west university elementary school vol. xix issue ix … · like, "how can we stop global...

WEST UNIVERSITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VOL. XIX ISSUE IX MAY 2019

Houston Independent School District http://westues.org page �1

Monthly Mustang

Chances are, you've heard the words "Odyssey of the Mind" on the announcements sometime this year. But what exactly is Odyssey of the Mind? What do you do in it? Don't you want to find out?

In Odyssey of the Mind, nicknamed "OM," students work with a team five to seven people to solve a problem. The problems aren't like, "How can we stop global warming?" They are called long-term problems, and they are solved in play form. An example might be, "Build a mechanical creature who must change three times to evade a searcher character," or "Tell a story using only emojis and not words." These are real problems that this year's OM teams tried to solve.

There is also a spontaneous section in which the team is given a smaller problem to solve in three minutes. There are two types of spontaneous problems: verbal and hands-on. In verbal problems, the team is given a few minutes to think of clever or creative answers to questions. An example is, "Name a pet and give a reason why your parents wouldn't let you get it."

In hands-on, you are given materials to build a structure or

track. A sample hands-on problem is "You must build a structure, and while you are trying to make it as tall as possible, it also must be able to support a penny."

My team and I worked all year practicing to perfect our spontaneous responses and making sure every aspect of our play was precise before finally heading to the Regional Tournament this spring. There, we performed in front of the judges. After years of not advancing to the State Finals, we were so excited to learn that we won. We were weeping. We danced around the hallways of the host school in ecstasy. A judge saw me and remarked, "You look just as red as you did on the stage when you got your medal. Remember to breathe!" I was so happy, I barely could.

A month later, we packed our props and drove to Waller, Texas, for S t a t e F i n a l s . T h e r e , w e hyperventilated in the audience after our performance, wondering if we'd made it. We so truly believed that we wouldn't make it that we were ready to face the crowd, run back to our parents and sob. The judges called second place. Libby Agarwal, my teammate, looked at me and whispered, "There's no way we'll do it.” But we did. As soon as the “Wes t” fo r Wes t Un ive r s i ty Elementary left the announcer's mouth, we jumped up screaming. Our team was heading to the World Finals on May 22!

So what do you think of Odyssey of the Mind? OM is always looking for new members, so try it out. If you have a team of real geniuses, maybe, just maybe, you'll go to the Worlds too!

ODYSSEY OF THE MIND; ON TO THE WORLD FINALS BY CAROLINE THOMPSON

From left to right: front Libby Agarwal, Amelia Kusinski, Evan Nanna, Luke Nanna, and Chloe Plusquellec. Rear: Caroline Thompson and Reese Sicinski

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WEST UNIVERSITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VOL.XIX ISSUE IX MAY 2019

�Houston Independent School District http://westues.org page �2

1. You recently got married. When did it happen, and what is your new name?

A. In January, and I’m now Mrs. Burkhalter.

2. How long have you been teaching?A. This is my 7th year teaching.3. What college did you attend?A. Texas State University – San Marcos.4. When you were a child, what did

you want to be when you grew up?A. A math teacher because I loved to

play school.

5. Who inspired you to become a teacher?

A. Mrs. Norton, my 4th grade math teacher here at West U.

6. Why do you enjoy teaching?A. Seeing the reaction on a student’s face

when they learn something new.7.How would you like to be

remembered as a teacher?A. As the teacher that challenged each

student to reach their full potential.8. What is your biggest pet peeve?A. Humming.

9. What are some of your favorite hobbies?

A. Boating, playing cards, and watching scary movies.

10. What is the most challenging obstacle you have faced in your life?

A. Getting over my fear of heights by skydiving twice.

10 QUESTIONS FOR MRS. BURKHALTER BY YUTIA LI

Q: How long have you been teaching? A: 6 years.Q: What is your favorite subject? A: Math.Q: What is

your biggest pet peeve? A: Disorganization.

Q: Why did you become a teacher? A: To help students grow.Q: What would you be if you

weren’t a teacher? A: I would be a fitness instructor.Q: What do you like to do in spare

time? A: Shop and work out.Q: Have you taught any grade

besides Fourth? A: I taught third grade for one year.

Q: Who do you most admire and why?

A: My mom because she is always there for me.

Q: What was your favorite experience while teaching?

A: Going to the State Capitol on the Austin field trip.

Q: Where were you born? A: Houston, Texas.

