Developmental Teaching

Use this song from the Rock, Rap, Tap & Learn music album to make your pencil grip lessons more memorable. You sing the first verse, and students will join in the second.

Materials

• “Picking Up My Pencil” from Rock, Rap, Tap &

Learn music album

Activity

1. Listen to “Picking Up My Pencil” as background music a few times with your students. 2. For fun, review the names of the pencil grip fingers: thumb, pointer, tall man (middle finger). 3. Without the music, sing and demonstrate the first verse. 4. In the second verse, children will sing with you. They pick up their pencils, check their own grip, and their neighbor’s too. Note: The fast pace of the song is to encourage students to pick up the tune quickly, and to inspire them to sing it on their own.

ENRICHMENT

Additional practice for Pencil Pickups

SUPPORT/ELL

If a child struggles to position the pencil, place it in their fingers correctly. Name their fingers as you position them on the pencil.