HERE WE WRITE
KARATE WRITING

Bigger is better when children are learning to write! You can use these strategies for pre-writing strokes,
letters, shapes, words, etc.

HERE WE WRITE ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH

Have children follow along as you draw and sing to this traditional song.

Mulberry

Here we go round the mulberry bush,  
          (Make circles across the page.)
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush.
Here we go round the mulberry bush
So early in the morning.

This is the way we wash our                        
          (Make vertical lines.)
Clothes so early Monday morning…

This is the way we iron our                          
          (Make horizontal lines.)
Clothes so early Tuesday morning...

This is the way we scrub the floor             
          (Make a diagonal line.)
So early Wednesday morning…

This is the way we mend our                       
         (Make an X.)
Clothes so early Thursday morning…

This is the way we sweep the                     
          (Make a cross.)
House so early Friday morning…

This is the way we bake our                         
          (Make a triangle.)
Bread so early Saturday morning…

This is the way we smile and                       
          (Make a curve.)
Sing so early Sunday morning…

 

KARATE WRITING

This activity will help children with their spatial awareness and motor skills.  Explain that you are going to make karate motions as you say the letters of the alphabet.  For letters that start at the top dotted line punch up high.  For letters that start at the middle dotted line punch out in front of your waist.  For letters with a tail that go below the line give a little kick.

                         A – punch from waist
                         B – punch up in the air
                         C – punch from waist
                         D – punch up in the air
                         E – punch from the waist
                         F – punch up in the air
                         G – give a little kick…etc.

•Sort letters by size on the board.

•Use karate writing to reinforce spelling names, word wall words, vocabulary, etc.  For example:

                          T – punch up high
                          O – punch from waist
                          N – punch from waist
                          Y – give a little kick
                          (Bow as you say, "Tony.")

•Do “ballerina spelling” by placing hands over the head for tall letters, circling arms in front for letters that start at the middle dotted line, and bending down low for letters with a tail.  After spelling a word, turn around in a circle like a ballerina.

•Cheer letters by jumping up with your arms in the air for tall letters. Put hands on waist for small letters, and squat for letters with a tail.

•Refer to tall letters as “sky” letters.  Small letters are ground letters.
Letters with a tail are underground letters.

•Make a house book and write tall letters in the attic, small letters in the middle, and tail letters in the basement.

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