The

Report Card

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Copyright: Cathy Hutchinson / Once Upon A Creative Classroom

The

Report Card by

Andrew Clements

CHAPTER 1

Bad Grades Why did Stephen not want to admit that he was

Nora’s best friend?

What does Stephen discover when he finally

looks at Nora’s report card?

“Stephen was persistent.” What does persistent mean?

What reasons can you think of that might explain why Nora purposefully

tried to get D’s?

CHAPTER 2

The Facts of Me Why does Nora love facts?

When did Nora first start to

realize she was different?

Why did Nora not want anyone

to know she could read as a

toddler?

Predict how Nora’s parents will

react to her report card.

Write some of the facts

of Nora below.

Nora Character MapNora Character Map

Fill in each square with a characteristic of Nora.

CHAPTER 3

School and Stephen Describe Nora’s first two weeks of Kindergarten.

What was Nora trying to hide in Kindergarten?

Imagine how difficult it must have been for Nora to play “copycat” in

Kindergarten. How do you think she felt? Explain.

Why did Nora feel that Stephen would make a perfect best friend?

What school do Nora and Stephen attend? ______________________

Why was Fourth Grade a miserable year for Stephen?

CHAPTER 4

The Reading of the Grades Describe The Reading of the Grades ritual in Nora’s house.

Why do you think Nora refused to read her report card?

What do you think Nora’s plan is meant to

accomplish?

Describe Ann. Describe Todd.

CHAPTER 5

Solitary Confinement What was Nora’s punishment?

Have you ever come home with a poor report card? What happened? If

not, imagine what might happen.

What are Nora’s parents planning on doing Monday morning?

Nora’s parents visiting school regarding her report card was part of

Nora’s plan. Why do you think this is needed in her plan?

CHAPTER 6

Stakeout What happened when Nora was in the media center?

Whose problem is it if a kid gets a bad grade?

Who attended the meeting in Mrs. Hackney’s office?

What important fact did Nora learn in Mrs. Hackney’s office?

How would you have felt if you were Nora in that office? Describe your

thoughts, feelings, fears, etc.

CHAPTER 7

The Element of Surprise She said it gave the school “cohesiveness”. What does cohesiveness

mean?

Why were Nora’s parents not warned ahead of time about her falling

grades?

What does Dr. Trindler suggest the issue with Nora’s grades might be a

result of?

What is Nora’s response when asked about her grades? Why do you

think she responded this way?

What 5 things did Nora come up with after she analyzed the day?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

CHAPTER 8

Roadkill

What did Nora’s note from the

office say? Write your answer

on the paper to the left.

Why was Nora not pleased to

know that she had to visit Dr.

Trindler’s?

How were the rumors going around school about Nora and her grades and

the big meeting inaccurate?

Who offers to help Nora? Why?

CHAPTER 9

Cornered What does Mrs. Byrne present to Nora?

Fill in the computer screen with some of the things Nora has been

researching and doing on the computer. Then color.

CHAPTER 10

For Now Why does Nora feel like Mrs. Byrne is one of the best people in the

whole world?

How does Nora feel about grades? Do you agree with her? Why or why

not?

How does Mrs. Byrne feel about testing and grades? Why?

What does Nora mean when she says she has immunity?

CHAPTER 11

Mounted Under Glass What were Dr. Trindler’s two jobs?

What does IQ stand for?

Why was Nora worried while taking the IQ test?

Why was Nora angry when learning she couldn’t see her score? Do you

think she had a right to be angry? Why or why not?

“I didn’t let myself by cynical.” What

does cynical mean?

Why does Nora love soccer?

Create a colorful pattern

on this soccer ball.

CHAPTER 12

Intelligence Why do you think it felt good to Nora to have someone else know the

real her?

What does Mrs. Byrne share with Nora about her IQ test?

Mrs. Byrne tells Nora she

thinks she is brave. Do you

think Nora is brave? Why or

why not?

Create three questions for

an IQ test of your own. See

if a friend can get your

answers correct.

CHAPTER 13

An Observation What does Nora overhear while eavesdropping in the cafeteria?

Why doesn’t Nora like Merton Lake?

What does Nora do to Merton to “put him in his place”? Do you think

this was an appropriate course of action? Why or why not?

