Questions / instructions:
I'm going to give you your answer sheets and pens for this activity but please don't start any writing until I tell you.
Hand out student answer sheets titled "My Very Best Writing" along with blue ballpoint pens.
In this activity you are going to write the sentence on the answer sheet in your very best writing, then in your fastest writing. The sentence says,
"Pigs oink when I let my five bees buzz or six ducks quack."
The first part of the activity is to write the sentence in your very best writing. You have 3 minutes to do this, so you should be able to write it more than once. There is more space over the page for writing if you need it.
You can start now, doing your very best writing.
Allow exactly three minutes, then ask students to stop at the word they are writing.
Now look at the answer sheet where it says "My Fastest Writing". This time I want you to use your fastest writing, and to write as much as you can in 3 minutes. Remember, you are copying the sentence at the top of the page. There is more space over the page for writing if you need it.
You can start now, doing your fastest writing.
Allow exactly three minutes, then ask students to stop at the word they are writing. Collect in the answer sheets.

Slope uniformity: substantial
some
little

Letter size uniformity: substantial
some
little

Letter shape uniformity: substantial
some
little

Commentary:
Year 8 students were substantially more successful than year 4 students at achieving consistency in letter formation, and at writing quickly.