Magic-c lowercase: d, g, q

Air-write c, a, o from yesterday.

• Quick pace; chant the magic-c cue

Three more magic-c letters today. Lowercase d is magic-c plus a TALL line up to the sky-line. Different from a (which is magic-c plus a short line to the dirt-line). Lowercase g is magic-c plus a tail going DOWN below the dirt-line — into the basement. Lowercase q is magic-c plus a tail going down with a curve at the bottom. Watch the b/d trap: 'b' starts with a STRAIGHT LINE, 'd' starts with MAGIC-C. The starting stroke is what tells them apart, not the direction of the bump.

• Notice the tall line goes UP, not down.

  model Magic-c, then tall line up to sky.

  prompt Form lowercase d.
• The tail goes into the basement (below dirt-line).

  model Magic-c, then tail down.

  prompt Form lowercase g.
• The START is the key. Don't think about the bump direction.

  model d starts with magic-c on the left; b starts with a straight line on the left.

  prompt Compare d and b.

• Where does the tail of g go? (basement)
• Does lowercase d start with magic-c or a straight line? (magic-c)
• Air-write d, then b — what's different?

M-K-S-GR-02-A Animation Physical / non-image

25-second animation. Three-line paper with explicit color-coding (sky=blue, grass=green, dirt=brown). d forms with magic-c then a sky-line vertical. g forms with magic-c then a descender into a labeled 'basement' below the dirt line. q forms with magic-c then a curving descender into the basement. Purple highlight on each magic-c start.

M-K-S-GR-02-B Chart

Side-by-side b/d anchor card. Left: 'b — straight line first, then ball on the right'. Right: 'd — magic-c first, then tall line on the right'. Yellow highlight on the starting stroke (vertical for b, magic-c for d). Footer: 'The START tells you which letter it is.'

• Trace and form d three times.

  scaffold Magic-c chant during formation.
• Trace and form g three times.

  scaffold Same.
• Trace and form q three times.

  scaffold Same.
• b/d discrimination: sort a mixed pile of b's and d's into two piles.

  scaffold Reference card visible.

• Form one d, one g, one q.
• Circle the magic-c start on each.

• Chant: 'Magic-c d, magic-c g, magic-c q!'
• Preview: tomorrow we meet diver letters.

• Find lowercase d, g, and q in a book at home. Trace with your finger.