Purple House 5 2023-2024

Dear Purple Families,

This week was filled with meaningful learning and rich experiences across content areas. After our visit from the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, learners dove deeply into local history by studying the impact of Clarence “C.L.” Broadnax and the Civil Rights Movement in Dallas during 1964. Working collaboratively, students crafted newspaper headlines and articles, stepping into the role of journalists to thoughtfully recount events, analyze perspectives, and communicate their learning with care and empathy. We were so proud of the respect, teamwork, and insight they demonstrated.

We also celebrated creativity and innovation through Coppell ISD’s Thinkapalooza, a district-wide event that highlights student thinking, problem-solving, and real-world application of learning. It was exciting to see how our learners’ curiosity and creativity align with the spirit of this celebration of thinking and growth.

In math, learners continued building strong algebraic foundations by using hands-on manipulatives to create and grow patterns. They recorded data in input/output tables, identified algebraic rules, and used variables to extend patterns beyond what they could see. Through visual models and real-world connections, students are learning how algebra helps make sense of changing situations.

It has been a week full of curiosity, collaboration, and growth—and we are so proud of the thoughtful work our learners continue to do!

Shout-out to Akshara for proudly representing our school and competing alongside middle schoolers this week. We are all so very proud of you!

Warmly,
Ms. May Voltz
Purple Fifth Grade Teacher

Our strawberries continue to grow and thrive! We are so grateful to Mrs. Keiko for her ongoing guidance and for helping our learners develop a love for gardening and stewardship

Our series and parallel circuit projects are officially complete, and learners did an awesome job designing and constructing their mini models! Students applied their understanding of electrical energy as they built working circuits, tested their designs, and solved problems along the way. The creativity, perseverance, and teamwork on display were impressive as learners brought their ideas to life.

After learning about the courageous work of Clarence “C.L.” Broadnax and his role in advancing the Civil Rights Movement in Dallas during the 1960s, our learners gained a deeper understanding of how local leaders used peaceful protest, community organizing, and determination to challenge segregation and injustice. As they explored Broadnax’s efforts to desegregate public spaces and bring attention to inequality in Dallas, students were inspired by the idea that change often begins within a community.

Working in collaborative groups, learners stepped into the role of journalists, crafting newspaper headlines and articlesto recount these historical events. This task pushed them to analyze information, discuss perspectives, and choose powerful words that accurately reflected the impact of Broadnax’s leadership and the broader Civil Rights Movement of 1964. The experience strengthened not only their historical understanding, but also their empathy, teamwork, and ability to communicate important ideas clearly. We are incredibly proud of the thoughtful work they produced and the respect they showed for this important chapter of our city’s history.

In math this week, learners used hands-on manipulatives to build and explore growing patterns. By physically adding to their patterns step by step, students were able to see how each pattern changed and grew over time. They then recorded their observations in input/output tables, helping them organize data and look for relationships between steps and values.

Next, learners worked to identify the algebraic rule that described how their pattern was growing and used that rule to extend the pattern beyond what they could see. Through this process, students learned how variables can stand in for changing values and how visual models help represent real-world situations. These experiences are strengthening learners’ ability to make sense of patterns, explain their thinking, and connect algebra to situations they might encounter outside the classroom.

Coppell ISD’s Thinkapalooza is a district-wide celebration of student thinking, creativity, and innovation. It showcases how learners engage in deep problem-solving, design thinking, collaboration, and real-world learningacross content areas.

Through hands-on exhibits, projects, and interactive experiences, students share how they think, create, question, and grow—highlighting the process of learning just as much as the final product. Thinkapalooza reflects Coppell ISD’s commitment to empowering learners to be curious, reflective, and innovative thinkers who can apply their learning beyond the classroom.

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.

This week in math, fifth graders are discovering that algebra is all around us! We are learning how algebraic expressions help us describe real-world situations using numbers and letters (called variables).

At home, invite your child to notice where patterns show up in everyday life—shopping, cooking, walking, or even playing games. For example, if one notebook costs $3, the total cost for n notebooks can be written as 3 × n. If each walk around the block is 1,000 steps, the total steps after x walks can be shown as 1,000x.

Ask your child:

• Why might we use a letter instead of a number?

• How do algebraic expressions help us when the number is still changing?

• Where did you notice a pattern today?

  
  

By connecting math to real life, learners are building a deeper understanding of how algebra helps us model situations, make predictions, and explain patterns—skills that will support them in math and beyond!

THANK YOU, Mrs. Garvin, for leading the charge with our Great Kindness Challenge planning for 2026! Be thinking about how you can incorporate KINDNESS into your lesson design in the next couple of weeks. You will want to create a banner for your classes for our Kindness Kickoff Parade. This will take place first thing Monday morning, January 26. Here is the link from Angela with details.

The 100th Day of school is coming up on January 29. Let your famiLEEs know so that they can start planning.

Reminder - a CISD Background check is required for all volunteers.

Our LEEdership Council will be selling hot chocolate to the learners on Wednesday. Please encourage participation and share in your weekly newsletter.

.MOY MAP AND MCLASS WINDOW THROUGH FEBRUARY 13

SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH

January 19 - NO SCHOOL

Jan 21 - LEEdership Council Hot Cocoa Sale (Recess time in cafe)

CISD Choice Fair 6:00-8:00 PM (CHS)

Jan 22 - Design Day (Blue AM / Purple PM)

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