic Perspective
  5. Standard 4: The student uses concepts and procedures of data analysis in a variety of situations.
    1. a. Benchmark 1: Probability
      b. Benchmark 2: Statistics
State Reading Standards
  1. Standard 1: The student reads and comprehends text across the curriculum.
    1. a. Benchmark 1: The student uses skills in alphabetics to construct meaning from text.
      b. Benchmark 2: The student reads fluently.
      c. Benchmark 3: The student expands vocabulary.
      d. Benchmark 4: The student comprehends a variety of texts (narrative, expository, technical, persuasive)
  2. Standard 2: The student responds to a variety of text.
    1. a. Benchmark 1: The student uses literary concepts to interpret and respond to text.
      b. Benchmark 2: The student understands the significance of literature and its contributions to various cultures.
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STATE ASSESSMENTS and TESTED INDICATORS
Kansas students are expected to know selected skills in math and reading and to display those skills at different levels of complexity depending upon their grade level. To see that students are meeting the education standards set by the Kansas State Board, tests were developed from the standards adopted for the state of Kansas in the areas of math, science, reading, social studies and writing. The knowledge and skills assessed by the seventh and eighth grade may not have been learned entirely in those grades, but are expected to have been part of every student’s studies in the grades prior to and including grades 7 and 8.

