Hi everybody, it's Ms. Gardner and welcome to today's handwriting lesson.

In today's lesson, we are going to be practising our cursive handwriting whilst writing common exception words.

So words that appear frequently in our writing, but that do not follow regular spelling or phonics rules.

So a really fun lesson, I hope you enjoy it and let's get started.

Your learning outcome for today's lesson is to correctly write common exception words using cursive handwriting.

Let's start by looking at the keywords, we'll do my turn, your turn.

Common exception word, this is a word that does not follow the regular phonics or spelling rules.

Join, this is how the letters are connected together.

Letter string, a group of letters that are written together in a word.

Letter spacing, the amount of space between individual letters in a word ensuring that they are evenly spread for clear and legible writing.

So writing that other people are able to read.

There are three sections of our lesson today.

In the first we'll be doing a handwriting warm-up.

Then we'll be writing the common exception words, arrive, breath and bicycle.

And then we'll be writing the common exception words calendar and decide.

Let's start with our warm-up.

Before we start our handwriting, what are these pictures reminding you to do? Pause the video now.

Okay.

So the first picture is reminding us to be sat at a table on a chair, so not on the floor or with the paper on your knees.

You want to be on a desk.

To have your feet flat on the floor and your back against the chair.

The second picture is reminding you to angle your paper correctly.

So if you're right-handed, have the papers tilted slightly to the left.

If you're left-handed, have the paper tilted slightly to the right, and then your non-writing hand holds the paper down to stop it from moving around.

And then the third picture is to hold your pen or pencil in the tripod grip.

Before starting to write, it's really important to warm up your hands and wrist muscles, just as you would warm up your leg muscles before a gym class.

Your hands and wrists get stronger when you exercise them.

So the more you exercise, the stronger they get.

Warming up your hands before writing will help to improve your handwriting, and also help you to be able to write for longer.

Let's start with today's warm-up.

Let's warm up our hands using the piano playing technique.

This is one of my favourite warm-ups to do because you get to use your imagination to imagine in your head a really lovely tune.

So you are going to pretend that you've got a piano underneath your hands and you're gonna stretch out your hands and your fingers ready to play your tune.

Then you're gonna start pushing down on the keys and playing a melody in your head.

Maybe you might stretch your fingers, you've gotta reach a note that's a bit further away.

Maybe you're gonna push down on one note for a bit longer.

There's no right or wrong with this.

You are just imagining a nice song and the tune might change, the melody, the speed might change, which means that you need to move your fingers in different ways.

Okay, it's your turn.

Get your fingers ready.

Imagine you've got a keyboard or a piano underneath you.

And then in your head, imagine a song that you are playing on the piano with your fingers.

This is a really good way to not only warm up your fingers but also stretch them, 'cause you might need to stretch to play a different note.

Have you got a fun song that you're imagining in your head? I'm sure you're all doing great.

Well done and I hope your fingers feel really warmed up now for handwriting.

Now we're going to do the clapping position for our warm-up.

So you're going to put your hands together as if you were going to clap.

I'm gonna have a go first and then you'll be up to have a go.

So make sure your fingers are lined up, precisely, touching, and then you're gonna push your hands against each other.

Feels really nice and it kind of warms up your arms, your wrists, and your hands.

Okay, your turn, get your two hands, put them together as if you're about to clap, and then to put some pressure on each hand so they're kind of pushing into each other.

Should feel quite nice.

Okay, well done.

Another great thing to do before you start your handwriting is to practise writing patterns as this helps us to prepare for writing and for joining your letters.

So you can see the writing patterns on the screen now.

All will require similar hand and wrist movements to cursive handwriting.

So I'm going to do this writing pattern in the air with my finger and then you are going to have a go.

This pattern here looks almost like lowercase e's joined together, doesn't it? So I'm gonna start on the baseline at the bottom and then trying to keep a really smooth and flowing movement, I'm gonna loop up and then down, and then loop up and then loop down, up and loop down, up and loop down.

Your turn.

You got your finger ready? Let's do this together.

Starting at the bottom, keeping a smooth flowing movement.

Up, loop down, up, loop down, up, loop down, up, loop down.

Well done.

It's time for task A.

You need to copy and continue these patterns using your tripod grip.

Remember, don't lift your pencil or pen off the page when you're forming the pattern.

Really try to focus on keeping the movement smooth and flowing.

Pause the video now.

Off you go.

Well done everybody.

I hope you enjoyed that.

Did you use your tripod grip? Did you keep your pencil stuck on the page? And was your movement smooth and flowing? If need to, you can have another go at practising these patterns.

Otherwise, really well done.

Okay, it's time for the second part of our lesson where we are writing the common exception words, arrive, breath and bicycle.

Common exception words do not follow the regular spelling or phonics rules.

Let's do my turn, your turn for these examples of common exception words: the, she, have, said, friend.

