Penmanship Pals: Print Handwriting & Fine Motor Skills Practice for Ages 8-12

Each time we meet, we will work on a project. This will include making lists; creating correspondence; and copying poetry, song lyrics, quotes, and other materials -- in their entirety or portions thereof -- in cursive handwriting. Learners will also have an opportunity to suggest material to be copied or listed. Most of the projects will be completed in cursive handwriting; but for fun and variety, we will sometimes exercise fine motor skills by writing in print, a different font, a language other than English, or codes and symbols.

Projects for each class are listed below but may also be customized based on the interest and suggestion of the learners in attendance that day.

Week of Jan. 23
A: Correspond with a friend or family member using a fun font.
B: Copy the poem “Eletelephony” by Laura Elizabeth Richards.

Week of Jan. 30
A: Make a list of gemstones (amethyst; sapphire; jade; amber; and so on).
B: Make a list of the world’s longest bridges (Bang Na Expressway; Lake Pontchartrain Causeway; Jintang Bridge; and so on).

Week of Feb. 6
A: Copy quotes of award-winning Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki.
B: Copy quotes by Florence Nightingale (“I attribute my success …” “How very little …”).

Week of Feb. 13
A: Copy the lyrics of the folk song, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Paul Simon.
B: Make a list of herbs (basil; turmeric; thyme; dill; rosemary; and so on).

Week of Feb. 20
A: Make a list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.
B: Make a list of deserts of the world (Sonoran; Namib; Gobi; Sahara; and so on).

Week of Feb. 27
A: Copy quotes by Babe Ruth (“Never let the fear …” “Every strike brings …” “I have just one superstition ….”). 
B: Make a list of rose species (Damask; Mr. Lincoln; Cabbage; China; and so on).

Week of March 6
A: Copy handwritten correspondence from History Nebraska Prairie Settlement collection (1862-1912) and/or write your own correspondence. Teacher will announce in Feb. the specific manuscript that will be used for this lesson.

B: Copy quotes by Julia Child (“Find something you’re passionate about …” “This is my invariable advice…”).

SPRING BREAK:  No Penmanship Pals classes from Mon., March 13 to Sun., March 19

Week of March 20
A: Copy the poems, “I, Too” and “Harlem,” by American poet and activist Langston Hughes.
B: Make a list of car-free cities and islands of the world (Ghent, Belgium; Lamu, Kenya; Mackinac Island, Michigan; and so on).

Week of March 27
A: Copy quotes from Anne Frank (“In spite of everything …” “Think of all the beauty …”).
B: Make a list of horse breeds (Thoroughbred; Appaloosa; Tennessee Walking Horse; and so on).