Handwriting for FUN?!?!

This is my first FULL week of school!  It's actually going great!  I think I am getting used to my alarm going off at 5:50 and I don't feel like I've been hit by a truck.  I also haven't felt like I needed to rush to Starbucks AFTER school to make it through an evening of playing with my girls!! Ha!!!

I'm trying to get my firsties into a normal daily routine. This week we are all about handwriting!  If you have followed my blog at all you know that handwriting instruction has not been my favorite thing!  But this year is a NEW year! And... we have completed three days of handwriting without moans and groans.  I actually heard..... THIS IS FUN!  Yep... I might have jumped for joy! You see, this year our handwriting instruction is interactive.  And YES!!! It really IS fun!!!

I have exactly 10 instructional minutes between lunch and recess.  Actually... 15. BUT, it takes us five minutes to get in line and back from the cafeteria (3.5 if we are really lucky!!)! This is the PERFECT time for handwriting!

This week I had their handwriting sheets on their desk so that we get get started the moment we walked in the door!

I also had it displayed on the projector and ready to go!

I completed the first two lines with my students!  You see... Big A begins in the attic and goes down to the main floor!  Little a stays snug on the main floor!  I'm really hoping that using a house to teach correct letter formation will help reinforce where each letter is placed on the line.  Especially for those letters that go down to the basement!!!

After completing the first two lines with my students, I let my kiddos have at it!  They got to spin and roll as they worked on their skills!  "I LOVE HANDWRITING!"... said no child ever! Until TODAY!!! I'm hoping it doesn't get old!! As of now... spinning is their favorite!!!

I'm even more excited about this handwriting unit because it goes hand in hand with my word work activities! Here's a little preview of some pages in our upcoming units...

Each sheet shown is from one of the following units...

Unit 1 - Letter Formation

Unit 2 - Digraphs and Blends

Unit 3 - R Controlled Vowels & Magic e

Unit 4 - Vowels Teams

Unit 5 - Prefixes and Suffixes

Unit 6 - First Grade Sight Words

Unit 7 - (This unit is in the works!  It will include the second grade sight words and will be added to the bundle!)

If you are interested you can purchase each unit individually or purchase the bundle HERE!

I almost forgot... I created a little number writing freebie at the last minute when I saw my firsties writing their numbers from the ground up!! Grab it HERE if you want it!!!

Have a great week!!!! I'm about to head to parent orientation for my own preschooler!!!!

I can't really believe it!  My Sophie tells me that she isn't going... She IS!!! I know she will love it!  It's my first time in the parent position at an orientation!  I'm nervous!!!

This is Sophie getting her NEW backpack yesterday!  As you can see... she wan't the least bit excited! And YES, Addie stole my coffee.  AND, I let her drink a bit!  YES... I am that mom!!! HA!  Have a great week!!!!