Kindergarten - ELA
1: Letters
Unit 1: A - A Is for Musk Ox
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the uppercase letter A using a dedicated handwriting page with guidelines and dashed examples for tracing and repeated rows of A's. Students receive step-by-step stroke instructions (start at the top, draw diagonals, draw the middle crossbar) and may be assisted with dots or hand-over-hand guidance. Students also practice forming the letter A using a tactile option (placing apple stickers along a large die-cut A) and complete pre-writing motor-skill activities (rice, yarn, sandpaper letters, tongs) to build readiness for writing.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice forming the lowercase letter "a" using a dedicated "Lowercase a" writing page with traceable outlines and space for independent writing; directions tell students to start at the top and follow a specific stroke sequence. Alternative activities have students form a large lowercase a in the air and trace letter shapes with glue and yarn, reinforcing letter formation. Students also review letter cards and say letter names and sounds, providing additional exposure to letter shapes.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students circle the correct beginning letter for pictures on the "Letter Sounds: A" pages, demonstrating letter recognition. Students practice writing the letter A or observe letter formation, with optional dot-to-dot handwriting support to form the letter. Students cut out pictures and glue them under given letters and place images into boxes labeled with lowercase letters, engaging in letter matching and fine-motor tasks that support letter knowledge.
Unit 2: H - Hondo and Fabian
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the capital letter H with their finger in the air (start high, draw two vertical lines and a middle horizontal line) and repeat the /h/ sound while doing so. Students complete an "Uppercase H" handwriting sheet that provides model, dashed letters for tracing, and guided lines for freehand practice. Students also form H using popsicle sticks and trace the shape, and an Hh letter card (showing both uppercase and lowercase) is added to a review file box; students are exposed to other letters when pointing to letters in the "Bingo" song activity.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice forming the lowercase h using a handwriting sheet that includes dashed letters for tracing, guided dots for freehand writing, and step-by-step formation instructions. Students identify and point to the capital H in the book and locate words that start with h, and they form both the lowercase h and the uppercase H using playdough and finger tracing. The lesson explains the difference between capital and lowercase letters and has students practice the uppercase H in at least one activity.
Lesson 4
Day 4
The lesson asks the child to "practice writing the letter" H (Activity 3) and offers pages where the child circles the correct beginning letter for pictures and practices forming the letters. The Student Activity Pages include letter boxes labeled with "h" and images (lizard, horse, hammer) that prompt matching and likely writing in the boxes. The second page also has a cut-and-paste task where children match printed letters to pictures, reinforcing letter identification and formation for H.
Lesson 5
Day 5
Students are asked to draw a capital H and a lowercase h in the air with a finger. Students move their finger left to right under print to identify capital letters at the beginning of names (Hondo and Fabian). Students are shown how their name is written in print with the capital letter pointed out and are encouraged to try to write their name in a journal.
Unit 3: I - The Little Island
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice formation of the uppercase letter I with a dedicated "Uppercase I" handwriting sheet that provides dashed-line tracing and blank lines for independent writing. Students hear and practice the sounds for the letter Ii using an Ii letter card. Students are offered a tactile alternative (tracing downward strokes on carpet, sand, or dirt) and briefly review letter cards Aa and Hh from previous units.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice printing the lowercase letter i using a dedicated handwriting sheet that shows guided formation, tracing lines, and multiple blank lines for independent writing. Students review the letter I and compare the word "little" in all caps and lowercase, reading and supplying the lowercase form aloud. An alternate activity has students practice the downward stroke used in forming the lowercase i and references the uppercase I stroke.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are asked to "practice writing the letter" on the Letter Sounds: I page and to fill in blank lines beneath letter choices, which requires printing letters. The student activity pages present letter choices in uppercase (A H I) and lowercase (i, a, h, a, i) and ask students to circle, cut, paste, or place the correct letter under each picture, giving opportunities to produce letter forms. Students also copy or trace letter formation as an alternative when watching the teacher form the letters.
Lesson 5
Day 5
The Getting Started review asks the child to review three letters (a, h, and i) and their sounds. The Writing Workshop has the child open a journal, draw, and "write" some thoughts in whatever form is comfortable, including attempting writing or scribbling on the lines. The instructions also include adult-recorded dictation and having the child "read" her ideas, with the adult writing complete sentences on the right page.
Unit 4: T - What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?
Lesson 2
Day 2
Activity 2 directs students to practice forming the uppercase letter T, including a handwriting sheet with dotted T outlines for tracing and blank lines for freehand practice. The lesson has students identify uppercase Ts in the book cover, say the T sound in words like "tail," and receive step-by-step instruction on how to write the uppercase T. An alternative kinesthetic option has students form a large uppercase T with tape and drive a toy truck to trace the letter while saying the T sound.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are asked to "practice writing the letter" on the Letter Sounds: T pages and may watch an adult form the letters. Students circle the correct beginning letter for each picture and cut out and paste letters under the correct letter, engaging with letter shapes. Students are prompted to make a letter T in the air with a finger, reinforcing letter formation.
Unit 5: L - We're Going on a Leaf Hunt
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming and writing the capital letter L in Activity 2 by tracing with a finger in the air and using a handwriting sheet with guided lines. The student activity page explicitly describes guided lines and examples to trace the uppercase letter "L." The lesson also instructs adding an Ll card to a review file and reviewing the sound of L as students work.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students are asked to practice printing the lowercase letter "l" using a dedicated "Lowercase l" handwriting sheet with guided top/mid/bottom lines and sample letters for tracing. As an alternative, students form the lowercase "l" by lacing holes in card stock, practicing the motor pattern for the letter while also saying the letter sound.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are asked to "practice writing the letter" L on the "Letter Sounds: L" pages, and they can watch an adult form the letters if needed. The activity asks students to cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter, and a separate page displays lowercase letters (a, h, t, l, i) for matching with pictures. Blank lines under images prompt students to write the correct letter combinations, providing some opportunities for letter formation and handwriting practice.
Lesson 5
Day 5
The Writing Workshop offers students opportunities to write in a journal: Option 1 asks students to "write whatever she is able" to go along with an illustration and to dictate while the adult records. Option 2 asks students to identify five objects, draw them, think of a describing word for each, and "write some words or lines" next to the pictures (examples given: "soft dog" or "big book").
Unit 6: F - Fireflies
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the capital letter F by tracing in the air while saying the /f/ sound and by using a handwriting sheet with dashed and solid F examples for repeated writing. An alternative activity has students trace a large capital F using fingerprints, and a letter F card is added to a review file box for later practice.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice handwriting of the lowercase letter f using a tracing/writing worksheet (Option 1) that guides them to trace and then write the letter independently. As an alternative (Option 2), students form the lowercase f in a sensory medium (powder, sand, or dirt) using their finger while practicing the letter sound. The Getting Started section also has students review letter sounds and word cards, which supports letter awareness.
Lesson 5
Day 5
The Writing Workshop directs the child to draw a picture and "write some words, ideas, or sentences" and notes that these attempts could be "some of the letters they are learning." It also suggests students may copy a sentence written by a parent and encourages regular independent journal writing each week. The guidance emphasizes practicing holding a pencil and getting a feel for writing lines on paper.
Unit 7: E - But No Elephants
Lesson 2
Day 2
The lesson directs students to find and identify the uppercase letter E on the book cover and to practice forming a capital E in the air, describing the stroke order. The lesson provides an "Uppercase E" handwriting sheet with multiple traced uppercase E's and blank lines for freehand uppercase E writing. The lesson offers a manipulative option (popsicle sticks) to build and trace the uppercase E and mentions showing the letter "Ee" card and adding it to a review box.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Activity 2 explicitly has students complete a "Lowercase e" handwriting sheet with a printed e, dashed tracing e's, and blank lines for freehand practice. Option 2 has students watch an adult write a lowercase e, trace it with an eraser (or chalk/marker alternatives), and repeatedly practice the stroke. The activity instructs students to practice the sounds of the letter e while tracing, linking letter formation to letter recognition.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are given a "Letter Sounds: E" page where they circle the correct beginning letter for each picture and are instructed to "practice writing the letter OR have him watch you form the letters," which asks them to produce letter shapes. Students cut out pictures and glue each under the correct letter, and other activity pages show boxes headed by lowercase letters (e, h, e, l, a) for students to match images to beginning letters. Students also fill blanks under pictures with letters (e.g., AEI with a blank) indicating they will insert the correct letter for each word.
Unit 8: C - Millions of Cats
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the capital letter C in the air while making the /k/ sound and identify the uppercase C on the book cover. Students complete an "Uppercase C" handwriting sheet that provides a bold model, multiple rows of dotted C's for tracing, and blank guided lines for independent uppercase C writing. Students can also use a die-cut letter C with crayons to practice forming the shape, and a Cc card is added to the review file box.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice writing the letter c using a handwriting sheet that provides guided tracing and multiple rows of letter practice (lines showing both C C C C C and c c c c c). Students also form a lowercase c using coins as a tactile activity. Students are prompted to compare the uppercase C and lowercase c, noting shape and size differences.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Activity 3 directs the child to circle the correct beginning letter for each picture and then "practice writing the letter OR watch you form the letters," which gives the student a chance to write letters. The "Beginning Letter Sounds" student page displays labeled lowercase letters (c, f, e, l, a) and has students match pictures to those initial letters, engaging students with multiple lowercase letters. The "Letter Sounds: C" page includes blanks where students write correct words after unscrambling letters, requiring students to write letters/words.
