View category: apostrophes

Go on an Apostrophe Hunt!

This is an easy way to imbed a grammar activity within any piece of literature, fiction or nonfiction. 

I have used this activity with students of grades 3 and up, who have already had some exposure with apostrophes, but are needing a review of the general concept. 

Discuss the different uses of apostrophes with your students and give examples of each type.
1.  to make contractions
2.  to show ownership (singular)
3.  to show ownership (plural)

Next, I assign a section to read or we begin reading together.  Whenever we spot a word with an apostrophe, we stop quickly and write the word in a chart I have given them.  The chart has the following categories across the top:

Contraction (can’t) (it’s) Write as two words
Singular Possessive (Joe’s) (book’s)
Plural Possessive (girls’) (animals’)

As the students read, they are asked to sort out the apostrophe examples they find into one of these categories.  They get practice taking apart contractions, and deciding whether the possessive they have found is singular or plural.  Once students become more comfortable with it, they can do this activity as they read independently. 

We found it’s amazing how often apostrophes are used and how important they are in our writing.