Predict what Dr. Trindler will do now that he has heard Nora give a very

intelligent speech on the sun.

CHAPTER 14

Changes Why did Nora finally tell Dr. Trindler the truth?

What change had occurred in Nora?

Write an Acrostic poem about Nora below. An acrostic poem is a poem in

which each line begins with a letter from the subject of the poem.

CHAPTER 15

Partnership How did each member of Nora’s family react to the news that Nora was a

genius?

After Nora tells Stephen the whole story, he thinks she is a spy. Do you

think she was a spy all these years? Why or why not?

How do Stephen and Nora work together to form a partnership?

Predict how Stephen and Nora’s friendship will be different from now on.

CHAPTER 16

Phase One What happened at Oak Elementary in 1964?

What happens during a predicting lesson with Mrs. Noyes?

How does Nora continue to be obnoxious throughout the day?

We now know the first phase of Stephen and Nora’s plan. What do you

think they are trying to accomplish?

CHAPTER 17

Hard Test What was Nora’s hardest test?

Why did Nora choose to get zeros on all her tests?

Nora thinks Mrs. Hackney likes the idea of her skipping a grade because

then she would move to the middle school and not be her problem

anymore. Do you think this is true? Why or why not?

What do you think Nora is thinking when she remembers, “A gift like

mine comes with responsibilities”?

CHAPTER 18

Logic What is Nora worried about now? If Stephen and Nora implement this

next step of the plan, what do you think the teachers will do?

Nora agrees that all things happen for a reason. Do you believe this?

Explain your answer.

What question is Nora having trouble answering?

“Of all the possible things we can do at any moment, one is usually better

than the rest.” Give an example of this.

CHAPTER 19

Too Much What does Nora think has been one of her best decisions of her entire

life?

Why does Nora feel bad for Ann?

Think about a plan of yours

that has seemed to go

terribly wrong. Tell about

it.

Draw a picture of a scene

from this chapter.

CHAPTER 20

A Short Vacation “That’s why I had been forced to turn to my big brother, Todd, to learn

the fine art of malingering. What does malingering mean?

What had Stephen obviously been doing during the weekend?

Do you think getting zeros on a test was a good

idea for all the students who chose to

participate? Why or why not?

Predict what will happen to Nora and the rest of the students who got

zeros.

CHAPTER 21

Rebellion Who attended the meeting in the principal’s office?

How does Mrs. Tersom compare the test scores with vandalism? How

does Mrs. Byrne say that the test scores and the vandalism are very

different? Who do you agree with? Why?

What was Mrs. Tersom’s dilemma in deciding what to do next?

Mrs. Byrne called both Stephen and Nora brave for what they did. Do

you think they were brave? Why or why not?

CHAPTER 22

The Next Good Thing Do you believe that grades and test scores can make students feel like

winners or losers? Do you think this is good or bad? Why?

Why was the three minutes Stephen and Nora spent walking home so

significant for Nora?

Do you think Nora should have gone into the gifted program? Why or

why not?

If Nora could go back in time, do you think she would do this all over

again? Why or why not?

Review Test Pick the best answer!

1. What subject does Nora get a “C” in?

a) Social Studies

b) Spelling

c) Literature

d) P.E.

2. What teacher does Nora confide in?

a) Mrs. Byrne

b) Mrs. Zhang

c) Mrs. Noyes

d) Mrs. Card

3. Who is often mean to Stephen?

a) Nora

b) Charlotte

c) Merton

d) Mike

4. What does Stephen say that makes Nora

angry?

a) “Let’s skip school.”

b) “Everyone get zeroes on your next test.”

c) “I am dumb.”

d) “Let’s take a vacation.”

5. Who gives Nora her IQ test?

a) Mrs. Byrne

b) Dr. Trindler

c) Mrs. Hackney

d) Mrs. Tersom

6. Which teacher knows Nora is up to

something before anyone else?

a) Mrs. Byrne

b) Dr. Trindler

c) Mrs. Zhang

d) Mrs. Card

7. Who is a little jealous of Nora’s new genius

status?

a) Charlotte

b) Ann

c) Stephen

d) Todd

8. What grade is Nora and Stephen in?

a) 4th Grade

b) 5th Grade

c) 6th Grade

d) 7th Grade

9. What does Nora love and live by?

a) lies

b) theories

c) questions

d) facts

10. Who is the superintendent?

a) Mrs. Hackney

b) Mrs. Curtis

c) Mrs. Lake

d) Mrs. Tersom

Review Test Pick the best answer!

