1. family and parenting
2. children

Aa
Bb
Cc
Dd
Ee
Ff
Gg
Hh
Ii
Jj
Kk
Ll
Mm
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1 - Introduction
4
5
14
16
17
18
22
Get to Know Handwriting Without Tears®
Simply Smart Student Materials
Active Teaching
Activity Design
Letter Lesson Design
Teacher Support
Scope & Sequence of Cursive
25 - Foundation Skills
26
28
29
30
32
33
Stages of Learning
Posture, Paper & Pencil Grip
Stomp Your Feet
Paper Placement & Pencil Grip
The Correct Grip
The Importance of Cursive
35 - Let ters,
Connections, Words, Sentences & More
TEACHING STRATEGIES
36 Lowercase Teaching Order
37 Learn & Check
38 Teaching with Technology
39 Air Writing
40 Laser Letters
41 My Teacher Writes
42 Letter Stories
44 Getting It Together
45 Connection Inspection
46 Pre-Cursive Exercises
47 Cursive Warm-Ups
48 Wet-Dry-Try for Lowercase Letters
49 Other Wet-Dry-Try Activities
LOWERCASE LETTERS –
cadghtpelf
50 Introducing the Magic C Bunny
51 c and cc, C + Connections
52 Voices
53 a, A + Connections
54 d, D + Words with d
2
4th Grade Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction
1_TG4th_FM_00i-024.indd 2
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
66
67
92
g, G
+ Words with g
Wet-Dry-Try with Mystery Letters
Mystery Letter Game with cc
h, H + Words with h
t, T + Words with t
p, P + Words with p
e, E + Words with e
l, L + Words with l
f, F + Words & Sentence with f
Review & Mastery: Cursive to Cursive
Review & Mastery: Print to Cursive
Review & Mastery: Spelling to Cursive
uyij
LOWERCASE LETTERS –
68 u, U + Words with u
69 y, Y + Words with y
70 i, I
+ Words with i
71 j, J
+ Words & Sentence with j
72 Review & Mastery: Cursive to Cursive
73 Review & Mastery:
Print to Cursive/Spelling to Cursive
krs
LOWERCASE LETTERS –
74 k, K
+ Words with k
75 r, R
+ Words with r
76 s, S + Words & Sentence with s
77 Translate Names
78 Review & Mastery: Cursive to Cursive
79 Review & Mastery:
Print to Cursive/Spelling to Cursive
OW
T
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
90
91
owbv
TRUCK LETTERS –
About Tow Truck Connections
Tow Truck Kids
o, O + Words with o
w, W + Words with w
b, B + Words with b
v, V + Words & Sentence with v
Tow Truck Connections
Review & Mastery: Cursive to Cursive
Review & Mastery:
Print to Cursive/Spelling to Cursive
© 2013 Handwriting Without Tears®
11/16/2012 6:28:10 PM
Nn
Oo
Pp
Qq
Rr
Ss
Tt
Uu
Vv
Ww
93 82 609975765968 85
mn
LOWERCASE LETTERS –
92 m, M+ Words with m
93 n, N + Words with n
94 Special Situation – m
95 Special Situation – n
96 Review & Mastery: Cursive to Cursive
97 Review & Mastery:
Print to Cursive/Spelling to Cursive
xqz
LOWERCASE LETTERS –
98 x, X + Words with x
99 q, Q
+ Words with q
100 z, Z
+ Words & Sentence with z
101 Translate Sentences & Capitals
102 Review & Mastery: Cursive to Cursive
103 Review & Mastery:
Print to Cursive/Spelling to Cursive
105 - Writing Activities,
Capital Review, Poems, Paragraphs & More
CAPITALS
106 About Capitals
107 To Connect or Not to Connect?
108 Capitals – A B C D E F
109 Capitals – G H I J K L M
110 Capitals – N O P Q R S T
111 Capitals – U V W X Y Z
WRITING ACTIVITIES
112 Sentences – Alliteration
113 Words – Compound Words
114 Paragraphs – Galileo & Aristotle
116 Words – Synonyms
117 Words – Antonyms
118 Paragraphs – Marching Band
120 Words – Homonyms
121 Poem – Homophones
122 Paragraph – Draft
123 Paragraph – Write
124 Poem – Take Out!
125 Phrases – Similes & Metaphors
126 Sentences – Proverbs
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1
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
142
144
146
147
Xx
Yy
Zz
83 98 69100
Paragraph – Libraries
Words – Tow Truck Connections
Paragraph – Marine Mammals
Sentences – Mnemonics
Words – Acronyms
Words – Dictionary Definitions
Paragraph – Continents
Words – Names
Friendly Letter – Thank You
Words – Greek & Latin
Paragraph – Dimensions
Paragraph – Measuring
Paragraph – Metric System
Sentences – Capitals
Paragraphs – Inventions
Sentences – Quotations
Poem – Graduation
Fluency & Personalization
149 - Resources
150
151
158
160
164
165
166
167
168
170
171
172
Handwriting Record
Fourth Grade Teaching Guidelines
Reading Cursive
Remediation Tips
Making a Magic C Bunny
Mystery Word Game with cc
School-to-Home Connections
Use It, Don’t Lose It
Handwriting Standards for Fourth Grade
Common Core State Standards
References
Index
4th Grade Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Introduction
3
11/16/2012 6:28:11 PM
Connection Inspection
Bring cursive connections to life by turning your students into words. Their bodies will be the letters, and
their arms will be the connections. Play this unique activity in teams of four and allow children to problem
solve together to pass the inspection.