They appear frequently in written text, which is why they are called common and they require memorization.

We just have to learn how to spell them because there are no rules that we can use that we can follow to help us remember.

It's good to practise these words in cursive handwriting as they will appear a lot in your writing.

And practising the letter joins in these words, will then improve your handwriting skills, allowing for a more smooth flow of cursive handwriting.

So let's think back to the four joins that we've learned.

Can you remember the four joins in cursive handwriting? Here's an example of each join to help you.

Pause a video now and have a think or discuss this with your partner in your class, how you can describe each join.

Off you go.

Okay, so our first join, A to W, is from the baseline to the x-height line.

The second join is from the baseline up towards the ascender line.

The third join is from the x-height line to the x-height line, just dipping down and slightly below.

The fourth join goes from the x-height line up towards the ascender line.

So let's look at these common exception words.

Arrive.

We need to arrive at the train station at 10:00 AM.

Breath.

I can hold my breath underwater for 30 seconds.

And bicycle.

I ride my bicycle to school.

Have a look at all the words closely.

What do you notice about the formation of each word? Pause the video now.

Okay, let's start with arrive.

Arrive has a lead in for the first letter A from the baseline.

It has a lead out for the last letter E also from the baseline.

And all of the letters are x-height letters.

They do not go above the x-height line or below the baseline.

Then breath.

Again, there is a lead in for the first letter from the baseline.

A lead out for the last letter from the baseline.

And letters B, T, and H have an ascender, but noticing that the T is shorter, it doesn't go all the way to the top of the ascender line.

And then bicycle, again, a lead in for the first letter B.

A lead out for the last letters E, again on the baseline.

Letters B and I have an ascender and Y is a looped descender.

Let's look at these a bit more closely focusing on the joins.

The word arrive uses the first and third join in its formation.

So the first join from the baseline to the x-height line and the third join from the x-height line dipping below to the x-height line to join R to R and V two E.

The word breath uses the first, second, and third join in its formation.

And the word bicycle uses the first and second join in its formation.

You don't lift your pencil until you have completed the letter string so you don't dot your i's or cross your t's until after you finish the letter string.

The letter spacing allows the word to be really clear and legible as the spacing is even.

You don't want the letter to be too squashed too closely together or spread too far apart.

So I will form two of these common exception words, in cursive, in the air, with my finger.

I'm going to choose arrive and breath.

So starting with arrive.

Starting at the baseline, find a starting point and then starting with a lead in form the letter A, joining A to R.

R to R by dipping just below the x-height line.

R to I, dipping just below the x-height line.

I to V, and then V to E, finishing with a lead out on the baseline.

Then I go back and dot my I.

Now I'm going to write the words breath.

So starting on the baseline and then lead in to form the letter B.

And then joining B to R, R to E at the x-height line, E to A, baseline to x-height line.

A to T up towards the ascend line, but not all the way.

And then T to H, up all the way to the ascender line, finishing with a lead out on the baseline.

Then I go back and cross my T.

Okay, your turn.

Get your finger ready.

You are now going to form two of these exception words of your choice.

So pause video now and I'm gonna let you get on with that all by yourself.

Off you go.

Well done everybody.

Let's practise writing the common exception words, arrive, breath and bicycle.

I'm making sure I'm sitting comfortably and I've got my pen in the tripod grip.

I'm going to find a starting point on the baseline and I'm going to start by writing the word arrive.

I'm ready to go.

So saying to myself, ready line, go.

Start my lead in from the baseline forming the letter A, then joining A to R, baseline to x-height line.

R to R, dipping down below the x-height line.

R to I, dipping below the x-height line.

I to V, and V to E, again dipping below the x-height line.

Finishing on the lead out with a lead out on the baseline.

Then going back to dot my I.

Now I'm going to write breath, finding a starting point on the baseline.

Ready, line, go.

Lead in to form the letter B, joining B to R, baseline to x-height line.

R to E, E to A, A to T, baseline towards the x-height line, but not all the way.

T to H, baseline up to the ascender line, and finishing with a lead out on the baseline.

Then I'll go back and cross my T.

And now finally bicycle.

Finding a starting point on the baseline.

Ready, line, go.

Lead in to form the letter B, joining B to I, baseline to x-height line.

Baseline to x-height line, C to Y, baseline and then loop to ascender to join Y to C.

C to L, baseline up to the ascender.

L to E, baseline to x-height line, finishing with a lead out on the baseline.

Then I go back and dot my I.

Great.

Checking for understanding.

Can you point to where the first join is used within these words? Pause the video now.

So remember the first join is from the baseline to the x-height line.

Pause video now.

Okay, so the first join is used to join A to R, I to V, B to R, and E to A.

Well done.

Did you find those all? If you need to pause the video now and take another look, otherwise well done.

