west university elementary school vol. xvi issue vii …€¦ · west university elementary school...

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WEST UNIVERSITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VOL. XVI ISSUE VII APRIL 2016 Houston Independent School District http://westues.org page 1 Monthly Mustang Abby points to the plaque near Mrs. Perkin’s room showing that the 1st grade wing was built as a Federal Work project in 1925. NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK BY RILEY TACKETT Mrs. Russe with Mrs. Saleem’s Kindergarten Class. Did you know that this year is our school’s 90th anniversary? According to Principal Threet, WUES has changed a lot in its history. When the school opened in 1925, the building only contained six classrooms and an auditorium, but by 1927, new spaces were added. A kindergarten classroom was constructed with a beautiful porch and a nonworking Kireplace. That classroom is now Ms. Saleem’s kindergarten class. Also, the Pershing Junior High School opened on the same land. WUES and Pershing then joined the Houston Independent School District. For the next few decades, the school continued to go through construction, and new sections were added to the school, including the Kirst grade wing, kindergarten hallway and second grade hallway. In 1948, Pershing moved to its current location. One interesting legend of WUES is that people believed the school once had an indoor swimming pool in the old gymnasium, which is now the cafeteria. When the Multi Purpose Room was built in 2005, the construction workers searched for signs of the swimming pool but never found any. For many years, our school was made up of predominantly white students. According to Mr. Threet, this changed in the 1970’s with desegregation. A magnet program was created, which added students of different ethnic backgrounds to the student population. The magnet program also helped our school stay open by adding students to the school. Before the magnet program, there were only about 300 students at WUES. Principal Threet came to our school 20 years ago. In that time, Mr. Threet improved the school and raised the rating from Acceptable” to “Exemplary.” The school’s population has also grown under Mr. Threet’s watch from 867 to 1271 students. Now it is the largest elementary school in HISD. From April 18th to 22nd, our school will celebrate the 90th anniversary with a weeklong party. Each grade will be assigned a decade and do projects on those ages. One day, students will be asked to dress like 90 year olds. There will also be a crazy sock day. Each student will receive a “bundtini” cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes to celebrate the school’s birthday. On the Kinal day, the school will hold an open house for former students and teachers, parents, neighbors and anyone else interested in touring the school. Teachers will do guided historical tours through the school, and there will be a cake that is larger than any cake you have ever seen! Get ready to celebrate! THE 90- YEAR HISTORY OF WUES BY ABBY MANUEL National Library Week is April 1016 this year. In honor of this amazing week, I had Ms. Russell, the best librarian I know; describe what her plans will be for National Library Week. Ms. Russell said, “Unfortunately, not all of the schools in HISD have librarians anymore, and this is the perfect week to show how important they are. During library ancillary, we will be reading books with a library setting. We will also be taking part to get the word out by brainstorming why libraries matter, writing thank you notes to public librarians, and creating library posters. I will be able to ‘tweet’ out these creations to help share the importance of libraries. The nationwide theme this year is “Libraries Transform.” The history of this wonderful week is extremely interesting. In the mid1950s, research showed that Americans were spending less time on books and more on radios, televisions, and musical instruments. Concerned that Americans were reading less, they formed a nonproKit citizens organization called the National Book Committee in 1954. In 1957, the American Library Association committee developed a plan for National Library Week based on the idea that once people were motivated to read, they would support and use libraries again. Then… BAM! This wondrous week was born.

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Page 1: WEST UNIVERSITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VOL. XVI ISSUE VII …€¦ · west university elementary school vol. xvi issue vii april 2016

WEST UNIVERSITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VOL. XVI ISSUE VII APRIL 2016

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

Monthly Mustang

Abby points to the plaque near Mrs. Perkin’s room showing that the 1st grade wing was built as a Federal Work project in 1925.

NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEKBY RILEY TACKETT

Mrs. Russell with Mrs. Saleem’s Kindergarten Class.

Did  you  know  that  this  year  is  our  school’s  90th  anniversary?  According  to  Principal  Threet,  WUES  has  changed  a  lot  in  its  history.  When  the  school  opened  in  1925,  the  building  only  contained  six  classrooms  and  an  auditorium,  but  by  1927,  new  spaces  were  added.  A  kindergarten  classroom  was  constructed  with  a  beautiful  porch  and  a  nonworking  Kireplace.  That  classroom  is  now  Ms.  Saleem’s  kindergarten  class.  Also,  the  Pershing  Junior  High  School  opened  on  the  same  land.  WUES  and  Pershing  then  joined  the  Houston  Independent  School  District.    For  the  next  few  decades,  the  school  continued  to  go  through  

construction,  and  new  sections  were  added  to  the  school,  including  the  Kirst  grade  wing,  kindergarten  hallway  and  second  grade  hallway.  In  1948,  Pershing  moved  to  its  current  location.     One  interesting  legend  of  WUES  is  that  people  believed  the  

school  once  had  an  indoor  swimming  pool  in  the  old  gymnasium,  which  is  now  the  cafeteria.  When  the  Multi  Purpose  Room  was  built  in  2005,  the  construction  workers  searched  for  signs  of  the  swimming  pool  but  never  found  any.     For  many  years,  our  school  was  made  up  of  predominantly  white  

students.  According  to  Mr.  Threet,  this  changed  in  the  1970’s  with  desegregation.  A  magnet  program  was  created,  which  added  students  of  different  ethnic  backgrounds  to  the  student  population.  The  magnet  program  also  helped  our  school  stay  open  by  adding  students  to  the  school.  Before  the  magnet  program,  there  were  only  about  300  students  at  WUES.     Principal  Threet  came  to  our  school  20  years  ago.  In  that  time,  

