Create a reusable whiteboard to practice handwriting and spelling.
Tic-Tac-Toe was one of the first games I learned to use as a tool, to help teach my preschool students. Simple x’s & o’s, and the spatial awareness of drawing the lines. The kids think of it as a game and are more willing to pick up a pencil or crayon if it feels fun.
White Board with Tape Lines.
Using electrical tape has created something reusable. I was surprised at how much the kids loved erasing the words, and the lines stayed. It was like magic to them. They wipe the letters off and rush to play again. Hooray!
Adding the lines has given new life to this old scratched-up whiteboard.
Cutting the Tape
The original thickness of the electrical tape is wide. Making the lines thinner, by cutting with scissors was too hard. Using an Xacto made it easier to cut.
Carefully cut away from yourself.
Cutting a straight line without a guide was too hard. Don’t try it! I found a plastic milk cap that was a nice thickness. With the electrical tape flat on the table, I could keep the Xacto knife flat on the cap. Rotate the tape slowly and cut the tape with a little bit of pressure to cut the tape. Be sure to cut away from your body.
Pure Joy Teaching
Try CVC words.
CVC words are great for this game. After we play the Uno CVC game, I will choose some words they need to practice writing.
Using the tic-tac-toe game is great for practicing sight words. Try capital letters and lowercase letters. Especially in words like the letter /i/ (It, If, Is, In) Those are good words to work on. Remind the students to sound out the word as they write it.
Sometimes we practice just the letters b, and d. This helps with letter reversals.
Have Pure Joy Teaching