Unit 9: G - The Real Mother Goose
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the capital letter G in the air by tracing the curve and saying the sound. Students complete a handwriting sheet that provides printed and dashed examples of the uppercase G for tracing and independent writing. Students can also trace a large capital G with glue and glitter as an alternative multisensory activity, and they are shown a Gg card which is added to a review file box.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students complete a 'Lowercase g' handwriting sheet that includes a guide and multiple lines for tracing and independent writing. Students receive step-by-step formation guidance (start like c, return to start, go straight down below the bottom line, end with a curve). Students can also practice forming the lowercase g using a sealed bag with shaving cream/paint as a multisensory alternative.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are asked to practice writing the letter G (Activity 3 gives "practice writing the letter OR have your child watch you form the letters") and to circle or match beginning letters on the G activity pages. Students also match pictures to initial letters on the Beginning Letter Sounds page (choices include f, e, c, g, a), which requires recognition and selection of specific letters. In Activity 1 students add a name for each month and create a title page, which involves producing letters in context.
Unit 10: O - Owl Babies
Lesson 2
Day 2
Activity 2 directs students to practice forming the capital letter O by making the shape in the air and then using an "Uppercase O" handwriting sheet to trace and write the letter multiple times. The text also instructs showing the "letter Oo" card and adding it to a review file, and Option 2 has students draw circles with an orange crayon as an alternative way to make the letter O.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice printing the lowercase letter o by tracing and writing on a dedicated handwriting sheet and by drawing progressively smaller and larger o's with a crayon or marker. Students practice the sound of the letter o while writing it. Students compare the lowercase o to the uppercase O, noting that they share the same shape but the lowercase reaches only to the dotted midline.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Activity 3 asks the child to practice writing the letter O (or watch an adult form the letters) and includes a page where the child circles the correct beginning letter and has blank spaces to write letters. The Beginning Letter Sounds page presents five lowercase letters (a, f, e, o, g) and images for students to match and place or write letters under the pictures. These tasks require students to form and write letters and to identify lowercase letters in print.
Unit 11: S - Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the capital letter S by tracing it in the air while saying the /s/ sound and by using a handwriting sheet that shows a model, guided traceable examples, and space for independent practice. Students use a pencil on lined paper with assistance as needed to print multiple guided and independent uppercase S's. Students can also use playdough to roll and shape an S and then trace it, providing multisensory practice for letter formation.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice forming and writing the lowercase letter s using a handwriting sheet that includes lines for tracing and multiple opportunities to write s. Students also practice forming s in sand as an alternative kinesthetic activity and are prompted to practice the sound of the letter s as they form it. The materials note that the lowercase s is similar to the capital S and show the capital S, providing a visual comparison.
Lesson 4
Day 4
The lesson asks the child to "practice writing the letter" S on the Letter Sounds — S page and to watch the instructor form the letters. The activity has students circle the correct beginning letter for each picture and then either write the letter or observe letter formation. The student activity pages show multiple letters (l, f, s, t, g) used for beginning-sound matching, requiring students to handle several letter shapes.
Unit 12: D - Dinosaurs Big and Small
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the capital letter D by tracing with their finger in the air and saying the sound while forming the shape. The student activity page provides a large model D, two rows of dashed traceable uppercase D letters, and blank lines for independent writing of the uppercase D. Options include a guided handwriting sheet with line guides and a multisensory drumstick activity to reinforce the stroke sequence for the uppercase D; a Dd card is added to a review file.
Lesson 3
Day 3
The reading activity has students look at page 5 and explicitly compares the uppercase word "BIG" and the lowercase word "big," asking the child to read and identify the difference between uppercase and lowercase forms. Activity 1 directs students to complete a lowercase "d" handwriting sheet with solid and dashed guides and lines for independent practice, including step-by-step formation (start like a c, make an o, then the stick). Option 2 provides an alternative dot-marking motor activity that has students form a lowercase d while reinforcing correct stroke sequence and letter-sound practice.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are asked to circle the correct beginning letter for each picture and then "practice writing the letter" on the Letter Sounds: D page, offering direct practice in letter formation. Students cut out letters from the bottom of the page and paste them under the correct letter, engaging with letter shapes and placement. A separate activity page presents five labeled letter squares (a, f, d, c, g) and has students match images to those letters, providing exposure to multiple letter shapes.
Unit 13: P - Harold and the Purple Crayon
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the capital letter P in the air by tracing the stroke sequence and saying its sound. Students complete a handwriting sheet that includes a model P, dashed P letters for tracing, and primary writing lines for freehand practice. Students can also use a die-cut letter P and color inside it to practice making the capital P stroke.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice printing the lowercase letter p using a dedicated 'Lowercase p' handwriting sheet that includes a solid model p, dashed letters for tracing, and blank guideline lines for independent practice. The directions tell students to begin at the half line, draw a downstroke, then hop to the top to form the curve, and to practice the sound of p as they write. An alternate activity has students arrange pennies in the shape of a lowercase p and trace the letter, reinforcing stroke order and motor skills.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are asked to practice writing the letter in Activity 3: "On the first page he will circle the correct beginning letter for each picture. Then he will practice writing the letter OR have your child watch you form the letters." The "Beginning Letter Sounds" activity presents multiple letters (s, p, d, t, l) with empty boxes where students are expected to match or write the correct beginning letter. Students also cut and paste picture boxes under the correct letter, which requires identifying and associating pictured words with letter symbols.
Unit 14: B - Blueberries for Sal
Lesson 2
Day 2
The lesson's Activity 2 directs students to form the capital letter B in the air by starting high, drawing a straight line down, and making two curves, and to practice the sound /b/. The Student Activity Page provides rows of solid and dashed uppercase B's for tracing and blank spaces for independent uppercase B writing. Option 2 gives a tactile activity where students place pom-poms along a large drawn B to form its two curves, reinforcing uppercase B formation.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice forming and printing the lowercase letter b using a 'Lowercase b' handwriting sheet that includes traceable dotted b's and blank lines for independent practice. Students are instructed to start the b 'up high' and draw a straight line down before forming the circle, and they practice the letter sound while writing. An alternative activity has students stamp or color inside a die-cut lowercase b to practice stroke order and shape.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Activity 3 instructs students to "practice writing the letter" B or watch an adult form the letters, and to cut and paste letters under the correct letter on the second page. The Student Activity Pages include tasks where students circle or match pictures to beginning letters and work with boxes labeled with lowercase letters (a, c, e, b, g). These tasks require students to identify letters and produce at least some written letter forms.
Unit 15: R - Rain
Lesson 2
Day 2
Activity 2 gives students guided and independent practice forming the capital letter R: students trace dotted examples, practice with a handwriting sheet, and form R in the air or inside a die-cut R. The lesson also presents a letter Rr card (showing both uppercase and lowercase R) and asks students to review the sound while forming the letter. Activity 3 requires students to write sentences ("I see...") and draw, which provides additional opportunities to print letters within connected text.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice forming the lowercase letter r using a dedicated handwriting sheet that provides a model r, dotted tracing versions, and space for freehand practice. Students trace guided dotted lines that indicate proper letter height and stroke placement and are instructed to begin at the half line and draw the stroke sequence for lowercase r. An alternative activity has students form a lowercase r shape with glue and red ribbon while tracing the stroke order, reinforcing letter production.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students circle the correct beginning letter for each picture on the "Letter Sounds: R" page and are asked to practice writing the letter R or watch the adult form the letters. Students cut out letters from the page and paste them under the correct letter, engaging with letter shapes shown as uppercase choices (e.g., BPR, CGO). A separate activity page presents lowercase letters (l, e, f, t, s) that students match to pictures (ladder, elephant, football, tennis ball, star), so students work with letter–sound correspondences across multiple letters.
Unit 16: N - Night in the Country
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students are guided to form the capital letter N by tracing in the air and saying the sound while practicing formation steps. Students complete an "Uppercase N" handwriting sheet that includes solid, dashed tracing letters and a blank line for independent uppercase N writing. An alternative collage activity has students glue newspaper squares to form an N, and a letter "Nn" card is shown and added to a review file box.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students complete a Lowercase n handwriting sheet with dotted outlines for tracing and blank lines for independent practice, practicing letter formation (start at the half line, straight down, hump to the middle line, down to the bottom line). Students use a tactile option (die-cut n and noodles) to build the lowercase n and then trace it with a finger. Students practice the sound of the letter n while forming and tracing the lowercase n.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Activity 3 asks the child to use the "Letter Sounds: N" pages where the child will circle the correct beginning letter for each picture and then "practice writing the letter" or watch an adult form the letters. The second page has the child cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter, and the Beginning Letter Sounds page includes boxes labeled with letters (n, o, p, r) for sorting.
