LETTER LAND

All aboard for Letter Land! The few days I’ll be sharing alphabet activities on my blog because this time of year the ABC’s seem to be the starting line in most pre-k and K classrooms.

I have been at this rodeo a LONG time and I want you to know there is NO one correct way to introduce letters or teach children to read. Just take a look around you and you’ll see people of all ages who know HOW to read and they learned TO READ with a variety of different approaches, materials, and reading programs.

Many people ask me questions about how to introduce letters. Should you do capital letters first? Is there a specific order you should follow? There is NO definitive research to support one particular strategy. Children come to you with so many varied experiences and skills that one size will not fit all. There are two principles that I think are important.

First, make it authentic! Teach letters in context and connect with children’s names, units of study, nursery rhymes, and other interests. For example, a trip to the pumpkin patch would be the perfect time to talk about Pp. Talk about the letter Jj when you say Jack and Jill. If your football team is the Falcons discuss the letter Ff.

Second, make it playful and challenging. Use hands-on activities, songs, movements, and games to stimulate multiple senses. Blocks, play dough, puzzles, and magnetic letters are much more REAL than a worksheet or computer game.

Finally, remember that children take it in and take it in and take it in – and then something comes out!They don’t all learn in the same way at the same time, so you have to provide a variety of opportunities to learn. The key is to keep it fun and make them feel successful.

I've got some simple tools that will provide children with multiple experiences in learning letters. Purposeful practice for automaticity (aka repetition) is important for skill mastery so you will want to do these activities many times.

Note! Although I’ll be focusing on alphabet letters, please “harvest” these ideas and make them work for the age and interests of your students. For example, if your children are proficient with alphabet knowledge, use these ideas for sight words. For younger children adapt these activities for learning colors and shapes.


LETTER PUPPETS

Envelope Puppets
Seal an envelope and cut it in half as shown. Write the uppercase letter on one side and the lowercase letter on the other side. Sing the “Hokey Pokey” with the letter puppet.

You put your (letter) in,

You take your (letter) out,
You put your (letter) in
And you shake it all about.
You make the (letter sound)
And then you put it down.

*Listen up! Tell children when you say words starting with that sound they can hold up their puppet. When you say a word that doesn’t start with that sound they should keep the puppet in their lap.

*Have children write a letter on one side and draw an animal that begins with that sound on the reverse side.




*I Have - Who Has Alphabetical Order?
Seal 13 envelopes, cut them in half, and then write the letters of the alphabet on the envelopes. Pass out one or two envelopes to each child and have the child with A say: I have A. Who has B?
The child with B says: I have B. Who has C? And so forth.

*Let children hold up their letter as you sing different alphabet songs.

*Use these puppets to make CVC words.

Paper Plate Puppets
Staple two paper plates together 3/4 of the way around. Write a large uppercase letter on one side and a lowercase letter on the other side. Or, just write the uppercase and lowercase together on one side. Children wear these on their hands and hold them up when their letter is sung in an alphabet song.

    

*You can also use these to make CVC words or sight words.

http://bit.ly/drjeanLetterLand

BIG SKY WRITING

Occupational therapists are some of the smartest people I know. I’m always picking their brains for ideas that will help children learn. One thing they’ve taught me is to practice making big strokes, shapes, and letters in the air before asking children to do it on paper. Think outside the box with these strategies to help children at all age levels.

Note! Even second graders would enjoy writing their spelling words on their “palm pilot” or tummies.

Sky Writing (aka "invisible writing")
Keep arm stiff and extend index and middle fingers. Make lines, circles, slants, pushes and other strokes in the air.

Note! The teacher will need to reverse movements if doing it in front of the class.

Air Writing (Lisa Callis)
Go from large to small as you practice air writing letters, numerals, shapes, etc.
Stick out one arm and write with your finger.
Hold your shoulder with the opposite hand as you write with one finger.
Hold your elbow and write.
Hold your wrist and write.
Hold finger and write.


Writing Wand
Staple ribbon to a straw or tape tissue paper to a craft stick to make a writing wand.