Mr.  Threet  improved  the  school  and  raised  the  rating  from  “Acceptable”  to  “Exemplary.”    The  school’s  population  has  also  grown  under  Mr.  Threet’s  watch  from  867  to  1271  students.  Now  it  is  the  largest  elementary  school  in  HISD.  

  From  April  18th  to  22nd,  our  school  will  celebrate  the  90th  anniversary  with  a  weeklong  party.  Each  grade  will  be  assigned  a  decade  and  do  projects  on  those  ages.  One  day,  students  will  be  asked  to  dress  like  90  year  olds.  There  will  also  be  a  crazy  sock  day.  Each  student  will  receive  a  “bundtini”  cake  from  Nothing  Bundt  Cakes  to  celebrate  the  school’s  birthday.  On  the  Kinal  day,  the  school  will  hold  an  open  house  for  former  students  and  teachers,  parents,  neighbors  and  anyone  else  interested  in  touring  the  school.  Teachers  will  do  guided  historical  tours  through  the  school,  and  there  will  be  a  cake  that  is  larger  than  any  cake  you  have  ever  seen!  Get  ready  to  celebrate!  

THE 90-YEAR HISTORY OF WUES BY ABBY MANUEL

National   Library  Week   is   April   10-­‐16   this   year.     In   honor   of   this  amazing  week,   I  had  Ms.  Russell,   the  best   librarian   I  know;  describe  what  her  plans  will  be  for  National  Library  Week.         Ms.   Russell   said,   “Unfortunately,   not   all   of   the   schools   in   HISD  

have   librarians   anymore,   and   this   is   the   perfect   week   to   show   how  important  they  are.    During  library  ancillary,  we  will  be  reading  books  with  a  library  setting.    We  will  also  be  taking  part  to  get  the  word  out  by   brainstorming   why   libraries   matter,   writing   thank   you   notes   to  public  librarians,  and  creating  library  posters.    I  will  be  able  to  ‘tweet’  out   these   creations   to   help   share   the   importance   of   libraries.     The  nationwide  theme  this  year  is  “Libraries  Transform.”        The  history  of  this  wonderful  week  is  extremely  interesting.  In  the  

mid-­‐1950s,  research  showed  that  Americans  were  spending  less  time  on   books   and  more   on   radios,   televisions,   and  musical   instruments.  Concerned  that  Americans  were  reading  less,  they  formed  a  nonproKit  citizens  organization  called  the  National  Book  Committee  in  1954.      In  1957,   the  American  Library  Association  committee  developed  a  plan  for  National   Library  Week   based   on   the   idea   that   once   people  were  motivated  to  read,  they  would  support  and  use  libraries  again.  Then…  BAM!  This  wondrous  week  was  born.  

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WEST UNIVERSITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VOL. XVI ISSUE VII APRIL 2016

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

Jambo!    T h a t  means  hello   in  Swahili  ( t h e  n a t i v e  

language   in  Tanzania).     This   summer  we  went   to  Tanzania,  Africa  with  our  family.     We   saw   a   lot   of   interesting  animals.     The   animals   included  gazelle,   buffalo,   wildebeest,   leopards,  elephants,   zebras,   warthogs,   and  more.     Our   favorite   animals   included  monkeys,   lions,   cheetahs,   and   jackals.    

Our   least   favorite   animals   were   the  wildebeest   because   while   we   were  there,   wherever   we   looked   we   saw  wildebeest   so   we   grew   tired   of  seeing   them.     We   went   to   visit   a  native   tribe   called   the   Massai.     We  learned  a  song  in  Swahili  (the  native  language).     We   went   on   safari   and  stayed   in   three   different   hotels,  including  two  hotels  in  the  middle  of  the   bush.     At   one   hotel   there  was   a  drinking   pond   and   at   lunch   time   a  herd   of   elephants   would   come   drink  from  the  pond.    One  night  an  elephant  even  blocked  our  path  to  our  cabin!    It  

was   an   exciting   trip   and   we   would  love   to   go   back   and   explore   more   of  Africa.

OUR TRIP TO AFRICA BY GREY WARREN AND CADEN WARREN

Over  winter  break  my  family  took  a  trip  to  Grand  Cayman.  It  is  a  great  getaway  from  Houston  because  it  is  a  direct  and  short  Klight.  We  stayed  at  a  resort  right  on  the  beach  that  had  two  beautiful  pools,  a  water  park  and  of  course  a  white  sand  beach  with  turquoise  water.  The  weather  was  tropical  and  warm.  My  family  and  I  enjoyed  many  activities,  such  as  kayaking,  paddle  boarding,  and  swimming  with  the  sting  rays,  but  we  liked  sailing  the  best.  

