UPPERCASE AND LOWERCASE LETTER LIMERICKS

I know that many of you are working on letter writing this time of year, so I thought Dr. Holly's “Letter Limericks” might be just the rhyme you need to put the strokes in children's brains.

*Use air writing, tummy writing, and other strategies to keep children interested.

The first is a letter called A
With straight lines in every way.
Two lines point up top,
To the bottom they drop,
And another crosses the way.

The second letter is B
For baseball, baby, and beach.
Straight line down the side,
Two humps on the right—
It looks like a fat bumble bee!

After B comes C:
Cookies, celery, and cheese!
Like a smile big and wide
Turned on its side
It’s easy to make C, you see!

D is a letter that’s plump
Like a tummy with one round hump.
A long line straight down,
Then go out and around
For dig, dive, dip and dump!

After D comes E.
It’s shaped like a comb with three teeth.
One line down the side,
Three more to the right
For echoes, ears, eyeballs and eat!

F is the next letter to name.
It can bring with it fortune and fame.
Like E in design
Without the bottom line
But it gets along fine all the same!

After F comes G
Which is curvy and round just like C.
When you reach the end stop,
Put a straight line across
And your G will giggle with glee!

H is a letter with pride.
It has two long straight lines side by side
Then hip, hop, and higgle
Put another ‘cross the middle
And your H will have nothing to hide!

I comes after that,
Eating ice cream, and yet it’s not fat.
One line stretches down,
One lies on the ground
And one goes on top—a flat hat!

Now jump, joke, and juggle— it’s J
With lines both curvy and straight.
The curve starts up top
Then like a hook drops
And the straight line juts over the way!

The letter K has quite a kick
With a spine as straight as a stick.
From the middle about
Two arms reach out
For kangaroos, kindness, and kids!

After K comes L
It’s a letter with lots to tell.
One line heads straight down,
One sticks out on the ground
Like a chair with no legs—how swell!

M is a letter with size,
Like two mountains side by side.
Two straight lines on the end
Two others point in
Making moms, milk, and messes—oh, my!

N is like M only thinner.
It didn’t eat quite as much dinner—
For Nick and Noelle
Two lines parallel
And a diagonal one ‘cross the center.

O is entirely round—
Not a single straight line to be found.
Like a wide open mouth
Saying oops! oh! or ouch!
It makes oceans and oranges abound!

The next of the letters is P
For people and peanuts and please.
Let one straight line prop
With a loop on the top
And you’ll make lots of pumpkins and peas!

Q comes next without fail
With quarters, quick questions, and quails:
First a circle that’s fat
Then like the back of a cat
A straight line sticks out like a tail.

R is ever so clever.
It’s P and K blended together:
The top hoops about
The bottom leg kicks out—
For running and reading there’s no better!

S is a letter with style
For summer, sunshine, and smiles.
Go up and around
Then back around down
Like a snake that slithers for miles!

T is terrific and true
Standing tall as all towers do.
One straight line sits over,
The other points lower
For tigers, trees, and tickles too!

U comes right after T.
It also comes just before V—
An upside down hump
A straight line it bumps:
Unicorn, universe, unique!

V is very healthy—it’s true!
With vitamins and vegetables for you:
Two straight lines point down
And meet at the ground
For vacations and violins, too!

W is just like 2 Vs
Stuck together—like twins, you see.
With why, when, and where?
And who will be there?
W makes words work with ease!

X is the letter that’s next.
Not many words start with an X
But X marks the spot
With two straight lines that cross—
X is never quite what you expect!

The next-to-last letter is Y
For years and yes, give it a try!
Like a small V that sits
On top of a stick
Reaching for the yellow sun in the sky!

Z comes last for a reason
Bringing zeal, zap, and zest to all seasons.
One straight line slants down
Then at foot and at crown
Two other lines zip—very pleasing!




LOWERCASE LETTER LIMERICKS
By Dr. Holly

Small a is a great way to start.
It’s made of two joined parts.
First a small circle round
Then a small line straight down
For airplanes, apples, and art.

So bouncy and bold is small b,
With a line straight and tall as can be.
Then a circle that’s small
That looks like a ball.
You can bat, bubble, bop, with a b!

Small c is a cute buttercup;
Make a circle but don’t close it up.
Leave a space on the side
Like a mouth open wide
For eating cookies and coconuts!

For d make a tall line on the right,
Then a small circle down low and tight.
It’s similar to b
But backwards, you see,
For doughnuts, delicious, delight!

Every e starts like a c, you know.
Circle up and around, here we go.
Then a nice even line.
That looks just fine.
E is for eager and eyes that glow.

Small f hooks right up at the top
Then down to the bottom it drops.
A small line cross the middle,
And fit as a fiddle,
Your f will not fidget or flop!

With g you can gallop and go
And the grass in your garden will grow.
First a circle on the ground,
Then a line stretches down
Just like a fishhook below.

