Johnny Can Spell Introduction

Lessons 1 and 2

Stack Your Blocks

Your head is your top block -

You should never let your chin touch your chest.

Stack yourself just like you would stack building blocks; straight and strong!

So, when you hear me say “stack your blocks” what do I mean?

Sit up straight! Face your desk. Place feet flat on the floor. Get ready to write!

Fold Your Hands

When your hands are busy, so is your brain. That might make you a little unfocused. So, be sure to

fold your hands together, and place on your desk or lap when I

give you the cue.

Pencils Down

Pop Quiz: When the teacher says put your pencils down, what does she

mean?

That’s Right! Put your pencil down on

your desk! Woo Hoo!

The Writer Hand

Place your pencil in your hand.

Raise you pencil high into the air.

This is your writer hand!!

Are you a right or left-handed writer? Turn to your table partners and share with each other which hand is your writer hand.

The Holder Hand

The holder hand is the hand that does NOT hold your pencil.

It is the OTHER hand.

This hand’s purpose it to hold the paper while you write, and if need be, move the paper around as you need to adjust it for your writing.

Paper Position

If your writer hand is your right hand, place you writing paper at a left angle like this:

If your writer hand is your left hand, place your writing paper at a right angle like this:

Thinking Pencils

The pencils that you will be using WILL have erasers…but you WILL NOT be able to use them during Johnny Can Spell time.

Why???? Because we need to think before we write! If you have an eraser, you have an excuse not to have to think very hard BEFORE you put an answer down.

The Red Pencil

The red pencil is used to correct your mistakes as you self-grade each lesson.

EVERYBODY makes mistakes from time to time…think of the red pencil markings as a STOP sign for learning. We know that when we see a red mark, we need to go back and look at that answer again.

NOTE: We DO NOT mark through or put and X on the missed answer; instead, we write ABOVE the answer so that we can see what we did wrong and what we need to work on.

Red pencil is for self-correcting only…no drawing or using for anything unless teacher directs you to do so.

DO NOT EVER WRITE IN MARGINS

UNLESS YOUR TEACHER TELLS YOU TO DO SO!!!

2

4

10

8

Clock Face

Okay, but what does a clock have to do with spelling?

It helps us learn to write our letters the correct

way!!

All curved letters start at 2, then we go to 10,

then to 8, and lastly 4. It’s our base.

Let me show you an example using the sound a.

Let’s Practice!!

First 4 from lesson 1

Dictation…say what?

What is dictation? Hmm….

Dictation means that the teacher will read the sound to you and you will write what it sounds like on your paper. SIMPLE, huh?

Teacher says phonogram (sound)

Student repeats aloud

Student writes phonogram on paper

Name: Date:

D

For Dictation

Heading for Dictation

Name: Date:

D

Example Dictation

acdf Do NOT skip any spaces!

Name: Date:

D

Example of an Unknown Phonogram in Dictation

ac_f Put an underline in it’s place

Eraser to Shoulder

In between writing each phonogram, rest your pencils eraser to your shoulder. Why? So that you remember to take the time to think BEFORE you write.

Let’s Practice!!

first 4 from lesson 1

Self- Check 1. Put your thinking pencil away.

2. Take out red pencil. 3. Slide your writing hand

pointer finger over the phonogram.

4. As a group, tell the teacher what the first phonogram was. (look at the board, as the teacher writes it)

5. If you got it incorrect, write the correct phonogram ABOVE the incorrect one.

6. If an underline was made, write the answer with red on the underline.

7. Repeat.8. When completed, put #

correct (in black) in the top corner with a plus (+) sign

Let’s Learn Some More Phonograms!!

next 4 from lesson 2