Can-Do Cursive Teacher's Guide 2022 Edition

More Letter Learning Fun with the NEW Digital Student App hwt-student.lwtears.com

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide

Name:

Watch me, it's easy!

Can-Do Cursive

11/9/20 11:58 AM

Guide to Workbook Lessons and Multisensory Activities

by Jan Z. Olsen, OTR

How can  access the digital and online resources mentioned in this guide?

Access the IDTT (Interactive Digital Teaching Tool) our digital teaching platform for managing and presenting handwriting lessons with a variety of multimedia assets.

You can activate your license or register for a trial at idtt.LWTears.com/ext/TGDC/2022

8001 MacArthur Blvd.

Cabin John, MD 20818 LWTears.com | 888.983.8409 Author: Jan Z. Olsen, OTR Curriculum Designer: Elizabeth DeWitt, Ed. D. Illustrators: Jan Z. Olsen, OTR and Julie Koborg Graphic Designers: Sammie Simon and Julie Koborg Editors: Annie Cassidy and Kathryn Fox Copyright © 2022 Learning Without Tears Second Edition ISBN: 978-1-954728-67-7 123456789AGS232221 Printed in the USA

Welcome Welcome to Handwriting Without Tears® by Learning Without Tears and to teaching cursive.

This is your teacher’s guide, not only for the student workbook, but for a way of teaching handwriting that is effective for children.

We believe that good habits lead to good handwriting, which directly links to literacy and overall school success (Lust and Donica 2011). For this reason, explicit, multisensory handwriting instruction is crucial, and we are committed to ensuring students can access it regardless of where they are learning. We are excited to offer an integrated print and digital approach, so students can learn handwriting actively and joyfully in any learning environment.

Handwriting Without Tears is part of the Learning Without Tears family. We started in the 1970s and have evolved based on our continued and direct experience with students, teachers, occupational therapists, and administrators across the country. Our 35 years of experience and ongoing collaboration solve the problems associated with early writing and do so in a way that is joyful, effective, and innovative.

Our materials and teaching strategies make learning a positive, successful experience for children in just 15 minutes a day. You will help your students strengthen and master their cursive skills for writing letters, words, and sentences.

We support teacher directed learning. We believe you’ll enjoy using our program and are excited to have you bring the program to life in your classroom.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction

1

Table of Contents 1 – INTRODUCTION 4 This Is Handwriting Without Tears!

6 Simply Smart Student Materials 8 Features of the Student Edition 10 Get to Know the Teacher's Guide 12 Accessing Digital Products in +Live Insights 13 Using the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool 14 Teaching Handwriting in All Settings

17 – TEACHING CURSIVE 18 Stages of Learning 19 Intent to Prevent 20 Cursive Skills for Speed & Legibility

37 – CURSIVE – FAST AND NEAT 38 t h e i 40 p u n s 42 c a d g 44 r l f 46 m y k 48 Tow Truck Letter - o 50 Tow Truck Letter - w 52 Tow Truck Letter - b 54 Tow Truck Letter - v 55 Cranked Up To Tow – t h k n p m e l f I r s 56 j z x q

21 Connecting Handwriting and Fluent Writing

58 Review & Mastery

22 Scope & Sequence of Cursive

61 – CURSIVE & GRAMMAR

25 – TEACHING GUIDELINES

62 Cursive & Grammar

26 UNIT 1: Foundation Skills & Lowercase Letters

o w b v, Trick ­Connections, and Letters j z x q

27 UNIT 2: Tow Truck Letters

28 UNIT 3: Cursive & Grammar 29 UNIT 4: Greek & Latin

30 UNIT 5: Cursive & The Writer’s Notebook

33 – G ET READY! POSTURE, PAPER & GRIP 34 Preparing for Paper & Pencil 35 Stomp Your Feet

2

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction

64 Capitals

K L

A B C D E F G H I J

M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

65 Capitals

66 Starting and Stopping Punctuation . ? !

67 Capitals & Capitalization Rules

69 – G RAMMAR, GREEK & LATIN, AND WRITER’S NOTEBOOK 70 Grammar, Greek & Latin 71 The Writer’s Notebook

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

73 – MULTISENSORY ACTIVITIES

89 – RESOURCES

74 Multisensory Cues

90 Use it, Don’t Lose it

75 Air Writing

91 Fluency & Personalization

76 Laser Letters

92 Remediation Tips

77 Voices

96 Strategies for English Language Learners

78 Letter Stories

99 Strategies for Children with Special Needs

80 Wet-Dry-Try with Mystery Letters

102 Handwriting Standards for Written Production

81 Mystery Letter Game with

104 Cursive Warm-Ups

cc

82 Wet-Dry-Try for Lowercase Letters

105 My Cursive Name

83 More Wet-Dry-Try with Mystery Letters

106 References

84 About Tow Truck Connections 85 Connection Inspection 86 Digital Formation Tools: Letter & Number 87 A+ Worksheet Maker

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction

3

This Is Handwriting Without Tears®!

The award-winning Handwriting Without Tears curriculum draws from years of innovation and research to provide developmentally appropriate, multisensory strategies for early writing.

Whether you’re using a physical, digital, or integrated approach to teach handwriting, our superior teacher and student materials provide an effective and engaging experience for all learners.

Teacher’s Guides and Student Editions

Manipulatives

More Letter Learning Fun with Handwriting Without Tears®

the NEW Digital Student App hwt-student.lwtears.com

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide

More Letter Learning Fun with the NEW Digital Student App hwt-student.lwtears.com

CAN-DO CURSIVE TEACHER’S GUIDE

Name:

N me: Watch me, it's easy!

Can-Do Cursive

Watch me, it's easy!

-

TGDC-22 ISBN 978-1-954728-67-7 DC_COVER_11.9.20.indd 1-2

LWTears.com | 888.983.8409

9 781954 728677

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BY JAN Z. OLSEN, OTR

LWTears.com | 888.983.8409

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11/9/20 11:58 AM

Guide to Workbook Lessons and Multisensory Activities

by Jan Z. Olsen, OTR

4/9/21 1:27 PM

Interactive Digital Teaching Tool

Handwriting Success!

Digital Student App

Explicit, thought ful, and targeted handwriting instruction: • Multisensory teaching strategies appeal to all learning modalities • Child friendly, simple language to reach every student • Large step-by-step models provide a clear example • Innovative, developmentally appropriate letter order promotes easy learning • Cross-curricular connections reinforce content being taught in other subjects • Lefty-friendly design ensures all students can succeed in handwriting • Easy-to-use assessments track students’ progress and supports instruction

4

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

This Is Handwriting Without Tears®!

Teacher’s Guides and Student Editions More Letter Learning Fun with Handwriting Without Tears®

the NEW Digital Student App hwt-student.lwtears.com

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide

CAN-DO CURSIVE TEACHER’S GUIDE

Name:

More Letter Learning Fun with the NEW Digital Student App hwt-student.lwtears.com

Watch me, it's easy!

N me:

Can-Do Cursive

Watch me, it's easy!

TGDC-22 ISBN 978-1-954728-67-7

9 781954 728677

90000>

BY JAN Z. OLSEN, OTR

LWTears.com | 888.983.8409

DC_COVER_11.9.20.indd 1-2

11/9/20 11:58 AM

Guide to Workbook Lessons and Multisensory Activities

by Jan Z. Olsen, OTR

4/9/21 1:27 PM

The teacher’s guides provide scaffolded instruction that allow educators to differentiate lessons for various learners and learning styles.

Multisensory strategies to reach every learner are integrated in every lesson, as well as cross-curricular connections. The Student Editions feature child friendly language and a clean, simple, and intuitive approach that invites personalization and fosters handwriting success.

Every page has large step-by-step models that show students how to sequence the letter. Double lines and line generalization activities promote legible writing that will transfer to success on all paper styles.

Manipulatives A wide range of thoughtful and purposefully created manipulatives engage multiple modalities while bringing learning to life. The Handwriting Without Tears hands-on manipulatives are proven to stimulate and strengthen visual, tactile, kinesthetic, and auditory learning styles, while teaching children to build and sequence their letters prior to writing on paper.

Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT) IDTT includes pre-loaded lesson plans aligned with the Handwriting Without Tears developmental order, and the ability to change the order of letter instruction to align to ELA curriculum. Digital teacher’s guides and student editions make planning easy, and educators can also access, and assign, digital letter formations, teaching videos, and fun animations students will love. IDTT supports group or individual instruction. Educators can easily assign lessons remotely. Plus, the reporting feature easily identifies when students have completed assignments.

Digital Student App Using the Digital Student App, students can complete lessons and receive videos, and messages from their teacher. They’ll also have access to a digital toolbox, including Letter and Number Formations, and Wet-Dry-Try, they can use anytime.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction

5

Simply Smart Student Materials ABOUT THE FOURTH GRADE CURRICULUM Our intuitive and engaging student materials make learning handwriting joyful and fun. The materials below were created to fit into your daily kindergarten routine. As you become familiar with the program, gradually incorporate new activities and choose those that suit your students’ needs.

Can-Do Cursive Student Edition The Student Edition is loaded with letter, word, sentence and fluency practice. Your students will love the fun activities, which develop their handwriting and writing fluency. We developed teaching guidelines in this teacher’s guide to help you plan your lessons.

More Letter Learning Fun with the NEW Digital Student App hwt-student.lwtears.com

N me:

Watch me, it's easy!

-

The Digital Student App Our Digital Student App allows students to access the full Handwriting Without Tears curriculum virtually. In a student friendly digital environment, they complete lessons assigned by their teacher that include, animations, and digital formation tools. The physical Student Edition and Digital Student App work together to provide a perfectly integrated print and digital solution for handwriting.

Writing Journal

E

Available with line spacing to progress from regular to narrow double lines as children learn with cursive. Use the Writing Journal for language arts activities and independent writing.

:

with Narrow Double Lines

m | 888.983.8409

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Cursive Wall Cards and Cursive Alphabet Desk Strips These eye-catching cards and helpful desk strips promote correct letter formation in the classroom.

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Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Simply Smart Student Materials Blackboard with Double Lines Use the Blackboard with Double Lines to teach lowercase letters.

Incorporate our Wet-Dry-Try technique to add endless opportunities to trace, write, and learn to form letters and numbers.

Magic C Bunny Make the puppet your teaching assistant. Access A Click Away for directions to make your own Magic C Bunny out of a paper napkin. Your students will form letters correctly when they learn the Magic C way.

Narrow Double Line Notebook Paper Solve the problem of line confusion and help children place letters on the lines correctly. The bottom line keeps the writing straight, and the mid line controls the size of the letters. Use Narrow Double Line Notebook Paper (spaced 1/8” apart) for spelling tests and other classroom writing activities.

Nar Ntbk Paper.indd 1

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

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automobile

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction

7

Features of the Student Edition We plan every student edition page and everything that’s on it carefully. Our student editions are accessible and friendly, yet also promote excellence. We want children to practice correctly, therefore our student edition pages promote efficient, effective practice for each letter.

Child Friendly, Simple Language Our child friendly language evolved in response to complicated letter formation terminology in other programs. When teaching letter formation, we eliminate language that assumes children understand left/right orientation, clockwise/counterclockwise, or forward/backward circles. We make it easy by using few, carefully selected words all children know and understand.

Large Step-by-Step Models It is much easier for children to understand how to form letters if you show them how step by step. Our student editions contain large step-by-step images that show students how to make each part of every letter.

d is

d

c into d.

Now change

d is

up like a

Magic c bump the line

d

up higher

d

d.

d

Our student editions are lefty friendly. Teaching pages provide models on the left and right so left-handed children can easily see the model they are copying.

Lefties never have to lift their hands or place them in Copyto the words. an awkward position see a model. Children always make their best letter directly beside a model. This design encourages excellent letter practice for both left- and right-handed children.

d

d

d.

c into d.

slide down up higher bump travel away

up like a

Magic c bump the line

Start on the dot. Copy

Start on the dot. Copy

Now change

d

slide down bump travel away

Check

dd

d

Check

Copy the words.

add cad dad

add cad dad

add add cad cad Developmental Teaching Order Teaching in a developmental order helps children master skills and boosts confidence. We teach the easiest skills first, then builddad on prior knowledge. The lowercase dad cursive letters and connections are taught first, Check

Check word.

10

Teachers: Help children

dad

their word for correct letter Size, Placement, and Connections.

Cursive Handwriting

© 2013 Handwriting Without Tears®

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then words and capitals follow. All letters are taught in small groups of similar formation (pp. 39 and 87).

Check

dad

Our teaching sequence takes advantage of child development and brain research to promote effective learning and good habits.

Check word.

10

8

Teachers: Help children

Cursive Handwriting

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction CH_TEXT_11.16.12.indd 10

their word for correct letter Size, Placement, and Connections.

© 2013 Handwriting Without Tears®

© 2022 Learning Without Tears 11/16/12 4:08 PM

Features of the Student Edition Black & White, Simple, Clean Design & Illustrations The black and white pages in our student editions are clean and clear. We deliberately avoid visually confusing backgrounds, colored graphics, crowded pages, and multicolored lines. These fancy effects are overdone and distracting to your teaching. They create visual perception difficulties for children. Our simple student edition pages are appealing and invite children to color and draw once they have finished the lesson.

Our illustrations promote left-to-right directionality. This is a unique feature of our student editions. The cat, announcer, koala, and other drawings are going left to right across the page to encourage correct visual tracking and writing direction.

Cursive Warm-Ups Cursive Warm-Ups are designed to give children the opportunity to hold their pencils correctly while practicing frequently used cursive strokes. They are the perfect warm-up activity and give you the Cursive Warm-Ups opportunity to teach and check pencil grip.

Up and straight down

Under and over

Up and loop down

Descending loop

Start on the star. Do one row a day.

Copy

e

e.

e

e

e

e

Copy the words.

Double Lines & Other Lines Our double lines foster handwriting success. The mid line is for size. The base line is for placement. The middle space is for small letters, the top space is for tall letters, and the bottom space is for descending letters.

Double lines make it easy for children to place letters and to make them the right size.

e

e

e

When children are learning to write cursive, they need extra room to write. Many student edtions and worksheets are poorly designed, requiring students to cram their words to fit into spaces that are too small.

Our uncluttered student editions give them the space they need to write and develop good spacing habits.

Line Generalization: Success on All Paper Styles Our student editions provide activities that help children progress to single lined paper. They begin with the simple double lines, then teach them to master single line writing.

tape the top space eat middle space age bottom space Copy the sentences.

Ed E Ed E

ate

the

patched

mid line base line

descending

peach. the

© 2013 Handwriting Without Tears®

cage.

Cursive Handwriting

21

COMPOUND WORDS CH_TEXT_11.16.12.indd 21

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Fill in the blanks to make compound words.

sun

+ light

=

rain

+ bow

=

+ nap

Cursive Handwriting

cat 7

adg small

Check sentence

© 2013 Handwriting Without Tears®

© 2022 Learning Without Tears CH_TEXT_11.16.12.indd

tape the tall eat age

7

=

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction 11/16/12 4:08 PM hair

+ brush =

9

Get to Know the Teacher’s Guide Lesson Overview There is a lesson plan for every student edition page. Below is a sample of how a letter formation lesson is organized.

