2. +
Essential
Question
How do curves and lines go together to
create our weekly uppercase letter?
Long Line
Short Line
Big Curve
Little Curve
3. +
Standards
CC.1.1.PK.B
(Also falls under CC.1.1.K.B)
Identify basic features of print
Differentiate between numbers and
letters and letters and words.
Recognize and name some
(Kindergarten is all) uppercase and
lowercase letters of the alphabet.
5. +
Outcome Goals
Students will be able to:
Identify the formation of the letter
Create the letter correctly
Self-evaluate if their formation is correct
for students
6. +
Technology
Tools Needed
Tablets for at least a small group (3-4
students)
Wet-Try-Dry App (official Handwriting
without tears app)
Or any free Drawing/Writing Apps
Doodle Buddy
Neon Draw
Drawing Neon
Glow Draw
7. +
Activities
Shape Practice:
Students use blank canvas to practice their
big/little curves and long/short lines
Guided Practice:
Use saved or screen shot images of
worksheets from
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/p
rinting.html
Open saved images in apps.
Students trace letters for practice
Independent Practice:
Students use blank canvas to create the
letters by themselves
9. +
Accessibility
Considerations
Accessibility is not a concern since this
activity is done in the classroom and group
sizing can be adjusted for number of
available tablets.
Other options:
Rice/sand bins
Wet paint/aloe sensory bags
10. +
Management
Small groups of 3-5 students (or however
many tablets may be available)
Students are expected to follow all classroom
and school rules when using the tablets
Notes de l'éditeur
When learning the write the alphabet, I use a program called Handwriting without Tears. They use four fundamental shapes to create all uppercase letters. Long and short lines as well as big and little curves. When we look at each letter we ask, “How do curves and lines go together to create this letter?”
While there are no specific standards to writing the alphabet, it is obviously a very important skill. However, as we learn to write the letters, we are also learning to recognize and name the lettersas well as the sounds that each letter makes.
This lesson was created for pre-k and kindergarten students. It is roughly a 10-20 minute literacy activity.
This lesson could be used multiple times for various alphabet letters. The outcome goal for students is to be able to visualize the letter, how it’s made, and determine if they wrote it correctly.
The Handwriting without Tears program has an official app that follows their program. While it would coincide with the same practices, it is not necessary for this activity. Other drawing programs that can be found for free would work equally well. Apps such as doodle buddy, neon draw, drawing neon, or glow draw depending on your tablet operating system.
There are 3 main activities within the lesson plan. The first is practicing the 4 shapes, then the second is applying those shapes to guided practice, and the third activity is independent work on a blank canvas while writing the letter entirely by themselves.
Informal formative assessments throughout the lesson and activities can help the teacher to identify trouble areas for particular students. Summative assessment at the end of the lesson is performed when the students save their work to the tablet to be added to their digital portfolio.
This activity is completed entirely in class and is only limited by the number of available. However, within the small group settings, students can also practice their letter writing in rice/sand bins or using sensory bags filled with wet paint or gel/aloe until a tablet is available for them.
Maintaining small groups enables the teacher to better manage the use of the tablets. Rules and expectations are reviewed before starting the activity, and reminded throughout the lesson as necessary.