Making h isn’t horribly hard.
Make a tall line straight down for the start.
Then next to it bumps
The hip of a hump
And you’ll hop with a happy heart!

Small i is so sweet to make,
Like ice cream or icing a cake.
Make a short line then stop,
Put a dot on the top,
And into the oven to bake!

Small j likes to joke, jive, and jog
And jump around just like a frog.
With a line that drops down
And hooks underground
Then a dot on its top—perfect job!

Small k starts with a tall, straight spine
Then out kick two smaller slant lines.
One kicks up, one kicks down
For the k-k-k sound
That starts kites, kids, and kisses so kind.

Small l is a likeable letter
Lean and light as a feather.
A single tall line
So straight and fine—
For laughter and love there’s none better!

Small m is magnificently wide
A short line then two humps side by side
For monkeys and marbles,
Magic and marvels,
And motorcycles, let’s take a ride!

Small n is one half of m.
Make a short straight line and then
A single small hump
To give it a bump
For a nice, neat, and nifty small n.

Small o is a round cheerio
Rolled on the ground down low.
Keep your pencil pressed down
And take it around
For octopus and ostrich, you know.

Next comes polite letter p
As pretty and proud as you please.
A long line that drops
Down below, and then pop
A circle beside it—whopee!

Small q is quiet and quick.
It’s like p, but with a trick.
It’s the other way ‘round
And the line that goes down
Ends with a quaint, quirky kick.

Now we’ve reached rock’ n’ roll r
And everyone can be a star!
Make a short line, then look—
At the top a small hook,
And your rip, roaring r will go far!

Small s is swirley and steep.
Arch up to the middle and sweep
Down to the end
With another round bend
For swinging and singing so sweet!

Next we’ll try t: don’t delay!
Start high up but not all the way.
Then down you drop,
Put a small line across,
For terrific, tip-top days!

Small u is like n upside down.
Curve down and then back up around.
Add a line on the right,
Straight, short and tight
For upside and underground.

Small v is very victorious
And making v isn’t laborious:
Two short lines slant out
From the bottom they spout
Like two arms raised to say: I am glorious!

Small w is two v’s together
For why, what, where, and whether
Slant down, up, and then
Slant down, up again
And you’ve written a wonderful letter!

Small x makes your xylophone play
And it expertly makes an x-ray.
Two lines that are little
Cross right at the middle.
You can exit and go on your way!

We’re nearing the end with small y:
For yes, yarn, and years that fly by
A short line slants down,
Another slants underground,
And they meet at a point to say hi.

Small z is for zany and zounds;
It’s short and sits right on the ground.
Straight out, slant down, then
Go straight out again
And you’ll zigzag, and zip all around!


Note!! Years ago someone told me if you want children to remember something they need to sing it or eat it. Are you hungry for some letters?

Pretzel ABC’s - Give children pretzel sticks and pretzel twists. Have them nibble the pretzels to make letters.

Squirt and Eat - Use squirt cheese to make letters on crackers. Lick the letters with your tongue.

Alphabet Cereal, Crackers, and Pretzels - Letter shaped snack foods can be used for identifying letters, making words, or eating!

Letter Snacks – Assign each child a letter and a day to bring a snack for the class. Ask parents to send in a fruit, vegetable, or healthy food that begins with their letter. Take photographs and use them to make a class alphabet book.

P.S. I know some schools have banned food in the classroom, so you might send these activities home in a newsletter for parents to do with their child.

HIGHWAY LETTERS

Throw those worksheets away and get ready to PLAY with these hands-0n projects.

HIGHWAY LETTERS
Highway letters are a "rabbit trap" to engage kids and reinforce a variety of skills and different age levels.  I put my letters in clear sheet protectors because it’s cheaper and easier than laminating. You can also punch holes at the top and tie on string so the children can wear them like letter vests.

You can find several versions of these road letters free on the web.  

https://www.prekinders.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/TPT-letter-roads.pdf

Here are just a few ways you can use the highway letters with different age levels throughout the school year.

Toy Cars - Let children drive over letters with toy cars.



Writing - Trace over the letters with dry erase markers. Erase and use again and again.

Hint! Put a green dot where they start and a red dot where they stop.

Play Dough - Roll play dough and place on top of the letters.

Songs - Pass out letter vests to children. Let them stand up when their letter is sung in the song.

Phonics - Practice blending C V C words. (consonant, vowel, consonant) with vests. Add the “silent e” to words to change the vowel sound.

Chunking - Start by asking children who are wearing “a” and “t” to stand. What does that say? Ask “m” to stand in front of “at.” What does that say? Tell “m” to go away and have “r” stand in front of “at.” Have children suggest other letters to stand in front of “at.” Reinforce other word families with this strategy.

Spelling Words - Slowly call out sight words or spelling words. (Stretch out the sounds.) Children come up if they are wearing that sound and make the word.