Answer Key

1. What subject does Nora get a “C” in?

a) Social Studies

b) Spelling

c) Literature

d) P.E.

2. What teacher does Nora confide in?

a) Mrs. Byrne

b) Mrs. Zhang

c) Mrs. Noyes

d) Mrs. Card

3. Who is often mean to Stephen?

a) Nora

b) Charlotte

c) Merton

d) Mike

4. What does Stephen say that makes Nora

angry?

a) “Let’s skip school.”

b) “Everyone get zeroes on your next test.”

c) “I am dumb.”

d) “Let’s take a vacation.”

5. Who gives Nora her IQ test?

a) Mrs. Byrne

b) Dr. Trindler

c) Mrs. Hackney

d) Mrs. Tersom

6. Which teacher knows Nora is up to

something before anyone else?

a) Mrs. Byrne

b) Dr. Trindler

c) Mrs. Zhang

d) Mrs. Card

7. Who is a little jealous of Nora’s new genius

status?

a) Charlotte

b) Ann

c) Stephen

d) Todd

8. What grade is Nora and Stephen in?

a) 4th Grade

b) 5th Grade

c) 6th Grade

d) 7th Grade

9. What does Nora love and live by?

a) lies

b) theories

c) questions

d) facts

10. Who is the superintendent?

a) Mrs. Hackney

b) Mrs. Curtis

c) Mrs. Lake

d) Mrs. Tersom

The Report Card Collage Create a collage that shows main events in the order that they occurred

in The Report Card. Use magazines, objects or your own artistic skills

to create the collage. Here is a sample outline.

Setting Event 1 Event 2 Event 3 Conclusion

0 – 5 6 – 10 11 - 15 16 - 20 TOTAL

POINTS

COMMENTS

Completed

Project

Project not

complete or

turned in late.

Project turned

in several days

late.

Project turned

in a day late.

Complete

Project turned

in on time.

Neatness Project not

neat.

Project

showed little

neatness.

Project

showed some

neatness.

Project

showed much

neatness.

Pictures Pictures or

objects do not

relate to

the book.

Pictures or

objects

slightly

relate to

the book.

Pictures or

objects

relate

somewhat to

the book.

Pictures or

objects

relate to

the book.

Grammar

and

Spelling

More than 10

errors

6-10 errors 1-5 errors No errors

Effort No effort was

put into this

project

(Project was

sloppy)

Little effort

was put into

this project

(It was not

neatly done)

Much effort

was put into

this project.

(Project was

neat)

All the

student’s

effort was put

into this

project (Very

neat)

Final Grade:

The Philbrook Herald

Pretend the story of Nora and her report card and grades experiment appears in

The Philbrook Herald, making public Nora’s idea. Create your own Philbrook

Herald including two articles that might appear reporting important events in Nora’s

story. Create some new articles that might appear in this newspaper. You should

also includes ads, a table of contents, pictures, classifieds, and anything else you

might find in this newspaper. Make sure to edit your work and check for grammar

and spelling errors. Share your newspaper with your class.

0 – 5 6 – 10 11 - 15 16 - 20 TOTAL

POINTS

COMMENTS

Detailed

Written

Parts

Written Parts

were not

detailed at all

There was

some detail,

but very little

There was a

lot of detail in

the written

parts

Written Parts

were very

detailed

Spelling 16 or more

spelling

errors

Less than 15

spelling

errors

Less than 10

spelling

errors

Less than 5

spelling

errors

Grammar 16 or more

errors in

grammar

Less than 15

errors in

grammar

Less than 10

errors in

grammar

Less than 5

errors in

grammar

Colorful,

Detailed

Pictures

Pictures were

not colored

Pictures were

colored, but

not detailed.

Pictures were

colored and

showed some

detail

Pictures were

neatly

colored and

very detailed

Effort No effort was

put into this

project

(Project was

sloppy)

Little effort

was put into

this project

(It was not

neatly done)

Much effort

was put into

this project.

(Project was

neat)

All the

student’s

effort was

put into this

project (Very

neat)

Final Grade

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