Punctuation

http://www.englishgrammar101.com/capitalization-and-punctuation

Finish Lessons 11 through 21.  Most students have already finished lessons 1-10.

Send me screenshots of every activity!

Check with me on how many of these activities you have already completed.

THE COMMA

http://englishgrammar101.com/module-11/punctuation/lesson-4/comma-noun-of-address

TODAY WE'LL BE STUDYING HOW TO USE A COMMA!

So many writers have trouble with this!  Let's make ourselves experts on it.

On EnglishGrammar101.com, module 11 focuses on punctuation.  Please complete lessons 4 through 10 by next class (December 15).

Take screenshots and them it to me:

mmorrissey@stategroup.us

Vocabulary Today: Level D

Today let's work on vocabulary.

Learn these as you go, by quizzing yourself.  Send me a screen shot of each one.  See if you can get through 3 lists:

https://www.vocabtest.com/vocabulary_word_test.php?book=vocabulary_workshop_level_d&unit=1,2,3

My email is mmorrissey@stategroup.us

Opportunity...

According to the organization of economic cooperation and development (OECD), the US gap between the rich and the poor keeps widening. The top 10% got richer, while 90% got poorer or did not change since the recent recession. At the same time our students' overall academic performance has gotten worst and more so in math. Even more striking is the achievement gap among White, Black and Hispanic students that has also widened significantly.

All of these data is good and clearly they show that we have lots of work ahead of us. However, it is important to notice that students have often failed to achieve their career goals simply because they have not taken on opportunities that were presented to them. In fact, this is true for all races. Life is like a sail boat, unless you catch the wind you will get nowhere. But to "catch the wind" you need to change your position by steering properly...

Last week we scheduled a visit at two of the research laboratories (engineering and health) at Columbia University, just a few blocks from our facility. This was a pure academic visit to drive curiosity and interests in the particular fields of study. It was also designed to enable our students to develop a relationship with college students and professors at one of the top schools in the country and a member of the "Ivy League Schools". 10% of our students took advantage of this visit. Why? because they saw the OPPORTUNITY. These students can now claim that they have engaged with Columbia students and they can write about their experience in those labs and they can seek out to join the school so that they can be part of that experience. Wayne Gretzky, famous Canadian ice hokey player, once said "I skate to where the pack is going to be, not where it has been."

The 10% of our students that came to our visit showed that they have the wisdom and the determination to sail to greater places. The future is not a place that you get to go but the place you get to create.

Congratulations to the 10% of ACP!

Upcoming Schedule

Classes are cancelled on November 10 and November 12, 2015.

We have a field trip to Columbia on Nov 12, 2015.

Email us with any questions.

Albert Einstein once told his son about his fame, "When a blind beetle crawls over the surface of a curved branch, it doesn't notice that the track it has covered is indeed curved. I was lucky enough to notice what the beetle didn't notice."

Khan Academy Grammar

Please send me an email with two things:

1. The number of grammar activities you have at Level 2.
2. The number of grammar activities you have at Level 3.

Send me an update with how you're doing on this!

email: mmorrissey@stategroup.us

Congratulations to our ACP juniors and seniors who successfully completed the full SAT practice test yesterday. Accountability, commitment and perseverance will pay off!

"Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have." ~ Margaret Mead

We often talked about the importance of addressing the quality of our educational system and how it is the sure way to address increasing poverty in our country. Thanks to the generosity of the Armory Foundation and many other foundations and corporations, ACP is a highly sought after-school program designed to help NY middle school and high school students to realize their potential. Read more on the role of business in collective social impact. This could be a great SAT prompt!

"It always seems impossible until it's done." - Nelson Mandela

Lesson: Nothing is ever impossible, even if it often feels that way. If you give up too soon, you will never know if you could have actually achieved your dream.

Quote of the Day

"I am stronger because of the hard times, wiser because of my mistakes, and happier because I have known sadness." ~ Alisson Vogel

Help with Grammar of Khan Academy!

 Khan Academy has updated their Grammar section.  I've made a list of their grammar sections with links to EnglishGrammar101.com sections that will help you study for them.  Take a look:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tB7VWpMhIGP4_TQ6JxoN9kPcScIH7TN5nMTpO_pH3pA/edit?usp=sharing

Overstatements

Listen to these sentences:

"The Romans always loved their state."

"Everyone loves mint ice cream."

"All Greeks hated outsiders."

"In teaching his philosophy to others, Socrates never gave answers but only questioned people."

"No one likes getting muddy."

These sentences include overstatement.

"Do not overstate. When you overstate, readers will be instantly on guard, and everything that has preceded your overstatement as well as everything that follows it will be suspect in their minds because they have lost confidence in your judgment or your poise. Overstatement is one of the common faults. A single overstatement, wherever or however it occurs, diminishes the whole, and a single carefree superlative has the power to destroy, for readers, the object of your enthusiasm."

— William Strunk Jr. & E.B. White, The Elements of Style, 1979

In other words:
When you overstate, you accidentally exaggerate what you are trying to say.  Your message can get lost.  Readers will lose their faith in your message.  Even one little overstatement can ruin your piece of writing.

Listen to these sentences:

"The Romans always loved their state." is better as "Many Romans loved their state."

"Everyone loves mint ice cream." is better as "Lots of people love mint ice cream."

"All Greeks hated outsiders." is better as "Many Greeks hated outsiders."

"In teaching his philosophy to others, Socrates never gave answers but only questioned people." is better as "In teaching his philosophy to others, Socrates frequently questioned people. He often avoided giving clear answers."

"No one likes getting muddy." is better as "Most people don't like getting muddy."

Sources:
http://www.usu.edu/markdamen/WritingGuide/03overst.htm

HAPPINESS

Happiness is rarely simple, but it's easier when you stay grateful.