Pat Copp has been a primary teacher for 26 years. Pat often works with
students who are English language learners or students at high risk
who have no educational experiences before entering 1st grade.
My first grade students would profit from a tactical project, so we drew
appropriate pictures. Some students looked through phonics cards,
picture dictionaries, and library books. Some children made their
pictures from their own imagination. They used wikki-stix to form
their letters.
Instructional
Objectives
Students will:
Sift through useful materials
Form the letters of the alphabet using a multi-sensory
approach to increase retention
Practice and improve fine motor skills
Technology Integration
The children used a digital camera to take pictures of their finished
pages. When the children saw e-book presentations on the computer
they were motivated to create their own class e-book
Assessment
I was able to observe children as they used reference materials, concentrated
on correctly forming the letters (alphabet familiarity and fine motor
skills). After making the e-book, the children were more enthusiastic
about alphabet activities; they showed increased retention using
1:1 evaluations.
Tips for Teachers
Start early in the year and make e-books when it is feasible. Make sure
you can work with a group because 1:1 takes too long. As always,
try the activity yourself first to make sure you know the technology.
Student Work Samples
Click on each thumbnail to see a full-screen version.
Come across an outdated link?
Please visit The Wayback Machine to find what you are looking for.