Noodles
Cut swim noodles into 8” sections and let children use these to write in the air.


Tummy Writing
Have children lie on their tummies and extend their index finger above their head. Practice making shapes, letters, etc. on the floor. (This technique will help children start writing “at the top.”)

*Let children practice cutting, drawing, and reading on their tummies to give them control as they build upper body strength.


Body Parts
Let children suggest different body parts, such as elbows, noses, toes, etc. to write with.


Palm Pilot
Hold up one palm. Write on it with the index finger from the other hand. Be sure and “erase” in between letters!


Back to Back
Children stand in a circle and then turn right so they are all facing in the same directions. The teacher begins by making a letter, shape, numeral, etc. on the first child’s back. The first child draws the same thing on the second child’s back. Continue around the circle as every has a turn.

Wet Sponge
Let children dip a small piece of sponge in water and write with it on a chalk board.


Rainbow Writing
Make a large letter or shape on a chart. Children trace around it with different colors of crayons or markers.

PENCIL STORIES

Many, many years ago when I was doing a workshop there was a younger teacher sitting next to an older teacher. The younger teacher said to her friend, "Tell Dr. Jean how you teach your kids handwriting. Your kids are the best writers in the school."

The older teacher smiled and said, "We write round the mulberry bush." She then went on to tell me how they practice making strokes for weeks before she teaches them how to form letters. She demonstrated how they learn to go from top to bottom and left to write as they sing the song. They do a different stroke for each verse.

Note! I think a key to this is "purposeful practice for automaticity." By repeating this every day children are able to master these basic strokes.

Here we go round the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush.
Here we go round the mulberry bush so early in the morning.
(Pick up your pencil and place it at the top left corner.)

This is the way we wash our clothes, wash our clothes, wash our clothes.
This is the way we wash our clothes so early Monday morning. (Make vertical lines.)
(I explain how people used to scrub their clothes on a wash board.)

This is the way we iron our clothes...so early Tuesday morning. (Make horizontal lines.)
(Some children don't know what an iron is, so this is a good chance to explain and demonstrate.)

This is the way we scrub the floor...so early Wednesday morning. (Draw circles.)
(Explain when you scrub you go around in circles with the brush.)

This is the way we mend our clothes...so early Thursday morning. (Make a cross.)
(Show a button that has been sewn on with a vertical and horizontal stitch.)

This is the way we sweep the floor...so early Friday morning. (Diagonal lines.)
(Pretend to hold a broom and sweep in a diagonal fashion.)

This is the way we bake our bread...so early Saturday morning. (Make X.)
(Pretend to hold a rolling pin and show how you move it from top to bottom in a slanted way.)

This is the way we smile and sing...so early Sunday morning. (Draw a smiley.)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljY0FscXBmekxxSDg/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-bLTeh9uOhcHpY2Jj5KMJxQ

Pencil Stories
Pencil stories are a similar way to help children develop top to bottom and left-to-right orientation. They’re also an engaging way to develop small motor skills. These stories should be told multiple times so children can practice the pre-writing strokes and feel more competent. You might want to do the same story every day for a week as you invite the children to recall what will come next. You could also make a tape of the story to put in a listening center. Demonstrate these stories on the board or a large chart so children will be able to copy what you do.

Beginners
Here's an easy version for the the little ones. Just to get them to go from left to right and make a few strokes would be a good beginning.

An Autumn Walk (More challenging)
Let’s take an autumn walk. (horizontal)
The leaves are falling down. (vertical)
Ooooo! Do you hear the wind blow? (diagonal)
There’s some kids throwing the football. (diagonal other direction
The crickets are chirping. (X)
The squirrels are digging holes for their nuts. (zig zag line)
The birds are migrating south. (curvy line)
The scarecrows are standing in the fields. (t)
The pumpkins are getting ripe on the vine. (o)
Time to put on sweaters and hats. (triangle)
What a happy time of year! (smiley face)

Hint! Put a green line down the left side to show them where to start and a red line down the right side to indicate where they should stop.

