Handwriting - Lava Paper

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Levitating:  to rise or float in the air, especially as the result of a supernatural power that overcomes gravity.

When you are grading your students' work do you see levitating letters?  Do you ever wonder why there are so many floating letters when clearly there are lines marked on the paper which is where the letters should be written.

For some students, it's a matter of being in a hurry and not taking the time to write their letter correctly.  They know how to write their letters correctly, but they seem to be racing their other classmates to see who can finish their assignments first. Other students may need a little more support and I found something new for you to try with these students. This week I was contacted by Karen, an O.T. from southern California who had found my blog through Pinterest.  Don't we all love Pinterest?!!!  She told me about a type of handwriting paper she uses with her students called lava paper.  This might be just what you're looking for to solve all of these "ghostly letters".

Karen explained . . . 

The paper is called Lava Paper. It really needs to be printed in color at least at first. Or use colored pencils to print out a black and white version and then make the sky blue, brown dirt, and red lava dotted middle line.

Rules: Bees attack ANYTHING that goes above the skyline (because nothing ever should), the lava burns anyone that goes through that shouldn't (only tall letters get to go through, all baby letters have to stay below the lava line), and worms attack if any letter goes below the dirt, except tails. Worms love tails, they especially love the swingy ones like g! They get really sad if you have a tail letter and don't let it go under the dirt.

The good news is, if you DO make a mistake, you can save your letter right away with your eraser superpower!! Aughh!!!! Bee is coming!! Aughh!! Erase erase erase!! Oh phew you saved your letter :)  The more animated you are with your students, the more excited they will be, which will help them remember the rules of lava paper.

Karen has graciously agreed to give all of my readers copies of lava paper.  Please visit her blog and thank her!

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3 comments

Lisa said...

This is perfect! Thanks! I teach K-2 SPED and fine motor and handwriting are always a struggle! This will be super helpful. I acquired a small stack of something similar with flowers on the bottom and clouds on top, but I'm running out and have no idea where to get it. This will be a perfect replacement that I can print as needed!

Lisa
The Lower Elementary Cottage

Karen said...

Hi Lisa! Thanks for being willing to give it a try. The sky/grass/dirt paper is awesome too, it just doesn't have the game component to it. However if the kids get down the concept of the lava paper, then you can use the idea on any paper you do have. At first maybe drawing a single worm/bee/red line to remind them on the paper you're using, and eventually just using terminology. The key is DRAMA. You tell a kid "don't go above the line" and they could not care less. But if it's the BEES COMING AUGH then it often works.

Since it is in color which is expensive, I recommend cutting the paper in half if you aren't writing a lot.

And as she mentioned, I recommend you print in color at least for the first time or two, for sure if you have kids who are really struggling, and then from there you can start using black and white.

Hope you like it!!

Shelby Cooper said...

This is fun and highly motivating! Thanks for the freebie!
CaseyJane
WigglingScholars