GETTING TO KNOW MRS. ROYE BY COLIN CHU

I personally love to binge watch Netflix on the weekends and in my free time, but sometimes I don't know what to

look for. Here are a few good shows to watch on Netflix.

Starting off with a popular show, I think Stranger Things (TV 14) is an amazing series to watch.With two seasons and another coming on July 4, 2019, you could watch this show for a few weeks.

The Good Place (TV 14) is a great comedy starring Kristen Bell. There are two seasons and lots of laughs along the way.

SUPERNATURAL, (TV 14) a long-running drama/sci-fi series, is my personal favorite show to watch. This show is great, especially if you are looking for something that will last you a while. The thirteen season long show follows two brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, who hunt monsters all around the world.

The Umbrella Academy (TV 14), a hilarious show full of action and adventure, is on my list of top shows.

Estranged siblings with extraordinary powers uncover family secrets - and a looming threat to humanity. This show has an amazing soundtrack and is based on an American comic book series written and created by Gerard Way and illustrated by Gabriel Ba.

These are some great shows to watch on Netflix. I hope you enjoy them. Some shows may not be appropriate for all children. Ask your parents first!

WHAT'S ON NETFLIX? BY JACKSON WOODS

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Here are some of my favorite things to do when it’s too hot to go outside (in no particular order):K1 Speed • The Good: It’s a big indoor

facility (as opposed to Speedy’s which is outdoor), the go-carts go up to 45 mph (that’s fast!!)

• The Bad: There is a height limit of 48 inches and it’s pretty expensive.

US Golf and Games• The Good: It’s cheap, and it has

batting cages, go-carts, mini-golf and an arcade. The place also opens relatively early.

• The Bad: Quality is pretty poor: the go-carts are sloooow, the arcade is tiny and old, the mini-golf is actually ok. It’s pretty far from West U.

Jumping World (Northwest)• The Good: Reasonable pricing to go

for an hour of jumping fun. Has places for both small and big kids

• The Bad: It can get really busy on the weekends

Daily Ashford Roller Skate Rink• The Good: Has two separated

section, one for beginners and one for people who already know how to roller skate. They rent roller-skates and rollerblades.

• The Bad: Pretty small, and it can get easily busy.

Escape the Room Texas (Midtown)• The Good: Has lots of different

escape rooms (7), I’ve been to three of them and they were all awesome. You get to solve lots of weird

puzzles and some of the rooms have secret doors.

• The Bad: It’s expensive and you have to schedule ahead of time

Mo m e n t u m Ro c k Cl i m b i n g (Memorial Park)• The Good: Has a cool boulder that

you can climb on top of. Lots of places to try and climb and no special equipment needed. There are usually Groupons you can buy to go there.

• The Bad: No auto-belays (harnesses that are automatically in place and you can repel down the wall with them on ; S tone Mo ves in Willowbrook and Momentum in Katy have these) . I don’t think it has a gym, which is nice to have because you can take a break from rock climbing there for a little while (Momentum in Katy has one) . Some of the boulders are really hard.

THINGS TO DO ON HOT SUMMER DAYS IN HOUSTON BY : YOSEF ELYASHKEVICH

SUMMER BUCKET LIST BY TOBENNA AND KENENNA NDEFO

Are you tired of doing the same things everyday of summer? Do you dislike going to the same camp everyday? Do you want to try something new this summer? Well, look no farther, my friend! Below, we will list 20 fun activities that might make this

summer the most amazing one yet. 20. Build sandcastles at the beach in Galeston. 19.Take an art classes in the Museum of Fine Arts in

Houston. 18. Learn Texas history at the Alamo in San Antonio. 17. Say “hi" to the animals at the Houston Zoo. 16. Try a new baking recipe at home. 15.Visit the Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Amarillo. 14. Play a basketball scrimmage at a Spark

Park near you. 13. Splash at the Typhoon Texas water park

in Katy. 12.Visit Dinosaur World in Glen Rose,

Texas. 11. Blast off at the NASA Space Center.

10. Play soccer at the Y.M.C.A. 9. Unravel the mysteries of mummies

at the Museum of Natural Science. 8. Scream on the rides at the

Boardwalk in Kemah. 7. Ride the Bolivar Ferry. 6. Plan a BBQ with your neighbors. 5. Learn how ice cream is made (and eat some!) at the Blue

Bell factory in Brenham. 4. Wade in the water at Colonial Pool in Houston. 3. Take a Duck Tour in Austin. 2. Ditch gravity at Urban Air in Sugarland. 1. Jump in the air and stay there at Ifly (also in Sugar land).