Lesson 5
Day 5
In the Writing Workshop students draw two pages and are encouraged to "write whatever marks, letters, or words he can," then read their work aloud. The instructions tell the adult to give a compliment on the formation of the child's own letters, indicating attention to letter formation. The activities also allow for dictation and for the child to copy or trace written equations or text if not able to write independently, so students practice producing and tracing letters/marks.
Unit 17: M - Marshmallow
Lesson 2
Day 2
Activity 2 explicitly asks students to identify and form the uppercase letter M: students practice forming a capital M in the air, trace dashed Ms on a handwriting sheet, and do freehand practice on guidelines. The student activity page shows a solid uppercase M followed by dashed Ms for tracing and blank guideline rows for independent uppercase writing. The activity also offers a manipulatives option where students form an uppercase M with coins and a Mm card is added to a review file.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students complete a lowercase "m" handwriting sheet where they trace dashed lowercase m's and practice freehand writing on guide lines. Students can choose a tactile option in which they glue mini marshmallows to a die-cut m and then trace the letter with their finger. Students practice the sound of the letter m while forming and tracing the letter.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Activity 3 instructs the child to "practice writing the letter" (M) or to watch an adult form the letters, and asks the child to circle the correct beginning letter and cut/paste letters under the correct letter. One student activity page shows five labeled boxes with the letters 'a', 'm', 'h', 'l', and 'd' and asks students to match images (alligator, mushroom, house, leaf, drum) to those beginning letters. The matching and cut/paste tasks require students to identify and manipulate several individual lowercase letters.
Unit 18: U - Umbrella
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the capital letter U by air-writing (starting high, drawing down, curving, and returning up) and by using a letter U card. Students use a handwriting sheet that provides a large model, multiple dashed-line traces, and three freehand lines for writing uppercase U. Students can also form a U with a pipe cleaner and trace it with their finger as a tactile alternative.
Lesson 3
Day 3
The lesson includes a dedicated handwriting activity where students trace dashed outlines of the lowercase letter "u," practice freehand on guided lines, and use dot guides for additional independent writing. An alternative activity has students form and trace the lowercase "u" on a u-shaped die-cut multiple times. The lesson also prompts students to practice the sounds of the letter u while writing.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students circle the correct beginning letter for each picture on the "Beginning Sounds: U" page and then practice writing that letter or watch an adult form the letters. Students cut out letters and paste them under the correct picture, giving practice with letter identification and handwriting motor skills. Students match animals to squares labeled with lowercase letters (u, g, p, r, m), practicing recognition of several lowercase letter forms.
Lesson 5
Day 5
Students are asked to find and name capital letters in the book Umbrella and to explain why those letters are capitalized (sentence starts, people's names, place names). Students are prompted to write their name, practice writing it several times, and to check that they started it with a capital letter; they also point out any capital letters used in their own writing.
Unit 19: J - Jump Frog Jump
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the capital letter J in the air and on paper (Activity 2) with explicit instruction on stroke direction. Students complete an Uppercase J handwriting sheet that shows solid and dotted examples and provides rows for tracing and independent writing. Students also have a tactile option of gluing jewels to a die-cut J and tracing the shape to reinforce formation and the /j/ sound.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students complete a Lowercase j handwriting sheet with directional arrows, trace dotted j's, and write j independently on guided lines. Students form the lowercase j using jellybeans (or marbles/beads), working top-to-bottom, around for the hook, and adding a dot, then trace the letter with their finger. Students are instructed to practice the starting point (half line), the descent below the bottom line, and the hook and dot while also practicing the sound of j.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Activity 3 asks students to "practice writing the letter" (or watch an adult form the letters) on the "Beginning Sounds: J" page, and the second page has students cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter. The Student Activity Pages present letters (p, d, o, g, j) with blank lines beneath images where students are expected to write or match the corresponding beginning letter. These directions require students to form and write individual letters and to identify letters in print.
Unit 20: K - Kindness
Lesson 2
Day 2
Activity 2 directs students to find the uppercase letter K, practice forming the capital K in the air while making the /k/ sound, and adds a Kk card to a review file. Option 1 provides an "Uppercase K" handwriting sheet with tracing rows and blank lines for independent writing practice. Option 2 has students form the letter K with pipe cleaners and trace it, reinforcing formation and motor practice for the letter K.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are prompted to "practice writing the letter" on the 'Letter Sounds: K' page, giving direct handwriting practice for the letter K. Students also circle beginning letters, cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter, and draw lines from letters to pictures, which requires them to recognize and reproduce letter shapes. Students help produce a class list by dictating items while the teacher writes the heading and list, providing some exposure to print in a meaningful context.
Unit 21: V - Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the capital letter V by tracing it in the air and using a handwriting sheet that guides them to trace and write the uppercase V on lined paper. Students use a Vv letter card (capital and lowercase shown) that is added to a review file, and they review the sound of V as they work. Students also follow a multisensory option where they roll a toy over tape shaped like a large V and then trace the taped V with their finger.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students complete a "Lowercase v" handwriting sheet with tracing models and free-writing lines to practice forming the lowercase v. If not ready for the handwriting page, students form the letter v repeatedly on a die-cut v with a crayon and then trace it with their finger. The materials also note that the lowercase v is similar to the uppercase V and discuss starting/ending positions.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Activity 3 asks students to circle the correct beginning letter for pictures and then "practice writing the letter" (or watch the teacher form the letters), and to cut out and paste letters under the correct letter. The Beginning Letter Sounds page has labeled boxes (f, c, g, v, p) where students match images to starting letters, showing letter identification and some letter-writing practice. The Letter Sounds: V pages explicitly provide space for students to practice writing the target letter and manipulate letter shapes.
Lesson 5
Day 5
Students are asked to write equations (for example, "3 + 7 = 10" and "10 - 2 = 8") in Activity 1, demonstrating they produce written symbols. Students are asked to write a journal entry during Writing Workshop (or dictate thoughts to an adult) and then read their writing back, with the adult noting appropriate capitalization or punctuation. Students are also encouraged to look at spelled words when identifying rhymes, which engages them with letter patterns and word spellings.
Unit 22: Y - Little Blue and Little Yellow
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the capital letter Y by tracing in the air and making the letter while producing its sound. Students complete an "Uppercase Y" handwriting sheet that includes dashed-line tracing of Y and blank lines for independent uppercase Y writing. Students also form a Y with yarn (tactile practice) and view a Yy card and a lowercase y on the book cover, providing exposure to both cases of that letter.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice printing the lowercase letter y by completing a handwriting sheet that includes a large model, dotted tracing lines, and blank guided lines for independent writing. Students can also form the letter y on a die-cut with a crayon as an alternative practice. The instruction explicitly points out that the lowercase y is similar to the uppercase Y, calling attention to letter case.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are asked to "practice writing the letter" on the "Letter Sounds: Y" page and may watch an adult form the letters. The beginning letter sounds page requires students to match images to letters (v, p, h, c, r) and the Letter Sounds activity asks students to cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter, providing opportunities to handle and identify letter shapes.
Lesson 5
Day 5
Activity 3 asks the child to draw and write about something from a nature walk and explicitly allows the child to use words, phrases, or complete sentences (or dictate them). Activity 1 has the child write the numbers 1–10 and simple subtraction equations, showing opportunities for writing by hand.
Unit 23: W - George Washington's Birthday
Lesson 1
Day 1
The quill-pen activity instructs the child to cut the feather, dip it in ink, "make some marks on the paper," and "try to write some letters." The lesson also tells the child to complete the student activity page using the quill pen, giving a direct opportunity for letter formation with a writing tool.
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the capital letter W by tracing in the air and on paper (Activity 2). The lesson provides an "Uppercase W" handwriting sheet with dashed Ws for tracing and lines for freehand practice, and students add a Ww card to a file box for review. Optionally, students build a W using twigs and trace it with their finger, reinforcing the shape and sound.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students practice forming and printing the lowercase letter "w" using a handwriting sheet with tracing lines and blank guided lines for independent writing. Students form the letter "w" with white chalk on a die-cut w and then trace the letter with their finger, practicing stroke order (top to bottom and back up). Students are prompted to practice the sound of the letter and are shown that the lowercase w is like the uppercase W except for starting/ending at the halfway line.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Activity 3 tells students to practice writing the letter (or watch an adult form the letters), giving direct practice in letter formation. The "Letter Sounds: W" page has students circle the correct beginning letter for each picture, reinforcing letter identification tied to writing. The Beginning Letter Sounds page presents specific letters (k, w, d, h, g) above boxes and asks students to match images to those letters, engaging them in lowercase letter recognition and marking.
Unit 24: Q - The Quilt Story
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the capital letter Q by tracing a model, tracing dotted lines, and doing freehand practice on the provided handwriting sheet. Students form Q with their finger in the air and in sand, and they practice the "kw" sound while forming the letter. Students are shown a Qq card (showing both uppercase and lowercase Q) and add it to a review file box.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Activity 1 is a focused handwriting exercise titled "Lowercase q" that gives students multiple opportunities to trace a solid example, trace outlined letters, and write independently on dotted guidelines, so students practice forming the lowercase q by tracing and freehand. Option 2 provides an alternative kinesthetic task where students paint the lowercase q repeatedly with a q-tip, reinforcing letter formation. Directions explicitly tell students where to start and the stroke sequence for the lowercase q, supporting correct printing technique.
