Welcome to November! We finished October with a terrific rainy day Halloween. The first grade is currently working on "thinking about our thinking." This is a critical component of becoming a lifelong learner. We practice "metacognition" by asking clarifying questions around students' answers and errors. Please practice having your children use specific descriptive language when describing their decisions, responses, and mistakes. Neuroscience directly links the use of accurate spoken language with the academic propensity of the child. Put simply, a child is able to develop thoughts, and ideas around the concepts they have language for. You will notice that Home Enjoyment is being sent home for math. Encourage your child to work on their math for about 5 minutes a night. If there is any frustration put a note on it and we will work on it at school. This is intended to get them to think about math and to gain greater automaticity. In math this week we are identifying our errors and clearing all errors from prior work. You will see these completed math packets coming home as students correct their work. We are currently entering into shapes, length, and measurement in math and science. We are using several types of hands on experiences to gain a foundation. In literacy we started welded sounds such as am, an, and all. Student writing has entered the stage where teachers scaffold independent writing by evaluating work alongside of the child. In guided reading groups this week we worked on drawing conclusions by using evidence from the text. You can support this as you go through the day by asking children to "make a smart guess" about things that aren't obvious. This month our anchor book is Coyote Moon. This Native American inspired story is rich with perspective and colorful characters. Feel free to drop by in the morning to peruse your child's cubby and look through their showcase work on the back bulletin board. Look for volunteer opportunities in our next Weebly. Enjoy this beautiful season on the Peninsula!