Guess the amazing part about it. It’s all in Texas. That means no buying a plane ticket, no tasteless plane pretzels, no waiting for your ears to pop! Use this bucket list or create your own but please make sure you have a great summer!

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National Koala day is May 3rd. Koalas live in Australia where trees and rainforests thrive. But a lot of trees have been cut down for lumber to make houses and many other things from wood. Because of th i s , Koalas have been losing

their habitat. Over the last century people killed Koalas for their fur. Koalas are endangered animals and are very close to

extinction. There are less than 43,000 left, which is not a lot. It's very easy to make a donation to the World Wildlife Fund to help save a Koala today! To help Koalas you can give donations to Koalas at World Wildlife Fund at wwf.org.au, recycle (always), and you can make donation boxes. Or you can support Koalas by shopping on the WWF online store.

On the last Monday of May, we celebrate Memorial Day. Originally, it was called Decoration Day and we celebrated it to remember those who died during the Civil War. The holiday is now called Memorial Day and celebrates any American soldier who has died in a war.

In the 1960s, people first started to honor the dead on this day. In 1971, it was officially declared a national holiday. Memorial Day was first made to remember the losses of lives during the Civil War. The Civil war was a great battle and caused the first national cemeteries. To honor soldiers, people might go to a cemetery and put roses on the graves, especially ones for whom they have loved or

they might visit some of the National Memorials around the country. People also often have parties and cook barbeque on this day, because it (unofficially) marks the beginning of summer.

This honorary holiday is one of the many days we give recognition to those who have died in a war. Memorial Day is coming soon, so don’t forget to remember the lives we have lost in wars.

SHOULD WE REALLY DO NOTHING THIS SUMMER? BY KALYANI PANDYAWhen we think of summer, we think of relaxing and a

work free three months, but research shows that if we do no work during the summer, we will not be ready for the following year. Studies also show that between the end of the school year and the beginning of next year is when most students start to forget what they learned the previous year, also known as the “summer slide”. Failure to read and practice other subjects during the summer contributes to widening gaps in achievement, employment, and college success. But does this mean we should go to school year-

round, like other countries. Does year-round school mean that you are less likely to forget the things you learned throughout the year? Luckily for us, studies have not shown that there is a significant difference between year-round school and a nine month school year in terms of academic achievement. Regardless, some enrichment during the summer likely will keep us sharper when September rolls around. So this summer, read a book while you float around in the pool!

MEMORIAL DAY BY SAM FAULK

MARVELOUS NASA BY SEAN BOYLE AND ADELA KUSINSKI

SAVE THE KOALAS! BY LENA BEDDAR

Panda Set for Kids @ https://gifts.worldwildlife.org/

gift-center/

In April, the West U 3rd graders went on a field trip to NASA. This was a perfect time for us to go because we just finished our planet projects.

NASA was built on land that was donated by Rice University in 1961. It opened in 1963 and was called the Manned Spacecraft Center. In 1973, it was renamed The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in honor of the late President who was from Texas. It is on 1,600 acres and is the home of NASA’s mission control. Things that NASA has done include sending the first man on the moon. Voyager 2 went to Neptune and took a picture of the big dark spot.

Once you arrive at NASA, you will be amazed by all of the unique things there. They have games, facts and history. In Independence Plaza, you can see a replica of a space shuttle carrier. You can walk into the carrier and explore what they have in it when they launch a real one. It was fun to go inside it and see how big everything is. There are cool exhibits and short movies and stuff kids can touch and play with, including real moon rock! You can take a tour and see where astronauts train for missions and see NASA’s behind the scenes. We saw a huge rocket that was as long as the building! There were also some other mini rockets. If you want to experience real astronaut life, you can even buy astronaut food in the gift shop!

Mrs. Bailey’s Class pose in front of Saturn V rocket.

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Pokemon Let’s Go is a game that acts as a fusion between Pokemon Go and main games, and it is a pretty short game compared to others in the series. Let’s Go is pretty simple to pick up and play, which is perfect for newcomers to the series. For those who like Pokemon Go, even though it’s a pretty worn-out game, you can transfer all the Pokemon you have previously acquired to these versions. The games are very similar in both the capture mechanic

and the basic universe they take place in, Let’s Go happens to have a storyline, just like every other main game in the series. Pokemon Let’s Go takes place in the Kanto region, and you play as a trainer who wants to defeat the Champion (the final boss) and become the new strongest trainer. Its plot is like that of every other main game that has

been released, but puts a new spin on that based on the activities that you can complete, and the events have been changed.

