2014-2015

About the teacher!

Ms. Sierra Waldman

Home base: Long Island, New York

Schooling:
University of Utah, Bachelors Degree in History
George Mason University, Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction

10
th
year as an elementary teacher!

Class Goals
Comfortable learning environment for all!
To be independent learners!
Inquiry-based learning
Students have ownership over their own learning
Open communication between school and home!


Homework
Grade 2 (2R & 2G) Homework (Week 2):
Distributed: Friday, August 22nd Due: Friday, August 29th
Literacy: Read your leveled reading book aloud to your parents for 15-20 minutes per night. Remember to fill out
your reading log. Turn in your reading log on Friday with at least 5 entries.
Literacy: Each time you read this week, have your parents ask you some of the Book Talk questions which are on
the back of this sheet. Answer them orally.
Mad Math Minutes: Ask your mom or dad to copy the addition worksheets which your teacher gave you on Friday
in class. Practice a different Mad Minute sheet about 3-4 nights per week. Be prepared for a 1 minute quiz
towards the end of every week for the next couple months.
PYP: In the past 2 weeks, we have started to learn about the skeletal, muscular, and digestive systems. By Friday,
prepare a 2 minute presentation with interesting facts on one of the following topics: the skeleton, skull, spine,
femur, whats inside bones?, joints, how muscles and bones work together, tendons, whats inside muscles?,
stomach, intestines, liver, esophagus, examples of systems in the world?, or some other part of these 3 body
systems of your choice. You should have at least 1 type of visual (picture, poster, diagram, artwork, book, model,
etc.).

Optional Bonus Homework: (for stickers and/or prizes)
Literacy: Have a parent film you answering some of the Book Talk questions. Please put this on a USB and bring
it into class for your teacher to show on the Smartboard. Or, email the video clip to your teacher.
Math: In class, we learned about place value using base ten blocks. Using grid paper (or your Math Notebook),
draw some different 3-digit numbers by showing their value in base 10 blocks.
PYP: Make a fun facts poster about either the skeletal system, muscular system or digestive system.
Literacy: Write a page daily journal entry telling about each day of your week. (Saturday Thursday) Try to
write about your thoughts, feelings, ideas, emotions and favorite parts of each day. Its okay to skip 1 or 2 days.

Homework!
Mathematics!
Linked to units of inquiry as much as
possible!
Linked to everyday life
Problem solving strategies
Games, Games, and more Games!

Mad Math!
Mathletics! www.mathletics.asia
Mathematics!
Place value
Estimation
Measurement
Odd and Even
Sorting
Surveys and
graphing
Numeracy
Patterns
Adding and
Subtracting
Time
Shape (2D and 3D)
Simple Multiplication
and Division
Language
Writing
6+1 Writing Traits
(ideas, organization, voice, word
choice, sentence fluency,
conventions)


Conferencing
A teacher (parent) fixing up
students drafts no more helps
them grow than a coach standing
in for players in a basketball
game helps those players
improve.
- Carl Anderson, Hows it Going?
Language
Reading
Conferencing
Visualization, making
connections, and good details
Take home readers
Language
Spelling
Word Study
Word Investigations
Shoelaces!
Information
http://bifselementary.weebly.com
Class blog:
Impor
tant