STARTING THE LESSON Letter, student edition page, and objectives are shown in the top corner. Start each lesson with the suggested multisensory activity.

This is how to write cursive c. stroke.

Now start a, d, and g with the cCan-Do

c a Mr. d gCase

OBJECTIVES To write c, a,

This is how to write cursive c.

Now start a, d, and g with the c stroke.

Mr. Case

Check

c

Check

a

Check

d

Check

g

print c travel away

print c

12

print c

up

print c

up touch

touch

down travel away

up higher

down turn

down travel away

aim for corner travel away

or

cg.

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo)

Demonstrate c and a on single or double lines.

Trace the steps.

Check

c

Check

a

Check

d

Check

g

print c travel away

print c

up

touch

down travel away

2. Guide Practice Children trace the step-by-step models.

Children write , , , and on single lines.

cad

print c

g

up

up higher

down travel away

3. Check Letter Children

letters for correct start, steps, and bump. print c

12

up touch

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 12

42

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

TGDC_Text_6.2.21_SS.indd 42

10

Trace ove

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 12

1. Direct Instruction (Demo) – Actively demonstrate the letter for children to finger trace and then copy.

3. Check Letter – Children check their letter and evaluate formation.

up

ca, cd ,

Wet-Dry-Try with Blackboard with Doublelines (p. 82) or Digital Letter & Number Formations (p. 86)

Trace the steps.

2. Guided Practice – Children finger trace and copy the letter.

d, and g with correct formation.

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

Trace over each cc. Change the second c to make

TEACHING THE LESSON Lesson Plan The letter lesson follows these steps:

Cursive – p. 12

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction

down turn

aim for corner travel away

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

05/05/21 1:39 PM

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

6/2/21 11:59 AM

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Get to Know the Teacher’s Guide Multisensory Activities Many multisensory activities for handwriting practice are implemented repeatedly throughout the curriculum. Below is an example of the step-by-step directions we provide for each activity. These multisensory activity pages can be found starting on p. 137.

Wet-Dry-Try for Lowercase Letters ABOUT THE ACTIVITY Introduction gives you background and guidance for the activity.

MATERIALS Materials list helps you organize and plan for the activity.

Wet-Dry-Try is an innovative teaching strategy. We use a slate chalkboard for capitals and numbers. For lowercase letters and words we use the Blackboard with Double Lines. This is the physical version. The digital version is available on the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool and Digital Student App. The latest research on brain development supports this activity. This research calls for fewer elements (just two lines), modeling, sensory engagement, and immediate feedback (Sousa 2011)

Materials • Blackboard with Double Lines* (1 per child) • Little Chalk Bits (1") • Little Sponge Cubes (1/2") • Little cups of water • Paper towel pieces

ACTIVITY PLAN Step-by-step directions along with illustrations to guide you through.

Activit y 1. Prepare Blackboards Write letter with chalk as a model to trace.

2. Teacher’s Part – Write f with Chalk Use chalk to write a letter on double lines.

Say the step-by-step directions.

3. Child’s Part – Wet-Dry-Try As the child does each part, say the step-by-step directions to guide the child. The child is encouraged to join in, saying the words.

Wet: The child uses a Little Sponge Cube to trace the letter.

Dry: The child uses a little piece of paper towel to trace the letter.

Try: The child uses a Little Chalk Bit to write the letter.

*If you don’t have a Blackboard with Double Lines, consider using our Double Line Writer on your whiteboard. This product is available at LWTears.com.

Interactive Digital Teaching Tool: Share via your interactive whiteboard or smartboard Digital Student App: Integrated in lessons and on “My Tools” for additional practice

82

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Multisensory Activities

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

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© 2022 Learning Without Tears

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Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction

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Accessing Digital Products in +Live Insights Go to +Live Insights at pli.LWTears.com to manage and access all of your digital Learning Without Tears products. The Interactive Digital Teaching Tool and Digital Student App are located in +Live Insights.

Access all of your Learning Without Tears digital products right from your Dashboard

Manage your Classes & Students, products, and licenses

View Reports from your digital products

Find Help & Support documents and videos or submit a ticket

12

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Using the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool The Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT) makes planning Handwriting Without Tears lessons effortless, and provides digital resources to engage students in any learning environment.

Teachers send lessons and activities to students.

Students access lessons in their Digital Student App.

In IDTT, educators can: 1. Access digital student editions and teacher’s guides 2. Plan and assign handwriting instruction • C hoose from dozens of pre-loaded lesson plans aligned with the Handwriting Without Tears developental order, or choose your own order • Create lesson plans lessons that include animation, music and model lessons taught by master teachers • Assign Lessons directly to students they can easily access via the Digital Student App 3. Track whether student assignment has been completed 4. Access digital formation tools • Wet-Dry-Try • Letter & Number Formations

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction

13

Teaching Handwriting in All Settings The print and digital components in Handwriting Without Tears support a variety of different use cases.

The Lesson Planner in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT) contains lessons pre-populated with recommended activities. However, you can easily customize a lesson to best fit your needs.

In-Person: All learning is happening in the classroom—whether it’s hands-on activities, a teacher projecting on a whiteboard, or students working on the Digital Student App on a computer during center time.

Lesson Time Lesson Introduction (Warm Up)

10–15 mins

Hands-on Learning (in-person) Choose one or more of the following activities: Wet-Dry-Try on the Blackboard with Double Lines, or Air Writing.

Digital: IDTT Share one or more of the following activities via smartboard, or send to students via the Digital Student App: Animations, and Letter Stories.

Direct Instruction (Demo)

In-Class Demo Demonstrate letter formation via the Interactive whiteboard, Blackboard with Double Lines, flip chart, or whiteboard or Digital: IDTT Share and demomonstrate letter formation via smartboard, or send to students via the Digital Student App: Letter & Number Formations, Wet-Dry-Dry, or Live Teaching videos.

Practice

14

Students complete appropriate lesson pages in their Student Edition in the classroom.

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Teaching Handwriting in All Settings

Hybrid:

Vir tual:

Instruction and practice are split between school and at home.

All instruction and practice is happening at home via the computer.

5–10 mins home/independent 5–10 mins in class

Lesson Time: 10–15 mins

Hands-on Learning (live in the classroom)

Hands-On Learning

Choose one or more of the following activities: Wet-Dry-Try on the Blackboard with Double Lines, or Air Writing.

(Not recommended for virtual learning unless students have access to manipulatives at home.)

Digital: IDTT

Assign one or more of the following activities to the Digital Student App: Animations, or Letter Stories.

Assign one or more of the following activities to the Digital Student App: Animations, or Letter Stories.

Digital: IDTT

Digital: IDTT

Digital: IDTT

Demonstrate letter formation by assigning one or more of the following activities to the Digital Student App: Letter Formations, Wet-Dry-Dry, or Live Teaching videos.

Demonstrate letter formation by assigning one or more of the following activities to the Digital Student App: Letter Formations, Wet-Dry-Dry, or Live Teaching videos.

Students complete the appropriate lesson pages in their Student Edition in the classroom.

If students have access to their student edition at home, they can complete the assigned lesson pages. There is also the option to print the assigned pages from the Digital Student App.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction

15

TEACHING CURSIVE Ever wonder why you should teach cursive, especially in the age of technology? According to research, students who remain printers, rather than cursive writers, write slower. They write so slowly, in fact, that it becomes nearly impossible for printers to take accurate notes in high school and college classes. They may even have difficulty writing essays on college entrance exams. Furthermore, research suggests that those individuals who wrote their essays in cursive had slightly higher average scores than those who wrote in print (Russell 2009).

The act of writing cursive also uses both the right and left hemispheres of the brain at once. Cursive helps coordinate the visual with the verbal. Also, the physiological movements of writing cursive letters build pathways in the brain and improve mental effectiveness (Dayley 2012).

In this section, you will find: • Stages of Learning • Intent to Prevent • Cursive Skills for Speed & Legibility • Connecting Handwriting and Fluent Writing • Scope & Sequence of Cursive

"Writing fluency frees attention for content."

(Lichsteiner et al., 2018)

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Teaching Cursive

17

Stages of Learning PRE-INSTRUCTIONAL STAGE – PRE-K, TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN, AND KINDERGARTEN The focus is on building readiness skills essential for learning. Pre-instructional readiness activities promote social-emotional learning, fine motor skills, drawing, coloring, alphabet knowledge, pre-writing, writing, number, and counting skills. Most handwriting lessons will begin with multisensory hands-on learning, which will boost these skills prior to writing letter and numbers.

INSTRUCTIONAL STAGES Because research shows that children can imitate months before they can copy lines and shapes, the first stage of handwriting instruction is demonstration-imitation. When you demonstrate, children can see your physical motions. They imitate how you move to write a letter or number. For handwriting success in your classroom, use these three stages.

Stage 1 – Direct Instruction (Demo) The child watches as the teacher writes and then imitates.

Ready for next stage?

• No: Do more multisensory activities.

cat

• Yes: Let children finish a student edition page by copying models.

Stage 2 – Guided Practice The child looks at the completed model of a letter, word, or sentence and copies it to match the model.

Ready for next stage?

• No: Go back to demonstrating the letter.

• Yes: Supervise copying.

Stage 3 – Independent Practice The child writes unassisted, without a demonstration or a model.

You will know when your children are ready for independent writing when they can: • Write their names correctly.

• Write letters from memory.

• Write dictated words (assist with spelling).

• Enjoy free writing.

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Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Teaching Cursive

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Intent to Prevent THE HANDWRITING PROCESS Good handwriting skills result from your thoughtful attention and instruction. Students need deliberate instruction to develop good habits and overcome bad ones.

With this guide and Handwriting Without Tears® materials, you will be prepared to help students make writing a natural and automatic skill. You’ll find that their handwriting abilities and habits vary. Regardless of where they start, you can help them develop and improve their skills:

TEACH

TO FIX

How to hold the pencil correctly

Awkward pencil grip

How to form letters correctly

Unusual idiosyncratic formation

How to connect letters correctly

Connection problems

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Teaching Cursive

19

Cursive Skills for Speed & Legibility CURSIVE SKILLS FOR SPEED & LEGIBILITY You want children to write with speed and neatness while thinking about the content of their work. Would you like to know the secret of developing speed and legibility? Some people think it’s about practice, practice, practice, but practicing letters over and over actually makes them progressively messier.

The secret to achieving speed and legibility is following the simple strategies in the workbook, teacher’s guide, and multisensory products. Handwriting Without Tears helps children develop seven skills:

Memory Name letters and numbers quickly from a random list.

Visualize a letter or number quickly without seeing it.

Connections Connect one letter to another.

Placemen Follow lines and place letters and numbers correctly on the base line.

Size Write in an appropriate size for age and grade level.

Make letters a consistent size.

Start Start all letters in the correct place (either mid line or base line).

Sequence Make the letter parts in the correct order and direction.

Make the letter parts the same correct way every time.

Spacing Leave space between words in sentences.

It is clear that each of the above skills is important. Children who immediately know their letters or numbers and how to connect them (Memory and Connection) don’t have to stop and think. They can write quickly. Children who make their letters sit correctly on the base line and make them a consistent size (Placement and Size) produce neat papers. Children who always start in the right place and make the strokes the same way every time (Start and Sequence) are able to write quickly and neatly without thinking. Spacing develops from good instruction and from using the worksheets and workbooks that provide enough room to write.

SPEED & NEATNESS Music teachers know about speed. It’s the last thing they teach. First come the notes, rhythm, fingering or bowing, and finally, practice to reach an automatic, natural level. Then, it’s time to pick up the tempo! It’s the same with handwriting. Work on everything else and speed will come.

Children who use poor habits will be doomed to be slow or sloppy. Children with good habits can be both fast and neat. That’s where we are heading.

20

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Teaching Cursive

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Connecting Handwriting and Fluent Writing Handwriting Without Tears helps children become fluent at forming letters correctly. Students then need additional practice to transfer that skill into fluent composition. Building Writers and our Writing Journal serve as the perfect bridges to support your students as they become independent writers.

E More Letter Learning Fun with the NEW Digital Student App hwt-student.lwtears.com

E

N me: :

Watch me, it's easy!

Structured Practice to Build Core Writing Skills

-

W hen I visit D.C., I want to see the Washington Monument first.

We knew we had reached the U.S. when we saw the Statue of Liberty.

A large statue of Abraham

ow with Narr

Lincoln sits inside the Lincoln Memorial.

Double Lines

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2:21 PM

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LWTears.com | 888.983.8409

BW_4-E_COVER_11.15.20.indd 1-2

Proper Letter Formation

3/1/21 10:47 AM

Core Writing Practice

Independent, Fluent Writers

What is Building Writers?

Building Writers is an interactive student work text that offers extra practice for writing skills development.

It can be easily integrated into an existing writing program, and incorporated as independent writing or as whole group practice.

How does Building Writers work?

• Addresses critical writing standards at each grade level in the three main writing genres: narrative, information, and opinion • Releases responsibility to grow independent writing in carefully scaffolded, intuitive activities • Engages students with cross-curricular and high interest topics • Reinforces correct letter formation on familiar double lines • Provides a bridge between the mechanics of handwriting and the fluency required for creative composition

SHOWN SEQUENCE Sequence is the order of events in a story. Writers show the order of events by using transition words. Write a short story matching the illustrations below. Use transition words to show the order of events.

What suppor t does Building Writers provide?

• Strong examples to use as a model for their writing • Vocabulary-rich resources on each page • Genre-specific graphic organizers to organize ideas • Writing checklists guide students to plan and organize their writing in each genre.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Building Writers E: Narrative Writing

4th WC-9.27.18-CJ.indd 11

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Teaching Cursive

11 10/15/18 11:22 AM

21

Scope & Sequence of Cursive The Scope & Sequence of Cursive defines the content and order of cursive instruction. We typically recommend that printing instruction precede cursive. However, cursive mastery is not dependent on a child’s ability to write in print. In fact, cursive is often an alternative for children who never developed solid printing skills. The secret is to teach skills in a way that makes learning natural and fun.

Type of Instruction Informal/Structured: This is an informal introduction to cursive letters that are similar to print, focusing only on the

base line to base line connection. Informal instruction also includes teaching children to write

Formal/Structured:

their names.

Teacher-directed activities are presented in a more precise order with specific objectives.

Handwriting Sequence Lowercase Letters: These are tall, small, and descending symbols. Cursive lowercase letters have more complex Capitals:

strokes, sizes, starts, and positions than print.

These are used infrequently, and some have complex formations.

Stages of Learning Pre-Instruction Readiness: This is readiness gained from printing instruction. A physical approach to writing, along with motor control, should be developed for learning cursive.

Instructional Stage 1 – Direct Instruction: Stage 2 – Guided Practice: Stage 3 – Independent Practice:

Watch someone form a letter first, and then write it.

Look at a letter and then write it.

Write without watching someone or even seeing a letter.

Cursive Skills Primary Skills – Memory:

Remember and write dictated letters and numbers.

– Connections:

Connect one letter to another.

– Start:

Begin each letter or number correctly.

– Sequence:

Make the letter strokes in the correct order.