*Older children would probably get a kick out of creating their own “pencil talk” stories.

LEFT TO RIGHT

Training eyes to move from left to right and then reverse sweep is a key to beginning reading and writing. A simple, yet powerful way, that teachers can do this is through modeling. Make it a habit to sweep your hand from left to right under words or lines of print on charts, big books, white boards, and so forth.

Right & Left Song
(Tune: “Up on the Housetop”)
Here is my right hand way up high. 
(Hold up right hand.)
Here is my left hand touch the sky. 
(Hold up left hand.)
Right and left and roll out of sight. 
(Roll hands around.)
Now I know my left and right. 
(Hold up left and then right.)

Hint! Focus on the right hand because then what is “left” over will be their left.


Sticker
Put a sticker on each child’s right hand and then play “Simon Says” or the “Hokey Pokey.”

Bracelet 
Let children make bracelets out of pipe cleaners and wear them on their right hand. Throughout the day call attention to their right hand…right ear…right leg…right foot, etc.
Lotion 
Rub lotion or scented lip balm on each child’s right hand.


Flag 
Trace around your right hand on construction paper and cut it out. Place it near the flag so children can visually match up their right hand and then place it over their hearts.



Poem 
Hold up your hands and stick out thumbs and index fingers as you say:
Which is my left? Which is my right?
Sometimes it’s hard to tell.
But when I stick my thumbs out straight,
My left will make an “L.”

Left From Right(Anthony Corbo aka “Mr. Kindergarten” taught me this song.)
(Tune: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)
I want to learn my left from right,
Left from right, left from right.
I want to learn my left from right,
I try with all my might.
The left hand makes the letter L,
Letter L, letter L.
The left hand makes the letter L,
Hurray, now I can tell!

Tracking Left to Right
Draw tracks on sentence strips similar to the ones shown. Children can drive cars or move animals from left to right.



Hint! Make a green dot where they are to begin and a red dot where they should end.

Top to Bottom Song (Dawna Hunter) 
(Tune: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”) 
Top to bottom, 
Left to right. 
Top to bottom, 
Left to right. 
My mind knows that writing always goes 
Top to bottom, 
Left to right. 

PENCIL GRIP

It's important to encourage children to use the correct pencil grip when they begin to write. Here are some tips teachers have shared with me.

Silly Band
Give children a silly band (or rubber band) to go around their wrist. Pick up your pencil and then slip the end of the silly band around the pencil. Explain when you go in the car you wear your seat belt, and when you write you need to put a seatbelt around your pencil. Then you’ll have mom and dad in the front seat and the kids in the back seat!

Pompom
Place a pompom or cotton ball in a child's hand. Demonstrate how to put pinky and ring man to “sleep” on the pompom before picking up the pencil.




Writing Bracelet
String a bead or jingle bell to a piece of yarn or string to make a bracelet. Make it loose enough so it can slide easily on and off a child’s wrist. While writing the child wears the bracelet and holds the bead in her hand.

Bird’s Beak
Point the pencil away from you. Make a bird’s beak by opening and closing your index finger and thumb. Use your beak to pick up the point of the pencil and then flip it back.




Pencil Grip(Melissa Connelly)
Teach children to hold their crayon or pencil correctly with this trick.

Draw a smiley face on their hand as shown. When they use their pincer fingers their hand will always be smiling at them. 

Pencil Grip Song (Tune: “Where Is Thumbkin?”)
Where is Pointer?
On the top.
Ready to write.
Start at the top.
Where is Thumbkin?
On the side.
Ready to help
Your pencil glide.
Where is Tallman?
On the bottom.
Keeps the letters
Where you want ‘em.


Want a free download of this song. Here you go!

READY TO WRITE

We are putting THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE when it comes to having children write. Believe it or not, we didn't even teach children to write in kindergarten in the "old days." Lined paper and handwriting were part of the first grade curriculum. Children's hands and small motor skills haven't changed, but our expectations certainly have!!

