Handwriting Freebies!

Have you ever wondered how to help your littles with their handwriting starting on DAY ONE? The Handwriting House is the perfect way to teach your students WHERE their letters fall on the lines. 

Roof: top line
Window: middle dotted line
Floor: bottom line
Basement: below bottom line

Teach them all about the handwriting house, work on each letter individually, and when they've "got it", give them a Handwriting House bookmark to celebrate. To keep the momentum going, have them rate their own handwriting each month with a self-rubric.

ALL included in {this} freebie!

My students took their handwriting self rubric VERY seriously! :) I do this once a month to keep them on track and motivated. They don't like disappointing themselves. HA!

The Handwriting House

I teach my students each year about the "Handwriting House".  All of the letters have a special place in the house. I teach them this little poem:

Then, I print the cards on cardstock and send them home as bookmarks! They even like to teach their parents a thing or two about handwriting. Perhaps I should share this with my husband?

No, we are not learning our ABC's in 1st grade, but we ARE learning how to properly form our letters.  I am very strict with my students with handwriting starting on day 1. It helps them make it a habit. If I can't read their writing, we will both struggle all year!  They end up feeling so proud about their handwriting. Of course the Handwriting Fairy helps, too. ;)

You can download the poster and bookmark {here}.

For more handwriting ideas you can click {here} and scroll down past this post and you'll see tons of other ideas. 

How do you teach handwriting?

Good Handwriting Can Happen!

I feel like 90% of my students have excellent handwriting. I motivate them by using the Handwriting Fairy {and it's NEVER too late for you to start!}.   You might have seen {this} post of mine about the Handwriting Fairy.  I've actually created a whole packet that really ties everything together!

This packet will help motivate your students to have good handwriting! Did you know the Handwriting Fairy comes into your classroom each night and looks for neat handwriting? If she sees something she likes, she leaves them a "Neat Treat". 

In this packet you will find:

*Handwriting Fairy Book
*Neat Treat Printables
*Handwriting Fairy Craftivity
*Dear Handwriting Fairy Writing
*Whole class Tree Map {about Handwriting Fairy}
*Tree Map recording sheet 
*Bubble Map {about Handwriting Fairy}
*Expository Writing 
-How to Have Bad Handwriting
-How to Have Good Handwriting

Here's an example of the Handwriting Fairy craftivity 

the patterns and everything are in the packet}:

You can check out this packet {here}!

Management Monday: Handwriting

I don't really know if handwriting is a topic to be talked about on Management Monday, 

but I can make it a stretch, right?

At the beginning of the year, I like to practice handwriting lots and lots {and all year long!}. They have to know my expectations. I make sure that they know how to properly form each and every letter. After they've got that down, I give them some independent practice as fast finishers.


This is how I teach letter formation using handwriting lines {click here to download}:

I laminate this one and have them practice letters while using dry erase markers:

{Click the picture to download}

I copy this one and have it on hand as a fast finisher. They can practice memorizing their color words and handwriting {I have them color the pictures too}.

{Click the picture to download}

I teach them this "b and d song" from Mrs. Stamp for FREE on TpT. :)

{click the picture to go to Mrs. Stamp's TpT}

You might have seen this from a post wayyy back:

I have a little sneaky motivator in my classroom that I use to help the students with their handwriting.  If I notice that they do a great job and they are really working on forming the letters correctly and taking their time, I will give one student a "Neat Treat"--Well, I actually don't give it to them, I leave it on their desk and the note says that it is from the Handwriting Fairy.  The Handwriting Fairy leaves the neat treat on their desk and the student finds it when they come to school the next day. And the crazy thing is...Mrs. Smith didn't even see a thing! They love getting a treat, especially when it's from a fairy! It's an automatic motivator!

I put the treat on their desk along with some "fairy dust".

You can get the handwriting fairy tags and MORE in this packet....

Management Monday- Handwriting

I have a little sneaky motivator in my classroom that I use to help the students with their handwriting.  If I notice that they do a great job and they are really working on forming the letters correctly and taking their time, I will give one student a "Neat Treat"--Well, I actually don't give it to them, I leave it on their desk and the note says that it is from the Handwriting Fairy.  The Handwriting Fairy leaves the neat treat on their desk and they student finds it when they come to school the next day. And the crazy thing is...Mrs. Smith didn't even see a thing! They love getting a treat, especially when it's from a fairy! It's an automatic motivator!

I put the treat on their desk along with some "fairy dust".

Click {HERE} to download the "Neat Treat" labels!

What do you do to motivate your students to have good handwriting?

Your handwriting is GREAT!

I have a little sneaky motivator in my classroom that I use to help the students with their handwriting.  If I notice that they do a great job and they are really working on forming the letters correctly and taking their time, I will give one student a "Neat Treat"--Well, I actually don't give it to them, I leave it on their desk and the note says that it is from the Handwriting Fairy.  The Handwriting Fairy leaves the neat treat on their desk and they student finds it when they come to school the next day! And the crazy thing is...Mrs. Smith didn't even see a thing! They love getting a treat, especially when it's from a fairy!  This is a great motivator!

I put the treat on their desk along with some "fairy dust".

"Neat Treat"  Good job!  I really like your handwriting.  Keep up the good work!  Love, The Handwriting Fairy