Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Organize a student energy patrol. Post signs about conserving energy. Set up a recycling station at your school. Approach your school’s administration about making big changes.

Answer: If you work with a group, you can brainstorm together to come up with energy-saving ideas. Plus, the more voices you have supporting you, the more likely you are to be heard by the people in charge of making energy-saving decisions at your school. Try organizing a group that is open to all students who want to work together to help the school save energy.   If you are a student, walk or ride your bicycle to school whenever possible.  You could then go a step further by inviting other students to join a group in school. You could also ask your teacher if they would spread the word and maybe even let you use the classroom for meetings. If you are a teacher, you could recruit students and help them by giving them ideas for how to save energy at school. One other great way to get students organized is to start an official school club. Check the student handbook or talk to an administrator at the school about how to get started. Either as an individual or as a team, create and post signs around your school. Try posting signs that remind people of specific things they can do to save energy and also some signs that raise awareness about saving energy in a more general way.   If you are a student, you could create some signs on your own or with a few friends who are also interested in helping your school save energy. Make sure to get permission to hang the signs first. If you are a teacher, you could have your students create signs for a class project or homework assignment, and then go around posting the signs together. For example, you might hang up signs next to light switches around the school with reminders, like “Remember to turn off the lights when you leave!” Recycling is a great way to save energy because it reduces the need to produce new materials. If your school does not already have a recycling station, then ask your school principal if you can set one up. Your school’s garbage company may offer recycling services. Check with them first to see if they can provide receptacles, and then ask them to place these in designated areas throughout the school. There’s only so much you can do as an individual student or teacher, or even as an organized group. If you want your school to make major changes, such as purchasing energy-saving appliances for the classrooms, waterless urinals for the boys' bathrooms, and dual-flush toilets inside all student bathroom stalls; you’ll need to get the administration involved.  If you’re a student, circulate a petition among your fellow students or organize a meeting between the administrators and your student energy-saving club. It can also help to get teachers involved. Support your case by doing some research and writing up a formal report. Include statistics to demonstrate how much money and energy the school would save by making the changes you’re suggesting.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Get a good night’s sleep. Eat breakfast the day of the exam. Use a relaxation technique to calm down. Visualize yourself passing the test. Avoid cramming for the test.

Answer: Being well-rested will improve your chances of performing well on an exam, even if you have not studied for it! You will think more clearly and be less likely to make simple mistakes due to being tired. Got to bed on time the night before you have to take an exam. For example, if you normally go to bed at 10:00 pm, make sure you are in bed at 10:00 pm. Taking an exam on an empty stomach is a bad idea because you will likely have more difficulty concentrating if your stomach is growling. Eat a good breakfast the morning of the exam to help fuel your brain and keep you focused. Some good breakfast options include:  A bowl of oatmeal with fresh berries, walnuts, and brown sugar A hard-boiled egg, 2 slices of buttered whole wheat toast, and a banana Cottage cheese, fruit salad, and a bran muffin Feeling stressed may cause you to freeze or panic while taking an exam, and this may affect your ability to complete it. Use a relaxation technique to get into a calm state of mind prior to taking the exam, and you will likely perform better. Some techniques to try include:  Try meditating Do some yoga Take deep breaths  Perform a progressive muscle relaxation exercise Positive visualization may help to improve your chances of passing a test, and it can also help to alleviate some of your test-taking anxiety. Before you head into the exam, close your eyes and imagine yourself receiving the test back with a passing grade on it. Spend at least a few minutes focusing on this vision. The more detailed you can make your visualization the better! Focus on the way the passing grade will look on the paper, your teacher’s reaction, and how you will feel after receiving a passing grade. Ideally, you will have studied for weeks or even months leading up to an exam, but things don’t always work out that way. If you meant to study but didn’t and are now facing an important exam that you feel unprepared to take, cramming probably won’t help you. You are better off taking the exam with what you know right now. If you don’t do well on the exam, focus on studying for the next exam!


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Ask open-ended questions. Continue with follow-up questions if discussion doesn’t start immediately. Break the group into smaller groups for projects or intimate discussion. Give positive reinforcement. Suggest an energizer activity if you have a long meeting. Deal with disagreements by finding common ground. Encourage other people to lead future discussions. Create an evaluation process.

Answer:
Avoid asking questions to the group with yes or no answers. If they must be yes/no answers, ask group members to elaborate on why that is the answer. Good follow-up questions include “How does that change the way you feel about X,Y,Z?” and “How do you think that applies to other issues that we are discussing?” If you are afraid that the group is too large to encourage adequate participation, small group work is a good way to encourage everyone in a group to interact. Encourage positive interactions. Thank people for their contributions. Don’t be critical. Even if your group is created for critiques, criticism should be only give in small doses. Start each comment with positive reinforcement. Between subjects, encourage people to play a game, watch a related YouTube clip or get up and move around. It is your job as the group leader to recognize potential arguments and try to move on in a productive way.  Say, “It sounds like we have a difference of opinion.” “Different points of view are encouraged in our group.” “It sounds like you both feel passionate about this.” “It seems that we can agree on X,Y,Z.” This is a good way for people to feel joint ownership of a group and its goals. Ask people to take a questionnaire or discuss changes or issues wit you.