A-Z Writing Kit – Bug Themed

$8.00

Get creative with handwriting using this bug themed writing kit.  This kit includes over eighty pages of activities, for learning and practicing writing. This bug themed kit is perfect for different levels of learners, from beginning print through cursive.

Because writing is so labor intensive for many young learners, a multi-modal approach to written expression is better for skill acquisition and retention. This kit provides six different methods to address handwriting.  The printable pages include, tracing, copying, cutting, gluing, flashcards, signs, and practice sheets, in both print and cursive.

Different curriculums introduce writing at different age levels.  Some schools no longer use cursive.  Use these adaptable pages in whatever way they will enhance your curriculum and lesson plan.  The bugs are gender neutral and age appropriate for all levels of learning.

Description

This A-Z writing, bug themed kit includes over 80 pages of printable PDF style pages. The cute bug theme can help keep reluctant writers engaged.  This kit includes six different methods of addressing written expression, both in print and cursive.

Printing is fundamental.  With the advent of technology and the push to incorporate it into classrooms, writing is a dying art. No longer do people pen letters to loved ones, send handwritten thankyou notes, or journal their thoughts. Despite this, handwriting is still important.  For the foreseeable future, people will need to know how to print in order to write and sign their name, fill out forms, pay a restaurant tab, or maybe send a birthday card once in a while. 

The ever limiting need for handwriting makes it less enticing, and reduces the amount of practice young learners get.  Educators are faced with the task of finding creative ways to engage learners in non-favored tasks.  This bug themed writing kit is appropriate for several different age groups and learning levels.  It is gender neutral, and friendly, without being too busy or distracting. 

Why do learners hate writing?

  1. These tasks are difficult.  It is difficult to keep finding motivation to do something hard.
  2. Visual motor tasks are not predictable.  Puzzles are predictable.  There is only one way a puzzle can go together.  Cutting and coloring are not predictable. It is difficult for a new learner to make the correct strokes on paper, cut on the lines, or glue items in the correct position.  Despite the correct amount of effort, sometimes the eyes/hands/body have different plans.  
  3. It is hard to want to keep trying when failure happens more than success.

Six Different Methods of working on written expression are included in this bug writing activity kit

These can be used in any order or combination, depending on the learning style of your students.

  • Letter formation – Uppercase and lowercase manuscript and cursive pages provide rote copying tasks.  The student is able to see the written letter, while forming it directly below. 
  • Letter writing – Uppercase/lowercase manuscript and cursive pages with a letter on the left margin and a full dotted line to practice each letter.  The letters are provided in alphabetical order, which is traditionally how teachers present them.
  • Printed letter squares – Clearly printed letters in squares that can be used in a variety of different ways. Tracing the letters, coloring them, cutting and pasting them onto the bug jar, using them as flash cards, playing memory match, matching upper and lowercase, or cursive to print letters. 
  • Blank squares – Use these pages with different sized blocks to practice writing letters. Your learner can practice one letter, just a handful, or the entire alphabet in these squares. Make the squares bigger and have learners paste their letters into the squares.  Uniformed sized squares help with learning letter sizing.
  • Large printed letters – Pages of upper and lowercase letters printed in individual designs.  Use these for decorating your classroom, as visuals, flash cards, large arm movement tracing, coloring sheets, or pasting different items that start with that letter onto the page.

Other suggested ways to use these bug themed printables

  • Worksheets can be printed in different colors, on different colors/types of paper, in different sizes
  • Have learners use different writing tools to practice writing
  • Laminate these sheets to make them cost effective and reusable.  Plastic sleeves can also be used with wipe-off markers.
  • Make this part of a larger lesson plan including gross motor, sensory, social, executive function, or other fine motor skills
  • Cut the shapes and make a matching game instead of using a writing tool to draw lines
  • Enlarging the font may be necessary for beginning handwriting students who need bigger space to write.
  • Project this page onto a smart board for students to come to the board and write in big letters.
  • More or less prompting may be needed to grade the activity to make it easier or harder.
  • Drippy wet glue is messy, and not as convenient as glue stick, however it is superior for different reasons.  The added benefit is the sensory input from touching the wet glue, as well as fine motor strengthening from squeezing the bottle
  • Learners can explore other games they could make using this activity 
  • Velcro the back of the bug letter cards, after laminating and cutting it, to create a matching game
  • Have students write on a slant board, lie prone on the floor with the page in front to build shoulder stability, or supine under a table with the page taped under the table above them