7TH GRADE MATH TESTED INDICATORS

  1. Add and subtract decimals.
  2. Multiply and divide four-digit numbers by two-digit numbers, including decimals.
  3. Add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions and express the answers in the simplest form.
  4. Find percentages of rational numbers (a rational number is any number that can be written as a fraction).
  5. Identify and extend a variety of patterns.
  6. Find a mathematical relationship between ratios, proportions, and percents and how to solve for a missing value in a proportion.
  7. Evaluate simple algebraic expressions by replacing variables (what’s unknown) with given numbers and finding the value.
  8. Recognize that shapes have specific characteristics and be able to identify those characteristics.
  9. Find the perimeter (distances around the outside) and area (square units of space inside) of various shapes.
  10. Use given measurement formulas to find the surface area of cubes (the area of all six sides of a three-dimensional object) and the volume of rectangular prisms (the amount of space inside a box).
  11. Demonstrate the ability to read and make vertical and horizontal tables and charts; line, circle, and picture graphs; scatter; stem-and-leaf; and box-and-whisker plots.
  12. Understand and demonstrate a variety of ways to represent algebraic expressions. 
  13. Use equivalent representations for fractional operations. 
  14. Write expressions and equations based on real-world problems. An expression does not contain an equal sign, but an equation does.
  15. Determine the actual dimensions and/or measurements of a two-dimensional figure represented in a scale drawing.
  16. Find and explain misrepresentations of data that distort the appearance of the data, and demonstrate how changing the vertical and horizontal parts (axis) of a graph can distort the appearance of the graph.
8TH GRADE MATH TESTED INDICATORS
  1. Understand and explain what the result is when a positive number is multiplied or divided by a number greater than zero and less than one.
  2. Understand and explain what the result is when a number other than zero is multiplied by zero.
  3. Identify all the subsets of the real number system to which a given number belongs. For example, natural numbers are those numbers we count with; whole numbers are the counting numbers plus zero; integers include zero, whole numbers and their opposites; rational numbers are those numbers that can be expressed in a fraction; irrational numbers are those numbers that cannot be expressed as fractions. A given number may belong to one or more of these subsets.
  4. Add, subtract, multiply and divide using positive and negative whole numbers.
  5. Use order of operations when computing with rational numbers (understand to work first within grouping symbols, then find powers, then perform multiplication/division from left to right). 
  6. Find the solution to an equation.
  7. Use the Pythagorean Theorem, which states that if a triangle is a right triangle, then the sum of the squares of the two legs is equal to the square of the side opposite the right angle. 
  8. Given the graph of a line, be able to list points on the line.
  9. Recognize that the points on a graphed line (ordered pairs) are solutions to the equation that creates the line.
  10. Find the length of a given side of a figure drawn on a graph when given two points on the graph.
  11. Determine the probability of two non-related events happening at the same time, or one after the other.
  12. Determine mean (the sum of the values divided by the total number of values), median (the middle value), and mode (the most frequent value) for a given set of numbers.
  13. Explain how problems are solved using mathematical properties, including the following: commutative (numbers can be added and multiplied in any order resulting in the same answer); associative (when a series of numbers is added or multiplied, the order in which the values are added or multiplied doesn’t affect the result); distributive (when multiplying a number by the sum of numbers, you can multiply each of the numbers by the factor first then add); substitution (a number may be substituted for a variable or equivalent quantity); identity for addition (when 0 is added to another number it doesn’t change the value of the number); identity for multiplication (when a number is multiplied by 1 it doesn’t change the value of the number); additive inverse (a number plus its opposite is 0); multiplicative inverse (a number multiplied by its reciprocal is 1).
  14. Solve real-world problems that involve one and two steps using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and/or subtraction of numbers that are positive and negative with decimals, fractions, percents, and the use if pi.
  15. Use symbols, expressions or equations to represent unknown quantities in solving real-world problems using addition, subtraction, and multiplication. 
  16. Represent a linear set of data in its numerical, tabular, graphical, and symbolic forms.
  17. Determine if a specified mathematical model (graphical, algebraic or geometric) is an accurate representation of a given real-world situation.
  18. Understand that congruent figures are the same exact shape and size, their corresponding sides are the same lengths, and their areas are the same. Use that knowledge to solve real-world problems.
  19. Understand that similar figures are the same exact shape and their corresponding sides are proportional in length and their areas are proportional to the increase in the sides. Use that knowledge to solve real-world problems.
  20. Make predictions based n the theoretical probability of a simple event in an experiment or simulation.
7TH & 8TH READING TESTED INDICATORS
  1. Use clues from the surrounding words to determine the meaning of an unknown word or phrase.
  2. Understand how adding beginnings or endings to words change the meaning of the words.
  3. Correctly identify similes (comparison of two unlike things); metaphors (using a word denoting one type of object in place of another as a means of drawing a comparison between the two); analogies (pointing out the similarities in particular aspects of two things that are otherwise not alike); hyperbole (extreme exaggeration); onomatopoeia (the use of words whose sound suggests the meaning); personification (representation of a thing or object as a person or by human form); idioms (an expression that does not mean what its literal translation says); imagery, and understand their meaning.
  4. Understand how the features located in text, such as titles, graphs/charts, maps table of contents, boldface and italic type, glossary, index, headings, captions, sidebars, bulleted lists and numbering can assist in understanding the meaning of the text. 
  5. Make a prediction or draw a conclusion based on the material read.
  6. Explain how various aspects of the text (characters’ traits and motives, themes, problem-solution, cause-effect relationships, ideas and concepts, procedures, viewpoints, authors’ purposes) are alike or different.
  7. Understand how one or more things can have an effect on the outcome of another.
  8. Restate the main idea of a text and important details from the text in a logical order.
  9. Identify the topic, main idea(s), supporting detail, and theme(s) in a text.
  10. Explain how the author’s purpose for writing a text influences the author’s style of writing.
  11. Identify the details that point to the conclusions drawn by the author.
  12. Understand the difference between fact and opinion and recognize the different types of propaganda (advertising, media, politics, warfare, bias, stereotypes).
  13. Describe the different aspects of major and minor characters, including physical traits, personality traits, feelings, etc., and explain how those traits influence the characters’ interactions with other characters.