Materials
None
Grouping
Groups of four
Suppor t/ELL
It is easier for children to
connect their arms when
they can see the words
written on the board. Start
by showing the cursive model
on the board until children
understand the activity. Then
you may model words in print.
Activity
1. Choose the words to connect and write them in print on the board.
2. Divide your class into teams. Choose one student to be the “inspector.”
3. Explain to your students that for base line letters they should keep
their left hands down low. For letters that end high (Tow Truck Letters o, w, b, v), put their left arms out. Explain that the next letter
(student) has to start wherever the previous letter (student) ends.
4. Have the teams solve the word problems by making the connections
with their arms.
5. Have the inspector see if children connected their arms correctly.
Check
Observe as children build the words. Are they joining their arms correctly
to make the connections?
More to Learn
After children have learned all of their connections (at the end of the
workbook), give them a mini quiz available at hwtears.com/click
Team 1
11
wag
dog
Team 2
Connections
Video Lesson: View “Connection Inspection” at
hwtears.com/videos

© 2013 Handwriting Without Tears® 3_TG4th_LETTERS_035-104.indd 45
4th Grade Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Letters
45
11/16/2012 6:30:18 PM
h
travel, up like a helicopter + slide down, bump + climb back up, and over + and down, bump, travel away
ObjectiveS: To write H and h with correct formation; to write lowercase h in words.
h is
Lesson Plan
h
Have children turn to p. 12. Look for lowercase h. Read the
words together.
travel
up like a
Copy
slide down
bump
climb back up
and over
and down
bump
travel away
h.
Check
h
h
h
Copy the models.
ha
ah
cha
had
h
ha
ah
cha
had
H
12
is
H
Demonstrate h on the Blackboard with Double Lines,
whiteboard, or flip chart.
Use Air Writing for h (multisensory activity p. 39).
Children finger trace the large lowercase h model
in their workbooks.
h
h
ha
ah
cha
had
2.Demonstrate and copy the let ters.
Check
Do you remember capital
1. Demonstrate and finger trace the let ter.
Demonstrate h again, saying the step-by-step
directions together.
Children watch, then copy h’s.
Help children their letter for correct Start, Steps,
and Bump.
had
H? Trace and copy.
ready
down
down
up
over
end
Cursive Success
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3.Demonstrate and copy the words.
Prepare double lines.
Demonstrate ha, letter by letter. Children copy.
Demonstrate ah, cha, and had.
Children watch, then copy all of the words.
More to Learn
Encourage careful line tracing to avoid
loops (
) and gaps (
). Revisit Cursive
Warm-Ups (p. 47) to practice the “up and
4.Check & Evaluate
Help children their word for correct Size,
Placement, and Connection.
Evaluate children as they copy the words, and help
them as needed.
straight down” strokes.
Suppor t/ELL
Point out that cursive capital
H looks like
printed capital H. Model both letters.
5.Demonstrate, trace, and copy the capital.
Prepare a single line.
Demonstrate H.
Children watch, then trace and copy H’s.
Connections
Language Arts Link: Sometimes people say, “ha” to
describe a funny moment. Have students write about
their own funny moments.
58
4th Grade Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Letters
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© 2013 Handwriting Without Tears®
11/16/2012 6:30:35 PM
Translate Names
Objective: To translate print into cursive using names.
TRANSLATE NAMES
Lesson Plan
Have children turn to p. 31. Children like to write names in
cursive. Here’s an activity with names. The names use the 17
letters that have been taught. They are grouped by whether
or not the capital connects.
Translate these printed names into cursive. Connect the capital to the next letter.
Ashley
Charlie
Julie
E ric
Yates
Luke
Rachel
Kyle
E lla
Ali
Lily
Jake
Kayla
U lysses
Chelsea
Rick
1. Preview names on the page.
Look at these names. Do you know any of these
people? Is your name there? The names on this
page use only the letters we’ve done so far. We
haven’t done o, w, b, v, m, n, x, q , and z so if
your name has one of those letters, it’s not on
this list.
Translate these printed names into cursive. DO NOT connect the capital to the next letter.
Grace
Isaac
Sarah
Tyler
Hailey
Paul
Deliah
Fred
© 2013 Handwriting Without Tears®
2.Translate names with capitals that connect.