Secondary Skills – Placement:

Place letters on the base line.

– Size:

Write in a consistent, grade-appropriate size.

– Spacing:

Connect letters in words, put space between words.

Functional Writing Letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, and writing in all subjects Note About Physical Approach The physical approach to writing cursive typically is taught in the earlier grades with printing instruction.

In the Scope & Sequence of Cursive, the physical approach is reflected in the Stages of Learning (pre-instructional readiness). If children are still struggling with their physical approach (grip, posture, and paper placement), see Remediation Tips on pp. 56–59 of this teacher’s guide.

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Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Teaching Cursive

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Scope & Sequence of Cursive SCOPE & SEQUENCE OF CURSIVE Type of Instruction Informal/Structured Formal/Structured

Handwriting Sequence

Lowercase Letters

Capitals

Stages of Learning Pre-Instruction Readiness Preparation from Printing Instructional Stage 1 – Direct Instruction Stage 2 – Guided Practice Stage 3– Independent Practice

Cursive Skills Primary Skills – Memory

– Connections

– Start

– Sequence

Secondary Skills – Placement

– Size

– Spacing

Functional Writing Letters Words Sentences Paragraphs Writing in All Subjects

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade+

 *







** **

 

 

 









  

  

  

  

** ** ** **

   

   

   

** ** **

  

  

  

** ** ** ** **

    

    

    

* Some schools introduce cursive formally in second grade. ** Informal instruction introduces cursive, but does not teach all skills.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Teaching Cursive

23

TEACHING GUIDELINES To help you plan your instruction, we have provided teaching guidelines. You have flexibility to stay on a unit until students have success with those skills and are ready to move ahead.

• UNIT 1: F oundation Skills & Lowercase Letters • UNIT 2: Tow Truck Letters o

w b v, Trick Connections, and Letters j z x q

• UNIT 3: C ursive & Grammar • UNIT 4: Greek & Latin • UNIT 5: Cursive & The Writer’s Notebook

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Teaching Guidelines

25

UNIT 1:

Foundation Skills & Lowercase Letters

Unit Summary: 1. Teach/Review Name 2. Teach/Review Lowercase

t h e i p u n s c a d g r l f m y k

3. Develop Connecting Skills 4. Develop Writing Skills Week 2– 3

Week

1

Monday Foundation Skills: Paper, Posture, Pencil Grip pp. 33–37

Base line connections Words

Tuesday Writing Name in Cursive p. 7*

Wednesday Learn & Check p. 7*

Thursday

Friday

My Cursive Name p. 69

My Cursive Name p. 69

t h e i t h e i puns puns cadg pp. 8–9*

2

3

+ Words p. 9* Practice the letters and words with a multisensory activity (select from pp. 39–51† ).

+ Words p. 11*

pp. 12–13*

Practice the letters and words with a multisensory activity (select from pp. 39–51† ).

cadg r l f

r l f

m y k m y k

+ Words p. 13*

+ Words p. 15*

pp. 16–17*

pp. 14–15*

Practice the letters and words with a multisensory activity (select from pp. 39–51† ).

*Can-Do Cursive Student Workbook

26

pp. 10–11*

Practice the letters and words with a multisensory activity (select from pp. 39–51† ).

†

+ Words p. 17* Practice the letters and words with a multisensory activity (select from pp. 39–51† ).

Can-Do Cursive Teacher's Guide

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Teaching Guidelines

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

UNIT 2:

Tow Truck Letters

o w b v, Tricky Connections, and Letters j z x q

Unit Summary: 1. Teach Lowercase Letters Tow Truck Letters

o w b v j z x q

2. Teach Tricky Connections Cranked Up to Tow

t h k n p m e l f i r s A–Z

3. Teach/Review CAPITALS 4. Build Fluency 5. Develop Writing Skills Week 1–3

Week

Monday

Tuesday

Thursday

Tow Truck Letter –

Tricky Connections

p. 18*

after – p. 19*

p. 20*

after – p. 21*

o

w

Reminder: Paper, Posture, Pencil Grip pp. 31–35

Practice the letters and words with a multisensory activity (select from pp. 39–51† ).

Tow Truck Letter –

Tricky Connections

Tow Truck Letter –

p. 22*

after – p. 23*

p. 24*

b

Practice the letters and words with a multisensory activity (select from pp. 39–51† ).

j z x q jzxq p. 26–27*

+ Words

A–F

G–L

3

4

Wednesday

Tricky Connections

b 2

Words

Tow Truck Letter –

o 1

Review & Mastery

p. 32*

p. 27* Practice the letters and words with a multisensory activity (select from pp. 39–51† ).

p. 33*

*Can-Do Cursive Student Workbook © 2022 Learning Without Tears

Practice the letters and words with a multisensory activity (select from pp. 39–51† ).

v

Cranked Up to Tow –

thkn pme l firs

Practice the letters and words with a multisensory activity (select from pp. 39–51† ).

Practice the letters and words with a multisensory activity (select from pp. 39–51† ).

p. 25* Practice the letters and words with a multisensory activity (select from pp. 39–51† ).

Review & Mastery Print to Cursive p. 28*

M–T

U–Z

p. 33*

†

w

Friday

p. 33*

Review & Mastery Print to Cursive p. 29*

Practice the letters and words with a multisensory activity (select from pp. 39–51† ).

Can-Do Cursive Teacher's Guide Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Teaching Guidelines

27

UNIT 3:

Cursive & Grammar

Unit Summary: 1. Review Grammar Rules 2. Develop Grammar & Writing Skills Week 1 Punctuation, Capitalization, Parts of Speech, Nouns Week 2 Proper Nouns, Comparative Adjectives, Superlative Adjectives,

Present Tense Verbs Week 3 Past Tense Verbs, Future Tense Verbs, Adverbs, Singular Possessive

Nouns, Plural Possessive Nouns Week 4 Subject Case Pronouns, Object Case Pronouns, Possessive Case Pronouns,

Irregular Verbs Week 5 Helping “Have” and “Be” Verbs, Linking Verbs, Prepositions,

Prepositional Phrases Week 6 Conjunctions, Abbreviations & Conjunctions, Punctuation &

Conjunctions, Quotations & Conjunctions, Interjections Week

1

2

3

4

5

6

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Starting and Stopping Punctuation p. 34*

Capitals & Capitalization Rules p. 35*

Words Work p. 36*

Eight Parts of Speech p. 37*

NOUNS – Common Nouns p. 38*

NOUNS – Proper Nouns p. 39*

ADJECTIVES p. 40*

ADJECTIVES – Comparative and Superlative p. 41*

VERBS – Present Tense p. 42*

VERBS – Present Tense p. 43*

VERBS – Past Tense p. 44*

VERBS – Future Tense p. 45*

ADVERBS pp. 46–47*

NOUNS – Singular Possessive p. 48*

NOUNS – Plural Possessive p. 49*

PRONOUNS – Subject Case p. 50*

PRONOUNS – Object Case p. 51*

PRONOUNS – Possessive Case p. 52*

Pronoun Review p. 53*

VERBS – Irregular Verbs p. 54*

VERBS – Helping “have” Verbs p. 55*

VERBS – Linking Verbs p. 56*

VERBS – Helping “be” Verbs p. 57*

PREPOSITIONS p. 58*

PREPOSITIONS – Prepositional Phrases p. 59*

CONJUNCTIONS p. 60*

CONJUNCTIONS – Abbreviations p. 61*

CONJUNCTIONS – Punctuations p. 62*

CONJUNCTIONS – Quotations p. 63*

INTERJECTIONS! p. 64*

*Can-Do Cursive Student Workbook

28

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Teaching Guidelines

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

UNIT 4:

Greek & Latin

Unit Summary: 1. Develop Writing Skills Week 1 Word Meanings, Prefixes, Suffixes, Root Words, Word Building Week 2 Science Root Words, Math Root Words Week 3 Biology, Audiology, Oceanography, & Astrology Root Words Week 4 Meaning of Words, Geology Root Words, Greek & Latin Glossary Terms

Week

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Greek & Latin p. 65*

Getting to the Root of Things p. 66*

Growing Words p. 67*

Word Detectives pp. 68–69*

Free Choice Friday!

Science All Around p. 70*

Size Science p. 71*

The Number Story p. 72*

Math Words Made Easy! p. 73*

Free Choice Friday!

Head to Toe p. 74*

Sounds All Around p. 75*

Vast Seas p. 76*

Starry Skies p. 77*

Free Choice Friday!

Down to Earth p. 78*

False Clues: “Tri” Again! p. 79*

Try This – Translate p. 80*

Greek – Latin Glossary + Index p. 81*

Free Choice Friday!

1*

2

3

4

Have students write a fun story using the words from the lessons this week.

Have students write a fun story using the words from the lessons this week.

Have students write a fun story using the words from the lessons this week.

Have students write a fun story using the words from the lessons this week.

*Can-Do Cursive Student Workbook © 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Teaching Guidelines

29

UNIT 5:

Cursive & The Writer’s Notebook

Unit Summary: 1. Develop Writing Skills Week 1 Poem, Notes, Autobiography Week 2 Paragraphs, Sketches, Short Stories Week 3 Notes, Book Review, Independent Writing-Thank You Note

Week

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

The Writer’s Notebook p. 82*

Poetry p. 83*

Diary or Journal Notes p. 84*

Autobiography Notes p. 85*

Free Choice Friday!

Details, Details p. 86*

Paragraphs p. 87*

Character Sketches p. 88*

Short Story Notes p. 89*

Free Choice Friday!

Play Notes pp. 90–91*

Book Case Notes p. 92*

Book Review p. 93*

Thank You Notes p. 94*

Free Choice Friday!

Have students expand their autobiography notes and come up with the questions for the group to write in their journals.

1

2

3

Have students expand their Short Story and share it with the group.

Have students write a Thank You Note to a school employee that has made a positive impact on them.

*Can-Do Cursive Student Workbook

30

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Teaching Guidelines

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

GET READY! POSTURE, PAPER & GRIP Grip is one of the foundations of handwriting. Children need to hold and use a pencil correctly (Dennis and Swinth 2001). We’ve planned writing and grip review and remediation guidelines for you so that your students will be ready to learn and engage through three-dimensional, musical, and joyful learning that supports your teaching all year long.

To make sure children are ready to write, begin the year with review and remediation activities that focus on fixing bad habits. The proper grip and good habits will further strengthen their hand muscles and the fine motor skills that are needed for successful handwriting. We begin with reviewing simple kinesthetic activities and seated writing practice.

In this section, we include activities to promote and solidify good habits for grip and posture: • Preparing for Paper & Pencil • Stomp Your Feet • Paper Placement & Pencil Grip • The Correct Grip

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Get Ready! Posture, Paper & Grip

33

Preparing for Paper & Pencil THREE EASY STEPS When it comes to handwriting, children must be taught everything, including how to sit, position the paper, and hold a pencil. This is the physical approach to handwriting. Sometimes it’s the physical approach, not the letters and numbers, that causes a child to struggle with handwriting. Think of it like playing a musical instrument; if you don’t know how to position yourself and hold the instrument correctly, how can you play beautiful music? The same is true with writing letters and numbers. The ability to position yourself and hold your pencil correctly has a lot to do with being able to write legibly.

Impor tant questions: • How do you get children to sit up while writing?

• How do you position the paper?

• What is the secret to a good pencil grip?

STEP 1 – POSTURE Does the furniture fit? The right size and style of chair and desk affect school performance. Children don’t come in a standard size!

Check that every child can sit with feet flat on the floor and arms resting comfortably. Children who sit on their feet often will lose stability in their upper torso. On the following page, we show you how good posture can be fun. We have a secret for getting children to stop sitting on their feet.

STEP 2 – PAPER PLACEMENT There’s a misconception that people should slant their paper to make slanted writing. Not true. In fact, we slant paper so that it fits the natural arc of the forearm. Children who slant their papers properly can write faster because the arm moves naturally with the paper.

STEP 3 – GRASPING GRIP The most important thing to understand about pencil grip is that it doesn’t develop naturally—it is learned. Based on our years of experience helping children, we developed our own theories about how to develop good pencil grip habits effectively. Because children are born imitators, demonstration will lead to success.

On the next few pages, you will find fun strategies to help you teach posture, paper, and pencil skills.

34

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Get Ready! Posture, Paper & Grip

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Stomp Your Feet Stomping is fun and really works because it keeps students’ feet on the floor and parallel in front of them.

The arm movements make their trunks straight. The noise lets them release energy, but it’s under your control. When you have them stop stomping, they’ll have good posture and be ready to pay attention.

Use Stomp Your Feet a few times a day.

Activity 1. Sit down and show the children how to stomp their feet and wave their arms.

2. Have them shout, “Na, na, naaaah, na, na naaah,” with you as they wave and stomp.

3. Have children push and pull their hands. Have them hug themselves.

4. End by having children raise their shoulders up, pull shoulders back, and let them down.

Push palms

Pull hands

Hug yourself tightly

Raise shoulders

Pull shoulders back

Let them down

SUPPORT/ELL While doing the motions, say the words out loud: “stomping,” “pulling,” “pushing.”

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Get Ready! Posture, Paper & Grip

35

CURSIVE – FAST AND NEAT

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

37

t CURSVE h e i – Fast and Neat

This is how to write cursive t h e i.

OBJECTIVES Get ready . . . Now GO! GO! GO! GO! To write t, h, e, and i with correct formation.

CURSVE – Fast and Neat Mr. Wright

Mr. Wright This is how to write cursive t h e i.

Get ready . . . Now GO! GO! GO! GO!

✔

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

Check Letter

1. Start correctly.

2. Do each step.

3. Bump the line.

Wet-Dry-Try with Blackboard with Doublelines (p. 82) or Digital Letter & Number Formations (p. 86)

Trace the steps.

8

travel, up

down travel away

cross

travel, up

down

up over down travel away

travel, up

turn

down travel away

travel, up

down travel away

dot

Can-Do Cursive

Can-Do Cursive – p. 8

Check

t

Check

h

Check

e

Check

i

Additional digital Check Letter resources are available in the Interactive Digital 1. Start correctly.

Teaching Tool (IDTT).

2. Do each step. ✔

3. Bump the line.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

CDC-SE_Final.indd 8

05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo)

Demonstrate t and h on single or double lines.

Trace the steps.

travel, up

down travel away

travel, up

down

Check

t

Check

h

Check

e

Check

i

cross

up over down travel away

2. Guide Practice Children trace the step-by-step models. turn lines.

Children write , travel, , , up and on single

the

i

down travel away

3. Check Letter Children

letters for correct start, steps, and bump.

travel, up

8

38

Can-Do Cursive

down travel away

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

CDC-SE_Final.indd 8

dot

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

05/05/21 1:39 PM

✔

t h e i

1. Start correctly.

2. Do each step.

3. Bump the line.

p. 9 OBJECTIVES

Copy the letters. Start on the dots.

t

t

t

t

h

h

h

h

e

e

e

e

Trace the steps. i

i

i

Check Letter

t h, e, and i with correct formation; to connect letters correctly.

To write ,

i

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

This stuff is easy!

Cursive t h e i end on the base line.

The next letter starts on the base line.