  14. Describe the setting for the story—including environment, time of day or year, historical period, situation, and place—and explain the importance of the setting to the story.
  15. Describe major and minor events in a story and explain how one event gives rise to another.
TEXT TYPES
  1. Narrative – It is often fiction. It tells a story and contains well-developed characters. It contains a setting and a plot with a problem and a resolution. It contains a theme. Vocabulary is used to enrich understanding. It may be written in first, second, or third person. The passage makes sense when read from beginning to end. Examples: drama, diaries, excerpts from novels, fables, fantasies, folk tales, historical fiction, legends, mysteries, myths, novels, personal narratives, plays, poetry, mysteries, science fiction, short stories, tall tales
  2. Expository – It is nonfiction in which the author seeks to explain or inform. The information can be verified as true. Common structures within expository text include description, definition, classification, comparison/contrast, cause/effect, problem/solution, sequence, or a combination. It is subject oriented to focus on a specific topic. Examples: autobiographies, biographies, essays, book reports, brochures, graphs and charts, interviews, journals, lists, newspaper/magazine articles, research papers, speeches, textbooks
  3. Technical – It is nonfiction in which the author gives information to the reader than may be used to perform a task. The material to be read may include explicit steps to follow or the steps may be implied in a graphic. Sentences are commonly shortened or fragmented and numbered or bulleted lists are commonly used. It uses dictionary meaning of words and focuses on an identified topic. It is organized in a logical and orderly way. Examples: brochures, classified ads, directions, floor plans, forms, graphs, charts, how-to guides, instructions, job preparation manuals, maps, menus, recipes, schedules, transcripts, warranties
  4. Persuasive – It is nonfiction in which the author intends to convince the reader to adopt a particular opinion or to perform a certain action. It attempts to solve a problem by invoking change. It is written to convince the reader to adopt the writer’s point of view. It focuses on a central purpose and sometimes relies on propaganda and sarcasm. The author tries to appeal through reason, emotion, endorsement of an influential figure, testimonials, citing authority, statistics. Examples: Advertisements, book reviews, charitable campaign appeals, commercials, debates, editorials, letters to the editor, movie critiques, political campaign literature, editorials
WAYS TO BUILD A BETTER VOCABULARY
Students’ understanding of meanings of words encountered in a text is often crucial to the overall comprehension of the text. There are several ways to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words. A student’s first reaction should be to look at the word itself for familiar word parts. Next, a student should examine the context for clues. Third, a student could see whether word origins might help. Last, a student should utilize a reference material for an exact meaning.
  1. Word Parts - Words can often be “broken down” into smaller parts.  If the meaning of the smaller parts is determined, students gain a better understanding of the whole word.
    • Prefixes - A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a base word. Each prefix has a general meaning. (For example, the prefix “pre” means before. Knowing this would help a student determine that pretest means “a test before material is taught” or preschool means “school attended before public school.”)
    • Suffixes - A suffix is a word part added to the ending of a base word. Each suffix has a general meaning. (For example, the suffix “ant” means “one who” or “the performer of a task.” Knowing this would help a student determine that assistant means “one who assists.”)
    • Roots - A root is a base upon which a word is built. Often students can begin to understand the meaning of an unfamiliar word if they can determine the base root.
  2. Context Clues - These are other words or phrases to help with the understanding of a new word. These words or phrases are built into sentences around the difficult word. If students become more aware of the words around the difficult words encountered in their reading, they will save themselves many trips to the dictionary. Instead, they will be able to make logical guesses about the meaning of words.
    • Definitions - The sentence itself defines a word. The tip off for this type of clue is often the form of the verb “be” (am, is, are, was, were).
    • Synonyms - A second, more familiar word that is similar in meaning to the unknown word is stated in the text.
    • Antonyms - A second, more familiar word that is opposite to the unknown word is stated in the text.
    • Comparisons - An unfamiliar word is used in a comparison with a familiar word that has a similarity or likeness to the unknown word. Comparisons are signaled by words such as like or as.
    • Contrasts - An unfamiliar word is used in a contrast with a familiar word that has differences to the unknown word. Contrasts are signaled by words such as but, on the other hand, unlike, on the contrary.
    • Restatements - An unknown word is restated in other words. Demonstrative pronouns such as this, that, these, those may indicate restatements.
    • Items in a Series - An unknown word could be part of a series of words that are more familiar to help.
    • Cause and effect - When one event triggers, or causes, another event, meaning of unknown words can be gained by studying that cause/effect relationship.
    • Inferring Meaning - Not every word in context is signaled by key words or clues. Many times the student must piece together hints in the context. Using the hints, a student can make educated guesses, or inferences, about the meaning of the unknown words.
  3. Word Origins - English began with a prehistoric language called Intro-European. Over a long period of time, several other languages came from this same source causing many similarities between the English language and other parts of the world. Great numbers of words entered English from Latin, Greek, early Germanic languages, and French. If students become more aware of word origins, they can begin to determine the meanings of unknown words.
    • Borrowed Words - The process of borrowing words from other languages continues today. For example, the words canyon and ranch are Spanish and the word canary is African.
    • Words from Names - New words may be based on the name of a person or place. For example, herculean, which means “having great strength,” comes from the Greek myth about Hercules.
    • Clipped Words - New words are shortened forms of existing words. For example, cab was clipped from “cabriolet.”
    • Combined Words - Words may be put together from two existing words or word parts. For example, brunch is a blend of the two words “breakfast” and “lunch.”
    • Words from Sounds - Words can imitate sounds. Examples include chirp, creak, and hush.
  4. Reference Tools - There are many reference tools available to help determine the meanings of unfamiliar or unknown words. Some of these include the thesaurus, glossaries, encyclopedias, etc. The most common tool is the dictionary. By taking a closer look at words through reference materials, a greater understanding of words and the various contexts, connotations and meanings can be gained.
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TYPES OF ANALOGIES
Part to Whole battery  :  flashlight  : :  hard drive  :  computer
Cause and Effect fatigue  :  yawning  : :  itching :  scratching
Person to Situation mother  :  home  : :  teacher  :  school
Synonym obese  :  fat  : :  slender  :  thin
Antonym poverty  :  wealth  : :  sickness  :  health
Geography Chicago  :  Illinois  : :  Denver  :  Colorado
Measurement pound  :  kilogram  : :  quart  :  liter
Time March  :  spring  : :  December  :  winter

