The first “Family Fun Night” of the year was held at the Primary Elementary School for first and second grade students, along with their families, on October 10. Thirty families attended.
Sponsored by the Westmoreland PTO, the special event featured math games organized by the first and second grade teachers that families can play at home, as well as an engineering challenge called the “Ghostbuster Launcher Challenge.” For the challenge, which was organized by Mrs. Davis, Westmoreland Central School District ZI3 coordinator, each student received 10 popsicle sticks, four rubber bands, a plastic spoon and a marshmallow decorated like a ghost. Using the materials, students designed an object to launch their marshmallow into a pyramid of cups, or a “tower of pumpkins.” The goal of the challenge was to knock over as many cups as possible.
“It’s a great way to reinforce mathematical thinking and problem solving,” Mrs. O’Connell, Primary Elementary School principal, said of the event.
The PTO is sponsoring several more family fun nights throughout the school year. Each will have a STEAM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Art-Math) theme. The next is being held at the Upper Elementary School in November.