Letter boxes worksheets
Printable third-grade letter box worksheets: a letter box chart, copying words and sentences in bold or light boxes and outlines, and fading boxes.
The worksheets
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Letter Boxes Chart
Small, tall and tail letters, each with its box shape, and the word "garden" in its boxes.
Copy Words in Bold Boxes
Longer words like careful, rainbow and breakfast to copy into letter boxes, with shaded boxes in a strong blue, the easiest to see.
Copy Words in Light Boxes
Longer words like careful, rainbow and breakfast to copy into letter boxes, with pale shaded boxes, for kids who need less help.
Copy Words in Bold Outlines
Longer words like careful, rainbow and breakfast to copy into letter boxes, with boxes drawn with a dark outline.
Copy Words in Light Outlines
Longer words like careful, rainbow and breakfast to copy into letter boxes, with faint outlines, the last step before plain lines.
Copy Sentences in Bold Boxes
Sentences like "Our class planted a garden." to copy one letter per box, with shaded boxes in a strong blue, the easiest to see.
Copy Sentences in Light Boxes
Sentences like "Our class planted a garden." to copy one letter per box, with pale shaded boxes, for kids who need less help.
Copy Sentences in Bold Outlines
Sentences like "Our class planted a garden." to copy one letter per box, with boxes drawn with a dark outline.
Copy Sentences in Light Outlines
Sentences like "Our class planted a garden." to copy one letter per box, with faint outlines, the last step before plain lines.
Fading Letter Boxes
Each word is written three times as the boxes fade away, ending on a plain line.
Print the whole packet
One copy of every sheet above, in order. Tap + for more copies (up to 10).
For the parent or teacher
What it is
Letter boxes, sometimes called shape boxes, give every letter its own box shaped like the letter. Small letters get a short box, tall letters and capitals a tall box, and tail letters a box that hangs below the line. In third grade they help kids who still mix up letter sizes in print, alongside learning cursive.
What comes next
Once letters stay even in the light outlines, move to plain lined paper for everyday writing.
How to teach it
- Start with the chart. Sort a few letters into small, tall and tail together.
- Point to the box before writing each letter and say which kind it is.
- Begin with bold boxes, then move to light boxes and outlines as letters get steady.
- Use the fading boxes sheet to check that letters stay the same size without the boxes.
Common mistakes
- Making tall letters short. Tall letters and capitals touch the top of the box.
- Letting tails sit on the line. Tails hang down into the bottom of the box.
- Writing two letters in one box, or skipping the space between words.