February Twilight I stood beside a hill Smooth with new-laid snow, A single star looked out From the cold evening glow. There was no other creature That saw what I could see— I stood and watched the evening star As long as it watched me. Sara Teasdale 40 Cursive Letters 41 Writing Lowercase Cursive Letters Let’s begin with lowercase letters. As you learn to write in cursive, you’ll learn to read it, too. You will learn to write each letter. Then you’ll join letters and write words. Undercurve Letters You will learn to write these lowercase letters. Each letter begins with an undercurve stroke. i t u w e MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP EFGqHGHGHGHGHGQ HGHGHGHGHGHGHGH l b h f k r s j p MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Trace and write undercurve strokes. q q q q q q q q mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop q q mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop Q q Q q Q q Q q q Q q Q Q mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop q q MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Stop and Check 42 Circle your best short undercurve stroke. Circle your best tall undercurve stroke. Downcurve Letters You will learn to write these lowercase letters. Each letter begins with a downcurve stroke. a d g o c q MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP EFGwHGHGHGHGH Trace and write downcurve strokes. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop w w w w w w w w mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop w w MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Overcurve Letters You will learn to write these lowercase letters. Each letter begins with an overcurve stroke. MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP n m y x v z EFGeHGHGHGHGH Trace and write overcurve strokes. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop ee ee ee ee ee ee ee e mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop e e MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP 43 Undercurve Letters On the next pages, you will write lowercase letters that begin with an undercurve stroke. Undercurves swing up. EFGqHGHGHGHGHGQ HGHGHGHGHGHGHGH Each of these letters begins with an undercurve stroke. t mnopopop u mnopopop w mnopopop e mnopopop l mnopopop b mnopopop i mnopopop f MNOPOPOP k MNOPOPOP r MNOPOPOP s MNOPOPOP j MNOPOPOP p MNOPOPOP h MNOPOPOP Trace and write undercurve strokes. q q q q q mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop QQQ QQ mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop QQ q q MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Keys to Legibility Make your undercu undercurve letters easy to read. Pay a attention e o to o thee four ou Keys. e Shap Undercurves U ndercurve swing up. q Q MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP ing Spac Swing wide to join a letter that ends with an undercurve to a letter that begins with an undercurve. That way your letters will have good spacing. 44 e ‫ה‬e e MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Size Undercurve Undercurves may be short or tall. MNOPOPOPOPOP i p MNOPOPOPOP lh short letters tall letters t Slan Position you your paper as shown on pages 30 30–31. That way your undercurve letters will have good slant. iμ EFGi HGHi GHGHGHGHGHGHGH i has an The letter undercurve beginning and ending. insect t Trace and write. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop i i i i i i i i i i i i i mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop i i MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Join i and i. The ending stroke of the first letter begins the second letter. i i i i i i mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP e Shap Stroke description to guide letter formation at home: 1. Undercurve. 2. Slant; undercurve. Lift. 3. Dot. EFGi iHGHGHGHGH Circle your best letter that has an undercurve beginning. 45 tμ EFGt HGHGt HGHGHGHGHGHGH t The letter begins with a tall undercurve stroke. test tubes t s Trace and write. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop t t t t t t t t t t t t t mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop t t MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Join t and other letters. Notice the undercurve-to-undercurve joinings. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop t t t t t t mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop t t t i i i MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Stroke description to guide letter formation at home: 1. Undercurve. 2. Slant; undercurve. Lift. 3. Slide right. EFGt tHGHGHGHGH 46 Stop and Check Circle your best t. u HGu uμ EFG HGHGHGHGHGHGHGH u has The letter three undercurve strokes. umbrellas аs Trace and write. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop u u u u u u u u u u u u u mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop u u MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Join u and other letters. Notice the undercurve-to-undercurve joinings. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop t i !t u u mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop #$u #$u #$u MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Size Stroke description to guide letter formation at home: 1. Undercurve. 2. Slant; undercurve. 3. Slant; undercurve. EFG HGHGHGHGH u u Circle your best short letter. 47 w w Hw w EFG GHGHGHGHGHGHGHGH The letter has an undercurve beginning and a checkstroke ( ) ending. water wheel %&'(r *‫ה‬l Trace and write. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop w w w w w w w w w w w w w mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop w w MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Join w and other letters. The checkstroke joins two letters. ,u ,i ,t w w mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Write the word. ,!t ,!t ,!t ,!t mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Stroke description to guide letter formation at home: 1. Undercurve. 2. Slant; undercurve. 3. Slant; undercurve. 