Lesson 4
Day 4
The Letter Sounds: Q activity directs students to "practice writing the letter OR have your child watch you form the letters," giving students an opportunity to form at least one letter. The Beginning Letter Sounds page has students match pictures to letters (k, q, n, c, s), which requires students to identify and interact with printed letters. The review section asks students to review letter sounds and sight words, reinforcing letter recognition.
Unit 25: X - An Extraordinary Egg
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students locate the lowercase x in a book and hear discussion of words that contain x, supporting letter recognition. Students practice forming the capital letter X in the air using arm movements and with two-dimensional practice by tracing dotted uppercase Xs on a handwriting sheet. Students practice writing uppercase X independently on blank guideline lines and can form X using paired objects (pencils, sticks) and finger tracing.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are asked to "practice writing the letter" on the "Beginning Sounds: X" page or to watch an adult form the letters, indicating guided handwriting practice for the letter X. Students cut out printed letters on the second page and paste them under the correct letter, which gives practice with letter shapes and matching. Another activity asks students to match images to beginning letters (j, u, r, b, p), requiring students to identify and interact with multiple letter forms.
Unit 26: Z - Greedy Zebra
Lesson 2
Day 2
Students practice forming the capital letter Z in the air while saying the /z/ sound, and they add a Zz card to a review file. Students trace dotted uppercase Zs and write independent uppercase Zs on lined handwriting paper. Students who are not ready can trace a large tape Z on the floor to practice the stroke sequence.
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students are asked to complete a "Lowercase z" handwriting sheet that provides guided tracing and space for independent practice using dotted lines. The activity instructions note that the lowercase z starts at the half line and otherwise looks the same as a capital Z, and an alternative sensory activity has students trace and form the letter z in a sealed bag. The activities include practicing the sound of the letter z while forming the letter.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students practice letter formation in Activity 3 where they circle the correct beginning letter for pictures and "practice writing the letter" or watch the teacher form the letters. Students cut out letters and paste them under the correct letter and complete two student activity pages that require writing corrected words under images. Another activity presents five letters (z, r, x, h, d) above boxes for students to match to images (zipper, rainbow, x-ray, heart, dolphin).
Lesson 5
Day 5
Students are asked to write "some words, phrases, or sentences" in their journal about a favorite book, which requires them to produce written letters. Students may dictate ideas for an adult to record and then read their writing aloud. An improvement suggestion example explicitly references capitalizing a word at the beginning of a sentence, drawing attention to uppercase use.
2: Holidays
Unit 27: Halloween
Lesson 3
Day 3
Students are asked to trace the word "Boo!" in large letters (the teacher writes it in light pencil and the child traces with a crayon), which includes an uppercase B and lowercase o's. Students are also asked to trace "Happy Halloween!" on the inside cover, providing additional practice with an uppercase H and lowercase letters. The lesson includes reviewing letter cards and a prompt to "write a message" on the greeting, which could involve forming letters.
Unit 28: Thanksgiving
Lesson 4
Day 4
The lesson asks students to review letter cards and sight words learned so far, which exposes students to letters. The Thanksgiving card activity asks students to write or dictate a note and to write their own name if possible, providing at least one opportunity to form letters on paper.
Unit 30: February Celebrations
Lesson 3
Day 3
The lesson directs the child to "write a message on the body of the mouse" in Activity 2, which requires the child to produce written letters. No other activity explicitly asks students to form or practice letters; most other activities focus on speaking, cutting, gluing, and solving addition problems.
Lesson 4
Day 4
Students are asked to write (or trace) a title page that reads "[Child's name] Has a Dream!" and to dictate or write 3–5 of their dreams on remaining pages, which requires forming letters and words. The sample title includes both an initial capital letter and lowercase letters ("Molly Has a Dream!"), and tracing implies letter-level practice. These tasks require students to produce written letters as they write their name and short sentences.
Lesson 5
Day 5
In Activity 2, students are asked to write the message "I love you" on the front of each card and to write TO: _______________ and LOVE, _______________ on the back, where the child is to write the recipient's name and her own name. The Valentine task therefore has students produce written words and names with a marker. Activity 1 involves composing a letter to the President and includes addressing and stamping the letter, which may require writing an address or name on an envelope.
1: Environment
Unit 1: Habitats and Homes
Lesson 1
My Environment
Activity 4 provides a dedicated Bb handwriting page where students trace and write uppercase B and lowercase b and trace the words "bed" and "bath." Activities 2 (Options 1 and 2) ask students to add missing first letters to room labels, label rooms by copying words after an adult, and write numbers, which requires forming letters when they attempt to write room names. The instructions also ask students to write the name of circled objects and to copy or write sentences using target words, giving additional opportunities to form letters.
Lesson 2
What Is a Map?
Students complete Activity 4 handwriting pages that provide tracing guides and blank lines for uppercase and lowercase M and m and H and h. Students trace and write the letters and practice writing words containing those letters (map, mom, home, house). The lesson's skills list explicitly includes 'Write and sound out letters,' indicating letter-writing is an intended activity.
Lesson 4
Animals Live and Grow
Students are asked to write the names of living things in Option 2 and to fill blank boxes/lines on multiple Student Activity Pages for wetlands, woodlands, grasslands, and drylands. Activity 2 includes blanks labeled "Consumer" and "Energy Source" for students to write responses. Activity 5 asks students to record answers for "Plants can... / Plants are... / Plants have...," which requires writing words or short phrases.
Lesson 5
Discovering Animal Habitats
Students practice handwriting the letter J (uppercase and lowercase) and the words "Jungle" and "Jeep" on a dedicated handwriting page with tracing lines. In Option 1 students add the first and last letter for each habitat and fill in scrambled habitat names, which requires printing letters. Several activities ask students to label habitats, label animals and their food/water sources, and write habitat names (Options 2 and Activity 5), giving additional opportunities to print letters in context.
Lesson 6
Exploring Animal Habitats
Students use a handwriting page that displays a large uppercase Z and lowercase z and provides dashed-line letters for tracing. Students trace and copy the words "zebra" and "zoo" and use horizontal line guides to practice letter formation. The activity asks students to write or copy sentences with words that begin with z, reinforcing writing of that uppercase and lowercase letter.
Lesson 7
Tools in My Environment
Activity 4 provides a handwriting sheet for practicing the letter I in both uppercase and lowercase and has students write or copy the words it and inch. The Student Activity Page includes baselines, guide dots, and larger examples of I and i to model letter formation. Activity 3 asks students to record tool names, attempt to write beginning letters, and copy letters written by an adult, providing some opportunities to produce other letters.
Lesson 9
Animal Designs
The lesson asks students to write the name of each habitat (Option 2) and includes skills listed as "Begin to write words" and "Write beginning consonants of words." Several activities ask students to record reasons on a separate sheet and to record a creative story, which requires students to produce written words. These tasks require students to form letters as they write words and beginnings of words.
Final Project
Animal Research / My Environment
Students are asked to write and label on multiple pages (e.g., Option 2 Page 1: "Draw a picture of the animal and write its name"; several activity pages include blanks such as "NAME OF ANIMAL" and "The ______ is found in ______"). The instructions tell the adult to "help your child label his pictures," and students are directed to "complete the descriptions at the top of each page." The student pages contain blank writing spaces where students are expected to fill in words or names.
Unit 2: Weather
Lesson 1
Reading the Skies
Option 2 of Activity 2 asks students to choose words from a word box and write the word beneath each picture, and an advanced option asks students to label the weather pictures without the word box. The Weather Calendar activity asks students to record the months and days and to record daily observations, which requires students to write dates/words in the calendar boxes. The student pages include blank lines for students to write sentences using the vocabulary words.
Lesson 2
Types of Precipitation
Activity 6 (Handwriting) directs the child to practice writing the letter R and the words "rain" and "round." The Student Activity Page for Rr includes dashed-line tracing for both uppercase R and lowercase r and provides guided practice with related words. The Symmetry activity displays uppercase letters A, D, and O and has students fold or manipulate these letters, giving exposure to additional letter shapes.
Lesson 3
Measuring and Charting Weather
Activity 3 asks students to write the word "RAIN" vertically (an acrostic) and to record words or phrases that begin with each letter. The Measuring Temperature activity asks students to record measured temperatures on the provided activity sheet. The lesson prompts the child to write or have ideas recorded, giving at least some opportunities for letter formation and writing.
Lesson 5
Fall
Activity 4 explicitly asks students to practice the letter F and the words "fun" and "fall," and the handwriting student page shows tracing and freehand practice of both lowercase and uppercase F. Option 1 and Option 2 require students to write or copy words and sentences (they write names of items they circled and then copy sentences), which requires printing a variety of letters. The graphing and sentence activities also ask students to write words and short sentences, providing additional occasions to form letters in print.
Lesson 6
Winter
Activity 4 (Handwriting) directs students to practice the letter W and the words "wind" and "winter," with uppercase and lowercase W printed for reference. The handwriting page provides dotted tracing models of both uppercase and lowercase W and lines for independent practice. The lesson also encourages copying or writing sentences that contain the words wind and winter, and suggests lined paper with a center line to remind students how to size capital and lowercase letters.