✔

Check Word

1. Make letters the right size.

2. Place letters correctly.

3. Connect letters correctly.

Voices (p. 77)

Copy below the model.

the

t

tie

tee

the Check

he

h

the

hit

the

he

he travel, up Check

Check

Check

e

he

tee

tie

tee

i

it

the

hit

it

e

i

The FNE Print

Check

tee

Check

it

down travel away

cross

down

up over down travel away

Check

t

Check

h

Check

e

Check

i

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

When one letter ends on the base line and the next letter starts on the base line, just travel away to connect!

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 9

9 05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN

travel, up

1. Direction Instruction (Demo) Demonstrate

e and i on single or double lines.

travel, up

travel, up

8

Can-Do Cursive

turn

down travel away

down travel away

dot

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

2. Guide Practice

t h, e, and i, models and words.

Children copy ,

DC-22_TEXT.indd 8

4/27/21 7:48 PM

3. Check Word Children

words for correct size, placement, and connections.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

39

p u n s Dr. Less Dr. Less

To write ✔

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up) Air Writing (p. 75)

Trace the steps.

travel, up

down

up over around

travel, up over down

p

Check

u

Check

n

Check

s

up over down travel away

straight jet takeoff

make a J-turn touch

Check

touch travel away

down travel away

down travel up

Can-Do Cursive

p, u, n, and s with correct formation.

Check Letter

1. Start correctly.

2. Do each step.

3. Bump the lines.

10

– p. 10

OBJECTIVES

Did I tell you how much I lo-o-ove grammar?

This is how to write cursive p u n and uh . . . uh . . . uh . . . oh yes, cursive s.

Dr. Less

Did I tell you how much I lo-o-ove grammar?

Did is I tell how much I lo-o-ove grammar?

This howyou to write cursive p Can-Do u n and Cursive This p u s.n and uh . . . is uhhow . . . to uh write . . . ohcursive yes, cursive uh . . . uh . . . uh . . . oh yes, cursive s.

travel away

✔ Check Letter ✔ Check Letter

1. Start correctly.

Additional digital Start 2.1.Do eachcorrectly. step. resources are available Do each 3.2.Bump the step. lines. in the Interactive Digital 3. Bump the lines.

Teaching Tool (IDTT).

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

CDC-SE_Final.indd 10

05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN 1. Trace Direction (Demo) theInstruction steps.

Trace the steps.

Demonstrate and

p

u on single or double lines.

travel, up travel, up

down down

up over up around over around

touch travel touchaway travel away

u u

Check Check

down travel downaway travel away

down travel down uptravel up

2. Guide Practice

n n

Check Check

Children trace the step-by-step models. travel, up up Children write over , travel, , up , and on single over uplines.

pun

3. Check Letter Children

10 10

down over down

s

down over travel downaway travel away

letters for correct start, steps, and bump.

Can-Do Cursive Can-Do Cursive

straight jet takeoff straight jet takeoff

make a J-turn touch make a J-turn touch

CDC-SE_Final.indd 10

40

CDC-SE_Final.indd 10

p p

Check Check

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

travel away travel away

s s

Check Check

© 2022 Learning Without Tears © 2022 Learning Without Tears 05/05/21 1:39 PM

05/05/21 1:39 PM

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

p. 11

Dr. Less

OBJECTIVES

Copy the letters. Start on the dots.

p

p

p

p

u

u

u

u

n

n

n

n

s

s

s

s

p u, n, and s with correct formation; to connect letters

To write , correctly.

✔

Grammar. . . I can’t wait to teach you grammar.

But, let’s do some cursive first. is a descending letter.

Letter ✔

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

Check Word

1. Make letters the right size.

2. Place letters correctly.

3. Connect letters correctly.

Laser Letters (p. 76)

Copy below the model.

Check

u

u n

Check

put

tip up

hut

s

The FNE Print

use

Check

hip

Check

suit

Check

pen

Check

this

suit

Trace steps.ten pin in the

is

a

hip

pen

n

s Check

pie

pet

she

Check Letter

1. Start correctly.

2. Do each step.

3. Bump the lines.

p

p

this

When one letter ends on the base line and the next letter starts on the base line, just travel away to connect!

travel, up

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

p u n s

Did I tell you how much I lo-o-ove grammar?

This is how to write cursive p u n and uh . . . uh . . . uh . . . oh yes, cursive s.

11

down

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 11

05/05/21 1:39 PM

up over around

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

Check

p

Check

u

Check

n

Check

s

touch travel away

LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo) down down

n and s on single or double lines. travel away

travel

Demonstrateup

travel, up over down

10

Can-Do Cursive

straight jet takeoff

up over down travel away

make a J-turn touch

travel away

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

2. Guide Practice DC-22_TEXT.indd 10

Children copy

4/27/21 7:48 PM

p, u, n, and s, models and words.

3. Check Word Children

words for correct size, placement, and connections.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

41

This is how to write cursive c. stroke.

Now start a, d, and g with the cCan-Do

c a Mr. d g Case

OBJECTIVES To write c, a,

This is how to write cursive c.

Now start a, d, and g with the c stroke.

Mr. Case

Cursive – p. 12

d, and g with correct formation.

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

Trace over each cc. Change the second c to make

Check

c

12

print c

up

touch

down travel away

Check

a

print c

up

up higher

down travel away

Check

d

print c

up touch

down turn

aim for corner travel away

Check

g

or

cg.

Wet-Dry-Try with Blackboard with Doublelines (p. 82) or Digital Letter & Number Formations (p. 86)

Trace the steps.

print c travel away

ca, cd ,

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 12

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LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo)

Demonstrate c and a on single or double lines.

Trace the steps.

Check

c

Check

a

Check

d

Check

g

print c travel away

print c

up

touch

down travel away

2. Guide Practice Children trace the step-by-step models.

Children write , , , and on single lines.

cad

print c

g

up

up higher

down travel away

3. Check Letter Children

letters for correct start, steps, and bump. print c

12

up touch

down turn

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 12

42

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

aim for corner travel away

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

05/05/21 1:39 PM

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

c a d g

p. 13 OBJECTIVES

Copy the letters. Start on the dots.

c

c

c

c

a

a

a

a

d

d

d

d

g

g

g

g

Trace over each cc. Change the second c to make

cc cc

cc cc

ca, cd ,

cc cc

or

c a, d, and g with correct formation; to connect letters

To write , correctly.

cg.

cc cc

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

cc cc

Voices (p. 77)

Copy below the model.

c

cat

at a Trace d Check

g

did

g

cage

can

ice

cap

an has steps. the had gas

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

CDC-SE_Final.indd 13

said

Check

cap

Check

hat

Check

pad

Check

dig

hat

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Check Teaching Tool (IDTT).

pad

get

c

dig

print c travel away

Can-Do Cursive

13 05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo)

touch d and g onupsingle or double lines.

print c

Demonstrate

print c

up

print c

up touch

a

Check

d

Check

g

down travel away

up higher

down travel away

down turn

aim for corner travel away

2. Guide Practice 12 Can-Do Cursive Children copy

Check

c, a, d, and g, models and words.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

3. Check Word

DC-22_TEXT.indd 12

Children

4/27/21 7:48 PM

words for correct size, placement, and connections.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

43

This is how to write cursive r, l, and f.

r l f

Mrs. New

Can-Do Cursive – p. 14

OBJECTIVES

This is how to write cursive r, l, and f.

Mrs. New

To write

r, l, and f with correct formation.

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up) Wet-Dry-Try with Blackboard with Doublelines (p. 82) or Digital Letter & Number Formations (p. 86)

Trace the steps.

travel, up

smile

down travel away

travel, up

turn

down travel away

Check

r

Check

l

Check

travel, up

14

turn

aim for corner touch travel away

down U-turn

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

f

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 14

05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo)

Demonstrate r and l on single or double lines.

Trace the steps.

travel, up

smile

down travel away

travel, up

turn

down travel away

Check

r

Check

l

2. Guide Practice Children trace the step-by-step models.

Children write , , and on single lines.

rl f turn travel, up

3. Check Letter Children

14

Check

down U-turn

letters for correct start, steps, and bump.

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 14

44

aim for corner touch travel away

f

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

05/05/21 1:39 PM

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

r l f

p. 15 OBJECTIVES

Copy the letters. Start on the dots.

r

r

r

r

l

l

l

l

f

f

f

f

Cursive f starts like cursive l

To write

r, l, and f with correct formation; to connect letters correctly.

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

.

Air Writing (p. 75) Copy below the model.

Check

r

r

run let

l Check

f

f

their all

her

are

last

Check

are

Check

tell

Check

first

tell

find if aftersteps.

Trace the

first

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

travel, up

CDC-SE_Final.indd 15

15 05/05/21 1:39 PM

smile

down travel away

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

Check r

LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo) Demonstrate

f travel, on single or double up turn lines.

Check

down travel away

Check

travel, up

turn

down U-turn

aim for corner touch travel away

l

f

2. Guide Practice Children copy

r, l, and f, models and words.

3. Check Word 14

Can-Do Cursive Children words for correct size, placement, and connections.

DC-22_TEXT.indd 14

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

4/27/21 7:49 PM

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

45

All right! Now let’s do cursive m, y, and k.

m yMr.k Wright

OBJECTIVES

All right! Now let’s do cursive m, y, and k.

Mr. Wright

Can-Do Cursive – p. 16

To write

m, y, and k with correct formation.

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up) Laser Letters (p. 76) Trace the steps.

travel, up over down

up over down

down travel up

travel, up

16

down

down

up over down travel away

turn

up over around

aim for corner travel away

kick slide down travel away

Check

m

Check

y

Check

k

a

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 16

05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo)

Trace the steps.

Demonstrate m and y on single or double lines.

travel, up over down

up over down

down travel up

down

up over down travel away

turn

aim for corner travel away

Check

m

Check

y

Check

k

2. Guide Practice Children trace the step-by-step models. travel, up down up Children write , , and on single lines. over

m y

k

around

kick slide down travel away

3. Check Letter Children

16

letters for correct start, steps, and bump.

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 16

46

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

05/05/21 1:39 PM

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

m y k

p. 17 OBJECTIVES

Copy the letters. Start on the dots.

m

m

m

m

y

y

y

y

k

k

k

k

To write

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

No gaps in m, please!

Wet-Dry-Try with Blackboard with Doublelines (p. 82) or Digital Letter & Number Formations (p. 86)

Copy below the model.

Check

Check

m

k

m

me

y

yes

k

make

him

them

mad

Trace the steps. my say pay like

m, y, and k with correct formation; to connect letters correctly.

key

Check

mad

Check

pay

Check

keep

keep

travel, up over down

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 17

up over down

17

05/05/21 1:39 PM

up over down travel away

LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo) Demonstrate

k

down down travel on single or double lines. up

travel, up

down

turn

up over around

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Check Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

m

aim for corner travel away

kick slide down travel away

Check

y

Check

k

2. Guide Practice Children copy

m, y, and k, models and words.

3. Check Word Children 16 Can-Dowords Cursive for correct size, placement, and connections.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

DC-22_TEXT.indd 16

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

4/27/21 7:49 PM

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

47

Tow Truck Letter -

✔

tow

To write

Check Word

1. Make letters the right size.

2. Place letters correctly.

3. Connect letters correctly.

Trace the steps.

Check

Write the letter.

print c

circle around

o

o

o

Connection Inspection (p. 85)

o

Copy the easy connections.

ou

oa

od

out

oat

pod

four

road

soda

og

Check

18

TOW TRUCK Additional digital resources are available LETTER

My car gets towed all the time. fog I know about tows.

Here are the Tow Truck Letters o, w, b, v. frog They end with a tow!

Copy the words.

The FNE Print

o with correct formation; to connect o in words.

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

end with a tow

Copy the letters. Start on the dot.

o

Can-Do Cursive – p. 18

OBJECTIVES

TOW TRUCK LETTER

My car gets towed all the time.

I know about tows.

Here are the Tow Truck Letters o, w, b, v.

They end with a tow!

o

The Tow Truck Letters o, w, b, v are the only lowercase letters that do not end on the base line.

in the Interactive Digital

tow Teaching Tool (IDTT).

frog

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

✔

CDC-SE_Final.indd 18

05/05/21 1:39 PM

Check Word

1. Make letters the right size.

2. Place letters correctly.

3. Connect letters correctly.

LESSON PLAN

1. Direction Instruction (Demo)

o ou, and out on single or double lines.

Demonstrate Trace the steps.,

print c

circle around

Check

Write the letter.

o

end with a tow

Copy the letters. Start on the dot.

out

o

o

o

o

Copy the easy connections.

2. Guide Practice

ou

oa

Children copy letters and words.

od

og

3. Check Word Children

words for correct size, placement, and connections.

Copy the words.

out

oat

pod

fog

four

road

soda

frog Check

48

The FNE Print

The Tow Truck Letters o, w, b, v are the only lowercase letters that do not end on the base line.

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

18

Can-Do Cursive

frog

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

TRICKY CONNECTIONS after

Tow Truck Letter -

p. 19

To tow these letters: TOW TRUCK LETTER

t m l f o.

OBJECTIVES

tow

TRICKY CONNECTIONS after To tow these letters:

To crank up letters that follow tow truck

t m l f Crank up the start:

t m l f

Crank(Warm up the up) start: LESSON INTRODUCTION

Copy the letters.

t

t

m

m

l

l

f

f

t m l f

Letters that usually start on the baseline are tricky to connect. They have to be cranked up.

Copy the tricky connections.

ot

om

ol

of

some

old

often

Copy the words.

got

Copy the letters.

t

t

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

CDC-SE_Final.indd 19

o

Check

often

Can-Do Cursive

19 05/05/21 1:39 PM

m

m

l

l

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

f

f

LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo)

ot om ol

Demonstrate , , and Copy the tricky ,connections.

ot

of on single or double lines.

om

ol

of

old

often

2. Guide Practice Children copy cranked up connections.

Copy the words.

3. Check Word

got

Children

some

words for correct size, placement, and connections.

Check © 2022 Learning Without Tears

often

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 19

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

19 05/05/21 1:39 PM

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

49

Tow Truck Letter -

OBJECTIVES

TOW TRUCK LETTER tow

Trace the steps.

Check

Write the letter.

down travel, up

down travel, up

To write capital words.

w

end with a tow

w

w

w

wa

ow

aw

Copy the words.

two

was

how

paw

wood

way

glow

draw Check

20

W and w with correct formation; to connect w in

Connection Inspection (p. 85)

Copy the easy connections.

wo

Can-Do Cursive – p. 20

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

Copy the letters. Start on the dot.

w

w

TOW TRUCK Additional digital resources are available LETTER

in the Interactive Digital tow Teaching Tool (IDTT).

draw

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 20

05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo)

w wo, and two on single or double lines.

Demonstrate Trace the steps.,

down travel, up

down travel, up

Check

Write the letter.

w

end with a tow

Copy the letters. Start on the dot.

two

w

w

w

w

Copy the easy connections.

2. Guide Practice

wo

wa

Children copy letters and words.

ow

aw

3. Check Word Children

words for correct size, placement, and connections.