4. Checkstroke. EFG HGHGHGHGH w w 48 Stop and Check Circle your best w. e EFGe HGHGHe GHGHGHGHGHGH e The letter begins and ends with an undercurve stroke. elephant ears ./01234t 567s Trace and write. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop e e MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Join e and other letters. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop 8w 8u 8i 8t e 9e MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Write the words. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop :e ;e <0t ;0t MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP ing Spac Stroke description to guide letter formation at home: 1. Undercurve; loop back; slant; undercurve. EFGe eHGHGHGHGH Circle your best joining. 49 Write the joinings and words. Undercurve-to-Undercurve Joining The undercurve ending swings wide to begin the following letter. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop =i >!t ?@t Ae MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Checkstroke-to-Undercurve Joining The checkstroke ending dips deep to begin the following letter. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop ;e ,i BCs DEFe MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Overcurve-to-Undercurve Joining The overcurve ending crosses at the baseline and turns into a wide undercurve. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop Gi Gu H0t GCt MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Stop and Check Circle three words you wrote that have good joinings. 59 i t u w e h f k r s Write these rhyming words. l b j p mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop I0p ‫פ‬0p H0p 0p mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop H0t ‫פ‬0t 0t ;0t mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop =Ll BLl ﬁLl ,Ll mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop ANFe DEFe O0w P/0w MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP 60 Homophones Homophones are words that sound alike but are spelled differently. They have different meanings, too. see sea Write these homophone pairs. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop ﬁQr ﬁRr mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop ‫(פ‬r π:(r mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop ʦs ts ’ mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop ‫ה‬0Rr ‫(ה‬e mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop DEFe D/0w MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP e e opopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop opopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop P/0w PEu opopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop opopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop *‫ה‬l ;e’U opopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop opopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop W<0t W#!'e opopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop opopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop O0w X‫ה‬0w! opopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop OPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Stop and Check Circle your best letter. 61 Butterf ly Wings How would it be on a day in June to open your eyes in a dark cocoon, And soften one end and crawl outside, and find you had wings to open wide, And find you could fly to a bush or tree or float on the air like a boat at sea . . . How would it be? Aileen Fisher 150 Using What You Have Learned 151 Writing Easily As you write stories and essays for school papers and tests, it is important that your handwriting flows easily. When you automatically know how to write legibly, you don’t have to worry about your handwriting. You are free to think about what you want your writing to say. With practice, you will learn how to make your writing easy, quick, and legible. Read the writing prompt below. Respond to it by writing on the lines. Let your handwriting flow easily as you think and write. Narrative Writing Think about a time when you were surprised by someone or something. Write a story about what happened when you were surprised. Include details to make your writing interesting. mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP 156 mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop mnopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop MNOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP Now read your writing. Circle Yes or No to respond to each statement. Then show your writing to another reader, either a classmate or your teacher. Ask that person to circle Yes or No beside each statement. My Evaluation My Classmate’s or Teacher’s Evaluation The writing is easy to read. Yes No Yes No The writing has good Shap e . Yes No Yes No The writing has good Size . Yes No Yes No The writing has good Spac . Yes No Yes No The writing has good Slan t Yes No Yes No ing . 157 Handwriting and the Writing Process Write a Paragraph A paragraph is a group of sentences about one subject. Write a paragraph about your school. 1. Prewriting Prewriting means gathering ideas and planning before you write. List your ideas on a piece of paper. Then plan your paragraph, telling the subject and in what order you will write your ideas. 2. Drafting Drafting means putting your thoughts into written sentences for the first time. Use the ideas you listed in Prewriting to draft your paragraph. Write your first draft. 3. Revising Revising means changing your writing to make it say exactly what you mean. Read your draft. Mark any changes you want to make. Does your writing include all the information readers want to know? Yes No Are all words spelled correctly? Yes No Have you used uppercase letters and punctuation correctly? Yes No Do your letters have good shape and size? Yes No Does your writing have good spacing? Yes No Does your writing have good slant? Yes No Is your writing easy to read? Yes No 4. Editing Editing means checking your revised writing for errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and handwriting. 158 5. Publishing Publishing means using your best handwriting to make a good copy of your writing. Share your writing with others.