Lesson 7
Spring
Students are asked to write their name in the blank in the first poem, providing a direct instance of printing letters. The Language Arts Extension invites students to attempt to write their own spring poem or to dictate it while an adult records it, which could involve letter formation and writing practice. Students are also asked to attempt to read each poem and to underline rhyming words, which requires some written interaction with the text.
Lesson 8
Summer
The activities ask students to write letters and words: Option 1 and Option 2 allow the child to write the beginning letter of a word in fill-in-the-blank story blanks or to copy the whole word into the blank. Activity 3 directs the child to write the season's name or its beginning letter beneath the temperature on a continuum and to complete sentences by writing the seasons in the blanks. The instructions explicitly prompt students to write letters or copy words in multiple places.
Unit 3: Community
Lesson 1
On the Town
The handwriting activity (Activity 4) has students trace and practice both capital "P" and lowercase "p" with dotted guides and tracing lines and practice the words "People" and "Park." In Activity 2 students are asked to copy or cut out vocabulary words to finish sentences, giving occasions to write community words. The skills list includes "Recognize letters and their sounds," supporting letter-level work.
Lesson 2
My Community Environment
Students are asked to label places on a poster and write or dictate a brief description of how each place serves the community. Students are asked to copy the title of each selected book and draw an illustration for each. Students are asked to write down questions they will use for an interview and may take notes during the interview.
Lesson 3
Jobs in the Community
Students are asked to write the names of community workers (Activity 2, Option 2) and to read through their lists for use in tallying sightings. Students are asked to attempt to write words they can sound out and to record or attempt to record their own ideas on the "When I Grow Up" page (Activities 4 and 5). Students are asked to circle the first and last letters of labels and to name and sound out each letter (Activity 1), showing letter-level attention.
Lesson 9
Caring for Our Communities
Activity 7 provides direct handwriting practice with uppercase and lowercase C: students trace dotted examples of 'C' and 'c', use guided practice lines with dotted midlines, and trace the words "citizen" and "care." The activity also asks students to write or copy sentences containing c words, and the Student Activity Page descriptions reiterate letter-tracing and guided writing for the letter C.
2: Similarities and Differences
Unit 1: Amazing Attributes
Lesson 1
Describe It
Students are asked to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper (Activity 4) and, if unable to write a sentence, to continue practicing letters instead. Option 1 asks students to circle the first letter in each word and copy the words beneath pictures; Option 2 asks students to write words beneath pictures and add two additional descriptive words. Activity 2 suggests that children can write the words (or beginning letters) to describe similarities and differences between objects.
Lesson 2
Animal Attributes
Students practice handwriting on the "Aa" page by tracing uppercase and lowercase A and copying the words "animal" and "ant." In Option 2 of the Living and Nonliving activity, students write the names of living and nonliving objects in two columns. In Body Coverings (Option 2) students write animal names into category columns and add additional examples.
Lesson 4
How Does It Feel?
Activity 3 asks students to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper ("______ feels _________"), which requires students to form letters when producing words. Option 1 asks students to circle beginning letters and copy texture words beneath pictures; Option 2 asks students to record words from a list and invent a new word, which involves printing letters when writing those words. The skills list includes "Recognize and name letters," indicating letter-level focus in the activities.
Lesson 5
How Old?
Activity 4 asks students to practice writing the letter "Oo" with dotted lines and to copy/write the words "order" and "old," providing guided practice in both uppercase and lowercase O. The lesson prompts students to record names and at least the beginning letter of each name, with a reminder that names begin with capital letters. Option 1 and Option 2 ask students to write questions and to start those sentences with a capital letter, giving additional short opportunities to produce uppercase letters.
Lesson 6
The Measure of Things
Activity 6 provides explicit handwriting practice for the letters "L" and "l," including guided lines, dashed strokes, and arrows indicating proper formation. Students are instructed to practice writing "Ll" and to write or copy the words "length" and "long," which gives practice with both the uppercase and lowercase forms of that letter. The student activity page visually supports letter formation with multiple practice lines.
Lesson 7
More Attributes
Activity 5 and the Student Activity Page instruct students to trace and write the uppercase and lowercase letter "V" and to write the word "Venn." The activity provides guided tracing lines and space for freewriting so students practice forming both the capital and small version of V. The page includes multiple examples and repeated practice opportunities for the letter V and the word Venn.
Unit 2: Senses
Lesson 1
My Five Senses
Students are asked to copy each word on the Senses Word List three times on handwriting paper (Activity 1). Students are also asked to write or copy a full sentence on handwriting paper about a sense and sense organ, with the example sentence provided: "I smell with my nose." (Activity 4). The activity also prompts students to identify the title and the first letter of the author's name, encouraging attention to individual letters.
Lesson 2
Senses and Body Parts
Activity 4 (Handwriting) asks students to practice the letter S and the words sense and see. The Student Activity Page provides several rows with dotted-line tracing for both uppercase 'S' and lowercase 's' and shows a large 'Ss' highlighted. Students are instructed to trace the letters and use each word in a sentence on the provided page.
Lesson 4
Hearing and Seeing
Students practice handwriting in Activity 8 by tracing and writing the uppercase E and lowercase e on a dedicated student page. Students write the words "eyes" and "ears" and practice each word in a sentence, using dotted guide lines and indicated starting points to form the letter E. Students also receive guided formation cues (starting points) for correct letter formation.
Lesson 5
Touch
Activity 5 (Handwriting) has students practice the letter T and the words "touch" and "taste" by writing each word in a sentence. The Student Activity Page shows tracing guides and dotted lines for uppercase and lowercase T and provides several lines for repetition. The handwriting page explicitly directs students to form and write the letter T in both cases.
Lesson 6
Experimenting With Our Senses
The Skills section explicitly lists "Recognize and write letters (LA)," indicating students are asked to write letters. Activity 2 asks students to copy the name of each spice on index cards or, if needed, write the first letter, which requires students to form letters. Activity 4 asks students to write or dictate and copy a sentence on handwriting paper, giving students practice producing multiple letters in sequence.
Lesson 7
Using All of Our Senses
Activity 4 (Handwriting) asks the child to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper about something she observed on her nature walk. The Nature Walk activity also says the child "can attempt to write her ideas," which requires the child to produce printed letters when they write or copy sentences.
Lesson 8
Writing About Our Senses
The lesson lists the skill "Write letters of the alphabet (LA)" and includes multiple writing opportunities. In Activity 2 students are asked to "attempt to write the words in the blanks" and may record first letters. Activity 4 directs students to "write or dictate and copy a sentence on handwriting paper," which requires producing letter forms.
Final Project
A Sensible Party
Students are asked to write on Party Planner sheets by recording ideas and supplies in table columns for each of the five senses and by filling lines for three games. Students are asked to make invitations that include place, date, and time and to create a guest list and check off supplies, which require writing words, names, and numbers.
Unit 3: We're the Same, We're Different
Lesson 1
You're Special
Students trace and write the uppercase and lowercase letter U on a handwriting worksheet (Activity 4), including tracing the word "unique" and freehand practice spaces. Students are asked to write answers to personal questions and fill in blanks on two activity pages, encouraged to sound out words and write the letters they hear. The "Your Numbers" and other writing tasks ask students to record numbers and, in Option 2, to write sentences using numbers, which requires producing letters when forming words.
Lesson 2
Physical Characteristics
Activity 4 asks the child to write a sentence on handwriting paper: "I have ________", which requires the child to produce printed letters. The Friendship Story activity includes lined sections where the child can write or dictate one sentence for the beginning, middle, and end, offering additional opportunities to form letters. Several student pages (e.g., activity pages with lines) provide places for students to record text, implying letter production in context.
Lesson 3
Different Personalities
Activity 4 (Handwriting) directs students to practice the letter Q and its lowercase q through multiple tracing lines and size variations. The page includes the word "quiet" written repeatedly for tracing, individual q letters for tracing, lined spaces to guide handwriting, and visual cues to reinforce the letter sound and shape. These tasks require students to form both an uppercase Q and a lowercase q by tracing and copying.
Lesson 4
Interests and Hobbies
Activity 4 explicitly asks students to practice the letter Yy and the words you and yes, providing a handwriting page with dotted tracing guides, dashed midlines, and repeated practice lines for uppercase and lowercase Y. The page includes modeling of the letter (large Yy) and space for students to trace and then write the letter and words independently. The activity directs students to use the sheet to practice the letter and to use each word in a sentence.
Lesson 5
Shapesville
Students are asked in Activity 4 to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper that describes an interest or personality trait, which requires forming letters. The student activity pages include fill-in-the-blank lines (name, shape, color, physical characteristic, personality trait, hobby, interest) that prompt students to write short words or phrases. The lesson also asks students to "record his ideas" and "attempt to read his description," which implies producing written text.
Lesson 6
Different Families
Activity 3 (Handwriting) provides direct practice with the letter Dd and the word "different," including tracing of uppercase and lowercase D and repeated tracing of individual letters "d" and "c." The handwriting page includes dotted tracing lines and horizontal guidelines to support letter formation and shows a large "Dd" as a visual reference.