Copy the words.

two

was

how

paw

wood

way

glow

draw Check

50

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

20

Can-Do Cursive

draw

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

TRICKY CONNECTIONS after

Tow Truck Letter -

p. 21

To tow these letters: TOW TRUCK LETTER tow

h n r e w.

OBJECTIVES

tow

TRICKY CONNECTIONS after To tow these letters:

To crank up letters that follow tow truck

h n r e Crank up the start:

h n r e

Crank(Warm up the up) start: LESSON INTRODUCTION

Copy the letters.

h

h

n

n

r

r

e

e

h n r e

Letters that usually start on the baseline are tricky to connect. They have to be cranked up.

Copy the tricky connections.

wh

wn

wr

we

own

wrong

were

Copy the words.

what

Copy the letters.

h

h

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

CDC-SE_Final.indd 21

w

Check

were

Can-Do Cursive

21

n

n

r

r

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

e

e

05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo)

wh wn wr

Copy the tricky connections.

Demonstrate , , , and

wh

we on single or double lines.

wn

wr

we

2. Guide Practice Children copy cranked up connections.

Copy the words.

3. Check Word

whatwords for correctown wrong size, placement, and connections.

Children

were

Check © 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 21

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

were 21 05/05/21 1:39 PM

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

51

Tow Truck Letter -

To write

tow

Check

Write the letter.

start with an

l

travel up

b

b

Connection Inspection (p. 85)

b

b

bu

by

bo

bad

but

byte

boat

back

build

baby

about

Copy the easy connections.

ba

b with correct formation; to connect b in words.

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

end with a tow

Copy the letters. Start on the dot.

b

Can-Do Cursive – p. 22

OBJECTIVES

TOW TRUCK LETTER Here’s tow truck letter b.

Trace the steps.

b

Copy the words.

Additional digital TOW TRUCK resources are available LETTER in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

about Here’s tow truck letter b.

Check

22

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 22

tow

05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo) Demonstrate

b, ba, and bad on single or double lines.

Trace the steps.

start with an

l

travel up

Check

Write the letter.

b

end with a tow

Copy the letters. Start on the dot.

bad

b

ba

bu

b

b

b

by

bo

Copy the easy connections.

2. Guide Practice

Children copy letters and words.

3. Check Word

Copy the words.

Children

bad

back 52

words for correct size, placement, and connections.

but

byte

boat

build

baby

about

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

about

Check© 2022 Learning Without Tears

K

TRICKY CONNECTIONS after

tow

Tow Truck Letter -

p. 23

To tow these letters: TOW TRUCK LETTER

TRICKY CONNECTIONS after

tow

e i b. r s

OBJECTIVES

tow

To tow these letters:

To crank up letters that follow tow truck

e i r s Crank up the start:

e i r s

Crank(Warm up the up) start: LESSON INTRODUCTION

Copy the letters.

e

e

i

i

r

r

s

s

e i r s

Letters that usually start on the baseline are tricky to connect. They have to be cranked up.

Copy the tricky connections.

be

bi

br

bs

bike

bring

crabs

Copy the words.

best

Copy the letters.

Check

about © 2022 Learning Without Tears

e

e

CDC-SE_Final.indd 23

b

Check

crabs

Can-Do Cursive

23

i

i

r

r

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

s

s

05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo)

be bi br

Copy the tricky connections.

Demonstrate , , , and

be

bs on single or double lines.

bi

br

bs

2. Guide Practice Children copy cranked up connections.

Copy the words.

best words for correctbike bring size, placement, and connections.

3. Check Word Children

t

crabs

Check © 2022 Learning Without Tears

crabs

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 23

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

23 05/05/21 1:39 PM

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

53

Tow Truck Letter tow

Trace the steps.

To write

Write the letter.

Check

slide down

up

end with a tow

v

v

Copy the easy connections.

va

v with correct formation; to connect v in words.

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

v

Connection Inspection (p. 85)

Copy the letters. Start on the dot.

v

Can-Do Cursive – p. 24

OBJECTIVES

TOW TRUCK LETTER

Here’s the last tow truck letter.

v

v

Copy the tricky connections.

vo

ve

vi

vase

voice

have

virus

van

vapor

very

TOW TRUCK Additional digital resources are available LETTER

Copy the words.

Here’s video the last tow truck letter.

Check

24

in the Interactive Digital tow Teaching Tool (IDTT).

video

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 24

05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo)

v va, and vase on single or double lines.

Demonstrate Trace the steps.,

Write the letter.

Check

slide down

up

end with a tow

v

Copy the letters. Start on the dot.

v

vase

v

Copy the easy connections.

va

2. Guide Practice

v

v

Copy the tricky connections.

vo

ve

vi

Children copy letters and words.

3. Check Word

Copy the words.

Children

vase

words for correct size, placement, and connections.

van 54

voice

have

virus

vapor

very

video Check

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

24

Can-Do Cursive

video

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Cranked Up to Tow

p. 25 TOW TRUCK LETTER tow

OBJECTIVES

CRANKED UP TO TOW Copy the letters and words.

t

t

got

e

e

have

h

h

why

l

l

blue

k

k

look

f

f

off

n

n

on

i

i

with

p

p

pop

r

r

more

m

m

home

s

s

boss

To write letters and words with correct formation; to connect letters correctly.

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up) Air Writing (p. 75)

Check

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

video © 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 25

25 05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN

1. Direction Instruction (Demo)CRANKED

t

UP TO TOW

e

Copy the letters words.

Demonstrate andand and how to connect these letters in words on single or double lines.

t

t

got

e

e

have

2. Guide Practice Children copy letters, models, and words.

h

why

l

l

blue

k

k

look

f

f

off

n

n

on

i

i

with

h

3. Check Letter Children

letters and words for correct size, placement, and connections.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

55

j z x q

This is how to write cursive Can-Do Cursive j, z, x, and q.

Mrs. New

– p. 26

j z x q OBJECTIVES

This is how to write cursive j, z, x, and q.

Mrs. New

j z, x, and q with correct formation.

j z x q

To write ,

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

Trace the steps.

travel, up

down

make a half heart

x 26

up a little curve down

climb up slide down

cross

print c

up touch

turn

Check

j

Check

z

Check

x

Check

q

aim for corner travel away dot

aim for corner travel away

turn

ox after o slide down cross

down U-turn

Wet-Dry-Try with Blackboard with Doublelines (p. 82) or Digital Letter & Number Formations (p. 86)

aim for corner touch travel away

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 26

05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN the Instruction steps.

1. Trace Direction (Demo) Demonstrate

j and z on single or double lines. travel, up

down

make a half heart

x

turn

2. Guide Practice

jzx

climb up slide down

q

cross

3. Check Word Children

Check

x

Check

q

after o slide down cross

up touch

down U-turn

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 26

56

z

letters for correct start, steps, and bump. print c

26

Check

aim for corner travel away

ox

Children trace the step-by-step models.

Children write , , , and on single lines.

j

aim for corner travel away dot

turn

up a little curve down

Check

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

aim for corner touch travel away

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

05/05/21 1:39 PM

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

j z x q

p. 27 OBJECTIVES

Copy the letters. Start on the dots.

j

j

j

z

z

z

z

x

x

x

x

q

q

q

q

j z

j

j z, x, and q with correct formation; to connect letters

To write , correctly.

Trace the steps. jump jar

just

zoo lazy

zero

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

Check

jar

Check

froze

Check

jazz

froze

pizza

jazz

x

six

tax

box

q

quit

equal

quick

Voices (p. 77)

travel, up box

down

Check

Check

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

turn

aim for corner travel away dot

quick

Can-Do Cursive

CDC-SE_Final.indd 27

27

Check

j

Check

z

Check

x

Check

q

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN 1. Direction

make a half Instruction (Demo) heart

Demonstrate

x

x and q

climb up slide down

print c

26

turn up a little curve on single ordown double lines.

cross

up touch

aim for corner travel away

ox after o slide down cross

down U-turn

aim for corner touch travel away

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

2. Guide Practice

j z, x, and q, models and words.

Children copy ,

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3. Check Word Children

words for correct size, placement, and connections.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

57

Review & Mastery Review & astery: Pri nt to t it

OBJECTIVES

Cursive

To develop fluency by translating print into cursive.

Translate — Not Spanish, French, or Chinese.

You will translate print into cursive.

t it

Translate print into cursive. Write below the models. If you need help, see the lesson pages.

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

Pages 8–9

t

h

e

i

the

it

Pages 10–11

p

u

n

s

put

in

Pages 12–13

c

a

d

g

cat

had

Pages 14–15

r

l

f

run

let

if

ages 16–17

m

y

k

make

yes

key

P

The FNE Print

28

Can-Do Cursive – p. 28

Discuss the importance of reviewing cursive letters before moving on.

is

dig

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

Teachers and students, check these pages. Brush up on any needed letters or words. © 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

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LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo) Demonstrate translating print into cursive on single or double lines.

it

it

2. Guide Practice Children translate print into cursive on their own.

3. Check Word Children

58

words for correct size, placement, and connections.

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Review & Mastery

p. 29

Review & astery: Print to o one

lp, see the lesson pages.

OBJECTIVES

Cursive

To develop fluency by translating print into cursive.

o one

Translate print into cursive. Write below the models. If you need help, see the lesson pages.

LESSON INTRODUCTION (Warm up)

Pages 18–21

o

w

got

one

why

with

Pages 22–24

b

v

by

but

vase

have

Page 25

look

on

home

blue

off

more

Pages 26–27

j

z

jar

zero

six

quit

x

q

just

lazy

box

equal

The FNE Print

Discuss the importance of reviewing cursive letters before moving on.

Additional digital resources are available in the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT).

Teachers and students, check these pages. Brush up on any needed letters or words.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

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LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo) Demonstrate translating print into cursive on single or double lines.

one

one

2. Guide Practice Children translate print into cursive on their own.

3. Check Word Children

words for correct size, placement, and connections.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive – Fast and Neat

59

CURSIVE & GRAMMAR

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive & Grammar

61

Cursive & Grammar CURSIVE & GRAMMAR - Did She Say ramma?

Can-Do Cursive – p. 30

OBJECTIVES To review basic grammar rules.

GET READY FOR capitals and grammar .

DiD SHE SAY “GRAMMA”?

A B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I J K

L M

START RAAR

Grammar has two as, just like Gramma! The rules for speaking and writing a language are called grammar. Here are four basic grammar rules. asic rammar Rule #1: A sentence expresses a complete thought.  write words. asic rammar Rule #2: Sentences have two parts: the subject and the predicate. · The subject “” tells who or what the sentence is about. · The predicate “write words” tells what the subject is or what the subject is doing.

The predicate has the verb.

s it a duck?

The

s it a verb?

Looks like a duck?

Swims like a duck?

Quacks like a duck?

It’s a duck!

30

The

Test Y Y Y

VERB Test

Does it work with “to” in front? Yes, it’s a verb! ____ to walk?

Y to write? ____ to hair?

N to door? ____ to run? ____ to read? ____ to elephant? ____ to window? © 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

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LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo) Review Basic Grammar Rules #1 and #2. Share examples of sentences that express a complete thought. Ask students to identify the subject and predicate in the example sentences.

2. Guide Practice Children complete The Duck Test together.

Children complete The Verb Test independently.

3. Check Understanding Children

62

responses to The Verb Test together.

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive & Grammar

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Cursive & Grammar

p. 31

Say ramma?

OBJECTIVES

asic rammar Rule #3: Sentences start with capital letters.

You may know some cursive capitals. Copy the ones you know.

Turn the page to learn the ones you don’t know.

A B

SHE SAY “GRAMMA”?

C

D

E

F

G

H

I J K

To review basic grammar rules.

L M

A B C D E F G H I J K L M

N O P

Q R S

T

U V

W

X Y

Z

N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

asic rammar Rule #4: Sentences stop with a . ! or ?

in front? Yes, it’s a verb!

CURSVE This is your cursive ticket! You can start using cursive right away, even if you don’t know all the capitals.

Just print the ones you don’t know.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

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LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo) Review Basic Grammar Rules #3 and #4. On single lines, demonstrate capitals that look significantly different than their print counterparts, such as , , , and .

G

Q

S

Z

G Q S

Z

G Q S Z 2. Guide Practice

Children write cursive capitals on single lines.

3. Check Understanding Children write a complete sentence in cursive, including capital letters (as needed) and ending punctuation.

Children may print the capitals they do not know.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive & Grammar

63

A – L

Capitals

Can-Do Cursive – p. 32 OBJECTIVES

CAPITALS

Copy capitals A and C. Trace the steps for the other capitals.

A

A

B

ready

down

C

up around

C

D E F G H

small turn

c in the air

c again

ready (big)

down

curve up

top like

down

curve up

J

down

straight down

ready

L

start with in the air

The FNE Print

flip over

Check

B

Check

C

Check

D

Check

E

Check

F

Check

G

Check

H

Check

I

Check

J

curve up end

J-turn

cross

down big J-turn

end

up over

J-turn

end

end

ready down

e

down

small J-turn

kick!

down small turn

To write capitals

A– L with correct formation.

end

Check

K

Check

L

slide down

flip over

Copy capitals A and C. Trace the steps for the other capitals.

A and C are easy capitals. They are like the lowercase letters.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

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A

CAPITALS CAPITALS curve up

K

e+i

Check

around again

C

down

ready down

I

32

A

05/05/21 1:39 PM

A A A 1. DA irection Instruction (Demo) A A Demonstrate capitals B and D on single lines.

B B C C C C C C D D E Practice 2. Guide Children copy capitals A and C. E Children trace the step-by-step models for the other capitals.

F Children write capitals A – L on single lines.

F Letter 3. Check G e i and bump.

Children letters for correct start, steps, G e i H H I I J 64 J Copy capitals A and C. Trace the steps for the other capitals.

LESSON PLAN

ready

down

up around

around again

ready

down

up around

around again

down

small turn

flip over

curve up end

down

small turn

flip over

c in the air

c again

curve up end

c in the air

c again

ready (big)

down

J-turn

cross

ready (big)

down

J-turn

cross

curve up

top like

+

down big J-turn

end

curve up ready down

top like

+

down big J-turn up over

end

ready down curve up

down

end

down

up over J-turn

curve up

down

J-turn

end

down

up Guide: Cursive straight down small J-turn Can-Do Cursivecurve Teacher’s & Grammar

end

end

end

Check

A

A Check B Check

B Check C Check

C Check D Check

D Check E Check

E Check F Check

F Check G Check

G Check H Check

H Check I Check

I Check J Check

© 2022 Learning Without Tears Check

J

D

Capitals

p. 33 OBJECTIVES

CAPITALS

Copy capital O. Trace the steps for the other capitals.

M N

ready down

up, over down

ready down

up, over down

O

Check

M

Check

N

Check

O

Check

P

Check

Q

Check

R

Check

S

Check

T

again

O

O

Check

D

P

Check

E

Q

Check

F

R

Check

G

S

Check

H

T

Check

I

Check

J

U

U

Check

U

V

V

Check

V

Check

K

W

W

Check

W

X

X

Check

X

Check

L

Y

Y

Check

Y

Z

Z

Check

Z

ready down

Q

up around

or

ready down

straight jet takeoff

half heart

small turn

up around

slide down

print S

flip over

end

J-turn

ready down

To write capitals

M – Z

M– Z with correct formation.

