Five Pre-Writing Strokes Quick Reference Card Introduce and teach one stroke at a time, allowing sufficient teacher-led instruction and guided practice to occur before expecting children to draw the stroke. Model how to draw the stroke while repeating the chant as children listen and look. Repeat several times having children form the stroke in the air with their hands and arms. Encourage children to always repeat the chant as they draw each stroke to reinforce using the correct movement for alignment and orientation. Have children practice making the stroke in the air, Draw and print using 5 Pre-Writing Strokes in finger paint, or in shaving cream. Then have children practice making strokes using markersthat may be used to draw all geometric shapes and dry erase boards before drawing with crayons or pencils. andDraw print and all print alphabet using 5letters Pre-Writing and numerals. Strokes Stroke One: Up and around thatDraw may and be print used using to draw 5 Pre-Writing all geometric Strokes shapes The first pre-writing stroke, “Up and around,” teaches children how to draw round shapes using an orientation from left to right in a counterclockwise movement. The thatand may print Strokebe used allOne, alphabet Up to and draw around. lettersall geometric andStroke numerals. One shapes is used to form a round stroke is used to create geometric shapes that include circles or ovals and to print shape. Begin at the 2 o’clock position alphabet letters: o, a, c, d, g, s, f, e, q, C, G, O, Q, and S. and print all alphabet letters andon numerals. a clock, moving your hand to the left and slightly upwards and around Drawing the Stroke: Stroke One is used to form a round shape. Begin at the Stroke One, Up and around. inStroke a counterclockwise One is used to formdirection a round to 2 o’clock position on a clock, moving your hand to the left and slightly upwards formshape. a circle.Begin atRepeat the 2 chant, o’clock position Stroke One, Up and around. Strokeon aOne clock, is used moving to form your a hand round to the and around in a counterclockwise direction to form a circle. Repeat chant: Up and Up and around. shape.left andBegin slightly at the upwards 2 o’clock and position around around. on ain clock, a counterclockwise moving your hand direction to the to Stroke Two, Touch, pull down. left formStrokeand slightlya Twocircle. is upwards usedRepeat to chant,formand arounda vertical Stroke Two: Touch, pull down in aUpline. counterclockwise and Begin around at the. top direction and pull to straight formdown. a circle. Repeat Repeat chant: chant, The second pre-writing stroke, “Touch, pull down,” teaches children how to form Up Touch,and around pull down. . a vertical straight line. The stroke is used to create geometric shapes that include Stroke Two, Touch, pull down. Stroke Two is used to form a vertical squares and rectangles and to print alphabet letters: l, i, r, t, m, n, h, p, j, u, b, k, B, line. Begin at the top and pull straight Stroke Two, Touch, pull down. Stroke Two is used to form a vertical D, E, F, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, P, R, T, and U. down. Repeat chant: line.Touch, Begin pull at the down top. and pull straight Drawing the Stroke: Stroke Two is used to form a vertical line. Begin at the top down. Repeat chant: Stroke Three, Touch, push over. Stroke Three is used to form a straight and pull straight down. Repeat chant: Touch, pull down. Touch, pull down. horizontal line. Begin on the left and draw from left to right. Repeat chant: Stroke Three: Touch, push over Touch, push over. Stroke Three, Touch, push over. Stroke Three is used to form a straight The third pre-writing stroke, “Touch, push over,” teaches children how to form horizontal line. Begin on the left and a horizontal straight line. The stroke is used to create geometric shapes that Stroke Three, Touch, push over. Strokedraw Three from is left used to toright. form Repeat a straight chant: include squares and rectangles and to print alphabet letters: e, f, t, z, A, E, F, H, I, horizontalTouch, pushline. Beginover. on the left and L, T, and Z. draw from left to right. Repeat chant: Stroke Four, Slant right. Touch,Stroke push Four over is. used to form a diagonal Drawing the Stroke: Stroke Three is used to form a straight horizontal line. Begin line extending to the right. Begin at the on the left and draw from left to right. Repeat chant: Touch, push over. top and draw a line moving slightly to the right, forming a slanted line. Repeat Stroke Four, Slant right. chant:Stroke SlantFour isright used. to form a diagonal line extending to the right. Begin at the Stroke Four, Slant right. Stroketop Fourand drawis used a toline form moving a diagonal slightly to linethe extending right, forming to the right.a slanted Begin line. at theRepeat top chant:and draw Slant a rightline moving. slightly to Stroke Five, Slant left. the Strokeright, formingFive is used a slanted to form line. a diagonal Repeat chant:line Slant extending right. to the left. Begin at the top and draw a line moving slightly to the left, forming a slanted line. Repeat Stroke Five, Slant left. chant:Stroke SlantFive is left used. to form a diagonal line extending to the left. Begin at the Stroke Five, Slant left. Stroketop Fiveand isdraw used a toline form moving a diagonal slightly to linethe extending left, forming to the a left. slanted Begin line. at theRepeat top chant:and draw Slant a leftline. moving slightly to 2014 Cambium. All Rights Reserved. Step-by-step instructions are in the Teacher’s Guide. © the left, forming a slanted line. Repeat chant: Slant left. Step-by-step instructions are in the Teacher’s Guide. Step-by-step instructions are in the Teacher’s Guide.

