Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Monster Baby! Handwriting Freebie

What happens when Mr. and Mrs. Deer finally get the "baby" they've always wanted? They get more than they thought a baby was for! They want a baby to "read and cuddle and read stories to." This baby needs a lot of care and it turns out that the baby isn't a baby at all! Plenty of opportunity for predicting, wondering and laughing can be found in this book. There are plenty of opportunities to make inferences, too. I liked this book much better when I read it aloud to my class. I wasn't sure my first graders would get the subtle humor, but they did and begged for me to read it again. I checked this book out of my local library, but may need to add it to my permanent collection.

I had an epiphany today. It happened quite on accident. I was hooking my laptop up to my classroom computer and had a document open on word. As it was projected onto the whiteboard I saw handwriting lines. I could model good handwriting on the board to my students. I can make my lines super huge and super small.
 I love helping children with  handwriting because in second grade my teacher told my class that we were too dumb to teach cursive to. In third grade I got yelled at and told I was dumb because I didn't know how to write in cursive. I wasn't off to a very good start! I don't hold any hard feelings toward these teachers. I would maybe thank them for helping me to become a teacher that will NEVER put down a child or say something that would make them feel less than loved, respected and cherished. I tell my students regularly that I love them. Love is a commitment. It is a promise. I am committed to caring for, not just their brains, but also their hearts. I promise to build up and not tear down. I promise to find ways to reach them that teach them the way that they learn best.
This is a picture of my white board with handwriting lines!
Here is a copy of the file I created to use tomorrow with my owlets. I hope I can sleep tonight. Help yourself to this paper that will look just as nice printed out!

In Word I can zoom way in to make giant paper lines!







2 comments:

  1. I love using my smart board for handwriting! On Monday I model how to write our letter that we're not focusing on and then the kids each practice writing the letter!

    Greg


    Smedley's Smorgasboard of Kindergarten

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  2. Great idea, Jenny. I use my smart board like that too except I just put a notebook under my doc camera and model that way. Your way is much prettier :)

    Barbara
    Grade ONEderful
    Ruby Slippers Blog Designs

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