Purple House 5 2023-2024

Dear Purple Families,

This week we began our new read aloud, Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate. The story follows Kek, a young Sudanese refugee, as he adjusts to life in snowy Minnesota. Reading about Kek’s journey has opened the door to rich discussions about immigration and the reasons people move to new places—an exciting connection to our themes in Geography!

It’s especially meaningful to read this story together because we are fortunate to have such a wonderfully diverse class, with learners from around the world. The perspectives and experiences each student brings make our discussions even more powerful and enriching!

If you have a little time this weekend, check out Google Earth with your child! We are learning about absolute and relative locations, places, and regions, and this is a fun way to make those concepts come alive. Take a few minutes to explore the places you’ve lived, traveled, or would like to visit together. It’s a wonderful way to connect our classroom learning with your family’s experiences!

Warmly,
Ms. May Voltz
Purple Fifth Grade Teacher

In math, we learned how to collect data and plot it on double bar graphs to compare information. We had fun surveying our favorite Oreo cookie flavors and discovered there really wasn’t much difference between what boys and girls preferred!

We also want to give a big thank you to Mrs. Garvin, our school counselor, for being one of our favorite trusted adults at school. We are so lucky to have her support and kindness in our lives each day!

We can’t forget our surprise goose visitor! It was such fun to learn new vocabulary, like what a gander is—and even that the phrase taking a gander means “taking a look.” Ah, those wonderful teachable moments that make learning so memorable!

Students shared facts about themselves using codes in their hexagons! They used Morse code, Roman numerals, fractions, ratios, and more to represent information. Can you crack the code too? These activities not only helped us get to know each other but also let us practice math and problem-solving in creative ways!

Parents, please check your ParentSquare email to view our fifth grade curriculum syllabus or click the link below. It’s a great overview of what we’ll be learning this year and how you can support your child’s journey.

We love when families join in on the learning! A quick conversation about our read aloud, asking your child to share their favorite Oreo flavor graph results, or even pointing out new vocabulary you notice together are all simple ways to keep the excitement going beyond the classroom.

In math, we’ve been learning how to collect and compare data using double bar graphs. At home, you might try creating your own surveys—ask about favorite snacks, sports, or family activities—and then work together to plot the results. Kids love seeing their data come to life, and it’s a great way to practice math in meaningful, real-world ways!

🍕Fraction Pizza Challenge

What you need: • A paper plate (or draw a big circle on paper) for each family member • Markers, crayons, or colored pencils • A die (or online dice roller)

How to play:

1 Draw a pizza with 8 slices.

2 Roll the die. The number you roll = slices you 'eat' (color in).

3 Say the fraction eaten and the fraction left.

4 First person to finish shouts 'Pizza Party!'

Extension: Convert fractions to decimals or percentages, or compare who has the most pizza left.

🚕 Math Detectives:

Neighborhood Data Hunt Goal: Ask questions, collect data, and use math to make sense of your world. What you need: • A notebook or piece of paper • A pencil • (Optional) a clipboard to make it feel official How to play: 1 Choose a question together (e.g., How many cars are red? How many people are walking dogs vs. riding bikes?). 2 Make a prediction – each family member guesses the outcome. 3 Collect the data – use tally marks while walking or looking around. 4 Do the math – add totals, compare groups, or turn results into fractions or percentages. 5 Share your findings – make a bar graph or pictograph. Younger kids can draw pictures, older kids can label numbers.

Extension: Ask 'What if?' questions – What if we went at a different time of day? What if we checked a different street?

Good school attendance is a significant predictor of academic growth! Research shows that students who are present and engaged learn more. Plus, our state allocates funds based on student success, making daily attendance a crucial factor. Let's ensure every day counts for our students' success!

Join us for the first big famiLEE event on August 22nd at our Back to School Spirit Night at Interskate! Reminder to bring a printed and signed waiver for each skater - rjlpto.org/waiver

We are so excited to kick off a fantastic year. Below are some key dates you may want to go ahead and mark on your calendar, especially if you’d like to participate as a volunteer! To stay up to date on all the latest happenings, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter by creating or updating your account at rjlpto.org.

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!

Please consider signing up to be the Room Parent for your class! This role is an easy way to get involved and can be tailored to what works for you! Find out more and sign up at rjlpto.org/roomparent

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

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