New
New
Year 1

Practice of letters with descenders

I can form the letters with descenders correctly.

New
New
Year 1

Practice of letters with descenders

I can form the letters with descenders correctly.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The part of the letter that goes below the baseline is called the descender
  2. Letters with descenders reach down towards the descender line
  3. The letters g, j, p, q and y all start on the x-height line
  4. The letters with descenders are: g, j, p, q, f and y

Common misconception

That g, y, p and q are x-height letters.

Model through the lesson that although part of the letter is x-height, they are not x-height letters as they have descenders.

Keywords

  • Descender - the part of a letter that descends below the level of the bottom of an "x"

  • Baseline - this is the line that most letters sit on

  • Descender line - the line below the baseline that descenders go down to

  • X-height line - this is the line that x-height letters go up to

  • Starting point - starting point is the place where we begin to write a letter or shape, usually at the top or left side.

Use movement with your body to exaggerate that descenders reach down to the descender line. Reach down with your arms as a visual reminder.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - physical activity

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Select the x-height letters.
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q2.
Select the correct formation of the letter p.
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q3.
Select the correct formation of the letter g.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q4.
Select the correct formation of the letter q.
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q5.
Select the correct formation of the letter j.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q6.
Select the correct formation of the letter y.
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
Select the letters which have descenders.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q2.
Select the letters which have descenders.
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q3.
A letter which reaches below the baseline is called a...
x-height letter.
Correct answer: descender letter.
ascender letter.
Q4.
Letters with descenders reach down to the...
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: descender line.
x-height line.
ascender line.
baseline.
Q5.
All descender letters start on the...
An image in a quiz
descender line.
ascender line.
Correct answer: x-height line.
baseline.
Q6.
Match the letter category with the correct letters.
Correct Answer:descender letters,y, g, j, p and q

y, g, j, p and q

Correct Answer:x-height letters,a, c, o, e, i, m, n, r, s, u, v, w, x and z

a, c, o, e, i, m, n, r, s, u, v, w, x and z

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