My  favorite  activity  on  the  island  was  holding  a  baby  sea  turtle  at  the  Turtle  Farm.  We  also  saw  hundreds  of  sea  turtles  and  several  large  

lizards.  The  reason  they  have  a  turtle  farm  is  because  turtles  are  in  high  demand  due  to  their  meat  on  the  island.    Since  we  rented  a  car  we  were  able  to  go  to  different  places  to  eat.  If  you  enjoy  Indian  food,  I  would  recommend  you  try  the  restaurant  called  Southern  Spice.  It  was  so  delicious  that  we  went  twice!  There  are  several  good  restaurants  and  eating  at  the  resort  is  also  a  great  option.  Their  breakfast  buffet  was  one  of  my  favorites.    

MY TRIP TO GRAND CAYMAN BY JAINA JHUNJHUNWALA

WHAT IS PASSOVER BY LEXI ROBINSON, CADEN WARREN AND GREY WARREN

Q: What is Passover? A: Passover, or Pesach, celebrates the

Jewish people’s freedom from slavery in Egypt long ago.

Q: When is Passover? A: Passover begins this year at sun down on

April 22nd and lasts for 7 days (in Israel but Jews here celebrate for 8 nights). The actual starting date depends on the Jewish calendar, not our secular calendar.

Q: When was Passover started? A: Passover was first written about in the

Torah in the Book of Exodus. Q: Why was Passover started? A: Passover was started to celebrate Jewish

freedom from slavery. Q: How do you celebrate Passover? A: I remove leaven (or bread products) from

my house and eat matzo instead, and we have a seder.

Q: What is a Passover seder? A: “Seder” means order. Jewish families

gather and hold seders on the first and second nights of Passover. It is a dinner and service combined in a very specific order.

Q: What is your favorite Passover tradition? A: My favorite thing to do at Passover is

building the seder plate for our seder. The seder plate includes a lamb shank,

egg, bitter herbs, parsley, haroset, and maror (horseradish).

Q: What do people eat on Passover at the seder?

A: We have delicious foods at seder, including haroset (chopped apples with wine and nuts), roasted eggs, matzo ball soup, and matzo. We also drink 4 cups of wine during the seder.

Q: What is your favorite Passover food? A: My favorite food is matzo balls. Q: Is there anything that you cannot eat

during Passover? A: We cannot eat corn, rice, or bread

products generally, anything with leaven in it. We only eat “unleavened” bread during Passover, foods not prepared with raising agents. This represents the fact that the freed Jews left Egypt in such a hurry that they could not wait for their bread to rise.

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WEST UNIVERSITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VOL. XVI ISSUE VII APRIL 2016

Houston Independent School District http://westues.org page �3

L a u g h t e r   i s   a n  important  part  of  our  lives.     It   makes   us  

happy  when  we   are   sad.     If   you   know  people  who  do   not  laugh,  try  to  make  them  laugh.    Telling  jokes  is  a  good  way  to   make   people   laugh.     Did   you   know   that   the   month   of  April   is   dedicated   to   laughter?     April   is   called   National  Humor  Month!  

National  Humor  Month  was  founded  in  1976  by  a  best-­‐selling   author,   Larry  Wilde.    He   chose  April   because   of   its  dreary  weather,   and   to  neutralize   the   stress  of   taxes  being  due  on  the  April  15.    Above  all,  April  begins  with  April  Fool’s  Day,  which  is  a  day  to  trick  others  and  to  share  a  laugh.    The  

notion  of   laughing  and  the  use  of  humor  as  a  tool   to  cheer  everyone  around  you  seem  gratifying.    Research  now  shows  that  the  healing  power  of   laughter  and  its  ability  to  reduce  stress   may   indeed   be   one   of   the   greatest   medical  discoveries   of   our   times.     Larry   says,   “REMEMBER   THAT  LAUGHTER   and   longevity   go   hand   in   hand.   Grumps   don’t  live  longer—it  just  seems  like  it.    A  buoyant  outlook  may  be  more   important   than   oat   bran   and   pushups,   and   it’s   a   lot  easier  to  take.    So  get  in  the  zone:  Love  life,  laugh  a  lot,  last  longer.”    

So  let’s  start  today:  1. Share  a  joke  with  your  friends  at  recess.  2. Read  a  book  that  has  humor.  3.    Watch  a  funny  movie.  4.    Enjoy  every  moment  of  your  life.  

 During  the  week  of  April  18,  West  U  will  host  a  Recycling  Drive  to  provide  sporting  equipment  for  Houston  organizations  and  schools  supporting  underprivileged    youth.The  groups  or  associations  hosting  this  event  Recycled  Baseball  Items  Foundation  (RBI)  and  The  Lions  Club  International.  The  Lions  

Club  International  is  devoted  to  helping  causes  globally  and  world  peace  around  the  globe.  The  Recycled  Baseball  Items  Foundation's  goal  is  to  lead  underprivileged  in  the  Greater  Houston  Area  to  a  positive  lifestyle  without  gang  or  drugs.  