 
Strategic/Successful Readers
Immature/Struggling Readers
READ
DO NOT READ

 
Before Reading
Activate prior knowledge
Develop purpose for reading
Use titles and/or illustrations to  predict
Start reading without preparation
Read without knowing why
Do not look through the selection in advance
Read without considering approach 
During Reading
Focus attention
Anticipate and verify predictions
Monitor their comprehension
-know comprehension is occurring
-know what is to be understood
Use fix-it strategies when lack of understanding occurs
Remain mentally active through visualizing or questioning to understand
Organize and integrate new information
Persevere with difficult information, inadequate information
Are easily distracted 
Read to get done
Do not realize that they do not understand
Don’t know what to do when lack of understanding occurs
Are mentally passive, decoding-oriented readers 
Do not recognize important vocabulary
Have a tendency to give up
After Reading
Reflect on what was read
Summarize information read
Seek additional information from outside sources
Feel success is a result of hard work and efficient thinking
Do not reflect on what was read
Do not read beyond prescribed source
Work alone, not able or fearful to share
Feel success is a result of luck, and failure is a result of teacher bias

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PREFIXES SUFFIXES ROOT WORD
amphi – both, around 
amphibious, amphitheater
anti – against 
antibiotic, anti-abortionists
auto – self
autobiography, automatic
bene – well, good 
benefit, benefactor, benign 
bi – two 
bikini, bicycle
bio – life
biology, biography
co – together 
coauthor, coexist 
com – together with
commune, combine 
de – to make less, off, apart
deduct, degrade, deactivate
dis – not, not any 
disbelieve, disrespect
equi – equal
equality, equitable
e/ex – out
exit, elusive, evacuate, extinguish
fore – before 
forerunner, forefathers
geo – earth
geography, geology
in – not
inactive, inappropriate
inter – between, among 
interrupt, interfere
mal – bad, badly
malign, malignant, malicious
mis – wrong, bad
misbehave, misprint
mono – one, single 
monogamy, monologue
non – not
nonsense, nonabrasive
omni – everywhere, all
omnipresent, omnipotent
per – through 
permeate, permit
poly – many
polygon, polygamy
post – after
posterior, postpone, postscript
pre – before 
preview, precede, pretest
pro – forward
proceed, promote 
re – again
return, reunite
semi – half
semiannual, semicircle
sub – under, below 
substandard, submerge, submarine
super – greater, beyond
supernatural, superstition
trans – across 
transpire, transcontinental 
uni – one
unilateral, unity
un – not
unacceptable, unlikely
able/ible (adj.) – able to, can do 
likeable, flexible
acy/acity – having the quality of
democracy, tenacity
ance/ancy – action, process, state
assistance, allowance, truancy, defiance
ant (adj.) – performing agent 
assistant, servant 
ary/ery/ory (n.) – relating to, quality
dictionary, bravery, dormitory
ate (v.) – cause, make
liquidate, segregate, inculcate
ation – changes a verb to a noun 
creation, starvation 
cian (n.) – having skill or art
musician, magician, beautician, physician
cide – to kill or cut
homicide, genocide, suicide
cle/cule - small 
particle, miniscule, molecule 
crat – to rule
democrat, aristocrat
cy (n.) – action, function
hesitancy, prophecy, normalcy
dom (n.) – quality, realm, office 
kingdom, wisdom, freedom, dukedom
ee/eer – one who
employee, volunteer, auctioneer
er – more 
wiser, harder, stronger 
er/or (n.) – one who
dancer, rider, baker, teacher, doctor 
escent – becoming
adolescent, convalescent, fluorescent
est – most
wisest, hardest, strongest 
ful/full (adj.)  quantity (n.)
playful, cupful, careful 
fy (v.) – to make or cause to become
purify, magnify
hood (n.) – order, condition
manhood, womanhood, brotherhood
ic (adj.) – nature of, like
metallic, heroic, poetic, acidic
ice (n.) – act of, time of, condition, state
justice, malice, service, novice
ism – forms nouns
criticism 
ist – someone who is 
conformist, cyclist
ize – turns n. and adj. into verbs
modernize, hospitalize, dramatize
less (adj.) – without 
fearless, motherless, careless
let – little
booklet, pamphlet, bracelet
logy/ology – study of
biology, psychology, anthropology
ly (adj.) – having the quality of, like, manner of 
manly, motherly, miserly, carelessly
ment – changes verbs to nouns
entertainment, amazement
ness – state, quality
kindness, happiness, friendliness
or – one who 
donor, orator, tractor, doctor 
ory/orium (n.) – place where
observatory, planetarium, factory
ship (n.) – office, state, skill
friendship, authorship, dictatorship
some (adj.) – like, apt, tending to 
lonesome, threesome, gruesome
tude (n.) – state of, condition of 
attitude, gratitude, multitude
ward (n.) – in the direction of
eastward, forward, backward
y (adj.) – inclined to, tend to
cheery, crafty, faulty
acri/acer - sharp, bitter 
acrid, acute, acid
act - do 
action, react, enact
amicus - friend
amicable, amiable
aud - hear
audience, auditorium, audible
cred – believe
credible, credit, incredible, discredit
chron – time
chronology, synchronize, chronicle
dic – speak
predict, dictate, contradict
flu - to flow 
fluent, superfluous, affluent
fid - trust, have faith
fidelity, confidant, diffident
greg - flock, herd
congregate, segregate
luc/lumen – light
lucid, elucidate, luminous
pathos – feeling
apathy, sympathy, empathy
pug – fist
pugilist, repugnant
plac - make calm
placate, placid, complacent
spec/spic - to see, observe
conspicuous, perspective, spectacle
tract - pull, drag
tractor, distract, contract
vid – see
video, provide, evidence