Copy capitals U, V, W, X, Y, Z.

The FNE Print

O, U, V, W, X, Y, Z are easy capitals. They are like the lowercase letters.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

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LESSON PLAN

CAPITALS

1. Direction Instruction (Demo)

M

N

Demonstrate on single lines.

Copy capital O.capitals Trace the stepsand for the other capitals.

M N

ready down

up, over down

ready down

up, over down

O

2. Guide Practice

O

O

O

Children copy capital .

Children trace the step-by-step models for the other capitals.

P

M– Zupon single lines.

Children write ready capitals down

Q

3. Check Letter Children

R

G

S

H

T

Q

M

Check

N

Check

O

Check

P

Check

Q

Check

R

Check

S

Check

T

around

or

letters for correct half start, steps, and bump. small heart

turn

ready down

up around

slide down

straight jet takeoff

print S

end

ready down

J-turn

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Check again

flip over

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive & Grammar

65

SENTENCE TPES Starting and Stopping Punctuation . ? !

1. Declarative sentences make a statement. They end with a period.

Can-Do Cursive – p. 34

Make up an ending to the sentence. Stop with a period.

An ambulanceOBJECTIVES

STARTN AND STOPPN PUNCTUATON . ? !

Start sentences with a capital.

Stop with a period, exclamation point, or question mark.

To review starting and stopping punctuation.

SENTENCE TPES

1. Declarative sentences make a statement. They end with a period.

Make up an ending to the sentence. Stop with a period.

2. nterrogative sentences ask a question. They end with a question mark.

Who An ambulance

2. nterrogative sentences ask a question. They end with a question mark.

Make up endings to the questions. Stop with a question mark.

What When Where

Make up endings to the questions. Stop with a question mark.

Who What When Where

3. Exclamatory sentences show strong emotion. They end with an exclamation point.

Copy these exclamations. Stop with an exclamation point.

Watch

out

for

the

snake!

A

snake

is

loose!

4. mperative sentences are bossy. They make a request or give an order. They end with a period

or exclamation point.

Copy the imperative sentence. Stop with an exclamation point.

✔

Check Sentence

Call

an

1. Start with a capital.

2. Put space between words.

3. Use punctuation.

The FNE Print

34

Check Sentence

Sometimes a subject is missing from a sentence, but you can figure it out. “Watch out!” means “You watch out.”

In England, a period is called a full stop. © 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

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ambulance!

05/05/21 1:39 PM

LESSON PLAN 1.

Direction Instruction (Demo) 3. Exclamatory sentences show strong emotion. They end with an exclamation point.

Copy these with an exclamation point.

Review the exclamations. four sentenceStop types.

Share examples of each. Ask students to identify the correct ending punctuation.

Watch

out

2. Guide Practice

for

the

snake!

A

snake

is

loose!

Children complete one declarative sentence and one interrogative sentence together.

Children complete the remaining sentences independently.

4. mperative sentences are bossy. They make a request or give an order. They end with a period 3. Check Understanding or exclamation point.

Copy theuse imperative sentence.

Stoplist with exclamation point.

Children the Check Sentence toan check sentences.

✔

Check Sentence

Call

1. Start with a capital.

2. Put space between words.

3. Use punctuation.

an

ambulance!

Check Sentence

Children share their interrogative sentences with the class.

The FNE Print

34

Sometimes a subject is missing from a sentence, but you can figure it out. “Watch out!” means “You watch out.”

In England, a period is called a full stop.

Can-Do Cursive

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

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Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive & Grammar

05/05/21 1

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Capitals & Capitalization Rules

p. 35 OBJECTIVES

CAPITALS & CAPITALIZATION RULES Copy the capitals.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

I

J

V

W

K

L

X

M Y

Z

Always capitalize the first word in a sentence and the pronoun . Here are some other capitalization rules.

Capitalize:

Complete the sentences.

Name of a person

My name is

.

Initials

My initials are

.

Days

Today is

.

Months

My birthday is in

.

Holidays

My favorite holiday is

.

Languages

I speak

.

Titles and names

.

Schools

My teachers ’ name is My school is

Book titles

I read

First word of a quotation

My friend said, “

. .”

Cities, towns, states, and provinces

I live in

.

Rivers, lakes, and oceans

The closest water is

.

To review cursive capital letters and capitalization rules.

.

Extra Practice. Use Writing Journal F. Extra practice free choice: Write names and famous quotations. Or, write sentences about places you would like to visit. © 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive

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LESSON PLAN 1. Direction Instruction (Demo) Review capital letters that look significantly different than their print versions. Model on single lines.

G, Q, S, and Z

G Q S Z

Review capitalization rules.

2. Guide Practice Children trace capital letters as needed.

Children copy capital letters.

Children complete the sentences.

3. Check Understanding Children share their completed sentences with the class, telling which letters were capitalized in each sentence.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Cursive & Grammar

67

GRAMMAR, GREEK & LATIN, AND WRITER’S NOTEBOOK After children have had sufficient letter and word practice, it’s time for our fun writing activities.

We carefully plan for sentence spacing. We know that when sentences are poorly modeled with skimpy spaces, children struggle with correct spacing.

You may teach the pages out of order to complement your other instruction.

In this section, children will use cursive in fun, interesting ways to develop writing skills while exploring these topics: • Grammar and punctuation • Reading and vocabulary skills • A variety of writing styles

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Grammar, Greek & Latin, and Writer’s Notebook

69

Grammar, Greek & Latin

RSIVE & GRAMMAR - Did She Say ramma?

GET READY FOR capitals and grammar .

DiD SHE SAY “GRAMMA”?

Grammar (pp. 36–64) Children learn grammar rules and punctuation while practicing cursive writing activities independently.

A B C D E F G H I J K The activities cover eight parts of speech: nouns, adjectives, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. The page footers provide additional grammar insight in The FINE Print, or options for extra practice using Writing Journal F.

RAAR

ar has two as, just like Gramma! The rules for speaking and writing a language ed grammar. Here are four basic grammar rules.

Greek & Latin (pp. 65–81)

GREEK & LATIN

rammar Rule #1: In the ancient world, Greek and Latin were widely spoken. nce expresses a complete thought.  write words.

The Romans spoke Latin. People in Greece spoke Greek. They still do.

Children build reading and vocabulary skills while practicing cursive writing activities independently.

Activity topics include prefixes, root words, science words, numbers, and many more. More than 60 percent of English words have Greek or Latin origins, so learning a little Greek and Latin is like knowing a secret code. It gives students an easy way to learn vocabulary. The FINE Print footers provide additional information about Greek and Latin words.

This magnified (magn = large) view shows Greece and Italy (and Rome). rammar Rule #2: es have two parts: the subject and the predicate. subject “” tells who or what the sentence is about. predicate “write words” tells what the subject is or what the subject is doing. predicate has the verb.

t a duck?

The

s it a verb?

This is a hemisphere. hemi = half sphere = globe, ball

Test

ks like a duck? ms like a duck? acks like a duck? a duck!

The

VERB Test

Does it work with “to” in front? Yes, it’s a verb! ____ to walk?

Y to write? ____ to hair?

N to door? ____ to run? ____ to read? ____ to elephant? ____ to window?

Y Y Y

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

n-Do Cursive

05/05/21 1:39 PM

HEY, IT’S EASY!

More than 60 percent of English words come from Greek and Latin. Knowing a little Greek and Latin is like knowing a secret code. You have an easy way to figure out words.

GREEK & LATIN Copy in cursive.

MEANING

ENGLISH WORDS

port

= carry

export, portable, deport, portfolio

micro

= small

microscope, microwave, microchip

ology

= study of

psychology, biology, zoology capital

The FNE Print

A column is a tall pillar that supports a building or a statue. The top of a column is called a capital.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

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column

Can-Do Cursive

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Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Grammar, Greek & Latin, and Writer’s Notebook

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

L M

The Writer’s Notebook

The Writer’s Notebook (pp. 82–94) Children learn a variety of writing skills while practicing cursive independently. Activities include poetry, diary or journal notes, autobiography notes, paragraphs, character sketches, short-story notes, play notes, book case notes, book reviews, and thank-you notes. The page footers provide options for extra practice using Writing Journal F.

THE WRITER'S NOTEBOOK These famous writers welcome you to The Writer’s Notebook.

Do you recognize any of them?

Emily Dickinson wrote poetry.

Frederick Douglass wrote an autobiography.

Anne Frank wrote a diary.

Mark Twain wrote short stories.

William Shakespeare wrote plays.

Now you are the writer!

In this section, you will be writing on notebook paper.

Illustration credit: R.O. Blechman

82

Can-Do Cursive

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© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Draw yourself. © 2022 Learning Without Tears

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Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Grammar, Greek & Latin, and Writer’s Notebook

71

MULTISENSORY ACTIVITIES You know the importance of multisensory, active learning. Research is on your side. It supports multisensory teaching to address children’s diverse learning styles: visual, tactile, auditory, and kinesthetic.

Activities with multisensory materials address different senses to teach correct formation and connections. We help children develop their writing skills through explicit, multisensory, play-based instruction.

Each letter lesson begins with a multisensory introduction. There are many fun activities that rotate to add variety and appeal.

Multisensory activities can be hands-on. For example Wet-Dry-Try on the slate. There may also be a digital version of the activity on the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool and Digital Student App. In this section, children will: • Move, touch, feel, and manipulate real objects as they learn the habits and skills essential for writing • Engage with technology in a developmentally appropriate manner • Develop social-emotional skills

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Multisensory Activities

73

Multisensory Cues When planning instruction, you can use the following cues to indicate the multisensory activity that best fits your students. We use these cues within lesson plans for cursive instruction in Grades 2– 4.

CAPITALS and Lowercase Let ters

d Letter Stories

Digital Letter and Number Formations

Team 1 11

wag dog

Air Writing

Voices

Laser Writing

Blackboard with Double Lines

Team 2

Connection Inspection

74

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Multisensory Activities

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Air Writing

Air Writing is a kinesthetic strategy with visual and auditory components. Picking up and holding pencils adds a tactile component. This strategy allows you to watch the entire class and ensures that all students form their letters correctly. Many Air Writing letter formations are included in the Live Teaching Videos located in the Resource section of the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool.

Materials • Brightly colored ball

Activity 1. C hoose a letter. Use a brightly colored ball to trace the letter in the air in front of your class.

2. Have students hold a pencil correctly in the air. Everyone checks pencil grips.

3. Retrace the letter again with your students.

Note: If you are facing your students, make the letter in relation to you so the letter will be correct from your students’ perspective.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Multisensory Activities

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Laser Letters Children are always amazed by this activity. You can easily catch their attention when you use a small laser. By using a laser, you provide a nice visual to follow while tracing letters in the air. Many Laser Letter formations are included in the Live Teaching Videos located in the Resource section of the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool.

Materials • Small laser pointer • Chalk or markers • Large board or easel Note: In place of a laser pointer, you may also use a flashlight or other small pointer.

Activity 1. Students hold pencils ready to point to laser dot.

2. T eacher points to start of letter and slowly writes a laser letter saying its step-by-step directions.

3. S tudents follow the laser with their pencils, saying the directions with the teacher.

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Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Multisensory Activities

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Voices Children should learn to write letters in the correct sequence. If you demonstrate with different voices, your students will quickly learn and memorize all the steps. This activity is filled with the repetition children need, but it is so much fun that the repetition is never boring. Many Voices videos are included in the Live Teaching Videos located in the Resource section of the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool.

Materials • Large board, prepared with double lines

Activity 1. H elp children find the step-by-step words in their workbooks.

Read the words together as children point.

Demonstrate the letter, saying the steps with the children.

2. S lowly demonstrate the letter again using a new voice.

Children join in by saying the steps and modeling your voice. Repeat.

3. W rite the letter. Children put their pencils on the dot. They use their voices together to say the steps as they write.

4. Repeat the activity with different voices: high, low, loud, soft, slow, fast.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

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Letter Stories Fun stories help children remember letters that are a bit tricky. Beyond our simple verbal cues, we made up some stories that are fun to share and help make these letters memorable. Many of these stories have a Live Teaching Video located in the Resource section of the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool.

g

If George Falls

Say, “Inside g lives a little man named George (draw a little face in g).” He says, “Ohhhh, if I fall, will you catch me?” Say, “Sure, I will catch you if you fall” (turn the g to catch George).

i

Zip the Tent

Say, “i should be closed. If i is open, (show an open i), your tent is unzipped and the iguana is going to get in. If your tent is zipped (show a good i), the animals will mind their own business.”

m n q 78

Stinky m

Say, “If m has big gaps, people will throw trash in those gaps. Don’t make big gaps. Make the gaps so little, there is only room for chocolate kisses.”

Make n a Nose

Say, “This is cursive n. It only has two humps. To remember, turn n into a nose and give it two nostrils.”

U-Turn

Say, “The letter q is always followed by u. Think quiet, quit, quibble, quaint, etc.

At the bottom of q , stop and make a U-turn, then finish q .”

Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Multisensory Activities

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

Letter Stories

r s

Smile

Say, “r doesn’t have to be a difficult letter. If r is difficult, it’s r’s fault. At the top of r we’ll make a smiley face (draw a smiley face). r travels on the base line, smiles at the top and then comes down and travels away.”

Jet Takeof f

Say, “When you make s, start with a straight jet takeoff (show arm taking off like an airplane), make a j (finger trace in the air), then walk away (complete the finger trace).”

Zip the Tent

t G

Say, “t should be closed. If t is open (show an open t), your tent is unzipped and the animals are going to get in. If your tent is zipped (show a good t), the animals will mind their own business.”

Old McDonald

Sing, “Old McDonald Had a Farm,” e (at the left top side of G make an e), i (at the right top side of G make an i). Finish the letter, not the song.

Jet Takeof f

S Z

Say, “When you make capital S, start with a straight jet takeoff (show arm taking off like an airplane), print capital S (finger trace in the air), then finish (complete the finger trace).”

Half of Hear t Say, “I’m going to make half of a heart, you make the other half.” Erase your half when the child is done and say, “Now finish the Z.”

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Wet-Dry-Try with Mystery Letters You can play Mystery Letters with children as a fun way to develop good habits. Mystery Letter activities teach correct letter formation. The secret is to make the first stroke correctly before telling children the name of the letter they’re going to make. This ensures they start the letter correctly.

Materials • Blackboard with Double Lines (1 per child) • Little Chalk Bits (1") • Paper towel pieces

Activity 1. G ather the Blackboards with Double Lines, Little Chalk Bits, and paper towels for erasing.

2. Say the directions for a capital letter, leaving the last part a mystery (see directions below). Have children practice Wet-Dry-Try after completing the letter.

Directions

Magic c Letters

For letters

c, a, d, g, o, and q:

Magic c, wait. Turn it into _____.

Magic c Words

Using

c, a, d, g, o, and q:

Magic c, turn it into ____.

Magic c, turn it into ____.

Add letter ____.

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Mystery Letter Game with

cc

Directions ’ll help you change the second c into a, d, or g.

Worksheet available (p. 78) 1. With colored pencil or pen, trace over the model cc and wait at the end.

2. Listen. Your teacher will randomly call out a, d, or

g.

