Learning to write using the top, middle, and bottom lines with The Amazing Action Alphabet Tree Template

 

    The Amazing Action Alphabet Tree Template is so simple and effective! It contains icons that help the child locate how to use the top, middle, and bottom lines. Notice the apple is at the top of the tree. Apples always fall down from trees, never up! This is the first step in helping children remember to not draw in an upward motion. The mouse is at the bottom of the tree helping the child remember that the child must touch the mouse hole when touching the bottom line. The owl is helpful when writing various letters like a lowercase e or k. The worms are placed in the dirt to help the child remember that some letters, like g, y, or j, go past the bottom line and into the “dirt.”This tree template can be used in conjunction with The Amazing Action Alphabet Handwriting Level 2 book. 

 

How to Teach Your Preschooler to Write Their Name

Writing can sometimes be a frustrating process for your preschooler. In conjunction with the Amazing Action Alphabet Writing Book one and two, I use these 4 steps in teaching the child to write his or her name. These 4 steps are enjoyable and lead to success in those early writing years.  (Ebooks also available>> Handwriting Books Level one and two) 

Step 1: Cut out each letter of the child's name and place a dot, or an apple, indicating where they begin. Place the name in a sheet protector and have the child stay in the lines while tracing their name with a dry erase marker. I use this for the first half of the year for my three and four year olds in conjunction with the Amazing Action Alphabet Handwriting Book Level One. 

Step 2: After your child can stay within the lines I move on to making the letters in his or her name in blocks.  I still give the child a starting point and a few other dots to help them form his or her name correctly. Use the sheet protector along with a Mister Clean Eraser so they can practice daily.  

Step 3: The last year of preschool or even kindergarten I use my Amazing Action Alphabet Handwriting Level Two Book. At this stage we talk about top middle and bottom lines. We discuss how apples fall DOWN, (see this blog post for more information about teaching handwriting and apples falling down) and when they write they will have their apple starting at the top of the letters falling down. The Tree Template (found in the Handwriting Level Two Book) helps with his concept! Be sure to have the name in a sheet protector so your child can practice again and again.

Step 4: The last step... at this time your child should feel confident writing within the lines going in the correct direction for each letter!

Let's Talk About It...

I'm sure you have heard a great deal about the new buzz word.... "Common Core." 

What is the "Common Core?" The "Common Core" are educational standards for K-12th grade, made by our educational departments.  The "Common Core" is being implemented in schools across the country, and its implementation affects early childhood educators LIKE YOU!

The question I continually receive is, 

"Do your books meet the Common Core standard for Pre-K?" My answer is
...YES!

Preschool LANGUAGE Standards That Is Met in the 
Amazing Action Alphabet Books:

• Read daily from a variety of literature genres. (Suggested reading material is found in my Amazing Action Alphabet Activities book.)
• Create a language-rich environment, including eye-level alphabet charts, reading centers, listening centers, writing centers, and dramatic play centers. (Wall Cards are and various dramatic puppets activities are found in my Amazing Action Alphabet Activities book.  The Handwriting book and Handwriting 2 book are an available aid in your writing centers.)
• Include literacy props, materials, and literature in learning centers.  (Wonderful suggestions are found in my Amazing Action Alphabet Activities book. For example, I the Insect is a wonderful puppet as well as U, the Pup. Each can be used as literacy props in a dramatic play center.)
• Give children opportunities to present, such as show and tell and sharing work.  (With the suggested theme, located in my Amazing Action Alphabet Activities book, I encourage the children to come to school with something to share about the Letter for the week.  For example, on B, the Bear Day, they come to school with their favorite bear, and share with their fellow students about their special bear.  Another example would be on O, Opera and Talent Day, each students shares with the class a special talent they have.)
• Participate in and encourage pretend play.  (Again, so many suggestions are in the Amazing Action Alphabet Activities book.  After completing an activity, I encourage my children to pretend play with their creation.  For example, K, the Kangaroo, Z, the Zebra, L, the Lizard, M, the Moose and others can be used as a prop for pretend play.)
• Use a wide variety of media and presentation forms, including storytelling, pictures or drawings, posters, appropriate multimedia presentations, drama, show and tell, signs, paintings, sculptures, puppets, and hand signs.  (The Amazing Action Alphabet Flip chart is an ideal use of hand signs, stories, The Amazing Action Alphabet CD is another form of a multimedia item that can be used.)
• Sing a wide variety of songs, including those that reflect the cultural makeup of the world.  (The Amazing Action Alphabet CD has a great variety of songs!)
• Provide opportunities to memorize a variety of rhymes, including chants, poems, and nursery rhymes.  (Suggested nursery rhymes are located in the Amazing Action Alphabet Activities book.)
• Play with language by making up silly words, singing rhyming songs, and playing with children's names.