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UPIC PROBLEM SOLVING METHOD
U – Understand the problem (What is the problem asking me to do?)
P – Pick a Strategy (What do I need to do in order to solve the problem?)
I - Implement the strategy (Do the work.)
C – Conclude (Answer the problem and ask yourself if your answer makes sense.)

Sample Problem
If a baseball player gets 43 hits in 126 at-bats, what is his batting average?
U – Find the players batting average
P – # of hits divided by # of at-bats = batting average
I – 43 divided by 126 = 0.341269841…
C – Batting Average = 0.341 
       (43/126 is a little over 1/3 so my answer makes sense)

MATH VOCABULARY WORDS
Numerator- number of equal parts in a whole (top number of a fraction)
Denominator- number of parts you are dealing with (bottom number of a fraction)
Equation- a math sentence that contains an equal sign
Exponent- the number that expresses how many times the base is used as a factor
Inequality- a comparison of two expressions using: <, >, ?, or ?
Mean - the average of a set of numbers
Mode- the number that occurs most often in a set of numbers
Median- the middle number in a set of numbers if the numbers are in order
Range – the highest number minus the lowest number
Variable- a letter that represents a number
Factor- a number that divides into another number without a remainder
Multiple- the product of two numbers
Sum- answer to an addition problem
Difference- answer to a subtraction problem
Product- answer to a multiplication problem
Quotient- answer to a division problem
Parallel – lines that never intersect
Perpendicular – lines that form a right angle
Prime Number – a whole number with exactly two factors, one and itself
Composite Number – a whole number that has more than two factors

CONVERTING METRIC AND STANDARD UNITS 
Distance
1 kilometer = 1,000 meters
1 kilometer = 100,000 centimeters
1 kilometer = 1,000,000 millimeters
1 meter = 100 centimeters
1 meter = 1,000 millimeters
1 centimeter = 10 millimeters
1 mile = 1,760 yards
1 mile = 5,280 feet 
1 mile = 63,360 inches
1 yard = 3 feet
1 yard = 36 inches
1 foot = 12 inches

Mass
1 kilogram = 1,000 grams
1 kilogram = 1,000,000 milligrams
1 gram = 1,000 milligrams
1 ton = 2000 pounds
1 pound = 16 ounces

Volume
1 liter = 1,000 milliliters
1 gallon = 4 quarts
1 gallon = 8 pints
1 gallon = 128 fluid ounces
1 quart = 2 pints
1 quart = 32 fluid ounces
1 pint = 16 fluid ounces 