Donating  eyeglasses  can  change  someone  else’s  life.  The  Lions  Club  is  changing  people’s  lives.  Imagine  if  you  could  help  a  child  read.  Eyeglasses  that  you  no  longer  use  or  need  could  be  very  important  to  someone  else  who  otherwise  

may  not  have  the  opportunity  to  get  the  eyeglasses  they  need  to  see  properly.        How  can  you  help?  Bring  in  your  family's  used  eyeglasses.  Any  type  of  eyeglasses-­‐prescription,  reading,  or  sunglasses-­‐will  gladly  be  accepted.  You  can  also  bring  in  new  or  gently  used  sporting  equipment  of  any  kind!  

       In  April,  our  school  will  be  participating  in  a  recycled  sports  equipment  drive  and  also  an  eyeglasses  recycling  drive.  Please  go  through  your  closets,  ask  neighbors  and  start  pulling  out  any  and  all  sporting  gear  and  old  eyeglasses  you  no  longer  need  and  bring  it  to  school  the  week  of  April  18-­‐22nd.  I  am  sure  the  children  will  be  extremely  grateful  for  your  generosity.  

PUT THOSE OLD SHIN GUARDS TO WORK BY AMY HE & BY JAINA JHUNJHUNWALA

April  Fools’  Day  is  a  fun  and  outstanding  day  for  lots  of  kids  around  the  globe.    No  one  really  knows  the  exact  beginning  for  April  Fools’  Day.    Many  countries  have  different  traditions  for  that  day.    In  modern  France,  April  Fools’  Day  is  called  April  Fish  because  friends  would  fool  each  other  by  taping  a  paper  fish  on  someone’s  back  and  the  victim  yells  “April  Fish.”    In  England,  kids  would  prank  other  kids  and  if  they  were  successful,  they  would  yell  “Fool,  fool  the  guckaw”  because  an  April  Fool  is  called  a  “gwok.”    In  Portugal,  they  throw  flour  at  their  friends.  Some  silly  pranks  for  April  Fools’  Day  are:    

• Put  a  whoopee  cushion  on  someone’s  chair  or  in  your  sibling’s  car  seat.  

• Freeze  a  bowl  of  cereal  and  milk  the  night  before  and  serve  it  to  your  mom.  

• Take  the  batteries  out  of  the  TV  remote  controls  and  drive  your  dad  crazy.  

• Change  the  language  in  your  mom  or  dad’s  cell  phone.  • Fill  an  Oreo  with  white  toothpaste  and  give  it  to  your  friend.  • Put  googgly  eyes  on  everything  in  the  fridge  and  watch  your  parents  freak  out  in  the  morning.  

• Replace  the  Cheetos  in  a  bag  with  mini  carrots  and  glue  the  bag  shut.    Someone  will  be  disappointed!  

• Put  cotton  balls  in  the  toes  of  someone’s  shoes.  • Put  fake  cockroaches  in  your  house  and  watch  everyone  be  grossed  out.  

APRIL FOOLS’ DAY FUN BY HANIA KUSINSKI

BY PRISHA SHIVANI

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WEST UNIVERSITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VOL. XVI ISSUE VII APRIL 2016

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Saving  Lucas  Biggs  by  Marisa  de  los  Santos  and  David  Teague  

out  of  5  stars.  

This  book  follows  a  13  year  old,  Margaret,  as  she  embarks  on  a  quest  to  save  her  innocent  father  from  the  death  penalty.  She  needs  the  help  of  time  travel,  her  best  friend,  Charlie,  and  his  grandfather  to  try  and  

prevent  Judge  Biggs  from  turning  into  a  corrupt  man.  I  liked  that  the  book  was  told  through  Margaret  and  Charlie’s  alternating  points  of  view.  I  also  liked  that  it  was  written  by  a  wife  and  husband.  This  is  a  great  story  about  friends,  family,  finding  justice,  and  a  little  about  the  physics  of  time  travel.

The  Great  American  Dustbowl  by  Don  Brown      

out  of  5  stars.      

Read  this  graphic  novel  to  find  out  why  America  calls  the  1930’s  the  “Dirty  Thirties.”  The  vivid  artwork  tells  the  amazing  story  about  one  of  America's  most  catastrophic  

natural  events:  the  Dust  Bowl.  While  the  book  explains  what  caused  the  devastation  and  the  effects  on  our  land,  the  people,  and  the  economy,  it  is  anything  but  boring!  The  illustrations  really  help  you  feel  like  you  had  a  front  row  seat  to  the  dust  storm.  The  story  was  thrilling,  but  I  wish  it  included  a  timeline  describing  the  events  happening  in  the  1930’s.    