Lesson 7
Different Homes
Students are asked to write a sentence about their home in Activity 4 (Handwriting). In Option 2 of the 'Big, Bigger, Biggest' activity, students write comparison words beneath pictures. In Activity 2 students can record country names above the homes they identify and add labels/details around the homes.
Lesson 8
Different Holidays and Traditions
Students are asked to write three sentences about their favorite holiday (Activity 3) and may copy dictated sentences, providing opportunities to form letters. In Activity 5 students must write the name of each holiday, a month/date, and a sentence on each book page and can write the cover title, which requires letter production. The lesson skills list includes 'Represent spoken language with temporary spelling,' indicating students will produce written letters as they record language.
Lesson 9
Different Modes of Transportation
Students are asked to fill in the first letter for each transportation label (Activity 1, Option 1) and to write entire labels for modes of transportation (Activity 1, Option 2). Students are asked to draw and write the mode of transportation for scenarios (Activity 2, Option 2). Students are asked to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper about a mode of transportation they have taken (Activity 4).
Lesson 10
Wants and Needs
Activity 6 explicitly directs students to practice the letter Nn and to trace/write the word "need," and the handwriting page shows uppercase "N" and lowercase "n" with lined practice space. The handwriting page includes examples and space for students to form both the capital and small version of the letter and to practice the word in a sentence or tracing format.
Lesson 11
Being Part of a Group
Activity 4 directs students to practice handwriting for the letters Gg and Xx, with tracing lines, dotted letters, and copy lines. The worksheets include both uppercase and lowercase forms and words (get, group, extra) for students to copy. Students are asked to trace, copy, and write the letters in progressively sized examples.
3: Patterns
Unit 1: Identifying and Creating Visual Patterns
Lesson 1
What Is a Pattern?
Students are asked in Activity 7 to write or copy three sentences on handwriting paper to describe a pattern, which requires forming letters and sentence-level handwriting. In Activity 5 students are instructed to write a single letter response ('P' or 'N') to indicate whether a sequence is a pattern, which requires printing uppercase letters. Several activities (reading title/author, labeling patterns) also prompt short written responses or labeling.
Lesson 2
Recognizing Types of Patterns
Students are asked to punch out four letter A's and four letter B's and place letters A and B beneath colored strips to show ABAB patterns. Students are instructed to label objects with A's and B's on activity sheets and to "write a letter on each strip" to check answers. Activity 4 asks students to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper, which requires producing written letters.
Lesson 4
Extending a Pattern
Activity 4 asks the child to copy or write a sentence on handwriting paper about a pattern he made, which requires printing letters. Option 2 suggests the child can write the names of the objects he used for patterns on a separate sheet of paper. The student activity pages include blanks and prompts that require the child to write or fill in object names for patterns.
Lesson 5
Making Color Patterns
Students are asked to use the color word or the first letter of the color word to show patterns (e.g., writing Y, R, Y, R). Students are asked to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper describing something they created today, providing an opportunity for letter formation practice.
Lesson 6
Shapes and Patterns
Students are asked to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper about a pattern (Activity 3), which requires printing letters. The lesson directs students to practice writing the words "shape," "color," and "size" on handwriting paper with modeling. In Pattern Reading Option 1 students circle the beginning letter of each word and sound out words, which engages letter-level recognition.
Lesson 8
Creating and Writing About Patterns
Students are asked repeatedly to write the first letter of each object on multiple activity pages (AABB, ABAB, ABC sections) and to write letters into pattern boxes. Activity 3 directs students to write the words "first," "then," and "next" five times on handwriting paper. Activity 7 asks students to write or copy two or three sentences on handwriting paper describing a pattern.
Final Project
Patterns Poster or Patterns Presentation
Students are asked to label each poster section with the type of pattern and to record the materials that will be used, which requires writing words. The Script for Presentation activity provides lines for students to write the name and description of each pattern (seven named lines to fill in). Students are prompted to write an introduction and descriptions for each pattern on the provided activity pages.
Unit 2: Patterns in Sounds, Words, and Actions
Lesson 1
Word Patterns
Students are asked to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper using two rhyming words (Activity 5: Handwriting). Students are encouraged to record rhyming words they hear from nursery rhymes on handwriting paper (Activity 2). Students are asked to copy or dictate the names of animals from the text and write them for sorting by habitat (Activity 4).
Lesson 3
Poetry Patterns
The lesson includes Activity 4 (Handwriting), where students are asked to write a line from the song on handwriting paper, giving them practice forming letters within words and sentences. The lesson also asks students to write rhyming words on a separate sheet of paper (Activity 1 extra practice) and to record rhyming words from songs (Activity 3), which requires students to produce written letters. The materials include opportunities for assisted spelling, indicating guided writing practice.
Lesson 4
Sentence Patterns
Students are asked to write or copy sentences on handwriting paper (Activity 2, Activity 6) and to copy simple sentences from books (Activity 4), which requires producing letters. The lesson explicitly reminds students that a sentence starts with a capital letter and usually ends with a period and asks them to point to beginning letters and periods. Several activities have students fill in blanks or copy word lists (nouns and verbs), which requires printing words.
Lesson 5
Story Patterns
Students are asked to write or dictate sentences in multiple activities: in Activity 2 (Story Pattern Boxes) they can "write or dictate and copy a sentence" for beginning, middle, and end, and in Activity 3 (My Own Story) they can "dictate a story" and attempt to read and write it. Activity 4 (Handwriting) explicitly asks students to copy or write a sentence from the story on handwriting paper, which requires forming letters. These tasks require students to produce printed letters while writing sentences.
Unit 3: Patterns in Your World
Lesson 1
Patterns in Nature
Activity 4 instructs the child to write or copy a sentence from the day's reading on handwriting paper, which requires forming letters. Activity 3 asks the child to draw favorite patterns and label them, which also prompts writing letters. The skills list includes 'Practice reading simple texts,' supporting opportunities for written responses.
Lesson 2
Patterns of Growth
Students copy modeled words and write each of the words plant, grow, and part five times (Activity 6), providing direct practice in forming letters. Students label plant parts using words from a word box and are asked to identify and record the initial letter of each word if they do not write the whole word (Activity 2). Student activity pages include lines under drawings for students to write sentences describing plant growth, giving additional opportunities to form letters and words.
Lesson 3
Night and Day
Students are asked to label three pictures of the Sun, Moon, and Earth, which requires them to write letters or words. Students are listed as expected to "Write letters of the alphabet (LA)" and to "Record dominant consonant letters (LA)" in the Skills section, indicating letter-writing tasks. Students are asked to draw and then "record or dictate a few sentences" on the "During the Day" and "At Night" pages, an activity that can involve writing letters left to right.
Lesson 5
Calendar Patterns
Students practice writing dates with the day, month, and year each day (Activity 3), which requires forming letters to write month and day names. Students practice writing the words "day," "month," and "year" five times each on handwriting paper (Activity 6). Activity 5 asks students to spell and glue the days and months in order and suggests focusing on spelling them correctly if they already know the sequence.
Lesson 6
Seasonal Weather Patterns
Students are asked to write today's date and to practice copying the months of the year on handwriting paper. Students fill in missing season names and complete word-based exercises that require writing month and season names. These activities require students to produce uppercase initials (e.g., months capitalized) and lowercase letters within words.
Lesson 7
Patterns at Home
Activity 5 (Handwriting) asks the child to write or dictate and then copy a sentence on handwriting paper that describes a pattern found in her closet. The instruction to 'write or dictate and then copy a sentence' requires the child to form letters when copying the sentence. The use of handwriting paper implies focus on letter formation and spacing while producing written text.
Lesson 8
Symmetrical Patterns
Students cut apart letter squares and fold each letter to determine symmetry (Activity 1). Students are asked to write other letters of the alphabet and draw lines of symmetry, and a student activity page lists specific uppercase letters (J I M A O F). Students also write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper about lines of symmetry (Activity 4).
Lesson 9
Counting Patterns
Activity 4 asks students to write or dictate and then copy a sentence on handwriting paper about the clowns, and to transition into writing their own simple sentence. Students are reminded that a sentence should begin with a capital letter and end with a period, prompting use of at least one uppercase letter. The handwriting task requires students to form letters as they write and to identify the subject and verb in their sentence.
Lesson 10
Tracing Patterns
Activity 4 asks the child to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper about his favorite holiday, which requires forming printed letters. The handwriting task is an explicit student action that involves producing alphabetic characters.
Lesson 11
Patterns in Graphs
Students are asked in Activity 4 to write a sentence on handwriting paper describing whether an object sank or floated, which requires forming letters and words. Activity 2 instructs students to record results by writing "sink" or "float" or by marking an "S" or "F," providing opportunities to produce single letters and short words. Several activity pages (e.g., the Sink or Float chart) include blank spaces for students to write observations or responses.
Final Project
Patterns All Around Lapbook
The lesson's Skills list explicitly includes "Write capital and lowercase letters (LA)." Multiple student tasks require writing: students are asked to write "Symmetrical Pattern" on a mini-book cover, write "Pattern in Nature" on the matchbook flap, label stages in the 3-flap book, label and illustrate the four seasons on the wheel, and write the days of the week on the fan book. Several assembly steps also tell students to write titles such as "Patterns" on the lapbook cover.
