8th Grade Third Trimester Community Service Project
All 8th grade students will be required to complete a minimum of two (2) community service hours during the third trimester. Hours must be completed by May 6, 2013, and reflection essays must be turned in by May 10.
Students may choose a project through a service organization, e.g. Save the Bay, Knights of Columbus, Alameda County Food Pantry, etc. and hours must be verified with a letter or other documentation from the organization.
After the service is complete, students are asked to write a reflection (personal narrative) about their service, the organization they supported, and how their service supported the mission of the organization. Essays should be 1-2 pages in length and should follow the MLA guidelines for personal narratives. All essays must be typed.
Mrs. Gonsalves will post service opportunities on this page; be sure to check it frequently for ideas!
Students may choose a project through a service organization, e.g. Save the Bay, Knights of Columbus, Alameda County Food Pantry, etc. and hours must be verified with a letter or other documentation from the organization.
After the service is complete, students are asked to write a reflection (personal narrative) about their service, the organization they supported, and how their service supported the mission of the organization. Essays should be 1-2 pages in length and should follow the MLA guidelines for personal narratives. All essays must be typed.
Mrs. Gonsalves will post service opportunities on this page; be sure to check it frequently for ideas!
Knights of Columbus St. Patrick's Dinner Dance
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The Knights of Columbus at St. John the Baptist in San Lorenzo is looking for volunteers to help serve at their annual St. Patrick's Day Dinner Dance on Saturday, March 16, 2013. Students will receive 2 service hours for this activity.
Students should arrive at 4:30 p.m. for instructions and refreshments; pizza and drinks will be provided courtesy of the Knights of Columbus. Please come dressed in dark pants (dark jeans are okay, clean and no holes), and a solid white shirt or blouse. Have fun!
Students should arrive at 4:30 p.m. for instructions and refreshments; pizza and drinks will be provided courtesy of the Knights of Columbus. Please come dressed in dark pants (dark jeans are okay, clean and no holes), and a solid white shirt or blouse. Have fun!
How To Sound Smarter
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In this world of OMG and autocorrect, does grammar stand a chance? Below, our guide to the most confounding rules will restore your love of language.
ROOT RIVALRY
You never mean: preventative You always mean: preventive Why: Grammar sovereign H. W. Fowler banned the long form almost a hundred years ago. So someone who is health conscious might seek preventive care; responsible homeowners might take preventive measures to keep their roof from leaking.
You almost never mean: infamous You almost always mean: famous Why: The rich and famous are widely known (and wealthy). But the rich and infamous have a reputation of the worst kind (… and money, which doubtless has dubious origins). Another way to look at it: Unless Aunt Donna’s chocolate chip cookies are notoriously evil and disgraceful, they are famous, not infamous.
You might say: evoke You might mean: invoke Why: A photograph evokes emotion; a joke evokes laughter--evoke means “to elicit or call forth.” Save invoke for when you mean “to call on a higher power, petition for support, or implement” (for example, “Allison invoked Robert Frost for her first assignment” or “The principal invoked the aid of the teachers”).
You might say: denounce You might mean: renounce Why: The two may sound similar, but their meanings are distinct: Denounce is “to condemn publicly or accuse formally” (“The judge denounced the CEO for insider trading”), while renounce means “to give up or refuse to follow” (“The CEO renounced his not-guilty plea”).
You might say: uninterested You might mean: disinterested Why: Careful speakers who wish to convey a lack of bias want to use disinterested. Speakers who don’t care about such grammatical subtleties are uninterested.
© 2012 The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.
ROOT RIVALRY
You never mean: preventative You always mean: preventive Why: Grammar sovereign H. W. Fowler banned the long form almost a hundred years ago. So someone who is health conscious might seek preventive care; responsible homeowners might take preventive measures to keep their roof from leaking.
You almost never mean: infamous You almost always mean: famous Why: The rich and famous are widely known (and wealthy). But the rich and infamous have a reputation of the worst kind (… and money, which doubtless has dubious origins). Another way to look at it: Unless Aunt Donna’s chocolate chip cookies are notoriously evil and disgraceful, they are famous, not infamous.
You might say: evoke You might mean: invoke Why: A photograph evokes emotion; a joke evokes laughter--evoke means “to elicit or call forth.” Save invoke for when you mean “to call on a higher power, petition for support, or implement” (for example, “Allison invoked Robert Frost for her first assignment” or “The principal invoked the aid of the teachers”).
You might say: denounce You might mean: renounce Why: The two may sound similar, but their meanings are distinct: Denounce is “to condemn publicly or accuse formally” (“The judge denounced the CEO for insider trading”), while renounce means “to give up or refuse to follow” (“The CEO renounced his not-guilty plea”).
You might say: uninterested You might mean: disinterested Why: Careful speakers who wish to convey a lack of bias want to use disinterested. Speakers who don’t care about such grammatical subtleties are uninterested.
© 2012 The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.