Before We Begin…
Welcome! Please get started on the following:
1. Sign in that you are here (side table by sink)
2. Put on a nametag (side table by sink)
3. Take a volunteer form if interested (on back table)
4. Take a wish list “apple” if interested (on easel)
5. Find your child’s desk, read the letter from your child, and
write a response. Writing supplies in desk! 
Welcome to Curriculum
Night
Miss Cress
3rd Grade
2015-2016
Introduction
About me:
• Born and raised in Issaquah,
WA. Attended Sunset as a
student! 
• Graduate of Biola University in
La Mirada, CA.
• BA degree in Elementary
Education, MA degree in
Teaching
About Me Continued…
• CA teaching experience:
Substitute & long-term
substitute
• Things I enjoy: reading,
photography, wakeboarding,
SAMBICA, Disneyland, family,
friends.
Communication
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Main Office: (425) 837-5600
My voicemail: (425) 837-4000, extension 5635
Direct classroom line: (425) 837-5635 (before & after school only)
Email: cressc@issaquah.wednet.edu
Website on Connect:
http://connect.issaquah.wednet.edu/elementary/sunset/staff/miss_c
ress_site/default.aspx
• Monthly newsletter
• Occasional emails or paper notices
Sockeye Expectations
1.
2.
3.
4.
Be respectful
Be responsible
Be safe
Be caring
Class Expectations
•Respect Others
•Positive Attitude
•Listen Attentively
•Follow Directions and Procedures
•Work Independently
•Materials Ready
•Complete All Assignments
•Self-Control
•Develop strong organization skills!
Classroom Management
• School-wide program: Students can receive a “Sensational Sockeye”
card for great behavior. One winner per class per week gets a prize
from the office and their photo on the board in the atrium!
• Classroom positive reinforcement:
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Whole class: marble jar
Small groups: table points
Individuals: “Cress Cash” –related to clip chart
• Negative consequences:
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Warning
Loss of privileges
Apologies
Homework
• Assignment sheet with homework, reminders, and behavior report
(color for that day)
• Reading: 20 min, 4 times per week
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On calendar: Parent initials and length of time on days read
May increase 5 minutes per trimester
• Math: homelink usually Monday – Thursday
• Cursive worksheets – usually once a week
• Progress Reports – Sent home Friday, due signed Monday
*If your student works and cannot finish, just write me a note telling
me why it is not complete. We don’t want homework to become
frustrating.
Specialist Schedule
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
PE
Music
PE
Music
Library
Daily Schedule
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
9:15-10:45
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
10:45-11:00
Recess
Recess
Recess
Recess
11:00-11:55
Writing
Writing
Recess
*10:50-11
Writing*
Writing
Writing
*11:25 PE
11:55-12:40
Lunch & recess Lunch & recess Lunch & recess Lunch & recess Lunch & recess
*until 12:30
12:40-1:00
Read aloud
Read aloud
Read aloud
Read aloud
Read aloud
1:00-1:30
PE
Music
Cursive
Music
Library
1:30-2:45
ELA
ELA
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ELA
ELA
2:45-3:30
Sci/SS
Computer lab
2:30-3:30
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Sci/SS
Sci/SS
Birthday Policy
•Federal & district laws on nutrition and the impact on
schools
•Recent Issaquah nutritional policy is much stricter than
before
•The laws impacts school lunches and snacks and are intended to assist
students in making healthy and responsible choices when it comes to food
•Sunset Staff voted in support of the Federal laws; student birthdays will
continue to be recognized and honored in the classroom as each teacher
decides.
•My class: they receive a card, birthday sticker, and homework pass from me. They
get to visit the treasure box, have the “birthday bear” for the day, and we sing to
them. 
• Lunch money
•
Misc. Info
Cash: send in envelope or baggie with child’s name, lunch number (if known),
and teacher’s name. Check: put child’s name and lunch number in the
memo spot. Student should give to teacher 1st thing in the morning.
• Bus passes
•
Please write a physical note or send an email by 9:30am if your child needs a
bus pass. Include: child’s name, who they’re going with, the bus number,
and the date. *No passes for Route 42 as it is full
• Binder organization
•
Please don’t take papers out of rings at home. We clean out sections as
needed in class.
More Misc. Info
• Classroom book check out
• Must be stored in provided Ziplock bag
• Class parties:
• Harvest Party, Valentine’s Day, End of Year
• Focus on healthy snacks due to district nutritional policy.
• Conference Signups
• Will be online
• Absences
• Illness- X days to make up hw for X days absent
• Prearranged- fill out district form; see hw info in packet
G.L.A.D.
G.L.A.D.
