Color Code Writing

An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan

Date: May 1994

Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3

Subject(s):

• Language Arts/Handwriting

Overview: Having taught kindergarten and Chapter I classes, I came up with an easier and quicker way for students to form letters and numbers. This technique can be called color code writing. It is intended for all students having difficulty forming letters (manuscript or cursive) or numbers. This technique is taught using four basic colors (green, blue, yellow, red) to show the desired letter or number product. All four colors are used for each letter and number beginning with the color green and ending with the color red. The students see the given letter/number and within the given product, the process.

Purpose: This lesson not only utilizes a different approach to writing formation, but also a quick, colorful and easy formula for mastery. The purpose is to lower the frustration point for those students having a difficult time in forming letters or numbers.

Objectives: The learner will be able to correctly form a given letter or number using the color code method.

Materials:

• unlined paper
• four markers (green, blue, yellow, red)
• 4 pre-cut colors to represent their ordinal position
• teacher-made samples of letters and numbers [Sample photos: Photo 1; Photo 2; Photo 3]

1. Students will become familiar with the four basic colors as given in correct order, which are: green, blue, yellow, red. I have found that students associate the color green for go, which is why I chose it to be the starting point. Red is associated with stop and that is why I selected it to be the ending point. Becoming familiar with the color order is where we began. Once this is accomplished we proceed to the next step.

2. Students will practice with their magic pencils in the air the desired letter or number as the instructor outlines on the given model naming the color as he/she proceeds with the formation and repeating name of letter/number at the end.

3. Students will practice with his magic pencil and outline the given product on his paper. Repeat as necessary. Instructor monitors and models as necessary.

4. On the same unlined paper that contains a given color coded number/letter, the student proceeds to form the letter or number as the student verbally calls out the color beginning with green and ending with red.

   The size of the letter is not important at this time as much as the proper formation of the product.

Tying It All Together: Writing has been easier to introduce and master because of this technique. The students relate better to color than to the prepositional directions that are usually given. The formation of each letter or number can be seen following the colors in sequence.

These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have attended the Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of teachers from 14 western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the rural, western United States, particularly the quality of math and science Education. CEC uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network that allows the participating teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers that they have met at the Workshops.