SCIENCE

Before reading

1.         Do upcoming events ever make you feel anxious? Why or why not?

2.         How do you cope with feelings of stress?

During reading

1.         What types of changes does stress create in the body?

2.         What is anxiety?

3.         Explain what sort of information can trigger fear.

4.         How is fear useful?

5.         Why is “fight or flight” used to explain the stress response?

6.         Provide an example of an anxiety disorder.

7.         Describe the two parts to OCD.

8.         How common are anxiety disorders in children?

9.         What is cortisol?

10.       What is a mindset?

After reading

1.         Describe a situation where feeling stress has been helpful to you.

2.         Imagine you are running for student council, about to try out for a major part in a school play or will be playing a solo in a local band. Suddenly, you begin to feel anxious. Describe a two-part plan, following the advice given in this article, that you could follow to: a) identify exactly what about running for office is triggering your anxiety; and b) reduce levels of that anxiety.

SOCIAL STUDIES

1.         Identify three professions that involve stressful tasks. How can any anxiety those situations might provoke complicate one’s ability to perform that job? What are some ways to reduce any anxiety linked with those tasks?