3. Change the second one into the letter that your teacher calls out.

4. Do one column a day.

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Wet-Dry-Try for Lowercase Letters Wet-Dry-Try is an innovative teaching strategy. We use a slate chalkboard for capitals and numbers. For lowercase letters and words we use the Blackboard with Double Lines. This is the physical version. The digital version is available on the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool and Digital Student App. The latest research on brain development supports this activity. This research calls for fewer elements (just two lines), modeling, sensory engagement, and immediate feedback (Sousa 2011)

Materials • Blackboard with Double Lines* (1 per child) • Little Chalk Bits (1") • Little Sponge Cubes (1/2") • Little cups of water • Paper towel pieces

Activity 1. P repare Blackboards Write letter with chalk as a model to trace.

2. T eacher’s Part – Write f with Chalk Use chalk to write a letter on double lines.

Say the step-by-step directions.

3. C hild’s Part – Wet-Dry-Try As the child does each part, say the step-by-step directions to guide the child. The child is encouraged to join in, saying the words.

Wet: The child uses a Little Sponge Cube to trace the letter.

Dry: The child uses a little piece of paper towel to trace the letter.

Try: The child uses a Little Chalk Bit to write the letter.

*If you don’t have a Blackboard with Double Lines, consider using our Double Line Writer on your whiteboard. This product is available at LWTears.com.

Interactive Digital Teaching Tool: Share via your interactive whiteboard or smartboard Digital Student App: Integrated in lessons and on “My Tools” for additional practice

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More Wet-Dry-Try with Mystery Letters You can play Mystery Letters with children as a fun way to develop good habits. Mystery Letter activities teach correct letter formation. The secret is to make the first stroke correctly before telling children the name of the letter they’re going to make. This ensures that students start the letter correctly.

Materials • Blackboard with Double Lines (1 per child) • Little Chalk Bits (1") • Paper towel pieces

Activity 1. Gather the Blackboards with Double Lines, Little Chalk Bits, and paper towels for erasing.

2. Say the directions for a capital letter, leaving the last part a mystery (see directions below). Have children practice Wet-Dry-Try after completing the letter.

Directions Other Lowercase Let ters

For letters b, e, f, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, s,

For letters

Start on the dot, travel (up or on the line).

Turn it into _____.

t, and x:

u, v, w, y, and z:

Start on the dot.

Turn it into ____.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

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About Tow Truck Connections Tow Truck Letters (o, w, b, v) are the only letters that do not end on the base line. They have a special ending—they end up high on the mid line. The ending always sticks out (like a tow). The letter after a Tow Truck Letter must be cranked up to the tow.

o w b v Keep the Tow Up Tow Truck Letters never go down to the bottom line to join a letter. If the tow is lowered to the base line, the Tow Truck Letter will lose its identity, creating spelling and legibility issues.

If

o goes down to pick up a letter, it will change into

If

w goes down to pick up a letter, it will change into

If

b goes down to pick up a letter, it will change into

.

If

v goes down to pick up a letter, it will change into

.

. .

Easy to Tow Some letters are easy to tow because they start on the mid line. To join, simply finish the tow and begin the next letter. Easy-to-tow letters include:

acdguy

acdguy

dog

oat

Crank Up Let ters Some letters that start on the base line must be cranked up before they can be towed. These letters are:

thklfb

thklfb

what of old

Smile for the Tow Some letters are tricky to tow. Both the tow and the letter have to change shape. Use a big smiling tow before connecting to these letters:

ires 84

ires

oil or we lst

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Connection Inspection

Bring cursive connections to life by turning your students into words. Their bodies will be the letters, and their arms will be the connections. Play this unique activity in teams of four and allow children to solve problems together to pass the inspection.

Activity 1. Choose the words to connect and write them in print on the board.

2. Divide your class into teams. Choose one student to be the “inspector.”

3. Explain to your students that for base line letters they should keep their left hands down low. For letters that end high (Tow Truck Letters —o, w, b, v), put their left arms out. Explain that the next letter (student) has to start wherever the previous letter (student) ends.

4. Have the teams solve the word problems by making the connections with their arms.

5. Have the inspector see if children connected their arms correctly.

Team 1 11

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wag dog

Team 2

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Digital Formation Tools: Letter & Number Introducing simple technology into your daily classroom experiences can make learning letters engaging and fun. This process also exposes children to the world of technology at an early age.

How to locate: • Go to +Live Insights, pli.lwtears.com • I nteractive Digital Teaching Tool: These formations are integrated in your letter and number lessons for you to share via your Interactive Whiteboard for in-class learning. They are also located on the Digital Formation Tools for additional practice outside of lessons.

•S tudent Digital App: Students can access the Letter & Number Formations on “My Tools” for additional practice.

Materials • Computer or interactive whiteboard (IWB)

Activity 1. G o to the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool. Select Digital Formation Tools. Select Letter & Number Formations.

2. Select a letter. Prepare to demonstrate.

3. Children point their pointer fingers at the screen.

4. A s children trace the letter, say the parts of letter.

We are going to trace b in the air.

Travel, then up, turn down, bump, travel and up, end with a tow.

We made b.

5. C hildren can take turns coming to the whiteboard to trace and write the letter.

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A+ Worksheet Maker The A+ Worksheet Maker includes customizable worksheets that can be used for extra practice on double lines. Worksheets include spelling, vocabulary, sentence writing and more. You can use these worksheets in different subject areas throughout the classroom day.

How to locate: • Go to +Live Insights, pli.lwtears.com • I nteractive Digital Teaching Tool: Select the A+ Worksheet Maker to create customizable worksheets that can be used for additional practice using the HWT font and double lines outside of handwriting lessons.

Worksheets include spelling, vocabulary, sentence writing and more. You can use these worksheets in different subject areas throughout the classroom day.

Activity 1. Select the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool. The A+ Worksheet Maker has its own tab.

2. Select your grade and size of double lines.

3. Choose a worksheet.

4. Customize the worksheet and print.

A+ Worksheet Maker

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RESOURCES Use It, Don’t Lose It p. 90 Fluency & Personalization p. 91 Remediation Tips pp. 92–95 Strategies for English Language Learners pp. 96–98 Strategies for Children with Special Needs pp. 99–101 Handwriting Standards for Written Production pp. 102–103 Cursive Warm-Ups 104 My Cursive Name p. 105 References p. 106

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Use It, Don’t Lose It As summer approaches, children get a break from their studies and freedom to enjoy the summer sun.

Use the following ideas to encourage handwriting practice so good skills remain strong. Handwriting is something that is easily accessible to children. With a little encouragement, they can practice cursive just about anywhere, anytime.

Lists:

Activities:

• Shopping

• Write thank you cards

• Vacation

• Send invitations

• Camping

• Write letters to friends and relatives

• What to take to the pool

• Find a summer pen pal – exchange letters weekly or monthly

• Picnic

• Keep a list of summer vocabulary words

• To-do

• Create a summer journal

• Special projects

• Finger trace in the sand at the beach or park • Play games, write with sidewalk chalk • Paint with water (writing letters/numbers) on the driveway • Create stories with friends • Make cards • Send postcards

For Families: Handwriting Practice Use It, Don’t Lose It Handwriting Practice Ideas Use the following ideas to encourage handwriting practice so good skills remain strong. Handwriting is something that is easily accessible to a child. With a little encouragement, children can practice cursive just about anywhere, anytime.

Lists: Activities: • Shopping • Write thank you cards • Vacation • Send invitations • Camping • Write letters to friends and relatives • What to take to the pool • Find a summer penpal – exchange letters weekly or monthly • Picnic • Keep a list of summer vocabulary words • To-do • Create a summer journal • Special Projects • Finger trace in the sand at the beach or park

• Play games, write with sidewalk chalk

• Paint with water (writing letters/numbers) on the driveway

• Create stories with friends

• Make cards

• Send postcards

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Fluency & Personalization When children have learned letter formation and connections, they will gain speed. With speed comes fluency, and with fluency comes personalization. Handwriting style is unique to each of us. As we develop our own style, we also develop consistent patterns. It’s inevitable: each of us will develop our own unique cursive style.

Take a look, this child learned the Handwriting Without Tears® style of cursive!

You will know your students are gaining fluency and personalization when you start to see: 1. Speed 2. Natural flare (loops and curlicues) 3. Possible slant 4. A mixture of print with cursive Mixing print with cursive is normal. If students start to mix their print with cursive, allow it. This style of writing is very functional and often is the way most adults write. However, don’t let the cart get before the horse. If a child begins to personalize too soon, hold the child accountable for neatness and completeness.

Ease Their Minds Some may worry that our vertical style is too simple. Our clean style actually leads children to even greater fluency and personalization—quickly! When you teach the most important parts of the skill (formation and connection), the other pieces (style and speed) come naturally. Remember what happened to the duck in the story “The Ugly Duckling!” Our cursive develops into a beautiful swan that can fly fast.

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Remediation Tips PHYSICAL APPROACH Pencil Grip For older students with pencil grip problems, show them how to hold the pencil between their index and middle fingers. This type of grip is as functional as a tripod grip. We also suggest this strategy: Remediate in 3 stages: 1. Pick-Up – Make circles in the air with a correct grip. Drop and do it again. Repeat five times a day for a couple of weeks.

2. Pencil Pick-Ups – Complete Pencil Pick-Ups daily at home and at school using a correct grip.

3. Write – Have children write their name with a correct grip. Once they consistently write their name with a correct grip, give them permission to use it for all of their writing.

Adaptive Devices Experiment with adaptive devices and use them only if they make it easier for the child to hold a pencil.

Their usefulness varies from grip to grip and child to child.

Rubber Band Trick Check the angle of the pencil. If the pencil is pointing straight up in the air, it will be difficult to write.

Loop two rubber bands or ponytail holders together. One goes around the child’s writing hand, the other around the pencil.

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Remediation Tips

Reward Good Grip Try using the reward activity to motivate a good grip (p. 74).

Check My Grip

Look at me, I’m holding my pencil correctly.

My reward is:

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Photo of Correct Grip

Pencil Pressure Too Hard: Try a mechanical pencil or placing paper over a mouse pad to provide feedback.

Too Soft: Have children pencil in small shapes until they are black. Use pencils with softer lead.

Name the Helper Hand A helper hand that twirls hair or props up a forehead will not support the paper. Try naming the helping hand, children find it funny. For example, John’s helping hand is called Jacob. You talk to “Jacob” about how it’s his job to hold the paper. You are not reprimanding the child, but just the name of their helping hand.

The Eraser Challenge Some children spend a lot of time erasing. We suggest giving children a pencil without an eraser and telling them to cross out the mistake. They are less likely to stop and do this. You can also try the Eraser Challenge. This activity is designed for children to be accountable. The goal is that all the erasers are left at the end of the day.

The Eraser Challenge

1

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2

3

How many erasers will you have left at the end of the day?

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

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Remediation Tips REMEDIATION MATERIAL AND STRATEGIES Memory Quick and automatic recall of letters is important for cursive success. Demonstration and direct instruction are essential. Concentrate on lowercase letters first. Capital letters are infrequently used, so concentrate on the ones children use often, especially the ones in their names. We also suggest these activities:

Blackboard with Double Lines p. 82

CAS_08_05.20.09_outlines.indd 1

Cursive Desk Strip

5/20/09 10:23:35 AM

Connections Connecting one letter to another letter is the foundation of cursive writing. Review & Mastery activities are essential for children mastering cursive writing. Create additional cursive to cursive and print to cursive activities using the A+ Worksheet Maker (LWTears.com). We also suggest these activities: Cursive Warm-Ups Team 1

Under and over

Up and straight down

Up and loop down

11

Descending loop

wag dog

Team 2

Start on the star. Do one row a day.

Cursive Warm-Ups p. 104

© 2013 Handwriting Without Tears®

CH_TEXT_11.16.12.indd 7

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Blackboard with Double Lines p. 82

Cursive Handwriting

Connection Inspection p. 85

7 11/16/12 4:08 PM

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Remediation Tips Placement & Size Using the appropriate size double lines is the best way to help children place and write their letters a correct size. Double lines prepare children for success to transition to single lines. We also suggest these activities: Name: word 1

word 7

word 2

word 8

word 3

word 9

word 4

word 10

word 5

word 11

word 6

word 12

© 2012 Handwriting Without Tears®

Placement & Size p. 82

Double Line Paper

A+ Worksheet Maker p. 87

Star t & Sequence Correct Start and Sequence are essential for quick and automatic cursive writing. The ability to connect letters correctly is acquired through direct teaching and correct practice. We also suggest these activities:

Mystery Letter Game with

cc

Directions ’ll help you change the second c into a, d, or g.

Worksheet available (p. 78) 1. With colored pencil or pen, trace over the model cc and wait at the end.

2. Listen. Your teacher will randomly call out a, d, or

g.

3. Change the second one into the letter that your teacher calls out.

4. Do one column a day.

© 2022 Learning Without Tears

TGDC_Text.indd 81

Blackboard with Double Lines p. 82

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81 13/05/21 11:11 AM

Mystery Letter Game with cc p. 81

Double Line Paper

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Strategies for English Language Learners Our program and research-based teaching strategies help diverse learners master handwriting. We developed them to meet the needs of all learners, including English language learners (ELLs). Our strategies provide simple best practices you can seamlessly integrate into a classroom setting, benefitting all children. Use the following strategies to help your ELL children succeed in your classroom:

Prior Knowledge Activation Research tells us that children learn more effectively when they already know something about a content area and when concepts in that area mean something to them and to their particular background or culture.

When you link new information to a student’s prior knowledge, you activate the child’s interest and curiosity and infuse instruction with a sense of purpose. Prior knowledge has a large influence on student performance (Dochy, Segers, & Buehl, 1999). English language learners need opportunities to practice previously learned knowledge and what they are presently learning. Hill and Bjork (2008) acknowledge the importance of practice to prevent ELLs from learning incorrectly.

We use child-friendly, consistent language with clear, direct instruction that uses simple verbal cues paired with fun stories for children to make connections and activate prior knowledge. When teaching particular groups of letters, you may ask children what they already know about the letter group like shape, size, and starting position.

Conducive Learning Environment Research indicates that the prevention of failure among English language learners involves two critical elements: the creation of educational environments that are conducive to their academic success and the use of instructional strategies known to be effective with these students (Ortiz, 1997; Ortiz & Wilkinson, 1991).

To maximize a child’s ability to master handwriting, prepare your classroom or teaching space so children can see and hear what you are modeling. You should also ensure that children have the proper materials, including the correct size chairs and desks. Children’s feet should be flat on the floor with their arms resting comfortably at the desk. While instructing, you should have children arrange their desks in rows or in a V shape. During guided instruction, you should be strategic in grouping ELLs, rotating them to allow interaction with a variety of English speaking peers.

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Strategies for English Language Learners Cooperative Learning Strategies According to research, cooperative learning is particularly beneficial for any child learning a second language. Cooperative learning activities promote peer interaction, which helps language development and concept and content learning. It is important to assign ELLs to different teams so they can benefit from English language role models. ELLs learn to express themselves with greater confidence when working in small teams and pick up vocabulary by observing how their peers learn and solve problems.

