The big ideaEach finger reaches up to its own top row key, then comes straight home.
How it works
The top row is the row just above the home row. It has ten letters: q, w, e, r, t, y, u, i, o and p.
Each finger reaches straight up to its own top row key, taps it, and comes straight home.
The first six letters spell qwerty, which is why this is called a qwerty keyboard.
After every reach, the finger goes back home, so it never has to hunt for its key.
Tinted by finger: each finger reaches up from its own home key.
Example 1: The left hand reaches up
The left pinky reaches from a up to q.
The left ring finger reaches from s up to w.
The left middle finger reaches from d up to e.
The left pointer reaches from f up to r, and stretches to t too.
The left hand's top row keys: Q W E R T.
Example 2: The right hand reaches up
The right pointer reaches up to u, and stretches to y too.
The right middle finger reaches from k up to i.
The right ring finger reaches from l up to o.
The right pinky stretches from the semicolon up to p.
The right hand's top row keys: Y U I O P.
Example 3: Type dear pop
d: the left middle finger stays home.
e: the left middle finger reaches up from d and comes home.
a: the left pinky stays home.
r: the left pointer reaches up from f and comes home.
p, o, p: the right pinky, the right ring finger and the right pinky reach up and come home.
Five reaches up, five trips home, and no hunting.
Dear Pop: E, R, P, O and P are on the top row.
Example 4: Top row words
Pop, pie, tie, type and write use only top row letters.
Type pie: the right pinky reaches up to p, the right middle finger reaches up to i, and the left middle finger reaches up to e.
Each finger goes home before the next reach.
Words to know
top row
The row just above the home row. It holds q w e r t y u i o p.
reach
A finger's trip up to a key away from home.
qwerty
The first six letters of the top row, which is why this is called a qwerty keyboard.
Watch out
A finger that stays up high has to hunt for its key next time, so go straight home after every reach.
The pinkies reach up from the ends of the home row: the left pinky from a to q, and the right pinky from the semicolon to p.
Each pointer has two top row keys: r and t on the left, and u and y on the right.
Try it
Which finger reaches up to q?
Which finger reaches up to o?
Is the word pie made only of top row letters?
Is the word dear made only of top row letters?
What does a finger do after a reach?
Answers: 1. The left pinky · 2. The right ring finger · 3. Yes · 4. No · 5. It goes straight home
Try at homeSit at a keyboard with a grown-up. Rest your fingers on the home row, then reach up to each top row key and come back home. Ask the grown-up to watch for a finger that forgets to come home.
For grown-upsAsk your child to say which finger and which home key before each reach, for example ring finger, from s, up to w, and watch for a finger that forgets to come home.
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