Today we received a progress report with all of our graded work returned.  We have two more weeks left in this grading period and it is time to get serious about any points we need to make up.

To help us get all of the points we can, Mrs. Scales did a power point presentation that started out by showing us how to use the clues at the top of each homework sentence.

Look under the title “Animal Oddities” on your Monday 10/3 HW.

The first set of clues in bold type reads, “Comma (Series), Comma Splice, Plurals”

That tells us that there are at least three corrections needed in the first sentence; one error involving the proper use of a comma in a series, one error dealing with a comma splice, and an error concerning plurals.

She suggested we mark off each clue as we find and correct that error.  That way we will know what we are still looking for in the sentence.  Then the power point continued to illustrate problems causing run-on sentences and that thing called Comma Splices that seems to give so many of us trouble.

Some students think they can study for an important exam by “cramming” all night, they are probably wrong.

This is an example of the dreaded COMMA SPLICE!

A comma splice connects two independent clauses with only a comma.

1. We can insert a period and start a new sentence.

Some students think they can study for an important exam by “cramming” all night. They are probably wrong.

2. We can insert a comma plus a coordinating conjunction.

Some students think they can study for an important exam by “cramming” all night, but they are probably wrong.

3. We can use a semicolon.

Some students think they can study for an important exam by “cramming” all night; they are probably wrong.

After all of that we played root word Jeopardy for extra credit points.  We have a big root word test on Wednesday.  It covers all of the root words we have had this grading period.

Acu – sharp

Anni, annu, enni – year

Arch – ruler, principle, or first
Bio – life

Cent, centi –100 or hundredth
Crat, cracy – rule or government
Geo – earth
Graph, gram – to write, or something written
Log, logo, ology – word, thought, speech, or study of

Mega – extreme or a measure of a million

Mania– obsessive, excessive or madness
Meter, metry – measure
Micro – small or tiny
Mono – one or single

Onym– name or word
Phono, phon – sound or voice
Peri – around, near, or about

Ped, pod– foot
Scope – watch, view, or examine
Tele – far away
The, theo – God or a god
Therm – heat