There are several basic strokes that children need to draw before expecting them to make a letter or number. In order of development, the strokes are a vertical line, a horizontal line, a circle, a cross, a square, a diagonal line, an X, and a triangle. Here are some multi-sensory materials where children can experiment and practice making the pre-writing strokes.

Sensory Tub
Fill the bottom of a plastic tub with sand, rice, salt, grits, or another sensory material. Encourage children to make the strokes in the tub.




*Squirt shaving cream on a laminated table top or lunchroom tray. After free exploration, encourage children to practice making strokes.


Play Dough Book
Use file folders to make this book. On one file folder write “Can you make lines?” and draw lines. On another folder write, “Can you make curves?” and draw curves.

Write “Can you make shapes?” on another file folder. Make other objects and shapes for children to reproduce on additional folders. Laminate. Hole punch and bind the folders with book rings.

*Let children use play dough, Wikki Stix, and other materials to reproduce lines, curves, and shapes.


Connect the Dots
Use a marker to make dotted strokes. Put a drop of glue on top of each dot. Dry. Children trace over the dots of glue with their finger.

Hint! Make the first dot green and the last dot red to indicate where to start and stop.


Plastic Needlepoint Canvas
This plastic material that looks like screen can be purchased at most craft stores.



Place a piece of paper on top and then make strokes and shapes with a crayon. Press firmly for best results. Trace over with your finger.


Rainbow Writing
Make strokes with a black marker. Children take different colors or crayons or markers and trace in multiple colors.

• Make giant pre-writing strokes on chart paper and tape to a wall. Encourage children to work together to make “rainbows” from the shapes. 

Sidewalk Chalk
Provide children with chalk so they can practice strokes, shapes, and letters on paved surfaces.


Flashlight
Turn off the lights, give children a flashlight, and let them make shapes and letters on the wall.

Horizontal, Vertical Song
(Carrie O’Bara and Terri Miller) (Tune: “Where Is Thumbkin?”)
Horizontal, horizontal, (Forearms held up horizontally in front of chest.)
Vertical, vertical. (Forearms bent at elbows to form right angles.)
Horizontal, horizontal, Vertical, vertical.
Then diagonal, then diagonal. (Right arm slants in front and then left.)
Add a curve. Add a curve. (Make a “c” with right hand and then left.)
Then diagonal, then diagonal.
Add a curve. Add a curve.

CUT IT OUT

One teacher said at the beginning of the school year she asked the children how many of them had their own computer, and most raised their hands. She asked how many of them had their own TV, and again, most raised their hands. Finally she asked how many of them had their own pair of scissors, and just a few raised their hands.

Those of us who have been teaching for many years have seen a dramatic decrease in small motor skills. Children just aren’t cutting, drawing, playing with play dough, stringing beads, working puzzles, or doing other manipulative activities. We not only need to engage children in these motor skills at school, but we need to remind parents of projects their children can do at home.


Cutting Tub
Ask parents to use a shoebox or purchase a plastic tub at a dollar store. Insert safety scissors, junk mail, old greeting cards, wrapping paper, etc. in the tub. When parents are busy cooking dinner they can get out the tub to entertain their child.


Tummy Cutting
Have children lay on the floor and prop themselves on their elbows. If they cut in this position, their elbow will stabilize their arm and give them greater scissor control.




*Wad up two sheets of paper and put one under each arm. As children keep their arms by their sides they will be able to cut better.

Demonstrate and Model
We have to remember that some children have never had a pair of scissors in their hands before. It’s important to take your time, model, and give explicit directions on basic tasks. Remind children to put your thumbs on top, just like "Tooty Ta," when you cut.
Hold the paper in one hand and take little bites with your scissors with the other hand.


Scisssors Snip
(Tune: “The Caissons Go Rolling Along”)
Cut it out! Cut it out!
With your scissors cut it out.
Snip, snap, and cut it out.
Thumbs on top,
Take small bites.
Hold your page in the other hand tight.
Cut it out! Cut it out!
With your scissors cut it out.
Snip, snap, and cut it out.

