The Tusker Tribune The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School Issue Number 36 https://www.somersschools.org/Page/11489 Spring 2019 Nothing Says ‘End of Year’ Like Splashdown! By Claire Sposito River” makes for a fun and en- Tusker Tribune Staff joyable way to relax in the wa- On June 21st, 7th ter. The park has many more graders will experience a amusing rides and ways to have waterpark adventure at fun. Splashdown Beach. Since we will be in the Less than an hour from Som- sun all day, a smart thing ers, in Fishkill, NY, we will have the would be to apply sunscreen opportunity to enjoy many fun water before you leave for school, but activities. One of the water rides I also bring it with you. If you am looking forward to most is “The plan on going on any of these Megalodon”--(a prehistoric beast brought to life) attractions, you will be wet afterwards so my sug- which is the largest attraction in the park and gestion would be to bring a change of dry clothes new this year! along with a towel. The “Arctic Mammoth” is one of the largest This trip will be raft rides in a fun way to take a the park. With break from school right many twists before we study hard and turns, it is for final exams coming bond to please up just a few days af- the thrill seek- ter. ers. If you are Editor’s Note: more into re- The trip is scheduled laxing, the for June 21, with a “Croc Creek rain date of June 19. Wavy Lazy Music in Classrooms: Helpful or Nuisance? By Natalia Tellez but it definitely helps. Tusker Tribune Staff Also, when teachers give out For an extreme- work, students usually start talk- ly long time, there’s ing to each other instead of getting been an ongoing debate started on it but if we are all listen- about music in classrooms. Some ing to some of our favorite songs, I say it will be really helpful for doubt that will happen. Teachers the students and going to give would get to spend less time telling the teachers a well needed break the kids to stop talking and stu- from all the chatter. Others ar- dents would have an increased in gue that it will only distract stu- the amount of work getting done. dents causing more chaos for Not only that but listening teachers. What do you think? to music actually helps students Wait before you choose your side; retain information easier. Music you need to know all the pros and cons. has been shown to aid in memory enhancement, Allowing students to hear music in class- which helps with all classes and leads to students rooms is going to be a great idea and beneficial for getting better grades and have a better under- everyone! First of all, it has been proven in multi- standing of the concepts being taught. This is why ple studies that students have a better time focus- it is said it is very helpful to put some music on ing when listening to music. Of course, it has to be while studying. put at a low volume and can’t exactly be hard rock, Continued on Page 2 The Tusker Tribune Page 2 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School Music Summer Facts From Page 1 By Christian Brooks Another reason why music being Tusker Tribune Staff played in schools in useful, is that is can re- Since summer is coming fast, you duce stress and students certainly have a lot should know some interesting facts about it. of that. Stressed kids are more worried Summer is associated with leisure, carefree which causes them to have worse focus and activities. productivity. Background music will help The popsicle was invented by accident. reduce stress and these negative effects will There are 2 solstices in the year, one on June 21, fade and give kids a better learning oppor- and the other one on Decem- tunity. Furthermore, music can assist in ber 21. holding the kid's attention and give them When the Northern something fun to look forward too. Hemisphere has summer, Overall, music in classrooms can im- the Southern Hemisphere prove classroom behavior and the quantity has winter. and even quality of work. July is Ice Cream Month On the flip side, hearing music could The “Dog Days of Sum- distract students and have a negative effect mer” is in the middle of Au- on them. To start, music gust. could impair student's abil- August was named after ity to hear the teacher and Augustus Cesar and July any directions. This could was named after Julius Ce- lead to them missing im- sar. portant information and The hottest temperature in the USA is 134 de- get in trouble for something grees Fahrenheit. This happened in Death Val- they shouldn’t have. ley, California in 1913. Also, music could be played Canada didn’t have summer in 1816. at unfitting times including In Somers, our summer vacation is approximate- when the teacher is explaining something, ly 70 days long. So get that relaxation in before it helping another student, and more. This could cause music to be a disruption to class- room times if used in an improper way. Should Final Exams Occur Moreover, music could be hurtful to schools The Last Week of School? because kids could listen to songs that have inappropriate lyrics, rude content, or curse words in it. This can end up in other stu- By Mac Sullivan dents listening to music that parents might Tusker Tribune Staff not want them to or make kids feel left out if Finals are at the worst time. For the they don’t like that type of songs. middle school, they schedule them during the In addition, playing music in class- last days of school. rooms could be extremely distracting if it is It should be more aligned with the high played too loud or even played at all. It can school, where regular classes end June 12, and stu- cause students to lose their thoughts and get dents return later to take the wrong answer because they are listening finals. to the music playing instead. To wrap it all That makes more up, students listening to music can be very sense than taking finals negative and cause their concentration and during the final three half learning to become significantly less because days of school. of it. On HHS media it In conclusion, there are certainly states ““The last week of many pros and cons that come with music in school is completely devoted school classrooms. It can definitely help the to final exams, which students but can also hurt there learning means for students, the last and education. What matters is whether you week of school is when the frantic, last-minute study think the good outweighs the bad or the oth- sessions commence. Finals create a lot of unwanted er way around. I personally think that stu- stress; the last week of school should be for relaxing dents being allowed to listen to music while after a hard year of work.” learning would be really beneficial. Music This demonstrates that the last week of could grow to become a great learning assist school should be relaxing, finishing up regular class- to classrooms but what do you think? Should work and activities, and then getting ready for sum- music be played in classrooms? mer break. The Tusker Tribune Page 3 The Student Newspaper of Somers Middle School Random Thoughts About Random Days at SMS By Halia Gonzalez venture. Tusker Tribune Staff Some days I’m mean, and other days I’m My day at Somers… This has been nice. Now that makes me not normal. I will be so an eventful year, with many different nice for two seconds and then turn into the Hulk scenes and different places. the next. There’s no way I can keep calm in a If I came here for one day, I would- school like this when I’m so excited for what’s n’t be able to describe it. next. I just like living in the mo- I’ve been here for a year, ment. and hell, it’s been a weird Then comes lunch. I see one. kids run in and out of the ‘door’ Most times I wonder into the woods, and I watch them, if I’m still inside of school, I don’t call them out, I don’t grab or in my house, There’s no them out, I just watch them, Kids way to describe Somers in are so happy with their friends; one word, from the time they are all lively and awake, and I’ve been here for a while once they get to lunch they sit at now, days fly by, and I sit their tables, crack some joke, may- here watching people walk be run around, but mostly people by. Every day is a new ad- get whistled by a monitor. I’ve venture; it never repeats been okay in lunch, not too good itself. and not too bad. I’ve understood Every day is weird where I belong, I love my group of and different. Some times friends, I love the way I fit in, I it’s abnormal,. Every day can get annoying, but can you has me in awe. I always blame me? I’m having so much to find something new.