ABC Order- Children arrange themselves in alphabetical order according to the letter that they are wearing.

Hint! You can also play “I Have – Who Has?” with the letters. For example: “I have A. Who has B?” “I have B. Who has C?”


LETTERS ON THE BUS
Here’s another visual to help children focus on letters and sounds.
Color and cut out a bus similar to the one below. Add magnetic tape to the back and place it on a magnetic board. Put magnetic letters in the window as you sing the song.

The Letters on the Bus (Tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)
The letters on the bus all make their sounds,
Make their sounds,
Make their sounds.
The letters on the bus all make their sounds
All around the town.
The B on the bus goes /b/ /b/ /b/, /b/ /b/ /b, /b/ /b/ /b/,
The B on the bus goes /b/ /b/ /b/ all around the town.

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.

HARRY HORIZONTAL AND VENNY VERTICAL

DO YOU KNOW HARRY HORIZONTAL AND VENNY VERTICAL?

Sometimes I think we put the cart before the horse. What am I talking about? Well, we start letter writing before children even know what "curve," "line," " horizontal," or "vertical" mean. Here are some basic terms children need to be familiar with.

What’s a line? What’s a curve?
Start by finding out what children know about lines and curves. Let them take turns drawing lines and curves on the board. Can they walk around the room and touch a line? Can they touch a curve? As you walk down the hall have them silently point to lines and curves. Can they find lines and curves in nature on the playground?

Play Dough
Draw lines and curves with a permanent marker on placemats or plastic plates. Let children roll the dough and place it on top of the lines and curves.

Letter Sort
What letters are made from lines? Curves? Lines and curves? Let children sort magnetic letters on the board or for a center activity.

I love this song that two teachers taught me several years ago.

Horizontal, Vertical (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.

Harry Horizontal and Venny Vertical
Children will never forget horizontal and vertical with these friends!

Practice Books
This is a super idea to help children learn to track from left to right and practice pre-writing strokes. Lay 4 sheets of paper on top of each other and staple four times along the left side. Cut horizontal lines to make four skinny books. Children practice drawing horizontal lines, vertical lines, curves, and diagonal lines on each page.

 

Artsy
Prepare sheets of paper ahead of time with random curves and lines made with a black marker. Children choose a sheet of paper and try and create a design or object from the lines and curves on their page. *Encourage them to fill in the whole page.

WRITING ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH

One of my favorite pre-writing activities at the beginning of the school year is called “Writing Round the Mulberry Bush.” I clearly remember where I got this idea. About 15 years ago I was doing a workshop in Huntsville, Texas. A young teacher said, “My mentor needs to tell you how she teaches handwriting. Her kids have the best handwriting in the school.” Well, she grabbed my attention and when I asked the older teacher her secret she smiled and said they practiced “Writing Round the Mulberry Bush” several weeks before introducing letters.

Basically, you have children make the strokes as shown on a blank piece of paper as they sing the different verses to the song “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush.” It makes sense because children need to go from top to bottom and left to right as they learn to master simple strokes.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljSUZWMl9YZVh4UVE/view?usp=sharing

Good teaching is good teaching, and I’m going to let Denise Brackenridget Brownlee tell you how she adapts this activity in her classroom.

At the beginning of the year we did not begin by writing names. Instead we began with your “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush” song. We incorporated the song in a multi-step process.

1st We began by singing the song on the carpet. As we sang, I would write the marks on the board. After many exposures, children would join me by writing it with 2 fingers on the carpet or in the air.

2nd We then transitioned to the salt trays. Children had the opportunity to explore the salt. We also discussed how to gently shake the tray to "erase" your writing. We began by using fingers to draw as we sang. Then we transitioned to unsharpened pencils.

As you can see in the photos, children were at various skill levels and worked at different paces. I sang the song slowly as I would walk around the table to assist children with the direction they were writing.

3rd In our final step we moved to a worksheet that I created. As we sang the song, we now drew the marks in the boxes. I would model this as well. I kept a paper from the 2nd or 3rd day in their portfolio. We worked on this process for a couple of weeks. It was pretty amazing to see the difference from the first worksheet to a worksheet a few weeks later. Later on I was able to tie the concepts that we used with Mulberry Bush into name writing.

Note! I did this activity right before parent conferences. It was a great way to demonstrate to families how much their child's fine motor skills were developing.

I loved how much we were able to incorporate this song into so much of what we did. The kids greatly enjoyed it and it was valuable as a writing foundation in my TK classroom.

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.

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!  Gosh, you could adapt these strategies to numbers, shapes, sight words, spelling words, etc!

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.

P.S. You'll definitely want to download these free Letter Limericks that Mary Amoson created to go with the poems that my daughter wrote.

PENCIL GRIP

It's important to encourage children to use the correct pencil grip when they begin to write. Here are tips for teachers and parents in class, online, anytime!!!

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 seat belt 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!

http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2017/08_Aug_css/index.html