BENNER’S BLUEBONNET BOOK REVIEWS BY: WESTON BENNER

Pi  is  the  circumference  (the  distance  around)  of  a  circle  divided  by   the  diameter   (the  distance  across).  Pi   is   also  classified   as   an   irrational   number,   which   means   that   it  cannot  be  expressed  as  a  simple  fraction.  Therefore,  pi  is  an  infinite  decimal.  Computers  have  calculated  trillions  of  digits  of  pi.  Here  are  the  first  10  digits  of  pi:  3.141592653  As  it  is  an  infinite  decimal,  most  people  approximate  pi  

to  3.14.  Historians  say  that  pi  was  discovered  a  long  time  ago,  with   the  Babylonians   thinking   it  was  3.125  and  the  

Egyptians   thinking   it   was   256/81,  but   Archimedes   of   Syracuse  (287-­‐212  B.C.)   is  widely   considered  to   be   the   first   to   calculate   an  accurate   estimation   of   the   value   of  pi.    Fun  Facts  

• March  14  is  Pi  Day  because  it  is  3-­‐14  and  pi’s  first  few  digits  are  3.14  

• The  symbol  for  pi  –  π  –  originally  was  the  16th  letter  of  the  Greek  alphabet  

PI BY DIANE SUN

Özge  Samanci  is  a  young  girl.    The  book  starts   out   when   she   is   six   and  continues  until  she  is  seventeen.    A  few  things  she  has  to  deal  with  throughout  her  life  are…  •  Not  having  much  money  •  Crushing  on  her  teacher  •  Getting  beaten  •  Getting  in  a  car  crash  •  Dealing  with  school  exams  

• Studying   so   much   that   there   isn’t   time   to   hang   out  with  her  sister  • Much  failure  • Having  to  give  up  

• Choosing   between   a   good   education   (boarding  school)  and  family  (she  has  to  go  away  to  attend  a  good  school)  • Being  told  that  what  she  wants  to  do  for  a  living  can  only  be  a  hobby  • Being  expected  to  always  excel  • Having  a  harsh  dad  who  grew  up  as  an  orphan  • Feeling  guilty  for  doing  anything  but  studying  This   book   is   an   autobiography,   but   in   graphic   novel  

form.     It  has  a  funny,  thoughtful  story,  amazing,  beautiful  art  and  is  heartwarming.    It  is  an  excellent  book.    It  give  it  Kive  out  of   Kive  stars.    One   thing   I   liked  about   it   is   that   it  tells   about   Turkey   and   problems   going   on   there   during  that   time   period.     It   is   appropriate   for   5th   graders   and  beyond  because  of  some  mature  themes.  

BOOK CORNER: DARE TO DISAPPOINT: GROWING UP IN TURKEY BY OZGE SAMANCI REVIEWED BY NORA MAYRAL BOYLE

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Could  you  imagine  a  world  where  you  didn’t  need  to  carry  around  cash  or  credit  cards?  That  is  what  Bitcoin  is  aiming  to  deliver.  Bitcoin  is  a  decentralized  peer-­‐to-­‐peer  digital  currency  which  means  that  no  government  controls  it.  Instead,  its  users  control  it,  and  rather  than  being  physical,  it  is  just  a  number  on  a   computer’s   hard   drive.   Bitcoin  was   created   by   a   person   or  group   of   people   that   go   by   the   name   of   Satoshi   Nakamoto.  Bitcoin  is  already  accepted  at  many  massive  corporations  such  as   Microsoft.   The   advantages   of   Bitcoin   over   cash   or   credit  cards   is   that  you  only  need   to  carry  around  a  phone  or  other  mobile   device   that   has   your   bitcoin   account   number.   In  addition,  Bitcoin  is  more  secure  than  cash  or  credit  because  if  anyone   gets   your   account   number   they   still   need   your  password  to  access  your  account.    

Interestingly,   anyone   can   be   part   of   the  Bitcoin   network,  which  means  that  your  computer  can  verify  every  transaction  that   is   made   –   this   enhances   security   by   having   a   lot   of  computers  monitor   the   network   full-­‐time.   You   can   do   this   by  downloading  Bitcoin  Core,  but  if  you  want  to  do  this  you  need  to   have   a   very   powerful   computer   and   a   very   fast   internet  

connection.  I  started  doing  this  in  December,  and   it   has   been   really   interesting.   Bitcoin   is  not  without   its   disadvantages,   however.   For  example,  the  value  of  Bitcoin  changes  rapidly  and  sometimes  by  a   lot,   so  you  can’t  always  rely   on   it   to   keep   its   value.   Also,   most  retailers  do  not  accept  Bitcoin.    

Curious  how  to  get  Bitcoin?  You  will  need  to  buy  a  Bitcoin  miner,  which   is   a   separate  piece  of   technology.  The  miners   cost   anywhere  from  $50  to  $2,000.  The  miner  works  by  solving  a  very  complex  math  problem  every  15  minutes  –  the  first  miner  that  solves  each  problem  earns  25  Bitcoin.  Even  though  this  might  sound  easy  for  a  computer,  it  is  hard  to  be  first  when  there  are  about  1  million  miners  out  there  trying   to   solve   the   problem.  Without  mining   on   your   own,   another  way  to  get  Bitcoin  is  to  link  your  computer  with  a  Bitcoin  miner  pool,  which  is  where  you  join  with  a  bunch  of  other  miners  and  all  try  to  solve   the  math  problem   together.   You   then   split   the   reward   among  the  miners.   This   is  what   I   have   done,   and   so   far   I   have   earned   the  equivalent  of  $41  in  Bitcoin.  Now  that  you  know  all  about  Bitcoin,  go  out  there  and  get  mining!    