Okay, it's time for task B.

You need to practise writing the common exception words.

You're going to write the word arrive, breath and bicycle three times on your tram lines.

Then use these reminders to check your work.

Have you used the correct lead in and lead outs? Have you used the correct letter and join formation? And have you got adequate letter spacing? Pause video now.

Make sure your pen pencils in your tripod grip and off you go.

Well done everybody.

Great job.

Have a look at the words that you've just written.

How do they compare to the examples on the screen? Did you use the correct joins within the letter strings? Did you keep your pencil on the page until the end of the letter string? Is the letter spacing appropriate? If you need to, pause video now and make any edits, otherwise look back through all your writing, circle your best, join and celebrate.

Great job.

Okay, it's time for the third part of our lesson where we are writing the common exception words calendar and decide.

Let's have a look at these common exception words.

Calendar.

The calendar is has the months of the year where you write your dates and plans in.

Decide.

I need to de decide what to wear today.

What do you notice about the letter formation of the words? Pause the video now and take a closer look.

Okay, so calendar starts with a lead in for the first letter for the letter C, and it ends with the lead out for the last letter R, where you just dip down below the x-height line.

The letters L and D have ascenders all the way up to the ascend line.

Decide also starts with the lead in for the first letter and there is a lead out for the last letter on the baseline for the lead letter E.

The letter D has an ascender.

Let's look at the joins a bit more closely.

The first letter has a lead in and the last letter has a lead out for both words.

The word calendar uses the first and second join in its formation.

The word decide only uses the first join from baseline to x-height line in its formation.

You don't lift your pencil off the page until you have completed the letter string.

So you will not dot your I until you've finished the word.

The letter spacing allows the word to be clear and legible as the spacing is really even.

So I'm going to form these common exception words, in cursive, in the air, with my finger, and then you are going to have a go.

So I'm going to write calendar first.

So I'm starting on the baseline.

I found a starting point and I'm going to form the letter C.

Lead in forming the letter C.

C to A, baseline to x-height line.

A to L baseline up to the ascender line.

L to E, baseline to x-height line.

E to N, baseline to x-height line.

N to D, baseline to ascender.

D to A, A to R, ending on the x-height line with a dip down for a lead out.

Okay, now I'm going to write, decide finding a starting point on the baseline and then lead in to form the letter D up to the ascender line, D to E, E to C, baseline to x-height line.

C to I, I to D, baseline to ascender line, back down to the baseline and then finishing with the lead out.

And then I'll go back and dot my I.

Okay, it's your turn.

You need to get your finger ready and you are going to write these common exception words in cursive, in the air, with your finger.

And I'm gonna leave you to do that independently.

So pause video now.

Well done everybody.

Let's practise writing the common exception words calendar and decide.

I'm going to make sure I'm sitting comfortably and I've got my pen in the tripod grip, finding a starting point on the baseline.

Ready, line, go.

Starting with a lead in to form the letter C, joining C to A.

A to L, baseline up to the ascender.

L to E, E to N, baseline to x-height line.

N to D, baseline up to the ascender line.

D to A, baseline to x-height line.

A to R, baseline to x-height line, finishing with a dip down as a lead out just below the x-height line.

Great.

Now I'm going to write, decide.

So finding a starting point on the baseline.

Ready, line, go.

Lead in to form the letter D.

D to E, E to C, baseline to x-height line.

C to I, baseline to x-height line.

I to D, baseline up to the ascender line, back down to the baseline, finishing with a lead out.

And then I'll go and dot my I.

Great.

Checking for understanding.

Can you point to where the second join is used within this word? So from the baseline up towards the ascender line.

Pause video now.

So the second join is used to join A to L from the baseline up to the ascender line.

Well done.

It's time for task C.

You need to practise writing these common exception words.

Calendar and decide.

Write each word three times on your tram lines, then look back through your words and check, did you use the correct lead-in and lead outs? Did you use the correct letter and join formation? And did you have adequate letter spacing? So making sure your pen or pencils in your tripod grip.

Pause video now and off you go.

Well done everybody.

I hope you enjoyed that.

Have a look at the common exception words that you've just written.

Compare them to the examples on the screen.

Did you use the correct joins within the letter strings? Did you keep your pencil on the page until the end of the letter string? Was your movement smooth? If you need to, you can pause the video now and make any edits or write the words again.

Otherwise have a look at all your words, circle your best join and celebrate.

Great job.

Here's a summary of everything we've learned today.

Common exception words do not follow regular spelling or phonic rules.

Common exception words appear frequently in written text.

Letters forming the common exception words will be joined using a range of joins depending on the letters in the word.

The first letter always has a lead in, the last letter always has a lead out.

There is appropriate letter spacing between the letters joined in a cursive letter string.

You don't lift your pencil until the letter string is complete.

Great job today, everybody.

Really well done.