Purple House 5 2023-2024

Dear Purple Families,

It’s been a short but busy week in 5th grade! Learners are gearing up for Leadership Council elections, diving into our exciting Strawberry Challenge with Mrs. Keiko, our gardening guru, and enjoying plenty of hands-on science experiences. Reading MAP testing and mCLASS testing kept us hard at work, and next week we’ll wrap up our beginning-of-year assessments with the Science MAP test.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for Curriculum Night and our Sky Ranch parent meeting—your support truly makes our community stronger every day!

Warmly,
Ms. May Voltz
Purple Fifth Grade Teacher

Learners explored the relationship between solids and liquids by using a graduated cylinder to measure units of volume. Through a water displacement activity, they discovered that one cubic centimeter (cm³) is equal to one milliliter (mL). As they carefully read the changing water levels, playful discussions arose—Was the meniscus above or below the line? Did the solid really take up that much space? These hands-on moments helped them connect abstract ideas about volume to real-world observations.

Relative Density

This week, we explored relative density—the idea that some materials are heavier or lighter compared to others of the same size. When we compare objects or liquids, those that are more dense sink, and those that are less dense float!

Try this at home:

1. Gather three liquids with different densities (examples: honey, water, and vegetable oil). Slowly pour them into a clear glass. Watch as they form a liquid density tower—each layer stays separate!

2. Carefully drop in three solids (examples: a grape, a small plastic bead, and a coin). Notice where each one settles—in the honey, in the water, or on top of the oil.

👉 Want to make it even more fun? Record a short video of your density tower, pointing out where each solid and liquid ended up. Explain:

• Which liquid is the most dense? Least dense?

• Which solids are more dense than water? Which are less dense?

This is a playful way to see how density, volume, and mass affect whether something sinks, floats, or rests in between! Have some fun in the kitchen!

Math Connections in Fifth Grade
This week in math, learners are exploring multiple ways to think about division and multiplication. Algorithms, proportional thinking, Exploding Dots, and the Area Model are all helping us make sense of big ideas in mathematics.

• Algorithms give us efficient steps for solving problems.

• Proportional Thinking helps learners see patterns and relationships between numbers.

• Exploding Dots provide a visual model for place value and regrouping, making abstract ideas concrete.

• The Area Model allows learners to connect multiplication, division, and geometry in meaningful ways.

By moving between these strategies, students are seeing how math connects across different models and approaches. This not only strengthens understanding but also builds flexibility and confidence when solving problems.

We are truly lucky to have Mrs. Keiko, our gardening guru, here at Lee! Together, we are teaming up to plant and grow strawberries. Our official kick-off was this week, and we’re excited to dig into not only gardening but also the science behind it. Learners will be researching, collecting data, and making real-world connections as we care for our plants. We’re looking forward to a sweet partnership in this hands-on learning adventure!

We invite you to stop by and have lunch with your learner on Thursday, September 12. After having lunch, you are welcome to shop at our Scholastic Book Fair in our media center. Please sign up here to help us prepare for this special day. School lunch is priced at $5.00 and will be charged to your learner's account. We will have name tags prepared for you ahead of time so you can quickly check in and avoid waiting in a long line.

Save the date and please join us for our first Virtual PTO meeting of the school year next Tuesday, September 9, 2025 at 6pm. Tune in for key updates from the Lee administration and your PTO team. A link to join will be emailed prior to the meeting. We can’t wait to see you there!

And... got caught being helpful as well!

Pro Parenting Tip: Schedule dentist and doctor appointments outside of school hours or choose afternoon slots so your child doesn't have to miss school. Every day counts! Thank you for supporting your child's education and helping us maintain strong attendance. Together, we can make a difference!

• ALL LEARNERS should have their picture as their background on their home screen so we can easily identify the owner of the iPad. They should not create their own designs or put pictures of anything else as their home screen.
• Learners should only take pictures and videos as instructed to do so in class. The iPad is not a personal photo album for them, and we should not see pictures and videos from home on 5th grade iPads that do not relate to a school assignment.
• Learners should be reminded that there is a filter on their school iPad and that whatever they do can be re-traced and reported. School digital citizenship expectations apply, at all times, when learners are using their school iPads. Learners should not erase their history and we must do random history checks to hold them accountable.
• If learners damage their iPad, their case, headphones, or charger, or pen, they will be financially responsible for the damage.
• Learners must carry iPads with two hands and "hug them to their chest" when they are walking with them.
• Learners should never leave an iPad on the floor.
• Learners should not be eating their snacks and using sticky or dirty fingers to work on their iPad.
• iPads are not permitted to be used on the bus. They should remain in learner backpacks.
• 5th graders leaving for extended travel are to leave their iPad and charger at school for when they return.

Our class will be electing a LEEdership Council representative on Friday, September 19th, 2025. This learner will meet with Mrs. Kastrounis throughout the school year during normal hours to develop their leadership skills and share their voice on campus.

This person must be a strong communicator, confident about sharing their thoughts and ideas, respected by their peers, and be elected. Please discuss this role with your learner to see if they have an interest in campaigning. If your child does want to run, we’ll refer to him/her as a candidate. As they "run" for this position, please abide by these guidelines:

1. Candidates may create a campaign video or prepare a speech to speak in front of the class. Make sure you:

1. Introduce yourself

2. Share why you would be the best candidate for this position

3. Share what you will do to make Lee Elementary a better place

4. Speak for 2 minutes or less.

2. OPTIONAL: Campaign poster

3. If your child is in 5th grade and was elected in grades Kinder through 2nd, they may run to be a class representative again this year.

Book Fair time is approaching. This is a time where there is an assortment of books, posters, and more for purchase while at school. Any funds raised at Book Fair go back to our school library to buy more books and supplies for all learners to use in our media center. Your child will be previewing the book fair this week and will be coming home with a “wish list” of books they would like to purchase. Please consider helping your child participate and make it easy by filling up their Scholastic E-Wallet.

This is one of the first onsite volunteer opportunities of the year and a great way to get involved and foster young readers! rjlpto.org/bookfair

Reminder, if you plan to volunteer for these or any other future events, complete your yearly required CISD Background Check asap here.

Our annual house fund donations are open now through September 14th. House funds are what we as a PTO use to support all the celebrations we host throughout the year. Please visit rjlpto.org/housefunds to learn more and donate! Your support is greatly appreciated!

Our Spur Store is now open and accepting online orders. We have limited inventory of school supplies, spirit wear and more! You can even find some of our vintage spirit wear at a discounted price! Check it out today by visiting rjlpto.org/spurstore!

• BOY GOAL SETTING WINDOW
• BOY MAP AND MCLASS WINDOW
• CELEBRATE FREEDOM WEEK
• CHS HOMECOMING WEEK
• FALL BOOK FAIR WEEK BEGINS

Sept 9 - Virtual PTO Meeting (6:00)

Sept 11 - TX First Responders Day

Fall Book Fair Window(Sept 11- Sept 19)

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