I really enjoyed playing this game. I rate it 5 stars because of the amount of thought the developers put into this game, and my overall experience was as enjoyable as it has been for other Nintendo games.

Lupe Tortilla is a great Mexican food restaurant. My family goes there at least five times a month. It keeps kids busy with a coloring sheet while parents can talk. It has really good tortillas and beef to put inside of them. In my opinion the beans are the best food to put inside your tortillas

there. If your family goes to Lupe Tortilla, and you all want fajitas you can get a pound of beef (A lot of sides come with it). If you order off the kid's menu you can get ice cream for free! I suggest the next time you go out to eat you eat at Lupe Tortilla.

LUPE TORTILLA’S REVIEWED BY OLIVER BROACH

VIDEO GAME CORNER: REVIEWED BY ZACHARY BARNETT

Are you looking for a fun place to stay while driving through Texas? Might I suggest you go to Inner Space Cavern, a warm place with amazing caves, interesting history, and fun tours all for the price of one! The Inner Space Cavern was discovered in 1963 when a highway company was making sure the ground was strong enough for a highway. Their drill bit fell 26 feet into the ground. They didn’t know what was happening,

although they did know there was something underneath the ground. They sent one of their workers, Mr. Jack Bigham, to inspect what was below in the caves. News of this amazing discovery spread fast. In a few months the Texas Speleological Society had secured permission to be able to enter the caves.

You should definitely go to the Inner space Cavern!

HOT SUMMER VACATION PIT STOP: INNER SPACE CAVERN BY MADELEINE TEJTEL

Wouldn't it be amazing to see an elephant do magical things? Do you like the circus? If you so, you should see the movie Dumbo!

Dumbo starts in the Medici Brother Circus run by Max Medici. Max has a mother elephant, Jumbo who gives birth to a very unusual elephant with large ears. They celebrate the elephant by putting him in the Medici Brother Circus. But Max doesn’t want the crowd to see the baby elephant’s big ears, so he orders him to hide them by covering them with a baby bonnet. When the little elephant performs in the circus, he accidentally reveals his ears. As soon as

the crowd see those enormous ears, they throw peanuts and other goodies at the baby and call him Dumbo. When Mrs. Jumbo see this incident, she is terrified. She stampedes into the circus and kills one of the handlers during the show by accident. Due to the circumstances, Max sells Mrs. Jumbo. This scene was very emotional and I cannot imagine how it would feel if my mom and I were separated.

Joe and Milly find out that Dumbo can fly using his huge ears with the help

from a feather! In one of his first performances, Dumbo acts like a fire fighter clown who is supposed to suck up water with his trunk and put out the fire at the top of a ladder. Instead, something goes very wrong and Dumbo is about to fall off. The crowd cannot believe what they see next and you won’t either. What adventures will happen in the Dreamland? Can Dumbo and Jumbo reunite?

The lesson I learned from this movie is that even if you are different from everyone else, there is always a way to turn it around to be something special. I highly recommend the movie Dumbo for a family outing.

DUMBO MOVIE REVIEWED BY EVELYN PARK

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WHAT’S TRENDING: WUES STYLE BY LIBBY AGARWAL,

In this month’s What’s Trending, we will be featuring many fashionable members of the West University community, ranging from kindergarten to faculty. Let’s end this school year with a bougie bang!

Left: Lizzy Sloop, 5th gradeLizzy is a returning model because she’s always in style. This time we featured her faux suede brown skirt. What a trendsetter!

Mary Elizabeth Pennington, 5th gradeMary Elizabeth is sporting her middle

school gear with a ROB tee. 5th graders in the spring like to show off their future middle school apparel.

Right: Lilly Smith, 5th gradeWe featured Lilly for her stylish green

jeans and striped fitted shirt with ruffles. Lilly shows us that skinny jeans are here to stay.

Ms. Musgrove, 5th grade teacherMs. Musgrove’s favorite baseball team is the Astros and she wears it proudly. Today she is showing her spirit with an iconic Astros t-shirt.

Augie Piczak, 5th gradeAugie is sporting a very popular brand amongst 5th grade boys. The color screams “summer on the Vineyard” hence the name Vineyard Vines.

Caitlyn Alavi, 5th GradeCaitlyn is featured for her blush pink shirt with gold lettering of the word love. Speaking of love, we love this shirt! If you look closely you can see she’s rocking a scrunchie too!

