Purple House 5 2023-2024

Dear Purple Families,

This week was full of thinking, teamwork, and wonder in Purple House! Learners did a fabulous job on their math exemplars, working carefully to show their strategies and explain their thinking. Our Texas Wildlife Association “Where’s Our Water?” experience helped us understand how important it is to be good stewards of our precious natural resource—water—and inspired lots of great questions and conversations. We also launched our new unit on electrical energy and had fun modeling parallel circuits, exploring how energy can move through different paths. What a powerful week of learning!

In case anyone at the North Pole is reading this.... the girls and boys of Purple 5 have been very good this week!

Warmly,
Ms. May Voltz
Purple Fifth Grade Teacher

With our favorite Texas Wildlife Association presenter, Mrs. Kay Bell, our young environmental scientists dove into the Where’s Our Water? Learners explored how water moves through our Texas ecosystems, why conservation matters, and how humans, plants, and animals all depend on this precious resource. Through hands-on models, engaging demonstrations, and rich discussion, they discovered just how interconnected our world truly is.

Our learners also discovered that every one of us plays an important role in protecting Texas’ water. From conserving water at home to understanding how our choices impact rivers, aquifers, and wildlife, students are beginning to see themselves as thoughtful stewards of this vital resource. I'm so proud of the way they’re learning to care for our environment and taking steps, both big and small, to ensure clean, abundant water for generations to come.

Order by Dec 15th for delivery before the holidays!! Check out our spurs decked out in our winter spirit wear! These are GREAT holiday gift ideas - hoodies, fleece, beanies, and the coziest fuzzy blanket — perfect gifts for your Spurs. Place your orders by Monday for delivery before the break!! rjlpto.org/spurstore

We will host a Little Library at Lee for future Spurs/Cowboys on January 30. Please share the invitation below. Thank you, Holly, for organizing this fun event.

• Date: December 18
• Setup: 1:15-2pm
• Party: 2-2:45pm
• Cleanup: 2:45-3:00pm

⚡ Human Circuits in the Purple House!

This week our young scientists became the circuit! Using Steve Spangler Energy Sticks, we explored how electrical energy travels and what it means to open and close a circuit. In true Purple FamiLEE fashion, we took it to the next level with 25 learners worked together to build a human parallel circuit, complete with three “rooms” in our imaginary cabin. By joining hands to complete the pathways, we demonstrated how energy can transfer through our bodies to light up the sticks.

Learners experimented with opening and closing different branches of the circuit, discovering how energy can flow through one room even if another room is switched “off.” The collaboration, problem-solving, and joyful energy were absolutely electric! ⚡💜

⭐ Learn at Home: Exploring Electrical Circuits!

Series vs. Parallel Circuits — What’s the Difference?

This week, you can become an electrical engineer right at home! Using interactive simulations (Gizmos or PhET), explore how electrical circuits work and discover the differences between series and parallel circuits. Get ready to build, test, and analyze just like a real scientist! ⚡💡

🔌 Step 1: Build a Series Circuit

Choose one lightbulb, two wires, and one battery in the simulation.
Then try adding a second lightbulb in the same path.

✨ Notice:

• What happens when you add more bulbs in a series?

• What happens If one bulb goes out?

• There is only one path for electricity to travel.

  
  

Ask yourself:

• Why does the brightness change?

• What happens when you remove a bulb?

  
  

🔌 Step 2: Build a Parallel Circuit

Now create a circuit with two separate branches—each with its own lightbulb.

✨ Notice:

• What happens when you add more bulbs?

• What happens If one bulb goes out?

• Electricity has more than one path to follow.

  
  

Ask yourself:

• Why does each bulb get the same amount of energy?

• How is this different from the series circuit?

DECEMBER TO REMEMBER

Elf Games Begin!

Dec 18: Day 0

Dr. Shivers visits Lee (8:00-9:00)

2nd Grading Period Ends

Spirit Rally (1:00 Gym)

Class Parties (2:00)

Dec 22 - Jan 2: Winter Break

Fifth-grade designer of learning experiences at RJ Lee Elementary a Net Zero school in Coppell, Texas.

Our Guiding Purpose: We empower learners to positively impact the world by designing learning experiences that promote relationships, risk-taking, and collaboration in a flexible learning environment.

Apple Teacher

HEB Excellence in Education State Finalist 2018

Twitter X: @MayV1