4: Change
Unit 1: Changes on Planet Earth
Lesson 5
Changes in Location
Students are asked to write words from a word box or cut-and-glue the words on the location wheel, and Option 2 of "Where Did He Go?" requires students to write an entire prepositional phrase. The Mouse in the House (Option 2) extension asks students to write simple sentences describing the mouse's location. The Nature Relations activity asks students to record three or four sentences describing object relationships.
Lesson 7
Living Things Change
Activity 4 (Handwriting) directs the child to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper that describes how something changes in size. The instruction requires the child to use handwriting paper and to form letters while composing or copying a sentence.
Lesson 9
Heat Causes Change
Students are asked to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper about an observation (Activity 4), which requires them to form letters. Students label drawings in the "Ice, Water, Steam" activity with the words "ice," "water," and "steam," demonstrating writing of words. Students record measurements and observations on data sheets for the candle experiment, which requires additional writing.
Final Project
Mobile of Change
The Skills list explicitly states students will "Write most letters and some words (LA)." The final project instructs the student to write the word "CHANGES" in all capital letters on construction paper. Several activity pages provide spaces where students can write or draw observations (e.g., before/after boxes and category grids), creating opportunities for letter and word writing.
Unit 2: Characters Change
Lesson 1
What's in a Name
Students rewrite given sentences in Activity 1 (Capitalizing Names), correcting names so they begin with a capital letter, which requires them to print letters in names. In Activity 2 (Name Craft) students trace petal shapes and write one letter of their name on each petal to spell their name. Several worksheets (Characters Change, Vocabulary) ask students to fill in blanks or write guesses/definitions, which requires printing letters and words.
Lesson 5
The Raft
Students are asked to copy two sentences containing the word "I" and underline the word "I," which requires them to write letters when copying sentences (Activity 1). In the Vocabulary activity students are instructed to "write the letter of the correct definition on the line," so they write letter labels (A–F). Several activity pages (Story Elements, Characters Change) prompt students to fill in titles, character names, or short phrases, which requires printing letters.
Unit 3: A First Look at History - Change Over Time
Lesson 1
People and Families Change
Students are asked to write a sentence on handwriting paper about a way they have changed (Activity 3), which requires forming letters to compose words. Students complete the "Writing About Change" sheet by filling in prompts and illustrating, providing additional opportunities to write (Activity 5). Students label names and ages in the future-prediction drawing, which requires writing letters to form names and numbers (Activity 6).
Lesson 3
Communities Change
Activity 7 (Handwriting) asks the child to write a sentence about The House on Maple Street on handwriting paper or to copy a dictated sentence, which requires forming letters. Several student activity pages include captions and labels that students might read or copy, giving some incidental practice with letter forms in context.
Lesson 5
Exploring the Past
Students are asked to "draw and write or dictate descriptions" for culture charts, providing opportunities to produce written text. Students will "write one sentence about each element of culture" on the Cultural Presentation pages and use lined areas on several activity pages (Homes and Houses, Clothes and Fashion, Food and Eating, Travel and Transport) to record information. Students cut, order, and glue pictures and then assemble a book, which requires writing on cover and internal pages.
Lesson 6
Predicting Future Change
Activity 4 (Handwriting) asks the child to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper about a change in his life, which requires producing printed letters. Several activities ask the child to record ideas or let him record his own ideas (Activity 1 and Activity 2), giving additional opportunities to form letters in writing. Activity 3 asks the child to dictate a description and then attempt to read the description he dictated, which can involve copying or writing text by the student.
Lesson 7
People of the Past
Students are asked in Activity 4 to write a sentence on handwriting paper about a historical person, which requires forming letters. In Activity 3 students are asked to write down their ideas for making a positive change, providing an additional occasion to print letters.
6: Reading
Unit 1: Semester 1
Lesson 1
Letter Sounds Review I
Students practice forming letters by tracing and then writing letters on the "Writing Letters" page (tracing two of each letter then writing more independently). Students also write letters in sensory media (shaving cream/flour/rice) while saying the sounds, and use handwriting input on quizzes to draw letters. Students write words twice on the "Writing Words" page and copy example words, reinforcing letter production in connected writing.
Lesson 2
Letter Sounds Review II
Students practice letter formation by tracing two of each target letter and then writing four more of each on the "Writing Letters" page (Activity 4.1). Students write beginning letters for pictures (Activity 2.2) and identify or write ending letters for spoken words (Activity 2.3). Multiple student activity pages and the "Writing Words" activities require students to write letters within words and to copy or spell words aloud as they write them (Day 5).
Lesson 3
Letter Sounds Review III
Students trace and write letters on the "Writing Letters, Part 1" and "Part 2" pages, practicing letters (w, k, j, h, o, u, v) by tracing twice then writing independently. Students use lowercase letter cards to say and identify letter sounds and to point to letters when producing words, reinforcing letter-shape recognition. An optional kinesthetic activity has students form letters in shaving cream, flour, or rice and write each of this week's letters while saying the letter name.
Lesson 4
Letter Sounds Review IV
Activity 4.1 directs students to practice writing this week's letters by tracing two of each letter and then completing additional independent writing lines; the Writing Letters student page shows letters q, x, y, and z in traceable form. Several pages (Writing Words and Writing Letters) ask students to write words (e.g., "box," "zap," "yip") after saying the sounds, providing additional printing practice. One activity page description also notes uppercase and lowercase letters presented for tracing, and students are asked to write letters correctly and read the words they wrote.
Lesson 5
Adding s, More Word Families, Ending with ck
Students sort lowercase letter cards into alphabetical order and place each uppercase letter beneath its lowercase partner (Activity 1.2). Students trace and write letters on multiple "Writing Uppercase Letters" activity pages that show many uppercase letters in dashed and solid formats. Students also trace and write sight words (lowercase) on "Writing Sight Words" pages and compose dictated sentences (Day 5) that require writing lowercase letters with initial uppercase letters and proper spacing.
Lesson 6
Open Syllables and Digraph th
Students write words on laminated writing sheets and complete "Writing Open Syllables" pages, saying each word as they write and copying a sentence. Students use a dry-erase marker to write dictated words (so, bath, my, we, thin, go, with, them) and complete handwriting practice pages that ask them to trace and rewrite a simple sentence. Students use lowercase letter cards to build and spell words and are reminded to use uppercase letters at the start of sentences and for the sight word I.
Lesson 7
Consonant Digraphs ch, sh, wh, ph
Students are asked to write dictated words on a laminated writing sheet with a dry-erase marker (Activity 4.2), providing repeated practice forming letters within words. Students are given handwriting paper for sentence dictation (Activity 5.3) and are reminded that sentences begin with uppercase letters, so they practice printing initial capital letters. Several activities require the child to read and write words (e.g., fill-in-the-blanks, word building groups) that involve producing lowercase letters in context.
Lesson 8
Blends with s
Students are asked to write words on laminated writing sheets (Activity 1.2) and to write words beside pictures on multiple "Writing Words" pages (Activity 3.3). The lesson gives students lowercase letter cards for word building and asks them to spell and write words using those cards (Activities 2.2, 3.2, 4.2). Sentence dictation requires students to write full sentences on handwriting paper (Activity 5.2).
Lesson 9
Blends with l
Students write word lists on a laminated writing sheet with a dry-erase marker during Activities 2.2 and 3.2, practicing letter formation while writing words. Students write dictated sentences on handwriting paper in Activity 5.2 and are reminded that sentences begin with an uppercase letter, requiring them to produce at least some uppercase letters. Students use lowercase letter cards and word-building cards in Activities 2.1 and 3.1 to spell and construct words, providing repeated opportunities to form and manipulate letters within words.
Lesson 10
Blends with r
Students practice handwriting by writing words on handwriting paper and completing "Writing Words" pages that provide dashed lines for copying or writing words (crib, frog, crack; drip, brush, crust; brick, drum, fry). Students trace and write the sight words "by," "from," and "one" using a page that shows each word once in a darker shade and once as a traceable version. Students use lowercase letter cards and word-building activities (Alphabet Soup, word building groups) that require them to arrange letters and then write the resulting words.
Lesson 11
Ending Blends
Students copy the sight word "words" on a laminated writing sheet and write dictated sight words "but" and "not." Students use lowercase letter cards to spell words with ending blends (nd, mp, lf, nt) and then write those words on the corresponding "nd/mp/lf/nt Words" pages or handwriting paper. Students write full sentences from dictation (Activity 5.2), practicing letter formation while composing multi-word text.
Lesson 12
Double ll, ss, ff, zz (FLOSS)
Students are asked to write words on laminated writing sheets and handwriting paper in multiple activities (Activity 1.2, Activity 3.2, Activity 4.1, Activity 5.2), including writing dictated word lists and sentences. Activity 4.1 explicitly instructs the student to begin a sentence with an uppercase letter. Activity 3.2 and other tasks require students to write words for pictured items and to write words generated from word-building activities.
