Pilot Handwriting: Turn Handwriting into a Font

What it is: This is a fun site. Pilot Handwriting let’s students turn their handwriting into a font of their own.  The site is easy to use: print the template for students to fill out, take a picture of the completed template with a webcam (scanner and digital camera options also available), click on individual letters to adjust the look, save the handwriting by creating an account, click “let’s write” to use the font.  Writing completed on the Pilot Handwriting site can be emailed.  Saving the handwriting does require students to create an account. The account has no age limit but asks for an email address.  If you are teaching students who don’t have an email address, they can use a @tempinbox.com or @mailinator.com ending so they don’t have to create an email account.

How to integrate Pilot Handwriting into the classroom: I’ll be honest, I am not a big fan of handwriting worksheets- this is due to my own experience with them. I remember feeling like the practice page was endless and in the end didn’t give me a good feel for handwriting (especially in cursive) because I was writing letters individually; how often do you do that in real life?  The Pilot Handwriting font creator would be a fun way for students to end those handwriting practice sessions.  When they have a letter down, they can write it on the template.  The template could be filled out over several weeks as they learn and practice new letters.  At the end, they can turn all that practice into their very own computer font…as unique as their fingerprint!  The finished font can be used for learning how to write a friendly letter.  Students can compose a letter to a teacher, another student, or a parent using their font and send the finished letter via email.

Pilot Handwriting let’s students create multiple fonts within one account.  Students could create a font at the beginning of the school year and again at the end of the school year (or in subsequent years) to compare their growth.  Handwriting can tell us so much about how students are developing and thinking. This is a great way to record that development digitally.

My students love creating their own font, it makes all writing and practice more fun.  I caught a fifth grader typing out her spelling and vocabulary words just so that she could use her font.  In that one exercise she was practicing her handwriting, typing, and spelling/vocabulary.  Not too shabby 🙂

Tips: This is a neat site for students to share with their families. I have great handwritten notes from my grandmothers, recipes from my mom, and birthday cards from aunts and uncles.  There is something about a handwritten note that feels so personal and meaningful, it is capturing a piece of who that person is.  Students may want to ask their family members to create a font with their handwriting.  I had one student who was creating a family tree for class, he had each member of his family fill out the template and create a font.  He then asked them to send an email to him with the information needed for his tree using the font.  He cut and paste these onto poster board. It was honestly the coolest family tree I have seen, he had his family get involved and created a keepsake in the process.

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Pilot Handwriting in your classroom!

Progressive Phonics

What it is: Progressive Phonics is a fantastic, free all-in-one reading program that I learned about from @rmbyrne on his blog Free Tech for Teachers (honestly, some days I wonder why I bother with a resource sharing blog…he is amazing!)  This site is totally FREE, as in every single download is available for $0, all that is required is registration.  Progressive Phonics provides books that can be read on-screen or printed out.  Books include alphabet books, beginner phonics, intermediate phonics, advanced phonics, and handwriting.  In addition to phonics rules, Progressive Phonics teaches essential sight-words (phonics rule-breakers).  Each book includes a PDF version of the book, and accompanying activity sheets such as handwriting worksheets, a word search puzzle, flash cards, and a five-minute memory game.  If you have access to iPads or iPod’s for your classroom, these FREE phonics books can be downloaded and put into the iBook bookshelf for reading.

How to integrate Progressive Phonics into your curriculum: Phonics is one of those things that a reading program either excels at, or falls flat with.  Using the Treasures reading curriculum, I was always disappointed by the lack of real phonics work and often supplemented with sites like Starfall.  Progressive Phonics is another resource that would make a fantastic supplement.  If you use a standard reading curriculum, take a look at the Progressive Phonics books and align them with your current curriculum.  For example if your current curriculum has students practicing short vowel “a”, find the corresponding phonics rule in Progressive Phonics.  Because these books are free to download, they are excellent for printing out and sending home with students for extra reading practice.  The accompanying printable games, flashcards, and puzzles will keep your students practicing that skill in and out of the classroom.  Books can be printed out and assembled as a traditional book, read on the classroom or lab computers, or transferred onto a mobile device such as the iPad or iPod Touch.  This collection of phonics resources is a must see!

Tips: One thing I really appreciate about this site is that each book comes with a page count and an approximate time to print.  I remember spending hours printing Starfall books on an old school printer, wondering if I would ever finish.  The approximate printing time lets you know what you are in for before you hit print.  Each book is offered in two formats, one is a print friendly version that has been designed to use as little ink as possible.  So smart!

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Progressive Phonics in your classroom!

Tools for Educators

 

What it is:   Tools for Educators is an awesome site, so awesome that I am surprised I haven’t run across it sooner!  Tools for educators offers templates for teachers to create their own board games, word searches, dice, cross word maker, bingo cards, domino maker, spelling and reading worksheets, handwriting worksheets, certificate maker, vocabulary handouts, listening test worksheets, and word bank worksheet.  All templates are extremely customizable, fast and easy to use.  And did I mention it is all free?!

 

How to integrate Tools for Educators into the classroom:  Tools for Educators is obviously a great site to use to customize worksheets, games, etc. based on your classroom curriculum.  Even though the site is geared toward educator use, I have had students use it last week to create their own custom board games, dice, and dominoes.  The students loved creating games, rules, and question cards for their games (they made these with a Pages template I created).  We have a parent day where families can come and play the games the students have created.  So much fun!  Definitely check out this site, I know you will be inspired to create something wonderful!

 

Tips:   There are a lot of Google ads along the right side of the screen.  When using with students, use the opportunity to teach them about web advertisements.

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using Tools for Educators in your classroom.

Writing Repeater with Loopy

What it is: Writing Repeater with Loopy is a virtual piece of paper that lets you write letters or words and plays them back with looping.

How to integrate Writing Repeater with Loopy into the classroom: The Writing Repeater is ideally used with an interactive whiteboard. Teachers or students can demonstrate handwriting and the Writing Repeater will play back the correct letter formation in a loop. This is perfect for teaching handwriting, you can show the technique with your infared pen and the Writing Repeater plays the formation of the letters over and over while students practice on their own. It is also ideal for students who are struggling with handwriting, they can use the Writing Repeater and you can replay their formation to see where the disconnect is.

Tips: The online site will save your handwriting sample (even if you close your web browser) until you create a new sample.

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Writing Repeater in your classroom.

Childtopia Learn to Draw the Letters/ Numbers

What it is: Childtopia is like 10 websites in one…they have so many cool things going on that I am going to break it down into sections so stay tuned… The Childtopia Learn to Draw the Letters shows students the correct way to “draw” the letters of the alphabet. Students can learn how to print, write capital letters, and cursive. Childtopia Learn to Draw the Numbers teaches students how to correctly “draw” each number. This is a great option for your visual learners!

How to integrate Childtopia Learn to Draw the Letters/ Numbers into the classroom: For students who struggle with handwriting, Childtopia Learn to Draw the Letters/Numbers is a great site to use. Students watch as the Childtopia bird draws each letter or number. The site is perfect for using with your visual learners! Set up a handwriting center where students can practice forming letters with Childtopia. Provide a fun writing surface such as a small whiteboard or chalkboard where students can follow along.

Tips: This is one that you will want to bookmark for easy access!

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Childtopia Learn to Draw the Letters/Numbers in your classroom.