Greetings,   Pokemon   Trainers!   I’m  writing  to  celebrate  the  achievements  of   Shigeru   Miyamoto,   Satoru   Iwata,  the   director   of   Nintendo   who   sadly  passed  this  past  fall,  and  the  Nintendo  and   Game   Freak   staff  members  who  have  made  millions  of   fans,   including  

me,   happy   and   excited   with   twenty   years   of   Pokemon.   To  celebrate,   The   Pokemon   Company   has   produced   a   new   set   of  Pokemon   card   boxes   every   week!!   I   have  made   a   list   of   all   the  games   from   the   past   twenty   years   right   here   for   your   reading  pleasure:   Red,   Blue,   Yellow,   Green,   Gold,   Silver,   Crystal,   Ruby,  Sapphire,   Emerald,   Diamond,   Pearl,   Platinum,   Black,   White,   Soul  Silver,   Heart   Gold,   Black2,   White2,   X,   Y,   Omega   Ruby,   Alpha  Sapphire,   and   soon   to   come  might   be:  X2,   Y2,   Z,   Sun,   and  Moon.  Phew!   Besides   the   cards,   Nintendo   has   produced   some   limited  addition   merchandise.   If   you   want   to   buy   some,   please   visit  Pokemon.com   and   go   to   the   Pokemon   Center!  What   kills  me   is  that  I  have  not  had  enough  money  to  buy  all  this  stuff,  and  if  I  did,  

there  would  be  no  space  to  put   it  all!  So  sad.  Enough  said  about  merchandise.   I   might’ve   got   carried   away.   In   case   you’re  wondering,   I   am   absolutely   NOT   advertising   for   Game   Freak,  thank   you   very   much.   To   commemorate   this   special   occasion,  Pokemon  Red,  Blue,  and  Yellow  have  been  released!  These  games  are  how  Pokemon  hit  the  big  time.  It’s  amazing  how  the  Nintendo  designers   thought   up   719   different   and   unique   Pokemon   in  twenty  years!!  You  may  be  thinking,  “Big  whoop.  Twenty  years  is  such   a   long   time.”   Maybe   it   is,   but   keep   in   mind   these   are   all  totally   different   Pokemon.   Fun   fact:   Pikachu   wasn’t   the   first  Pokemon;   Rhydon   was.   Look   it   up.   Mew   was   the   first   to   be  copyrighted.   Pikachu   is   just   from   the   TV   show.   In   my   opinion,  Pikachu   isn’t   even   a   good   Pokemon   anyway.   Tyranitar   4-­‐Eva!  (He’s   my   favorite)   What’s   not   to   like   about   him?   This   is   not  related   to   Pikachu,   but   another   fun   fact   is:   Since   Pokemon  Red,  people   such   as   T-­‐Tar   (Tyranitar   Tube)   have   made   Pokemon  YouTube   channels!  Weird  but   cool!!  Anyhow,   I’m   running  out  of  room.  Well,   that’s   all   for  now!   See  you!  Get  out   there   and  Catch  ‘Em  All!!!  

GAME CORNER SPOTLIGHT: POKEMON: 20TH ANNIVERSARYBY DAVIS BARNETT

WHAT IS BITCOIN BY JAY LOVE

April   28,   2016   is   Take   Our   Daughters  and  Sons  to  Work  Day.    This  day  began  as  a  way  for  parents  to  show  their  children  how  they  can  be  professional   role  models.    The  founders   thought   daughters   and   sons  should  have  the  chance  to  see  their  parents  while   at   work   and   help   support   the   idea  that   girls   and   boys   can   do   any   profession  they   want   if   they   try   hard   enough.     They  number   of   children   involved   has   grown   to  

include   less   fortunate   kids   to   show   them  what   they   can   achieve.     There   are   a   lot   of  companies   and   organizations   that  participate  in  this  day  every  year.  If  you  take  part   in   this  day  we  want  to  hear   from  you.    Please   contact   Mr.   Connolly   so   we   can  interview  you  for  the  next  Monthly  Mustang  and   share  what   it  was   like   to   be   a   part   of  Take  Our  Daughters  and  Sons  to  Work  Day.    

TAKE YOUR DAUGHTER & SONS TO WORK DAY BY ISABELLA PESIKOFF

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Thorsten  Brinkmann  is  an  artist,  born  in  Herne,  Germany  in  1971.  He  is  known  for  his  visual  communication,  photographic  portraits  and  still  lives.  When  he  does  photographic  art,  he  is  his  own  model.  He  uses  an  old  camera  with  a  ten-­‐second  self-­‐timer.    In  2011,  Thorsten  Brinkmann  received  the  Finkerwerder  Art  Prize.  It  is  awarded  to  artists  who  have  made  a  great  contribution  to  contemporary  art  in  Germany.  He  likes  to  take  random  items  for  his  art  so  much,  he  calls  himself  a  collector.    