Lesson 13
Glued Sounds ng and nk
Students are asked to write sight words on a laminated writing sheet (Activity 1.3) and to write dictated words such as sing, long, skunk, stink (Activity 4.2). The lesson provides handwriting paper and has students write full sentences from dictation (Activity 5.3). The materials include a handwriting practice sheet image and a skills list that names/recognizes all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
Lesson 14
Three-Letter Beginning Blends
Students write words on a laminated writing sheet with a dry-erase marker (Activity 3.3) and complete handwriting pages when asked to write words (Activity 4.1) and dictated sentences (Activity 5.2). Students use lowercase letter cards repeatedly to spell and build words across multiple activities (Activities 1.2, 2.2, 3.1, 4.2).
Lesson 15
More Ending Blends
Students are asked to write sight words on a "Writing Sight Words" page and to copy/write words from the "Alphabet Soup" activity on handwriting paper. Students are also asked to write dictated sentences on handwriting paper (Sentence Dictation) and to spell words using lowercase letter cards during word-building activities. The lesson's skills list explicitly includes "Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet."
Lesson 16
R-Controlled Vowels (ar)
Students are asked to write words on a laminated writing sheet and handwriting paper in multiple activities (Activity 2.2: write jar, tar, char, bar, star, spar; Activity 3.2: write charm, park, star, smart; Activity 5.3: write dictated sentences). Students use lowercase letter cards to spell and form words (Activities 1.2, 3.1, 5.1) and are prompted to point out why 'Jack' begins with an uppercase letter. Several activities require students to read and write sight words and to write words from word chains and clues.
Lesson 17
Semester Review
Students write specific words on a laminated writing sheet in Activity 2.3 (sang, fly, thick, pill, fluff, tank, spring, card), giving practice forming letters. Students write dictated sentences on handwriting paper in Activity 3.2 and are reminded to pay attention to how sentences begin and end, prompting use of capital letters. Multiple Student Activity Pages include dashed midline handwriting guides and the "My Own Reader"/"Planning My Reader" activities require students to write titles and their names, providing repeated opportunities to form letters.
Unit 2: Semester 2
Lesson 1
Long Vowels a and i with Silent e
Students write words on handwriting paper (make, drive, grape, smile, hide, take, dime, name) and complete a spelling test by writing listed words. Students write words for pictures on the "Long a and i Words" page (bike, five, tape, kite, vine, wave) and use a laminated writing sheet to write and change words (add -s to like, game). Students complete the Alphabet Soup task by creating and writing at least twelve long a and i words from provided letters and perform sentence dictation ("Will you bake a cake?", "The kids bike on the path.").
Lesson 2
Long Vowels o, u, and e with Silent e
Students are asked to write words in columns on a laminated writing sheet (Activity 1.2, Day 2, Activity 3.3) and to spell and write words using lowercase letter cards (Activities 2.3, 3.1, 4.1). Students write on handwriting paper during Sentence Dictation (Activity 5.2) and complete a Spelling Test where they write multiple words (Activity 4.3). The Student Activity Pages include lined sections for writing words under each long-vowel category, which requires students to form letters as they write.
Lesson 3
Hard and Soft c and g
Students are asked to write words on laminated writing sheets (e.g., circus, fake/face, rake/race) and to spell words using lowercase letter cards (clap, ice, race, etc.), giving practice forming letters within words. Students write words into category boxes on the "Writing c and g Words" page and complete a timed spelling test by writing target words on a Spelling Test page. Students also write dictated sentences on handwriting paper during the Sentence Dictation activity, which requires producing letters in sequence.
Lesson 4
More R-Controlled Vowels (er, ir, or, ur)
Students use lowercase letter cards to spell and manipulate words (Activity 1.2, Day 4 word-building groups). Students write words on a laminated writing sheet in multiple activities (Activity 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, Day 4) and complete a spelling test by writing listed words (Activity 4.2). Students perform sentence dictation on handwriting paper and are asked to pay attention to how sentences begin and end (Activity 5.3).
Lesson 5
Long a Spellings ai, ay
Students write words on laminated writing sheets (Activity 1.2, Activity 3.1) and fill in multiple Student Activity Pages that provide lines for writing word endings and sentences. Students use lowercase letter cards to spell and manipulate letters to build words (Activity 2.2, Activity 3.2, Activity 4.1). Students complete a spelling test by writing words (Activity 4.2) and perform sentence dictation on handwriting paper (Day 5).
Lesson 6
Long e Spellings ee, ey, ea
Students write words and sentences on handwriting paper during activities such as Alphabet Soup (writing at least 12 words), Writing 'ea' Words (writing pictured words and dictated words), and Sentence Dictation (writing two dictated sentences). Students use lowercase letter cards and word-building cards to spell and assemble words in Word Building and Alphabet Soup activities. The lesson reminds students that words that begin with an uppercase letter should come at the beginning of a sentence, linking use of uppercase letters to sentence writing.
Lesson 7
Long i Spellings y, igh, ie
Students are asked to write words on the Spelling Test page (Day 4 Activity 4.3) where they will write each dictated word on dashed lines. In Activity 5.3 (Sentence Dictation) students will write full sentences on handwriting paper as the teacher reads them, which requires beginning with a capital letter and using lowercase letters for the rest of the sentence. The materials also direct students to spell and read words using lowercase letter cards and to write answers on worksheets (e.g., fill-in-the-blanks and word-sorting pages).
Lesson 8
Long o Spellings ow, oa, oe
Students write multiple words on the "Writing oa Words" pages (boat, coat, road, toast, soap, toad, goat, float, goal and additional words) and complete word-building activities using lowercase letter cards to spell target words. Students perform sentence dictation on handwriting paper and are instructed to "pay attention to how sentences begin and end," requiring them to produce initial capital letters and lowercase letters. Students also use lowercase letter cards and write words during spelling tests and word-scramble activities, providing repeated opportunities to form letters while writing words.
Lesson 9
Long u Spellings ue, ew, ou
Students write words on laminated writing sheets and complete handwriting practice pages with dashed midlines (e.g., pages for 'other,' 'would,' 'more' and the 'Writing Sight Words' page). Students use lowercase letter cards to spell and build words (Activity 2.1, 3.1, 4.2) and write dictated sentences, being reminded to pay attention to how sentences begin and end. Several activities ask students to read and then write sight words and spelling test words, providing repeated opportunities to form letters while writing words.
Lesson 10
Other Long Vowel Patterns
Students are asked to write words on a laminated writing sheet and on handwriting paper throughout the week (Activity 1.2, Activity 2.2, Activity 3.1, Day 5 Sentence Dictation). Students complete a spelling test by writing listed words and challenge words (Activity 4.3). Students also fill in blanks and write words generated from the "Alphabet Soup" activity, which requires them to produce written letters and words.
Lesson 12
Other Vowel Sounds oi, oy
Students complete a handwriting practice page that asks them to write the words "soil" and "coat" six times on baseline/dotted midline lines, providing repeated letter formation practice. Students write words into columns (labeling "short o" and "long o") and sort/glue word cards, and they write words during spelling activities and word-building tasks. Students write full sentences in the sentence-dictation activity and are explicitly reminded that words that begin with an uppercase letter should come at the beginning of a sentence.
Lesson 13
Other Vowel Sounds ou, ow
Students are asked to write words on lines in Activity 1.2 ("Writing o Words") and to use a laminated writing sheet or handwriting paper to write words as they are dictated. Activity 4.2 ("Fill in the Blanks") requires students to write ou or ow to complete pictured words, and Activity 5.2 ("Sentence Dictation") has students write full sentences on handwriting paper. Lowercase letter cards are used in multiple word-building activities where students spell and write words.
Lesson 14
Other Vowel Sounds aw, au
Students practice handwriting by writing target words on handwriting paper and laminated writing sheets (examples: repeated practice of "town" and "round," writing words from Alphabet Soup, and dictation of sentences). Students complete a spelling test and write multiple words (including challenge words), and they use lowercase letter cards to spell words aloud and build words during activities.
Lesson 15
These Make More Than One Sound: oo and ea
Students are asked to write this week's sight words on a laminated writing sheet using a dry-erase marker (Activity 3.3). Students write question words in blanks on the "Question Words" page and create sentences by filling those blanks (Activity 4.2). Students perform sentence dictation on handwriting paper, paying attention to how sentences begin and end (Activity 5.2), which requires them to form letters when writing words and sentences.
Lesson 16
Silent Starts: kn, wr, gn
Students copy and write multiple target words on handwriting/writing-pages (e.g., knee, knife, know, write, wrist) and complete "Writing Words" and "Writing Sight Words" practice. Students use lowercase letter cards to build and spell words (kn, a, i, o, w, etc.) and unscramble lowercase letter groups to form words with silent beginnings. Students write dictated sentences and take a spelling test, producing written forms of many words and practicing handwriting on lined paper.
Lesson 17
Year-End Review
Students are asked to write words on handwriting paper in multiple activities (Alphabet Soup on Day 3 and Day 5) and to spell at least 12 words, which requires forming letters. The Sentence Writing pages provide dotted guideline lines for handwriting practice and ask students to write one or two sentences based on pictures. The lesson also provides lowercase letter cards so students can manipulate and arrange letters to form words.