Author's Purpose - Practice

It's time for a change in our school cafeteria. Every day, students are served processed foods loaded with sugar, salt, and artificial ingredients. Meanwhile, the salad bar sits nearly empty because the wilted lettuce and mealy apples don't exactly scream "delicious."

Studies show that students who eat nutritious lunches perform better academically and have fewer behavior problems. Shouldn't our school prioritize our health and success? Other districts have transformed their cafeterias with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, and student satisfaction has soared.

We deserve better. Contact Principal Martinez today and demand healthier lunch options. Join us at the next PTA meeting to make your voice heard. Together, we can create a cafeteria that fuels our minds, not just our stomachs.

Sleep is not simply a time when your body shuts down. During sleep, important physical and mental processes occur that are essential for health. The average person spends about one-third of their life sleeping, making it one of the most significant human activities.

Sleep occurs in cycles that last approximately 90 minutes. Each cycle includes stages of light sleep, deep sleep, and REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. During deep sleep, the body repairs tissues and strengthens the immune system. During REM sleep, the brain processes memories and learning from the day.

Research indicates that teenagers need 8-10 hours of sleep per night for optimal health and cognitive function. However, studies show that over 70% of teens get less than the recommended amount, primarily due to early school start times and screen use before bed.

Marcus knew it was going to be a bad day the moment his alarm didn't go off. He launched out of bed like a rocket with its countdown stuck on zero, threw on whatever clothes were closest (which happened to be his sister's pink unicorn shirt), and sprinted for the bus.

He made it just in time, triumphantly leaping through the closing doors - only to realize he'd left his backpack on the kitchen table. Along with his homework. And his lunch. And his dignity, apparently, given the snickers erupting around him as people noticed his shirt.

"Nice unicorn," Jake called from the back, and Marcus felt his face turn roughly the same shade of pink as the sparkly horse on his chest.

By lunchtime, Marcus had survived a pop quiz (failed it spectacularly), a dodgeball game (got hit in the face - twice), and the discovery that the cafeteria was serving his least favorite food: mystery meat surprise. The surprise was that anyone voluntarily ate it.

But then something unexpected happened. Maya, the new girl who never talked to anyone, sat down across from him. "Cool shirt," she said, completely serious. "I love unicorns." And suddenly, Marcus's terrible, horrible, very bad day didn't seem quite so bad after all.

Creating a paper airplane that actually flies well requires understanding some basic principles of aerodynamics. Follow these steps to make a plane that will soar across the room.

First, start with a standard 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of paper. Fold it in half lengthwise, then unfold it - this center crease will be your guide. Next, fold the top two corners down to meet the center crease, creating a point at the top.

Now fold the pointed top down so the point meets the bottom edge of the previous folds. This creates a blunt nose that adds stability. Then fold the top corners down to the center again, leaving a small triangle of the previous fold visible at the bottom.

Fold this small triangle up over the new folds to lock them in place. Finally, fold the entire plane in half along the original center crease, then fold each wing down about half an inch from the bottom fold.

For best results, throw your plane gently with a smooth, level motion. Adjust the wing angles if your plane dives or climbs too steeply.