I hope this helps you connect the dots between "Common Core" Standards AND The Amazing Action Alphabet learning tools.  Please don't hesitate to email me with any further questions relating to this issue. Thanks friends!  Have an AMAZING day!

40% OFF!!!

I know so many teachers are planning and preparing for their upcoming school year.  For a short time I wanted to offer you 40% off when you order 8 OR MORE Handwriting or Beginning Mini Reader books!

Call me directly at 1-801-598-8887 to get this AMAZING deal!

Pinocchio Teaches How To Hold A Pencil

Our good old friend Pinocchio taught us how to hold the pencil correctly today!

{thanks for the picture Disney}

First I talked about Pinocchio's story...

Pinocchio has a short nose when he tells the truth...and a long noes when he tells a lie.

Remind your child that the "nose" of the pencil needs to be short.

When the "nose" of the pencil is too long it's hard to have control of the pencil, which makes it hard to write.

Look at that!  I found this really easy to teach, and the kids remembered the Pinocchio visual quickly.

Just use this link to print a picture of Pinocchio.  Carefully cut out his head including a little notch for his nose.  Tape the paper Pinocchio to the child's thumb.  Help the child place the pencil in the notch of Pinocchio's nose.  Have your children practice holding the pencil correctly.

How fun is that!  Now we are ready to practice writing with our Amazing Action Handwriting Book 2.  Look at all those honest, short noses!  Love it!

Teaching Handwriting 411

Most elementary school teachers have the common complaint that children form their letters in the wrong direction...from the bottom to the top.  Early childhood educators can break this habit by teaching children correct letter placement at a young age.  Correct letters are formed from the top down to the bottom, just like an apple falling from a tree...down!

photo credit here

In my Handwriting Level 2 Book I have an apple tree template for teachers and parents to help their children write and form letters correctly.  When teaching, ask the child... "what direction does an apple drop?"  Then explain that when you write remember that you begin at the top and go downward,  just like the apple,  because apples fall down!

Use the apple tree template when teaching the correct placement of each letter.  The tree is divided up into sections similar to the children's lined paper.

I am sure you're all familiar to this kind of lined paper.

When the children practice using the top middle and bottom lines it is always a challenge. Try color coding the different sections. Children tend to really grasp the tree idea located in my Handwriting 2 (also available as an eBook) book. The top section is green (like a leafy tree top), the bottom section is brown (like a tree trunk) and below the bottom line is yellow (color of tree roots). 

Tree Leaves = Green

Tree Trunk = Brown

Tree Roots = Orange

Not hard...right?  Have the child practicing writing their letter using the tree template.  While teaching the child talk to them about where that letter is formed on the tree.  

Here is an example of how I was able to help Abby to correctly form her letters in her name using the top, middle and bottom lines.  Notice on the capital letter A I drew an apple, reminding her "apples fall down." On the next line we practiced lower case letter 'b.' Notice how I shaded in the tree trunk area for her, reminding her that the bottom part of the letter 'b' is written in the brown, tree trunk area. 

For the lower case letter 'y' I shaded in a brown tree trunk area for part of the letter y and then I shaded in the tree roots area orange reminding her that the tail of this letter goes past the bottom line.

This simple colored shaded guide takes a few minutes for you to prepare but it is so visually effective. 

Over the past 20 years of teaching I have first hand experience how difficult it is for children to transition to forming their letters using a top middle and bottom lines.  This technique has seemed to make a difference and helped the children feel successful and confident. I hope it helps the children you work with.

New Year Giveaway!!

Happy New Year!!!  It's 2014,  a perfect time to CELEBRATE the new year with a BOOK GIVEAWAY!  Let's make that 2 books of your choice!

We all want our students or little ones to succeed in learning their letters and sounds...RIGHT?  The Amazing Action Alphabet books are SOOOO easy to use and helps teach the first steps toward reading!

I have people come to me ALL THE TIME telling me how excited their child is about learning when using these books.  I want all of you to experience that sweet success THIS YEAR!

Comment about these books on this New Year's post and I will pick a random winner for:

2 Amazing Action Alphabet Books of your choice.  

Posts must be made BEFORE Sunday, January 12th at 10:00 pm MST.  YIPPEE!

Happy New Year everyone!  Start your year off right and teach a child one of life's greatest gifts!

Here are students using a tree template that is located in the Handwriting Level 2 book.  They love using a dry erase marker to practice writing their letters on the tree top, trunk, and in the tree roots.