About this worksheet
Print runs in a direction that no child works out on their own: start at the left, travel right, then drop down and go back to the left edge to begin again. Until that habit is built, a preschooler will scan a row from whichever picture is brightest, copy a word from the wrong end, or put a new mark to the left of the one before it because that is where the hand happens to be resting. Rows of pictures make the rule visible, because first and last are places on the page rather than ideas. On this sheet the child points to the picture at the left edge, points to the one at the right edge, sweeps the pencil across a ruled line from a start dot to a finishing star, and then copies a row in order. Watch the finger, not only the answer. If the direction reverses, put a green dot at the left edge of the paper and sweep your own finger across before handing over the pencil.
What your child will learn
- Find the picture at the left-hand end of a row
- Move through a row toward the right edge
- Sweep a pencil from a start dot on the left to a star on the right
- Copy a row of pictures in the order they appear
Worked example
In the row sun, cat, boat, put a finger on the sun because it sits at the left edge, then slide right past the cat to the boat at the far end.
Common mistake
Beginning with whichever picture is closest to the writing hand instead of the one at the left edge.
Helpful hint
Touch the left edge of the row first, then slide your finger toward the right.
Worksheet 1