Penmanship is important in the early grades. Routines and patterns they form with writing are hard to change later. I think configuration boxes are the perfect connection to penmanship. Students are given cues for tall, short and hanging down letters. They are not expected to memorize the configuration of the word…just use the boxes as guides for writing.
combining penmanship and high frequency words
Do you say:
- sight words?
- high frequency words?
- popcorn words?
- heart words?
- all of the above?
No matter what you call them, you need a million ways to practice these? Here is a quick writing center to practice reading and writing. It’s a 24 word set. The set includes decorated ornaments and configuration boxes to match.
There are black and white and full-color cards.
Use the color set to laminate, write and read sight words.
This is an easy way to emphasize proper writing strokes, as well…which letters are tall?
Which are short?
Which are hanging down?
More high frequency word practice
Using penmanship as a springboard, students practice writing high frequency words. Students will read it, trace it, make it, and write it.
Practice using the boxes support penmanship.
There are more sight word practice ideas in my store, including Sight Word Variety Set.
This set has 7 separate activities with 102 sheets for easy independence.


***PLEASE NOTE: This is not meant to help students memorize the sight word based on the outline of the letters. It is meant to help with penmanship and making tall letters, short letters, and hand down letters.
Click the link if you’d like the December Configuration Writing.
Other Configuration Sets that can last all year are found here!