SCHOOL GLUE

Just think if you were a little kid and you had never held a bottle of glue before. Wouldn’t it be fun to squeeze it all out? Sometimes we forget that children need directions on how to use school materials. Tell children, “We just need to use a baby dot of glue. Not a mama dot or papa dot. Just a tiny, little baby dot.” (Be dramatic with this and say “baby dot” in a high little voice.) Demonstrate how to put a dot on a sheet of paper. “What does that look like? A little bug? A cookie crumb?”

*Put food coloring in a bottle of glue and use it at a center for children to practice making “baby dots.”

If you use glue sticks, you will also need to demonstrate how to use them. “If you barely touch the page you can’t see anything. That means nothing will stick to it. Press it gently down and then look to make sure you can see something. That means your paper will stick.”


School Glue
(Tune: “This Old Man”)
School glue, school glue,
Just a little dot will do.
Put a dot and spread it around.
It will hold your paper down.
School glue, school glue,
Don’t use more than a dab or two.
When it dries up, it will disappear.
Your work will look good never fear.


Glue Ghosts
Someone taught me how to make these years ago and I wanted to pass on the idea to you. Children squirt glue in the shape of a ghost on wax paper. Add googly eyes and let dry overnight. When they are dry, peel off the wax paper, punch a hole, and tie on a string for a necklace.  My kids loved these!

Note!  If you didn't want to make ghosts, you could like the children make aliens or other creatures.

1 - 2 I CAN TIE MY SHOES!

It’s pretty amazing that children have better technical skills than many adults, but they don’t know how to tie their shoes. Believe it or not, "knows how to tie shoes" was on our checklist in the old days.

When my kids were little I got a big stuffed animal and used an apron to teach them how to tie. The apron strings were much bigger and easier to manipulate than shoestrings.

Here are two poems that might help children with this task.

1-2-3-4 – TYING SHOES
Let’s get ready to tie your shoes.
Over and under. Now, what to do? (Pull strings tight.)
1. Make a loop that looks like a tree. (Make a loop with right string.)
2. The other string is a rabbit you see. (Hold up left string.)
3. The rabbit goes around and in a hole. (Take left string around loop and stick in the hole.)
4. Pull the loops tight and there is your bow! (Take both loops and pull.)

Hint! Take a marker and color one half of the shoe string. It will be easier for children to tell which loop is the "rabbit' and which is the "hole" if they are different colors.


TYING SHOES VERSION 2
Take the 2 strings (Make loops with each string.)
And make two bunny ears.
Over and under
And a knot will appear. (Tie loops in a knot.)
Pull the ears tight
And what do you know? (Pull loops.)
You’ve tied your shoes
And there is your bow!

Hint! One teacher suggested getting a bag and sending home the shoe with a different child each night. It would be a nice reminder that children still do need to know how to tie their shoes in 2025!




SHOE SHERIFF CLUB
You’ll love this idea from Karen Hansen and Karen Aikin! When children learn to tie their shoes they get to sign their name on a poster that says “Shoe Sheriff Club.” Each day a child on the poster gets to wear a badge and be Shoe Sheriff for the day. If someone’s shoes come untied, they have to go to the Sheriff instead of bothering the teacher.

*Ashley Swedell puts shoes on table legs and if children finish their work early they can practice their tying.

Note! Janet Cantrell has children practice tying using their own leg!




Passport of Accomplishment
Make an award similar to the one below to distribute to children when they learn to tie their shoes.

EASY PEASY NAME CARDS

How can something so simple be used in so many ways? Make name cards and you’ll be able to use them to help children get to know their classmates, plus:print connections
alphabet knowledge
phonological awareness,
motivation to read
transitions
classroom management
writing

Directions: Write each child’s name on a card and glue their picture on the right as shown. Store the name cards in a box or basket.

Sign In
Place name cards by a large sheet of paper. Each day when children come to school they can find their card and write their name on the chart.

Writing Center
Keep cards in the writing center so children can use their friends’ names to write stories, notes, etc.

Transitions
Pull names to line up, answer questions, go to centers, etc.

