the bird on fire

The Bird is the Word: Sophisticated Schoolyard Shenanigans

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Running–We’re lovin’ it!

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IMG_5371 –by Ashley Zhou

If persistence is the hardest thing in the world, running is the second hardest. After running for a period of time, runners mostly experience two levels of changes, both physical and mental. Today, I want to take a look at how running affects people.

The first phase usually comes with some physical tiredness and uncomfortableness. Your limbs get sore, and you feel exhausted. Many people are not able to stick with running because they cannot get used to those symptoms. However, after this phase, running gets easier, and runners start to enjoy the subtle changes of their bodies. They become fitter and more agile.IMG_2345
Runners also feel accomplished and satisfied after finishing a long run. It is the same feeling as achieving a tough goal or overcoming an insurmountable difficulty, which can surpass their physical exhaustion. More importantly, running for or as a team makes running easier and the satisfaction more apparent. For example, our school’s Cross Country team has been working hard the entire year. They enjoy not only the pleasure of running but also the pleasure of working as a team.

Our team coach and also science teacher Mrs. Sackett said: “I have been running for many years, completing three marathons and countless 5K and 10K races. Now, I really enjoy working with student athletes. It’s great to see their hard work pay off with improved times. But the best part is seeing the camaraderie and support that develops among my runners. They find ways to make it fun in 110-degree heat! Practicing in the morning this year was a great way to start the day.”

David Kocen, one of our Cross Country runners, also shared his experience of running with us. “I always run in the morning because, more often than not, my run will be the hardest thing I do all day. Completing the hardest task first puts me in the right frame of mind for the rest of the day. Regardless of what else happens, I have already run three miles or more and that in itself is a great accomplishment. The best part about running in my opinion is its ability to help you cope with all of life’s stresses–be they standardized tests, social issues, or just feeling crappy. If I wake up stressed out about some responsibilities I have that day or something I forgot to do the day before, running allows me to re-sync my perspective on life and helps me realize that, in almost every case, the thing I am worried about does not warrant me getting stressed. I think there are two reasons running is able to do this. The first one is it simply exhausts all the worry out of me. By the end of a run, I am too tired to get stressed. I am just happy I finished and am too caught up with feeling accomplished. I cannot focus on trivial stresses. The second reason is that during a run, my mind continues working but experiences an altered perception of reality, sort of like when you are drifting into sleep. It is hard to describe what exactly changes, but this different form of thinking is really good at finding solutions to problems, enhancing perspective, and making me see that everything will work out in the end. I think this is part of the reason why I like running so much. It allows me to think and see life through a different lens, even if it is just a result of lack of oxygen to the brain.”

–Edited by Gaven Li

Show Off Your CREATIVE MIND

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–by Zhenzhou Hu

This year at Palm Valley, we’re offering a new course, Physics by Design. Our blog correspondent Zhenzhou Hu interviewed the teacher, Mrs. Sackett, asking about the class and what it’s all about.–Editor Gaige Griffin

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Zhenzhou: This is a new class at Palm Valley School, so students are not as familiar with this class as they would be with others. What do your students do in Physics by Design, and what do you think they can learn from this class?

Mrs. Sackett: This is a project-based class in which students learn by doing. They are asked to be creative, to design and build, to collaborate and think for themselves. I don’t do much lecturing. I provide the resources they need to learn more independently.

Zhenzhou: I noticed that students are designing something in this class–much like we did last year in AP Physics where we designed mousetrap cars. (Which was really fun!) Can you give me the details of what is going on?

Mrs. Sackett: The project involves using electronic components called LittleBits. These components are easily linked magnetically and can be combined in different ways to create a variety of devices that use electricity. IMG_0906

Zhenzhou: Do you have fun teaching this class?

Mrs. Sackett: I really enjoy working with students in this class. They need encouragement sometimes to work and create. I try to offer open-ended instructions.

Zhenzhou: I saw a 3-D printer and the “sand.” Can you explain this to us? I’ve never seen that before, and it looks awesome!

Mrs. Sackett: The interactive sandbox is very cool. It projects contour lines as seen on topographic maps onto the sand. As students move the sand to create mountains, rivers, or valleys, the contour lines automatically adjust. Water can be added as well as lava. Students made it rain in the mountains the other day and were able to see the water rush into the valley and make the connection with what happens in our valley. IMG_0928

Zhenzhou: Does the class involve physics? I mean does it use something like torque or acceleration like we did in AP Physics?

Mrs. Sackett: Yes, we have spent most of first quarter working with circuits. Students started with easy battery and bulb circuits and progressed to soldering their own components onto a circuit board to create flashing LED’s. IMG_0909

Zhenzhou: Are they any other things you’d like to add about this class?

Mrs. Sackett: There is something very satisfying about creating a new course. We are definitely learning by doing. Occasionally, we hit road blocks. For instance, we are waiting on a new extruder to get our 3-D printer up and running again. Students have been designing objects using a web-based CAD Program, and they are anxious to see their designs come to fruition.