Doodle Magic Spelling
In this lesson, students will work with a partner to doodle the initial letters of their first and last names using twigs. Practicing letter recognition is an integral part of the Kindergarten curriculum. The creative and novel aspects of this hands-on project will keep your students engaged while exploring not only letter formation, but also problem-solving and design.
Knowledge
Students have
had practice identifying letters of the alphabet.
had practice writing their names.
had practice spelling their names.
had practice doodling lines and letters.
had practice identifying letters of the alphabet.
had practice writing their names.
had practice spelling their names.
had practice doodling lines and letters.
Objectives
Students will
gain practice in letter formation and recognition using a 3Doodler.
build their letter-recognition fluency.
demonstrate their knowledge of letter names and sounds.
practice sharing their work with a partner.
gain practice in letter formation and recognition using a 3Doodler.
build their letter-recognition fluency.
demonstrate their knowledge of letter names and sounds.
practice sharing their work with a partner.
Materials
Students will need
3Doodler (1 per pair)
twigs (2 thin 10" branches per student)
scissor (1 per pair)
3Doodler (1 per pair)
twigs (2 thin 10" branches per student)
scissor (1 per pair)
Lesson Plan
Instructions
Step 1 - PREPARATION
Take students on a nature walk to select twigs for Doodling their initials.
*Note that branches should be thin enough to break, bend or cut with a scissor.
*This activity is best done in a small center, for additional hands-on guidance with 3Doodler.
*Bringing in older students as helpers is a great way to scaffold this activity.
Step 2
Whole group: Review the letters of the Alphabet using Alphabet cards.
Step 3
Instruct students to identify the initial letters of their first and last names on an alphabet chart.
Step 4
Share the goal: Students will design their initials as Alpha-Doodles using the twigs they collected earlier.
Step 5
Model how to break or cut branches into smaller segments and arrange to form your initials.
*Note the rounded letters like "B" and "C" need to be formed by softening the branches in water first. Bend into shape and allow to dry before doodling.
Step 6
Demonstrate how to doodle your letters by wrapping each segment separately and then welding together. Wrap the joints after welding.
Step 7
Hand out twigs to each pair of students. Circle to assist and assess as they snap, cut and arrange branches into their initials. Do not hand out 3Doodlers until the students have their twig initials set up.
Step 8
After assessing students' work, hand out the 3Doodlers. Remind students to wrap each segment separately before welding them together. Note that rounded parts can be reinforced by doodling a bent line on the back of a wrapped segment.
*See Appendix
Take students on a nature walk to select twigs for Doodling their initials.
*Note that branches should be thin enough to break, bend or cut with a scissor.
*This activity is best done in a small center, for additional hands-on guidance with 3Doodler.
*Bringing in older students as helpers is a great way to scaffold this activity.
Whole group: Review the letters of the Alphabet using Alphabet cards.
Instruct students to identify the initial letters of their first and last names on an alphabet chart.
Share the goal: Students will design their initials as Alpha-Doodles using the twigs they collected earlier.
Model how to break or cut branches into smaller segments and arrange to form your initials.
*Note the rounded letters like "B" and "C" need to be formed by softening the branches in water first. Bend into shape and allow to dry before doodling.
Demonstrate how to doodle your letters by wrapping each segment separately and then welding together. Wrap the joints after welding.
Hand out twigs to each pair of students. Circle to assist and assess as they snap, cut and arrange branches into their initials. Do not hand out 3Doodlers until the students have their twig initials set up.
After assessing students' work, hand out the 3Doodlers. Remind students to wrap each segment separately before welding them together. Note that rounded parts can be reinforced by doodling a bent line on the back of a wrapped segment.
*See Appendix
Wrap Up
Assessment
Possible Extensions
Resources
Vocabulary
alphabet - set of letters or other characters with which one or more languages are written especially if arranged in a customary order.
antonym - a word opposite in meaning to another.
art - the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
categorizing - place in a particular class or group.
collaboration - to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor.
consonant - a speech sound produced by occluding with or without releasing (p, b; t, d; k, g), diverting (m, n, ng), or obstructing (f, v; s, z, etc.) the flow of air from the lungs (opposed to vowel).
creative thinking - a way of looking at problems or situations from a fresh and imaginative perspective.
design - to prepare the preliminary sketch or the plans (for a work to be executed), especially to plan the form and structure of an object, building, bridge, etc...
drawing - the art or technique of representing an object or outlining a figure, plan, or sketch by means of lines.
language arts - the subjects (such as reading, spelling, literature, and composition) that aim at developing the student's comprehension and capacity for use of written and oral language.
literacy - the quality or state of being literate.
problem-solving - the process or act of finding a solution to a problem.
reading - the form or version of a given passage in a particular text.
sight words - commonly used words that young children are encouraged to memorize as a whole by sight, so that they can automatically recognize these words in print without having to use any strategies to decode.
spelling - the manner in which words are spelled.
synonym - a word having the same or nearly the same meaning as another in the language, as happy, joyful, elated. A dictionary of synonyms and antonyms (or opposites), such as Thesaurus.com, is called a thesaurus.
vocabulary - the stock of words used by or known to a particular people or group of persons.
vowels - a speech sound produced without occluding, diverting, or obstructing the flow of air from the lungs (opposed to consonant).
Educational Standards
Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
Students will design a 3D model of their initials using a 3Doodler and twigs.
Decompose (break down) a larger problem into smaller sub-problems with teacher guidance or independently.
Students will break down the process of recognizing and forming alphabet letters by 3Doodling their initials with twigs.
Use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
Students will use a 3Doodler to doodle their initials.
Create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.
Students will doodle the first and last initials of their names.
Use collaborative technologies to work with others, including peers, experts or community members, to examine issues and problems from multiple viewpoints.
Students will confer with a partner and whole group throughout this activity.
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