Lines in Shapes – Up and Down, Right and Left: Filling Shapes and “Metal Insets” or Stencils
Area: ELA: Fine Motor
Skill: Practicing the lines and strokes used in handwriting. Can be done with pre-drawn shapes or stencils. Supports focus, tracking, fine motor, grip strength.
Recommended Frequency: Available all year with different shapes, colors, etc. and accessible at literacy/fine motor centers.
Materials Needed:
- HWT book
- Colored pencils
- Pencil holder
- Samples of different kind of lines.
- Square paper for stencils (I like 51/2 x 51/2), Various colors – the key is to have the paper be about the size of the stencil.
- Stencils
Description/Directions:
- Copy some pages from your HWT book to use in your presentation. Or use other stencils or shapes.
Wide Lines, Top to Bottom OR Left to Right (see pictures below for L-R)
Adding lines between using a different color or the same color.
Later teach a variety of different lines – Left to Right, Serpentine, Zig-Zag, Dashes, etc.
Extensions:
- Use stencils.
- Trace pattern blocks or other manipulatives and “line-in”.
- Copy HWT pages, cut up, staple into tiny booklets to encourage repetition.
How to Measure Effectiveness: Can the child do this task independently. Can they transfer starting at the top or left to right when they begin writing or practicing letters? Has their fine motor ability improved?
Who to Ask for Clarification: Valerie Giltinan; Early Childhood Instructional Coach or Lisa Kuh, Director of Early Education
Original source, if applicable:
Video of Metal Insets to do with stencils.
Check out the SEE Somerville Early Education Pinterest Page – I posted some examples there.