Lisa Reagan

Writing Center – Penguin Letter Cards and Sand

Date: 12/5/18 Time: 10:00AM-11:00AM Theme: Winter/Polar Animals
Group size: 2 Location: Writing Center

Ohio Early Learning and Developmental Standards

Domain: Language and Literacy
Strand: Writing
Topic: Writing Process
Benchmark/Standard: With modeling and support, demonstrate letter formation
in “writing.”

Interests and needs of the children: Students will find interest in this activity because
they can practice letters. The teacher can provide the letters of the child’s name to
practice in the sand. The children need practice with letter identification.

Objective: The child will be able to… copy the shape of the letter on the given letter
card by using their finger to write it in the sand. They will be able to identify the lines
and circles made in the letters.

Assessment: The children will be assessed on their ability to A) name the letter they are
using and B) be able to demonstrate the letter formation in the sand.

Materials: Penguin letter cards with upper-case and lower-case letters, white sand, tray
for the sand

Procedures: The children will be dismissed to centers from the carpet area. The
students will choose where they will want to go. Two students will be allowed at the
writing center at a time. The children will be told that they will pick a letter or find the
letters in their own name if they are higher functioning.
1. The children will be dismissed to the centers. Two students will go sit at the
writing center.
2. The teacher will tell these children that they are going to practice their letters.
3. The teacher will provide the tray filled the sand and the penguin letter cards.
4. The children will pick out a letter card, find the letter cards in their own name, or
the teacher will provide the student with letters that are in their name. The teacher
can show the children how to do this by doing an example with a letter card.
 5. The child will place the card in the tray with the sand. They will begin practicing
the letter formation of each letter. Each card has an upper-case and lower-case
letter for them practice.
6. The children will practice this until they get it right. Then, they will move on to
another letter.
7. The child can work on this until they complete their name. For some children, this
activity may be too hard for them if they have never practiced using their fingers
to draw lines and circles.
8. The children will be given a five-minute working before centers are over. This will
give them time to finish working on the letter card they are currently using.
9. Adaptation: I anticipate that this activity may be harder for some children than it is
for others depending on their level of functioning. The children that are higher
functioning can be asked to find the letters that are in their own name. The
children that are lower functioning can work on letters at random or the teacher
can come help them find the letters in their name.

Closure/transition: When the children are done at this center, they can go to another
center that is open. The children will be given a five-minute warning before centers are
over. This will give them time to finish up at the center. The next activity is getting the
children ready to go outside if the weather permits.