ORDER OF OPERATIONS
Step 1 – Grouping symbols (parenthesis)
Step 2 – Powers 
Step 3 – Multiplication and Division from left to right
Step 4 – Addition and Subtraction from left to right

MATHEMATICAL FORMULAS 

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MULTIPLICATION TABLE 
x
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
3
0
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
24
27
30
33
36
4
0
4
8
12
16
20
24
28
32
34
40
44
48
5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
6
0
6
12
18
24
30
36
42
48
54
60
66
72
7
0
7
14
21
28
35
42
49
56
63
70
77
84
8
0
8
16
24
32
40
48
56
64
72
80
88
96
9
0
9
18
27
36
45
54
63
72
81
90
99
108
10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
11
0
11
22
33
44
55
66
77
88
99
110
121
132
12
0
12
24
36
48
60
72
84
96
108
120
132
144

Analytical Rating Guide Summary
Ideas & Content
Organization
Voice
Word Choice
Sentence Fluency
Conventions
5
5
5
5
5
5
• Clear, focused and interesting
• Insightful
• Relevant details
• Balance: main ideas stand out
• Writer in control
• Writer shapes ideas and makes connections
• Compelling
• Moves the reader through the text
• Lead and conclusions are strong
• Pacing well-controlled
• Transitions smooth
• Reader hardly has to think about the organization
• Sequencing logical and effective
• Writer speaks directly to the reader
• Expressive, engaging
• Honest; written from the heart
• Can sense the person behind the words
• Language is natural
• Tone/voice seem appropriate
• Interesting, precise, and natural
• /Words are specific, accurate; just right
• Imagery is strong 
• Powerful verbs
• Language is natural
• Expression is fresh/appealing
• Easy flow and rhythm when read aloud
• Sentences well built
• Strong and varied structure
• Fragments used for effect; dialogue sounds natural
• Sentences display and effective combination of power and grace
• Fragments and dialogue work well
• Good grasp of standard conventions
• Paragraphing is sound
• Punctuation is smooth
• Spelling generally correct (difficult words)
• Requires only light editing to polish for publication
• Writer may manipulate for effect
3
3
3
3
3
3
• Clear and focused
• Development limited
• Some trouble moving from general observations to specifics
• More information is needed to “fill in the blanks”
• Main points lack originality
• The order or structure moves the reader without undue confusion
• Lead not strong; conclusion not satisfying
• Connections are fuzzy
• Sequencing is logical
• Pacing is fairly well controlled
• Organization does not seriously get in the way
• Writer not genuinely engaged or involved
• Moments of amusement, surprise, etc.
• Writing hides as much of the writer as it reveals 
• Writer weighs words for distance or to avoid risk
• Language is functional
• Lacks punch; does get the message across
• Words are correct and adequate, but not precise
• Writer avoids experimentation
• Writer uses redundancy or cliché, but does not rely on them
• Lacks rhythm and grace
• More businesslike or mechanical
• Not literary
• Good control over simple sentence structure
• Favors a particular sentence patter
• Reader has to hunt for clues to link sentences
• Reasonable control over limited conventions
• Spelling usually correct (easy words)
• Terminal punctuation almost always correct
• Paragraphing attempted
• Errors somewhat distracting
1
1
1
1
1
1
• No clear sense of purpose or central theme
• Information is very limited or unclear
• Text is repetitious; reads like a collection of random thoughts
• Writer has yet to define the topic or sense of direction to guide development
• Lacks clear sense of direction
• No identifiable sense of structure
• Sequencing, if it exists, needs work
• No real lead or conclusion
• Transitions not clearly defined
• Hard to understand main point
• Writer seems indifferent, distant
• Monotone
• Writing is flat, lifeless or mechanical
• Functional; no attempt to move or involve the reader
• Writer does not connect with audience
• Limited vocabulary
• Language vague/abstract
• Persistent redundancy
• Uses clichés as crutch
• Words used incorrectly in more than one or two cases
• Writer does not select words to help reader
• Difficult to follow or read aloud
• Choppy, incomplete, rambling, awkward
• Sentences do not sound natural
• Sentence structure obscures meaning 
• Little or no real variety in sentence length or structure
• Errors in spelling, punctuation, usage and grammar repeatedly distract the reader
• Requires extensive editing to polish for publication
• Paragraphing is missing or incorrect
• Reader must first decode, then reads for meaning

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