Caroline Pierce, 2nd gradeCaroline really knows how to accessorize! Her orange bow fits perfectly with her Astros t-shirt. This fashion look is definitely approved by Ms. Musgrove. Go Astros!

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Zombie Cat by Macy Vanderbloemen & Sean Doyle

It was a peaceful day in Houston, Texas

Until Zombie Kitty

came to town, Dun, Dun, Duuun! Muuahha,

ha, ha!

But why is he wearing a cowboy hat?

Never mind the hat, I will

take over!

But first a nap.

Anyone cold outside? Blame that on global warming. Global warming is making the world hotter and colder at the same time. Global warming heats up the ice caps on Greenland and Antarctica causing some of the ice to melt. This causes polar vortexes. Some polar vortexes can be so big that they can come all the way to Houston like they did this past winter. The wildfires of California may also be increasing due to global warming. In California, some of the largest and

most dangerous wildfires have been recorded in the past 15 years. It was those same years that have been some of the hottest on record. Have you ever wondered why Houston is so hot? Global warming may be a major factor. Out in the Sahara desert, polar vortexes can cause sandstorms that blow out

Sahara sand to different parts of the world, making it hotter. This is known as the Sahara wind. Global warming maybe leading to more intense hurricanes, like the ones we have had the past few years. Global warming has made the water temperature increase by 3 percent over the last 5,000 years, which is faster than when the ice a ge warmed up. Also the seas are rising which leads to more powerful hurricanes like Hurricane Harvey and Typhoon Tip . Global warming may be leading to extreme floods like we have had here in Houston. All the heat from global warming causes increased evaporation which leads to more rain. Hurricane Harvey and snow in Houston in the same school year should make all of us wonder about how we impact climate change.

Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old girl living in Sweden, has made a difference in her community. Each Friday, she skips school to protest for climate action. When she was younger, she, like many children, watched educational films about the arctic ice melting

and what was happening to the marine animals being hurt and killed by plastic and other trash floating around the ocean. “I became very affected,” She recalls. “Those pictures were stuck in my head.”

She decided it was time for a change, so she went on strike. Before Sweden’s Parliamentary election, she sat on

the steps of the Parliament Building in Stockholm, skipping every day of school for three weeks, protesting for climate action. Since then, she has been going to school for four days and spends Fridays, demanding a response for climate change. She has also made changes in her family. First, she persuaded her parents to stop eating meat and become vegan. Afterwards, she convinced her mother to stop flying places in a plane, which was a huge victory for her because her mother, Malena Ernman, is a famous opera singer, who’s career depends on traveling to sing opera.

As for Greta, it is her last semester of 9th grade. She is debating whether to take a year off school to continue her activism, full force. Recently, she has been asked if she would go to the United Nations meeting about Climate activism. She will not be traveling by plane, but by a container ship.

DOES GLOBAL WARMING CAUSE MORE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS?BY KAVAN PANDYA

GRETA THUNBERG: CHILD CLIMATE ACTIVIST BY AMELIA NUCKLES

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Thank you to The West U PTO for sponsoring the Monthly Mustang!

Where is

everyone?

The old switcheroo!

I can’t believe this is

working!

Teacher

Last day!

Soooo…. I

wondered if

you could takeover

for me?

Already?

Yup!

I don’t know who was naughty or good. I guess I’ll just ask.

Easter Drama by Cate Cunningham



Left: Alexis Wiltz, kindergartenAlexis is starting her fashion journey early! Her sequined heart t-shirt is a style for all ages. Her amazing fashion makes our hearts go pitter patter!

Right: Guliana Wiltz, 3rd gradeGuliana is featured for her cool “cold-shoulder” shirt. It gives me the shivers how cute it is! We love the black plaid with the white eyelet trim. Guliana is prepping for a stylish summer!

WHAT’S TRENDING: WUES STYLE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

Mothers' Day Word Search By Raquel Echevarria

Can you find these words?

CARDSCHILDRENMOTHERS DAYHONORHUGSKISSESLOVEMAYMOTHERNURTURERESPECTSPECIAL

E Y F C L S W C M I H T Q Y V A Q B A H S O R O C U R V P M N I I H T V N E O F W L U L K U C H M O P N U A U D X I V K E D R S P M E R U T R U N R P H E A L E K I S S E S S M S R L N Y C R Z R R K D K N O A R Z D A E J Z Z A I V N W S G U H R R R N Y E W U G I A T V W D O H L U O I I M O W N V Y S P F N Z K F M K X N S R G C A S H U D

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west university elementary school vol. xix issue ix … · like, "how can we stop global...

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