Last Day of STAR testing

"It is our choices...that show what we
truly are, far more than our abilities"
- J. K. Rowling

Sneak Preview of our NEW WEIGHT ROOM !!!

Wellness Fair

Yoga refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India.The word is associated with meditative practices in both Buddhism and Hinduism.In Hinduism, it also refers to one of the six orthodox (āstika) schools of Hindu philosophy, and to the goal toward which that school directs its practices.

Major branches of yoga include Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Hatha Yoga.Raja Yoga, compiled in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and known simply as yoga in the context of Hindu philosophy, is part of the Samkhya tradition. Many other Hindu texts discuss aspects of yoga, including Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Shiva Samhita and various Tantras.

The Sanskrit word yoga has many meanings,and is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning "to control", "to yoke" or "to unite". Translations include "joining", "uniting", "union", "conjunction", and "means".Outside India, the term yoga is typically associated with Hatha Yoga and its asanas (postures) or as a form of exercise. Someone who practices yoga or follows the yoga philosophy is called a Yogi.

Good Luck with CST

For many of us, the real stress begins when a test actually starts. Here are ten important ways to manage that stress and do your best on an exam:

1. Show up on time. Get the test off to the best possible start by getting there on time. Arriving late might make you feel rushed and nervous, and arriving too early could give you time to sit there and worry about things.

2. Stay focused and relaxed. Focused AND relaxed? Doesn’t that sound impossible? Well, what we mean is this: keep your mind on the test, but don’t tighten up. Try to stay loose and cool so you can move through the questions one by one. If you feel yourself clenching, or you feel so amped-up that you’re afraid you might actually snap your pencil in your hand, try that deep-breathing thing for a moment. Then get right back to the test questions.

3. Sit comfortably. Don’t hunch over the test or stiffen up. Sit in a relaxed way and keep your posture loose so you don’t add aches and pains to your list of possible worries.

4. Expect and accept a little bit of stress. Don’t worry if you still have some stress while you begin the test. Almost everyone feels this…it’s there because you want to do your best and get a good grade. The key is to accept it and not let worrying about the stress make you even more stressed. Tell yourself, “I’m a little worried, but that’s okay. I’m going to do well on this test because I’m prepared.”

5. Read the directions. Take a minute to read the test instructions, if there are any, before you get started. This will keep you from making simple mistakes and guarantee that you won’t have to waste time going back and redoing any work because you didn’t understand the directions.

6. Pace yourself. Your test will probably be timed. Know ahead of time how many questions there are and how quickly you will have to move through each one. Don’t focus on the clock as time ticks away, but glance up every once in awhile to make sure you’re not falling behind pace.

7. Don’t rush. Try to keep a good pace…but never rush through a question. Make sure you understand what is being asked, then make sure you think clearly about your answer. If the question is multiple-choice, read every single possible answer before you decide which one is the best. Choice A might seem good at first glance, but sometimes the best answer is another one. You can only know which choice is best if you read them all before you answer.

8. Don’t get distracted. Keep your eyes on your paper, unless it’s to occasionally glance at the clock. Don’t look at the students around you. Because if they’re nervous, it could make you nervous, and if they’re confident-looking, it could make you wonder why it’s so easy for them (like, what do they know that you don’t?). And if the kid sitting next to you is picking his nose or doing something else that’s funny, it could take your mind off the test. Another good reason to stay focused on your own test is that if you start looking around the room, a teacher might think you’re trying to cheat.

9. Focus on the stuff you know. What happens if you come across a question that absolutely stumps you or seems impossible to answer? Well, since most tests are timed, you should probably skip a question like this and move on to the next one. After all, you don’t want to spend ten minutes on a super-hard question, only to have time run out so you have to leave easier questions blank. In other words: if you get stuck, don’t stay stuck. Pass on the questions and come back if you have time. You might come up with the answer to the hard question while you’re answering an easier one!

10. Use all your time. If you happen to finish the test before time is up, don’t sit there staring into space. Go back over the questions, especially the ones that seemed hard, and check your work. Fixing obvious mistakes can help boost your grade, and is way better than just waiting for the clock to run out.

And finally…one more important thing. Once the test is over, try not to think about it for a while. Instead of worrying and fretting about what grade you might get, reward yourself for making it through the test. Go hang with your friends, or spend an afternoon doing something that makes you happy. You can’t do anything to change your grade now, and more tests will come along soon…so just enjoy the fact that you’re finished with one!

