HANDWRITING WEEKLY ROUTINE
STEPS / EXPLANATION/SCRIPT
Day One: Long Talk and Quick Talk
  1. Name the letter students will be practicing and state the learning target for the handwriting lesson and have students repeat the learning target.
  1. Model the correct slant formation for the upper and lowercase letter using the script from the teacher’s edition of the Handwriting Practice Book.
  1. Model the correct slant formation for the upper and lowercase letter using the “quick talk” script. This will be the language students use to practice forming the letter.
  1. Students practice tracing the letter in the air while saying the “quick talk.”
  1. Repeat the process multiple times.
  2. Trace in the air
  3. Trace on a neighbor’s back
  4. Trace in the palm of your hand
  5. Trace with your toe on the floor
  6. Trace on the inside of your arm
  7. Trace it big
  8. Trace it small
/ Directions:
  1. Say: “Today we will be learning how to write the letter _____ the kindergarten way.Your learning target for today is; I can write the letter ____. What are you going to be learning today?”
  1. Say: “I am going to write the letter ____ on the white board while I say the directions for how to make the letter. I call this the “long talk” for the letter. It tells us exactly what to do so that we can write the letter correctly. Watch as I do this. Now I’m going to say the directions for how to make the letter using “quick talk.” These are the words you will say when you are practicing writing the letter.
  1. Say: I am going to write the letter ____ on the white board while I say the “quick talk.” These are the words you will say when you practice writing this letter.” Can you say these words with me?
  1. Say: “Let’s try it together as we say the “quick talk.” (Example: Capital F, Slide, slant, lift, slide)
  1. Say: “Let’s trace it another way.”

HANDWRITING WEEKLY ROUTINE
STEPS / EXPLANATION/SCRIPT
Day Two:Walk the Letter
  1. Remind students of the letter they will be practicing and state the learning target for the handwriting lesson. Have students repeat the learning target.
  1. Model the correct slant formation for the upper and lowercase letter using “quick talk.”
  1. Using tape, yarn, or a length of rope create a large version of the upper and lowercase letter on the floor.
  1. Model walking on the letter as you say the “quick talk.” Select several students to walk the letter.” Other students should practice saying the “quick talk” as they watch a student walk the letter.
  1. End the lesson by drawing three large boxes on the white board. Select three students to come up to the white board and write their very best upper and lowercase letter inside one of the squares.
  1. The teacher checks each letter by saying the “quick talk” while tracing over it with a finger. The entire class traces the letter in the air and says the “quick talk.”
/ Directions:
  1. Say: “Today we will practice writing the letter _____. Your learning target for today is; I can write the letter ____. What are you going to be learning today?”
  1. Say: “I am going to write the letter ____ on the white board while I say the “quick talk.” These are the words you will say when you practice writing this letter. Can you say these words with me?
  1. Say: “Let’s make a really big upper and lower case letter ___ on the floor. We are going to practice the correct way to write ___ by walking the letter.”
  1. Say: Say the “quick talk along with me as I walk the letter.” Who would like to take a turn walking the letter and saying the “quick talk?” Everyone else will help say the “quick talk” while you are walking the letter.”
  1. Say: Now that we have practiced the letter I’m going to choose three friends to come up to the white board and write their very best upper and lowercase ___ in one of the boxes.
  1. Say: Let’s check our friend’s work. Trace the letter in the air with me and say the “quick talk while I trace the letter.”

HANDWRITING WEEKLY ROUTINE
STEPS / EXPLANATION/SCRIPT
Day Three: Big Rainbow Write
  1. Remind students of the letter they will be practicing and state the learning target for the handwriting lesson. Have students repeat the learning target.
  1. Invite a student to come to the white board and model the correct stroke formation of the upper and lowercase letter being practiced.
  1. Use chart tablet paper, large sheets of butcher paper, or the white board to practice a large version of the upper and lowercase stroke. This gross motor movement helps students remember the stroke.Demonstrate the stroke formation for the letter and use the “quick talk.” Let each student or several students take a turn tracing the letter with the marker or crayon of their choice as they repeat the “quick talk.”
  1. Other students may practice the stroke on white boards as they wait for their turn to do the “big rainbow writing.”
Note: If white boards are not available use paper folded into sixths or eighths for practice. / Directions:
  1. Say: “Today we will practice writing the letter _____. Your learning target for today is; I can write the letter ____. What are you going to be learning today?”
  1. Say: “I would like for a volunteer to come up to the white board and write an uppercase and lowercase ___ the correct way. We will help you by saying the “quick talk” as you write the letter.”
  1. Say: “Now let’s have some fun practicing the letter. I’m going to write a really big uppercase ___ and lowercase ___ on these sheets of paper. Help me by saying the “quick talk.” You can help make it look beautiful by doing some big rainbow writing. When it’s your turn you will pick a color and trace the big letter. We call this “big rainbow writing.”
  1. Say: “While others are doing “big rainbow writing the rest of you may practice writing the letter on your white board.”

HANDWRITING WEEKLY ROUTINE
STEPS / EXPLANATION/SCRIPT
Day Four: Say It, Write It, Show It
  1. Remind students of the letter they will be practicing and state the learning target for the handwriting lesson. Have students repeat the learning target.
  1. Introduce and model the “Say It, Write It, Show It” routine.
  1. Give each student a white board and practice the “Say It, Write It, Show It” routine. During the “Show It” step provide feedback to students. Continue practicing as needed.
Note: If white boards are not available use paper folded into sixths or eighths for practice. / Directions:
  1. Say: “Today we will practice writing the letter ____. Your learning target for today is; I can write the letter ____. What are you going to be learning today?”
  1. Say: “Today we’re going learn a new routine for practicing letter ____. It’s called “Say It, Write It, Show It.” First, you will say the “quick talk.” Next, you will write the letter correctly on your white board. Last, you will show me your boards.” Model the routine.
  1. Say: “Now let’s practice.”

Day Five: Handwriting Practice Book / Directions:
  1. Students follow directions for practicing the letter in the Handwriting Practice Book.