• Guided Language Acquisition Design
• Cooperation, active learning,
accountability, literacy, academic
language
• Desks in groups, charts on walls
• Used throughout the year and across all
subjects
Curriculum
•Reading
•Writing
•Cursive
•Spelling/Vocabulary
•Mathematics
•Science
•Social Studies
•Technology
•Health
•Art
• Making Meaning
Reading
• Focuses on comprehension
• Aligns with the Common Core State Standards
• Fountas and Pinnell
• Running Record assessment two or three a year, to determine reading
level. Results sent home to parents in October and February.
• Reader Workshops– “Fur & Feathers” and “Myths & Legends” in
late winter & spring.
• Guided Reading Groups
Comprehension Strategies
from “Making Meaning”
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Making Connections
Visualizing
Making Inferences
Wondering/Questioning
Analyzing Text Features
Determining Important Ideas
Good Fit Books
• Use the I PICK acronym to help pick books
I – I choose a book
P – Purpose: Why do I want to read it?
I – Interest: Does it interest me?
C – Comprehend: Am I understanding what I am reading?
K – I Know most of the words
• 5 Finger Rule for “A Good Fit” – count number of unknown
words on a page; should not exceed 5.
Writing
• Recent district adoption “Lucy Caulkins Units of Study”:
• Narrative Writing
• Information/Expository Writing
• Persuasive/Opinion Writing
• Class Newspaper project- later in year
• Monthly narrative writing
Cursive
• “Handwriting Without Tears” workbook
• Homework each week
Spelling / Vocab
• Word Study program
• No spelling tests
• Integrated into morning “Daily Oral Language” (DOL) time and
writing time.
Mathematics
• Everyday Mathematics curriculum
• A problem-solving approach based on everyday situations
• An instructional approach that revisits concepts regularly (spiral
theory)
• Frequent practice of basic skills, often through games
• Everyday Math Online
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https://www.everydaymathonline.com
Online games
Reference book
Family letters for each unit
Homework answers
Mathematics
• IXL
• A website that Sunset subscribes to – students log in
• Has different areas of practice
• Great for basic fact practice
• Problem Solving
• Incorporated with EDM curriculum
• “Exemplars” problems
• Problems in math journal on Fridays
Science
• Life Science:
• Animal Life Cycles: Salmon (fall)
• Earth Science:
• Water and Weather (winter)
• Physical Science:
• Properties of Matter: Rocks and Minerals (spring)
• “Science To Go” lessons (throughout the year)
Social Studies
• History
• Northwest Native Americans (winter)
• Pioneers (spring)
• Civics (fall/winter)
• Citizenship
• American symbols
Technology
• Computer lab time: Tuesdays from 2:30 - 3:30
• Focus on keyboarding and word processing.
• Students will be using Microsoft Word and web
programs such as IXL, RazKids, and more.
Health
• Read-aloud books and classroom
discussions.
• Topics include:
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Nutrition
Body systems
Emotional & social health
Allergies
Art
• Art docent projects (PTA funded)
• Other occasional art lessons in class
Grading Scale
• Report cards are standards based.
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Math, science, and writing: average of the whole trimester
Reading: a report of where they are at the end of the trimester
• Categories:
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4: Exceeds grade-level expectations
3: Meets grade-level expectation = TARGET/GOAL for students
2: Approaches grade-level expectations: Needs additional practice
1: Below grade-level expectations: Area of concern
*The scoring guide is available on the district website
Field Trips
• Issaquah Salmon Hatchery – Tues, Sept. 29
• Permission slips, bus cost, & chaperone info coming soon!
• I will send out an email when I am ready for chaperone
volunteers to start signing up.  Will have a time frame for
expressing interest; I draw names from a hat if there are
more people interested than we can take.
• Pioneer Farms trip in May or June.
Volunteers
• Room parent(s)
• Art docent(s)
• Library volunteers
• Special events
• class parties
• field trips
• General classroom volunteers
• usually once or twice a month
Volunteers
Classroom Volunteer Guidelines:
• Complete the ISD online volunteer form before starting and be on
clearance list (may take up to 2 weeks to process).
• Sign in at the front office and get a visitor badge each time.
• Your child should understand that you are at school to help the class and
after greeting you, he or she should continue to work independently.
• Please remember that any information you learn about other students
should remain strictly confidential.
Volunteers
• Volunteer tasks will vary from time to time, but will most likely include the following:
• A 30-minute or 1-hour time slot
• Working with small groups of students or one-one-one with students: listening to
reading or helping with math or writing
• Assisting with classroom displays or preparing for classroom projects
• Using the copy machine
• I make a proposed schedule based on availability for each month. If you are unable to
make your scheduled time, please let me know.
• If you are unable to volunteer during regular school hours, I occasionally have things I
can send home for a volunteer to work on at home and return. Additionally, PTA
volunteer opportunities for after school events will be available throughout the year.
Before you leave…
1.
2.
3.
Write your child a response to the letter they wrote to you
(leave on desk).
Fill out volunteer info form if interested (on back table).
Take a wish list “apple” if interested (on easel).