His  works  are  at  Rice  Gallery  at  Rice  University.  The  exhibition  is  called:    The  Great  Cape  Rinderhorn.    It  took  six  weeks  to  install.    It  is  somewhat  a  mysterious  exhibit  because,  

at  first,  you  may  not  even  know  you  are  meant  to  enter  the  construction.  Once  inside  the  container  in  the  middle  of  the  gallery,  there  are  three  parts.  The  first  is  like  a  movie  theatre,  then  a  hallway,  and  the  third  section  is  the  hidden  room.  In  the  hidden  room  there  is  a  big  bed  in  a  corner,  a  shelf  with  weird  objects,  a  tiny  bookcase  with  four  identical  books  about  life,  a  weird  sink,  creepy  record  player,  a  tv  with  a  video  of  of  the  objects  on  the  bookshelf  dancing,  a  weird  whistle,  a  mannequin  with  creepy  garments,  and  scary  music.  If  you  looked  in  holes  on  the  ceiling  you  would  find  weird  art.  

We  thought  it  was  intriguing,  because  we  found  old  movies  hidden  behind  books  with  

fading  notes  scrawled  on  them.  Odd  doorknobs  and  doors  on  the  ceiling.,  the  word  “life”  written  over  and  over,  and  an  ultra-­‐weird  note  in  a  dictionary.  We  looked  up  the  words  from  the  note.    They  all  concerned  things  in  the  room.      

If  you  want  to  have  some  fun  go  there.  The  Rice  Gallery  is  open  on  Tuesday,  Wednesday,  Friday  and  Saturday  from  11:00am  to  5:00pm,  on  Thursday  from  11:00am  to  7:00pm,  and  on  Sunday  from  Noon  to  10:00pm.  

What’s  the  difference  between  fourth  grade  and  the  others?  Here’s  what:  the  amazing  fourth  grade  field  trip!  We  blazed  the  trail  to  the  capitol  city  –  Austin.  With  a  three  hour  drive  full  of  fun,  sight-­‐seeing  three  special  monuments  and  a  delicious  lunch  at  the  capitol,  this  field  trip  was  like  no  other.  Waking  up  at  4:00  am  wasn’t  

as  enjoyable  as  a  weekend  at  the  beach,  but  it  was  worth  it.  We  sat  in    luxurious,  leather  seats  in  a  limousine  bus,  equipped  with  T.V.  screens  and  a  bathroom.    Once  everyone  was  boarded,  we  hit  the  road  and  watched  movies.  If  we  brought  electronics,  we  could  practically  do  anything  –  play  games,  read  or  listen  to  music.  We  could  also  sit  with  anyone  we  chose  and  talk.  Whatever  it  took  to  entertain  us!Buckle  up  because  we  were  in  for  a  ride.  When  we  reached  our  

destination,  our  first  stop  was  the  Bob  Bullock  Museum,  filled  with  Texas  artifacts.  We  learned  about  important  historical  documents  and  animals.  Later,  we  met  up  with  the  other  classes  and  watched  an  interesting  film.      

Next,  we  ate  lunch  at  the  courtyard  of  the  Capitol  building.  Afterwards,  we  took  a  group  photo  and  then  ventured  into  the  Great  Hall.  There  we  learned  about  the  Battle  of  the  Alamo  and  Santa  Ana.  We  were  lucky,  and  got  to  see  the  apartment  behind  the  Senate  Chambers.  Our  next  stop  was  the  visitor’s  

center  near  the  Capitol  monument.  We  watched  a  short  video  about  the  Capitol  and  then  toured  the  residence.  We  also  got  to  play  an  enjoyable  historical  game  with  a  partner.  After  this,  we  returned  to  the  bus  for  the  exciting  ride  back  to  West  U.  W  In  conclusion,  the  fourth  

grade  field  trip  was  definitely  different  from  other  field  trips.    We  were  able  to  venture  a  farther  distance  then  most  trips  of  the  past.  There  was  a  higher  level  of  expectation  to  represent  ourselves  well  and  our  school  in  a  positive  light.  We  took  great  care  to  be  responsible  and  accountable  for  our  actions.  We  learned  a  great  deal  and  had  a  fun  time  doing  it.  Austin  is  a  super  place  to  visit.    When  you  get  to  experience  this  for  yourself,  I  bet  you’ll  agree!  

A FABULOUS FIELD TRIPBY ISRAEL FOX & MARA MCCARTHY

THORSTEN BRINKMANN EXHIBITION AT RICE GALLERY BY NORA MAYRAL BOYLE

THOMAS JEFFERSON BY BROOKE BLUM & ELIZABETH REED

As most of you know Thomas Jefferson is the third president of the United States. In 1776 he was the main author of the Declaration of Independence. In 1797-1801 he served as the second Vice President of the U.S. under John Adams. He was elected the third President of the U.S.

and served from 1801-1809. Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743 in Shadwell, Virginia,

and died on July 4, 1826.. He loved to play when he was young. He would explore the woods, streams and creeks. He played with his friends on the land of Monticello. Later, he graduated from the College of William and Mary and became a lawyer.