“Having students work together cooperatively is a powerful way for them to learn and has positive effects on the classroom climate” (David Johnson and Roger Johnson, 2001). Skill grouping reduces anxiety among ELLs, thus, making it an effective format for teaching skills that are difficult to comprehend (MacIntyre and Gardner, 1994). Our program and multisensory activities offer many opportunities for children to be move around and work together in diverse groups to reinforce letter formation.

Multisensory Instruction Numerous individuals report the importance of using visual, auditory, and tactile aids to make content more understandable to ELLs (Carey, 2007; Herrell & Jordan, 2008; Samway & Taylor, 2008). Our multisensory instruction and interactive activities include strategies to address the diverse learning styles of all children.

We have methods to meet the needs of auditory, visual, tactile, and kinesthetic learners. For auditory learners, we use consistent, child-friendly language that helps children learn and remember easily. To meet the needs of visual learners, we provide step-by-step illustrations of letter formation and give clear visual direction. Our clean, uncluttered, and black and white pages also support a visually simple format to support the learning style of visual learners. Our workbooks have step-by-step models that are big enough for finger tracing to meet the needs of tactile letters, and we use music and movement to engage kinesthetic learners.

Additional strategies include using dough to form letters and playing visual memory games.

Thematic Instruction Research reports that themes help children understand new concepts. They provide mental organizing schemes for students to approach new ideas (Caine & Caine, 1997; Kovalik, 1994). Our teaching order helps children learn handwriting skills in the easiest, most efficient way. Specifically, we teach letter formation in groups that have similar strokes. These thematic groups allow children to repeat important vocabulary words that are common to letter groups and promote good writing habits.

Repeated Lesson/Concept/Vocabulary Recent research (Rydland & Aukrust, 2005) states the importance of second language learners’ use of repetition for conversational participation and language learning. Research also indicates that word repetition is a favorable condition in vocabulary learning (Nation, 2001). We use consistent, child-friendly terminology for teaching letter formation and specifically repeat the same vocabulary through the lessons and grade levels. We do not make assumptions about what a child knows, and our direct instruction only uses words that children are familiar with and uses as few words as possible. As children practice writing letters and words, have them repeat the letter formation steps as they form letters and words.

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Strategies for English Language Learners Ensure that they use the same vocabulary. You can also have children create flash cards with the letters on one side and vocabulary/pictures on the other side (review the cards repeatedly). Alternate the side of the card that is used as the prompt and have children work in pairs to quiz one another.

Immediate Feedback Research shows that “immediate feedback motivates students to make necessary adjustments, encourages cooperation with and support of others, increases student response, and promotes activity and harmony within the group” (Weissglass 1996). Research also shows that learning improves with consistent feedback (Linnenbrink & Pintrich, 2002; Pintrich & Schunk, 2002; Heath & Glen, 2005). In addition, when children work cooperatively, you should strive to provide immediate feedback.

We provide ample opportunities to assess skill mastery within the student workbooks, enabling you to quickly determine if you need to re-teach or give specific support. We also provide additional resources online for additional skill assessment.

Think-Aloud Modeling/Metacognition (Show and Tell) According to research, modeling thought processes helps students become more aware of their own thinking (Simons 1995; Resnick and Klopfer 1989, Paris and Winograd 1990). As you model letter formation, we provide simple step-by-step instructions to help children learn the correct steps for forming letters. After you model thinking aloud, children can work in pairs and model to one another.

Dif ferentiated Instruction Research indicates that a student’s learning profile includes learning style (i.e., visual, auditory, tactile, or kinesthetic), grouping preferences (i.e., individual, small group, or large group), and environmental preferences (i.e., lots of space or a quiet area to work). You may differentiate instruction based on any one of these factors or any combination of factors (Tomlinson, 1999). Research also indicates that although some of the techniques may remain the same, it is necessary that you differentiate instruction for ELLs to accommodate the different levels of language development (Genesee, Lindholm-Leary, Saunders, & Christian, 2006).

We provide many opportunities to differentiate instruction for diverse learners. By recognizing a child’s prior knowledge, readiness, language, learning styles, and interests, you are able to meet the needs of all learners.

You can group children according to different learning styles or you can also group them by level of mastery (i.e., advanced children may be grouped with and can support struggling children).

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Strategies for Children with Special Needs Many adults print. So, in many circumstances, it may be best to focus on improving print rather than moving onto cursive. If a child is interested in doing cursive, below are some suggestions.

For all children, consider only teaching lowercase cursive and having them use print for capitals.

Fine Motor Activities To help children with fine motor delays, use the first 10–15 minutes of a session doing fine motor work. If children are delayed in their fine motor skills, they will likely need extra help with handwriting. Spend the last 10 minutes of a session forming letters.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Often, concentration and compliance are challenging for children with autism, so they may struggle with handwriting, fine motor skills, or perceptual delays. Children on the autism spectrum who are high functioning, such those with Asperger’s Syndrome, tend to relate well to tangible, hands-on materials.

Children who do not respond well to verbal cues (language) usually do well with the Handwriting Without Tears program. You can demonstrate many of the teaching techniques with few or no verbal cues as the child attends visually to the task. Teacher demonstration and child imitation are the keys to successful handwriting. Keep these tips in mind when teaching children with ASD: • Use as many multisensory experiences as possible • Be very consistent with the child • B e careful when using abstract teaching strategies; children with ASD tend to take things literally.

Down Syndrome Use several multisensory activities and repetitions. If the child has a classroom assistant (IEP aide), allow extra time for the child to practice handwriting. Because the child may be easily distracted, you may want to schedule extra time for breaks. Here are some tips for working with children who have low muscle tone (hypotonia) due to Down Syndrome: • I f the child struggles with writing because of low muscle tone, have them write in all capital letters • Assess the child’s comfortable size of writing • Use a modified pencil grasp • Adapt seating in the classroom and at home • Work on extra fine motor activities to strengthen the hands.

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Strategies for Children with Special Needs Poor Vision If a child has poor vision, modify teaching materials appropriately. Here are some ideas to increase the visibility of teaching materials: • Use brightly colored paints with a bright contrasting mat (black and white works well) • Enlarge all workbook pages • Double lines can work well for children with poor vision • Enlarge or thicken lines with a marker until the child is comfortable with the chosen size • Provide a texture on the lines to help the child locate the line position.

Cerebral Palsy To help a child with cerebral palsy, begin by establishing good positioning. If the child is in a wheelchair, try using a lap tray during writing time for support and stability of the arms and shoulders. If the child only has use of one extremity, clamp down paper and other materials using a clipboard clamp screwed into the lap tray. Once good writing position has been established, try these tips for writing success: • I f the child has problems with muscle tone, try an adapted pencil grip for more control of the pencil.

• C hildren with cerebral palsy may do better initially writing in capitals, which are developmentally easier to read and write.

• I f the child has perceptual or visual problems, it may help to enlarge the worksheets and darken the print.

Dyslexia Dyslexic children typically struggle with organization and using language effectively. Often, they struggle with writing because letter formation is not automatic. The teaching techniques help the child develop good habits: starting at the top with letter formation; learning a left-to-right flow in the sequence of reading and writing; and learning consistent, child-friendly terminology when learning letter formation. Help a child with dyslexia in the following ways: • Use the double lines to teach consistency in placement of letters on the lines.

• Teach letters in groups of similar strokes, as taught in the workbooks.

• Provide many opportunities for review and mastery lessons.

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Strategies for Children with Special Needs Dysgraphia Children with dysgraphia have trouble producing written language due to poor motor planning. They may struggle with organizational skills and movements that need to be in an automatic and specific order, such as the formation of letters for writing. This can cause handwriting to be illegible or contain irregular and inconsistent letter formations. Children with dysgraphia can be scattered in their writing habits. For example, their writing is sometimes a mixture of lowercase and capital letters. You can help organize these children in the following ways: • P rovide visual models for the child to follow. Refer the child to the pictures in the workbooks that give additional visual cues for letter formation.

• Provide many practice sessions to develop patterns for letter formation.

• T each the letters in the recommended groups of similar strokes to help develop consistent patterns of letter formation.

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Handwriting Standards for Written Production Handwriting instruction must adhere to developmental principles to ensure success for all children.

Yet educational guidelines often are limited to one standard in the English Language Arts standards—“produces legible handwriting.” When students fail to meet this standard, teachers have no means for examining which skills are lacking. To review standards visit our website LWTears.com.

Handwriting is an essential skill for both children and adults (Feder and Majnemer 2007). Even in the age of technology, handwriting remains the primary tool of communication and knowledge assessment for students in the classroom. The demands for handwriting are great, whether in the classroom or beyond.

A 1992 study (McHale and Cermak) found that 85 percent of all fine motor time in second-, fourth- and sixth-grade classrooms was spent on paper and pencil activities. A more recent study (Marr, Cermak, Cohn and Henderson 2003) noted that kindergarten children are now spending 42 percent of their fine motor time on paper and pencil activities. The addition of handwritten components to many state standardized assessments and of a handwritten essay to the College Board SAT further emphasize the importance of handwriting. Furthermore, good handwriting is important long after graduation. In Script and Scribble (2009), Florey writes in reference to handwritten job applications, “Like it or not, even in our machinedriven world, people still judge you by your handwriting.”

Research literature extensively documents the consequences of poor handwriting on early literacy and academic performance. Children who experience difficulty mastering this skill [handwriting] may avoid writing and decide they cannot write, leading to arrested writing development (Graham, Harris and Fink 2000). Handwriting is critical to the production of creative and well-written text (Graham and Harris 2005) affecting both fluency and the quality of the composition. Handwriting instruction must adhere to developmental principles to ensure success for all children. According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children, newborn to eight-year-old children learn best from methods that are consistent with developmentally appropriate practice (1998). However, due to a general lack of professional development in the area of handwriting, educators are not always aware of the specific objectives to be addressed at various age and grade levels.

Seeing the need for a more specific analysis of skills, a team of occupational therapists and educators developed a set of handwriting standards. We hope it serves as an example to educators and curriculum decision-makers and brings increased attention to this crucial, yet often overlooked, area of education.

Preparations Skills

5.1 Physical Approaches & Skill Development Students demonstrate strokes needed for cursive handwriting: strokes that change direction, retrace lines, or form loops. Each student will: A. Connect an under to an over stroke, moving left to right B. Retrace a vertical stroke C. Retrace a curved stroke D. Produce neat loops (ascending and descending) 5.2 Letter Skills Students demonstrate cursive writing skills efficiently from memory. Each student will: A. Form lowercase letters correctly B. Form capital letters correctly

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Handwriting Standards for Written Production C. Place letters on a base line (within 1/16" above or below) D. Write letters in a grade-appropriate size E. Follow the writing guidelines of various styles of paper (single lines) 5.3 Connection Skills Students join letters using standard, efficient connections to form words. Each student will: A. Demonstrate correct base line connections, maintaining letter integrity 1. Connect base line ending to base line start (e.g., t to e) 2. Connect base line ending to mid line start (e.g., c to a) B. Demonstrate correct high connections, maintaining letter integrity 1. Connect a high ending to mid line start (e.g., o to u) 2. Connect a high ending letter to base line start (e.g., w to h, b to r) C. Use appropriate spacing between connected letters (close together, NOT overlapping with only connections touching) D. Cross and dot appropriate letters after completing connected letters E. Demonstrate correct connections from capital letters 1. Write signature in cursive using correct connections 2. Use correct connections for proper nouns 5.4 Sentence Skills Students will write words to express thoughts, forming sentences. Each student will: A. Write from left to right, returning to left margin of subsequent lines as needed B. Use sentence writing conventions: 1. Begin with a capital letter 2. Leave a clearly defined space between words 3. Use ending punctuation (period, question mark, or exclamation point) C. Use comma and quotation marks correctly to indicate speech D. Use commas to separate items in series and to set off clauses and phrases 5.5 Writing Conventions Students will combine sentences to express ideas or opinions, using formatting conventions that are extensions of handwriting skills. Each student will: A. Write paragraphs using proper conventions 1. Write five- to six-sentence paragraphs 2. Indent the beginning of each paragraph B. Write titles of written works, capitalizing the first, last, and important words C. Follow standard format for business letters 1. Write heading (return address and date) at left margin 2. Write inside address at left margin 3. Write salutation at left margin 4. Write body using paragraph skills, leaving line space between paragraphs 5. Write closing at left margin 6. Place signature at left margin 7. Leave line space after heading, inside address, salutation, body, closing

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Can-Do Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Resources

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Cursive Warm-Ups

Under and over

Up and straight down

Up and loop down

Descending loop

Start on the star. Do one row a day.

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Child imitates first name:

Adult models child’s first name:

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Circle the letters in your first name.

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Circle the first letter of your first name.

My Cursive Name

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References Dayley, Susan. 2012. “Why Children Should Still Learn Cursive.” Family News. http://familynews.com/whychildrenshould-still-learn-cursive/ Dennis, Julie L., and Yvonne Swinth. 2001. “Pencil Grasp and Children’s Handwriting Legibility During Different-Length Writing Tasks.” American Journal of Occupational Therapy 55 (2): 175–183.

Feder, Katya P., and Annette Majnemer. 2007. “Handwriting Development, Competency, and Intervention.”

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology 49: 312–317.

Florey, Kitty Burns. 2009. Script and Scribble: The Rise and Fall of Handwriting. New York: Melville House.

Graham, Steve, and Karen R. Harris. 2005. “Improving the Writing Performance of Young Struggling Writers: Theoretical and Programmatic Research from the Center on Accelerating Student Learning.” Journal of Special Education 39 (10): 19–33.

Lust, Carol A., and Denise K. Donica. 2011. “Effectiveness of a Handwriting Readiness Program in Head Start: A TwoGroup Controlled Trial.” American Journal of Occupational Therapy 65 (5): 560–568.

Marr, Deborah, Sharon A. Cermak, Ellen S. Cohn, and Anne Henderson. 2003. “Fine Motor Activities in Head Start and Kindergarten Classrooms.” American Journal of Occupational Therapy 65 (5): 560–557.

McHale, Kathleen, and Sharon Cermak. 1992. “Fine Motor Activities in Elementary School: Preliminary Findings and Provisional Implications for Children with Fine Motor Problems.” American Journal of Occupational Therapy 46,10: 898–903.

National Association for the Education of Young Children & International Reading Association. 1998. “Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children.” Young Children 53 (4): 30–46. http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSREAD98.pdf.

National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. 2010. Common Core State Standards. Washington, D.C.: National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers. www.corestandards.org.

Russell, Dr. John J. 2009. “Learning By Hand: A Case for Handwriting Enhancing Reading.” Education Update Online. http://www.educationupdate.com/archives/2009/SEP/html/spec-learning.html Sapterstein Associates. 2012. “Handwriting in the 21st Century? Research Shows Why Handwriting Belongs in Today’s Classroom.” A Summary of Research Presented at Handwriting in the 21st Century? An Educational Summit. Http://sapersteinassociates.com/data/2_29_HW_Summit_White_Paper_eVersion.pdf Sousa, David. 2011. How the Brain Learns, 4th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Full list of references available on LWTears.com.

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TGDC-22 ISBN 978-1-954728-67-7

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