Celebrate Earth Day 2009

http://www.earthday.net/

Hydrate Yourself !!!

Make sure to drink lots of water this week. If you get thirsty in class bring a bottle of water.

New Units

"You have to believe in yourself
when no one else does.
That's what makes you a winner."
- Venus Williams
9th grade Tennis unit

Speedminton

10th grade ultimate frisbee

How are you going to finish ?

Its been about 4 weeks since we created our goals. How are they coming along ? Did you achieve them? lose focus? forgot about them? Whatever the case maybe, watch this video for some inspiration. How will you finish ? Hopefully strong !!!!

Have a great weekend !!!

"Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you
run into a wall, don't turn around and
give up. Figure out how to climb it,
go through it, or work around it."
- Michael Jordan

How are your goals coming along ?

Consider the following picture:



It shows a man who is on the way to achieving his goal. But the journey is taking longer than he expected. He is impatient and is now faced with an important decision. He can:

1. Give up and stay where he is
2. Change directions and take a new road
3. Just keep walking

As you can see, only one of these options will lead him to his goal.

When you become impatient, take a moment to refocus on your goal and remind yourself how far you have already come. Check that you are still facing in the right direction and keep moving forward.

Just as a building is constructed one brick at a time, you will reach your goal one step at a time as long as you don't stop moving forward or change directions.

Don't let impatience rob you of your ultimate victory.

Sports Drinks May Damage Your Teeth

Researchers Say the Drinks Cause Tooth Erosion; Beverage Industry Calls Study Methods Unrealistic
By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

April 3, 2009 -- Sports drinks may boost your energy, but they can also weaken your teeth, a new study shows.

The popular energy drinks sipped by many athletes to increase stamina contain levels of acid that can cause tooth erosion, hypersensitivity, and staining, according to the findings of New York University dental researchers.

The beverages also can cause excessive tooth wear and may damage underlying bone-like material, causing teeth to soften and weaken, the researchers say. The drinks may also possibly trigger conditions leading to severe tooth damage and loss.

The findings are being presented at the International Association for Dental Research in Miami.

"This is the first time that the citric acid in sports drinks has been linked to erosive tooth wear," says Mark Wolff, DDS, professor and chairman of the department of cardiology and comprehensive care at New York University College of Dentistry.

He says people who use sports energy drinks for energy should not brush their teeth immediately after drinking the beverages. Softened enamel, he says, is highly susceptible to the abrasive properties of toothpaste.

"To prevent tooth erosion, consume sports drinks in moderation, and wait at least 30 minutes before brushing your teeth to allow softened enamel to reharden," Wolff says. "If you frequently consume sports drinks, ask your dentist if you should use an acid-neutralizing remineralizing toothpaste to help reharden soft enamel."

In the study, cows’ teeth were cut in half. Half of the specimens were immersed in a sports drink, the other half in water, and then the halves were compared. The five sports drinks tested were Vitamin Water, Life Water, Gatorade, Powerade, and Propel Fit Water.

All five caused softening, but Gatorade and Powerade also caused "significant" staining, according to an abstract of the study.

Cows’ teeth were used because of their close resemblance to human teeth, according to a news release.

Craig Stevens, spokesman for the American Beverage Association, says such studies are unfair and do not present "an accurate or actual picture of the way sports drinks are consumed."

"The testing procedures they used are outside the realm of what happens in real life," he says. "Beverages pass right through the mouth, and these beverages have a purpose, and are proven to enhance physical performance. To use them like this is simply providing unhelpful information to consumers."

He adds: "To suggest that sports drinks are a unique cause of dental caries or tooth erosion is overly simplistic. Oral health is determined by a variety of factors, including types of food consumed and the length of time foods are kept in the mouth."

CDC (Centers for Disease and Prevention) Supports PE

"The majority of states allow students to replace physical education courses with other experiences, including varsity athletics, ROTC, and marching band; this deprives students of the important learning experiences they can have in quality physical education. As one educator has written, exempting students from physical education because of their extracurricular activities is like exempting students from language arts requirements because they’re on the debate team or from science requirements because they’re in the astronomy club.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/physicalactivity/promoting_health/strategies/school.htm