31
Cursive Success
CS_TEXT_09.18.12.indd 31
Prepare a single line.
You will translate these printed names into
cursive. For these names, connect the capital to
the next letters. Write Ashley. Connect the A to
the s, because A ends on the base line and on
the right side.
Children copy.
Now, write all the names and stop at Rick.
10/15/2012 5:28:42 PM
More to Learn
Explain to your students that you will
practice more capitals during their activity
pages. Preview the capitals that connect
and do not connect (p. 107). Explain that
3.Translate names with capitals that
don’t connect.
Again, you will translate these printed names
to cursive. For these names, do not connect
the capital to the next letter. Write Grace.
Do not connect  to r because  ends on
the left. Put r close to .
Children copy.
Now, you may finish the page.
you will practice the connection rule with
capitals later.
Suppor t/ELL
If children don’t understand which letters
to connect, make two lists on the board.
Show the capitals that connect and those
that do not.
4.Monitor as children complete the page.
Demonstrate as needed.
Connections
Social Studies Link: A famous Ulysses in history was
the 18th president, Ulysses S. Grant. Learn about his
and other presidents’ lives using informational texts.
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4th Grade Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Letters
77
11/16/2012 6:30:46 PM
down and up + down and up + end with a tow
w
ObjectiveS: To write W and w with correct formation; to write lowercase w in words.
w is
Tow Truck Letters always end with a tow.
w
Have children turn to p. 35. Look for lowercase w. Read the
words together.
tow
down and up
Copy
down and up
1. Demonstrate and finger trace the let ter.
end with a tow
w.
Check
w
w
w
Copy the words.
wash
would
claw
flew
W is W
w
w
wash
would
claw
flew
flew
W? Trace and copy.
down
travel, up
again
end
© 2013 Handwriting Without Tears®
35
Cursive Success
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More to Learn
The words “would” and “wood” sound alike.
Use them correctly in a sentence to reinforce
the meanings.
Suppor t/ELL
Show students how to make the tow straight
on the
w. Make the tow long enough so
that the next letter won’t be too close. If w
is pointy (
Demonstrate w on the Blackboard with Double Lines,
whiteboard, or flip chart.
Use Tow Truck Kids (multisensory activity p. 81).
Children finger trace the large lowercase w model
in their workbooks.
2.Demonstrate and copy the let ters.
Check
Do you remember capital
Lesson Plan
), tell students to travel on the
base line before going up.
Demonstrate w again, saying the step-by-step
directions together.
Children watch, then copy w’s.
Help children their letter for correct Start, Steps,
and Bump.
3.Demonstrate and copy the words.
Prepare double lines.
Demonstrate wash, letter by letter. Children copy.
Demonstrate wold, claw, and flew.
Children watch, then copy all of the words.
4.Check & Evaluate
Help children their word for correct Size,
Placement, and Connection.
Evaluate children as they copy the words, and help
them as needed.
5.Demonstrate, trace, and copy the capital.
Prepare a single line.
Demonstrate W.
Children watch, then trace and copy W’s.
Connections
Science Link: Which animals have claws? Have
students choose an animal, research, write, and
present a report on their findings.
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4th Grade Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Letters
83
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Marine Mammals
Objective: To build fluency and paragraph skills while learning about marine mammals.
PARAGRAPH
Lesson Plan
Seals
polar
bears
marine
groups
Fur
een
bark,
whales
sing,
roar.
They
are
mammals.
They
lie
and
or
care
bluber
in
mammals
the
fr
their
keeps
them
coldest
hae
water.
adapted
to
Have children turn to p. 77. Read the paragraph out loud
together. Encourage discussion about the paragraph and
illustrations to discover the topic: marine mammals.
and
1. Discuss mammals.
social
This paragraph about marine mammals explains that
they are social, that they care for their young, and
that they stay warm even in cold water. What do your
students already know about mammals?
Remind them as needed:
in
young.
warm,
Mammals breathe air.
Mammals have hair, or at least a few hairs.
Mammal babies drink their mother’s milk.
Mammals are warm-blooded animals.
These
marine
© 2013 Handwriting Without Tears®
life.
Cursive Success
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10/15/2012 5:28:58 PM
More to Learn
Mammals and birds are the only warmblooded animals. They keep a constant body
temperature no matter how cold or hot the
environment is.
Suppor t/ELL
Highlight the Tow Truck Connections in
2. Demonstrate the first sentence.
Prepare single lines on the board.
Have children say, “Paragraph, please indent.”
Model the indent and write: Seals bark, whales sing,
and polar bears roar.
Children copy the paragraph.
3.Monitor as children copy the paragraph.
Remind children to bump the lines and start each
new word directly under the first letter of the model.
Demonstrate as needed.
the paragraph and have children trace over
the connections.
Connections
Science Link: What makes an animal a mammal? Use
informational texts to learn about mammals and discuss
similarities and differences.
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4th Grade Cursive Teacher’s Guide: Writing Activities
129
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