Seating
Place cards on the rug before circle time. Children find their name and sit in that spot. (The cards can be used in a similar manner for snack or table activities.)
NOTE! This is a perfect way to separate children who challenge you.

Mystery Name
Choose one child’s name each day and place it in an envelope. Give clues about the consonants and vowels in the name. For example, “This person’s name has one vowel and it is in the middle.” Write an “a” on the envelope. “Whose name could it be? This name has a /t/ sound at the end.” Write a “t” on the envelope. “Anybody guess whose name this might be? There is a /p/ at the beginning of this name.” Write a “P” on the envelope. “Stand up if this is your name.” Pull the name card from the envelope to verify.

BINGO
Give children dry cereal or buttons and let them play Bingo with their name cards. As you call out letters they cover them up if they are in their name.

Hint! As children become familiar with their names, let them choose a symbol or sticker to replace their photo. During the next stage, write each child’s name using a different color for the first letter in their name. Finally, just use cards with the children’s names.

NAME ON YOUR PAPER

Long ago a veteran teacher gave me some good advice about starting the school year. She said, "GO SLOW!" Take your time and teach children the correct procedures and you'll be set for the rest of the year.

It will be so much easier to teach children routines (like putting their name on their paper) with a song.

Name on Your Paper (Tune: "Shine and a hair cut - two bits")
Name on your paper ~ first thing!
Name on your paper ~ first thing!
Where does it go?
At the top.
Where does it go?
At the top.
Name on your paper~ first thing!
Name on your paper~ first thing!

*Add a verse that says, "Date on your paper - second thing!"

Put Your Name First Thing
Here's another song to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It" to remind children to write their name.

Put your name on your paper first thing.
Put your name on your paper first thing.
Your teacher needs to know who did the work and so
Put your name on your paper first thing.

Secret Code
Each day give your students a "secret code" to put on their work. Write it on the board and explain that it's the date. For example, the secret code for today would be 8-7-18.

Name Notes
Here's a great idea for class note cards. Give each child a 4" square and ask them to draw their picture and write their name. Reduce the size and glue to half a sheet of paper or around a full sheet as shown. Make many, many copies and use for notes to parents or place in the writing center for the children to use.

GOOD BYE SONGS

Always end the day with a song to give children a happy thought and a smile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9QbZnLqeMw

It Is Time to Say Good-Bye (Tune: "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain")
(Clap your hands and stomp your feet to the beat.)
It is time to say good-bye to all my friends.
It is time to say good-bye to all my friends.
It is time to say good-bye,
Give a smile and wink your eye. (Smile and then wink.)
It is time to say good-bye to all my friends. (Wave good-bye.)
Yeehaw!!! (Fist in the air.)

Goodbye Friends (Tune: “Where Is Thumbkin?”)
Goodbye friends. (Wave good-bye.)
Goodbye friends. (Children repeat each line.)
Time to go. (Point to clock.)
Time to go.
We had fun learning.
We had fun learning.
Love you so. (Cross arms as if hugging and then point to children.)
Love you so.

The More We Get Together (Traditional Tune - Sing in sign language.)
The more we get together, together, together.
The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.
For your friends are my friends,
and my friends are your friends.
The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.

The more we learn together…

The more we play together…

The more we sing together…


3 –H Good-bye
Heigh-de-ho, heigh-de-hay,
Sure am glad you came today.
Before you go, what do you say?
Hug, handshake, or high-5 today? 

*Cut out a hand (handshake), heart (hug), and "5" (high five). Children choose the one they want to give the teacher before they leave the classroom.

Car Wash
Children form two lines facing each other and begin moving their hands in a circular motion like a car wash. One child at a time walks down the center of the car wash as friends gently touch them and say something positive about them.

Thumbs Up
Put your thumbs up if you learned something new today. (Put thumbs up.)
Clap your hands if you had fun today. (Clap hands.)
Give yourself a hug if you were a kind friend today. (Hug self.)
See you tomorrow for another special day. (Wave and smile.)