#176. Contractions: manipulative and cooperative learning activiti

Reading/Writing, level: Elementary
Posted by Janice ().
Teachers' World
Westgate Elem., Cadiz, OH
Materials Required: teacher-made folded cards
Activity Time: 15-45 minutes
Concepts Taught: Reading contractions and learning their meaning

Two activities for teaching contractions: Grades 1-3
I write two words on the strip such as "do not".
Then fold the end of the strip to cover the word "not".
On top of the folded end, write "n't".
When you show the cards to your student have them read
the open strip first. Then close the strip and have them
read it again. Later, divide up into pairs and have the
students quiz each other. This time they could start
with reading the contraction and then open it up and read
it again. My Title I students like this activity and it
works well in a reading group setting.

Another idea is a contraction hunt. Have the students look
through a selected reading and find all the contractions.
This works well as a cooperative learning activity.
One student can search, one can record the contraction, and
another can report them to the whole class. Then have the
groups trade lists and write the two words that each
contraction is made from.

For an interactive bulletin board to go with these activities,
cut out 2 shapes for each contraction you will display.
On one, write the contraction and the write the 2 words
that make it on the other card. Staple one on top of the
other for a lift and learn activity. For example, at
Halloween I would use bat patterns and use a caption
like "Don't let contractions drive you batty!"

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