He was an American Founding Father. As such, he was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and was a great supporter of individual rights. He was the second Vice President, when James Adams was President. In 1800, he was elected to be the third President of the United States of America and served from 1801 until 1809. As President, he was responsible for the Louisiana Purchase by the United States from France. This resulted in a huge increase in the size of the United States – almost doubling its previous land area.

Some other interesting facts about Thomas Jefferson are that he loved books. He had more than 6,487 books. He loved writing letters and wrote at least 19,000 letters to people in his life. He loved vanilla ice cream and he first tasted ice cream during a trip to France. He brought the recipe for ice cream home and it is now in the Library of Congress. He kept pet Mockingbirds. He loved their singing and often kept at least four of them. His favorite Mockingbird’s name was Dick.

Based on what was written on his gravestone, Thomas Jefferson was most proud of being the author of the Declaration of Independence, author of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom and founder of the University of Virginia.

We celebrate his birthday, in April, to honor the birth of the third

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Q:  Where  are  you  from?  A:  Pennsylvania  Q:  How  long  have  you  taught  here?  A:  29  years  Q:  Whats  your  favorite  movie?  A:  Remember  the  Titans  Q:  If  you  had  one  wish,  what  would  you  wish  for?  A:  No  violence  in  the  world  

Q:  If  you  won  a  million  dollars,  what  would  you  do  with  it?  A:  Retire  and  move  to  Hawaii  Q:  What’s  your  favorite  book?  A:  My  Sister's  Keeper  Q:  Do  you  have  any  pets  and  if  so  what  kind  and  what  are  their  names?  

A:  No  pets  Q:  What’s  your  favorite  country?  Why?  A:  Ireland,  because  I  am  part  Irish  and  my  family  is  there  Q:  What  do  you  love  about  teaching?  A:  Seeking  the  spark  that  comes  from  a  kid  learning  something  new  

Q:  What  do  you  wish  all  the  students  knew  about  you?  A:  That  I  am  a  mom  and  I  know  how  kids  feel!  

GET TO KNOW JAINA JHUNJHUNWALA BY LEXI ROBINSON

1.   What   is   your   favorite   subject?   My  favorite  subject  is  math.  2.What   is   your   favorite   book?     I   don’t  really   have   a   favorite   book,   but   my  favorite  series  is  The  Land  of  Stories.  3.   What   after   school   activities   do   you  do?  I  do  dance,  piano,  basketball  and  girl  scouts.  4.  What   is   your   favorite  movie?   I   don’t  have  a  favorite  movie.  5.  What  is  your  favorite  food?  My  favorite  food  is  pasta  and  Enchiladas.  6.   What   is   your   favorite   color?   My  

favorites  colors  are  light  blue  and  purple.  7.  How  many  family  members  do  you  have?  I  have  four  family  members.  My  brother,  mom,  dad  and  me.  

8.  Do  you  have  any  pets?    If  so,  what  are  there  names?  I  don’t  have  any  pets.  

9.  What   is   the  best   vacation  you  have  been  on?    Where  did  you  go  and  what  did  you  do?    I  went  to  Australia.    We  went  to  Sydney,  Uluru,  Cairns  and  Melbourne.    My   favorite   thing  that  we  did  was  feed  the  kangaroos.  

10.  What  is  your  favorite  animal?   My   favorite   animal   is   a  zebra.  

CATCHING UP WITH MS. MILLER BY ANGIE PASCALE

GET TO KNOW MRS. POWELL BY MARISA BOUÉ & KAI GOMEZ

Q:  How  long  have  you  been  teaching  here?  A:  This  is  my  4th  year  here.  Q:  What  is  your  biggest  pet  peeve?  A:  Things  being  put  in  the  wrong  places.  Q:  If  your  class  could  be  any  animal  in  the  ocean  program  what  would  it  be?  

A:  The  Dolphins,  of  course!  Q:  Does  your  classroom  have  a  class  pet  if  so,  what  is  it?    A:  No,  but  we  get  butter_lies  in  the  spring  to  keep  in  our  classroom.  

Q:  What  college  did  you  go  to?      A:  I  went  to  TEXAS  A&M  Q:  Did  you  play  sports  if  so  what  were  they?  A:  Lacrosse  and  cheerleading.  Q:  What  other  grades  did  you  teach?  A:  First  grade  and  Kindergarten  

Q:  What  is  your  favorite  subject?  A:  Language  arts.    Q:  What  was  your  favorite  book  as  a  kid?  A:  The  Nancy  Drew  Series.    Q:  What  did  you  want  to  be  when  you  were  a  child?    A:  A  teacher.  

Jaina was one of the finalists in the school Spelling Bee.

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WEST UNIVERSITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VOL. XVI ISSUE VII APRIL 2016

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