Draw and print using 5 Pre-Writing Strokes thatDraw may andbe used print to using draw 5 allPre-Writing geometric Strokes shapes thatand may print be all used alphabet to draw letters all geometric and numerals. shapes and print all alphabet letters and numerals.

Stroke One, Up and around. Stroke One is used to form a round shape. Begin at the 2 o’clock position Stroke One is used to form a round Stroke One, Up and around. on a clock, moving your hand to the shape. Begin at the 2 o’clock position left and slightly upwards and around on a clock, moving your hand to the in a counterclockwise direction to left and slightly upwards and around form a circle. Repeat chant, in a counterclockwise direction to Up and around. form a circle. Repeat chant, Up and around. Stroke Two, Touch, pull down. Stroke Two is used to form a vertical line. Begin at the top and pull straight Stroke Two is used to form a vertical Stroke Two, Touch, pull down. down. Repeat chant: line. Begin at the top and pull straight Touch, pull down. down. Repeat chant: Touch, pull down.

Stroke Three, Touch, push over. Stroke Three is used to form a straight horizontal line. Begin on the left and Stroke Three, Touch, push over. Stroke Three is used to form a straight draw from left to right. Repeat chant: horizontal line. Begin on the left and Touch, push over. draw from left to right. Repeat chant: Stroke Four: Slant right Touch, push over. The fourth pre-writing stroke, “Slant right,” teaches children how to draw diagonal lines from left to right that are used when drawing some geometric shapes and Stroke Four, Slant right. Stroke Four is used to form a diagonal these alphabet letters: k, v, w, x, y, K, M, N, R, V, W, X, and Y. line extending to the right. Begin at the Stroke Four, Slant right. Stroke Four is used to form a diagonal Drawing the Stroke: Stroke Four is used to form a diagonal line extending to top and draw a line moving slightly to line extending to the right. Begin at the the right, forming a slanted line. Repeat the right. Begin at the top and draw a line moving slightly to the right, forming a top and draw a line moving slightly to chant: Slant right. slanted line. Repeat chant: Slant right. the right, forming a slanted line. Repeat chant: Slant right. Stroke Five: Slant left The fifth pre-writing stroke, “Slant left,” teaches children how to draw diagonal Stroke Five, Slant left. Stroke Five is used to form a diagonal lines from right to left that are used when drawing some geometric shapes and line extending to the left. Begin at the Stroke Five, Slant left. Stroke Five is used to form a diagonal these alphabet letters: k, v, w, x, y, z, K, M, V, W, X, Y, and Z. top and draw a line moving slightly to line extending to the left. Begin at the the left, forming a slanted line. Repeat top and draw a line moving slightly to Drawing the Stroke: Stroke Five is used to form a diagonal line extending to the chant: Slant left. left. Begin at the top and draw a line moving slightly to the left, forming a slanted the left, forming a slanted line. Repeat line. Repeat chant: Slant left. chant: Slant left. Step-by-step instructions are in the Teacher’s Guide. Step-by-step instructions are in the Teacher’s Guide.

2014 Cambium. All Rights Reserved. ©