Apostrophe Adventures: Showing Ownership and Making Words Shorter!

English Language Arts Grades 1st Grade 2:31 Video
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Lesson Description

Let's learn about apostrophes! We'll see how they show that something belongs to someone and how they help us make words shorter by combining them.

Video Resource

Apostrophe Rules Made Easy

Miacademy Learning Channel

Duration: 2:31
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Apostrophes show possession (something belongs to someone).
  • Apostrophes create contractions (shortened forms of words).
  • An apostrophe looks like a comma, but is high on the line.

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to identify and use apostrophes to show possession.
  • Students will be able to identify and use apostrophes to form contractions.
  • Students will be able to explain the difference between possession and contraction.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students if they know what an apostrophe is. Show them an example of an apostrophe on the board. Tell them that today we will be learning about apostrophes, what they look like and when to use them, and why they are useful in our writing.
  • Video Time! (5 mins)
    Play the "Apostrophe Rules Made Easy" video. Encourage students to listen carefully for the two ways we can use apostrophes.
  • Possession Power! (10 mins)
    Explain that possession means something belongs to someone. Use simple examples, like 'My book' vs. 'My book'. Write the following phrases on the board and have students tell you who owns what: - Mom's car - Dog's bone - Friend's toy. Emphasize the apostrophe + s ('s) shows who owns the thing.
  • Contraction Creations! (10 mins)
    Explain that contractions are shortened words. Write 'I am' on the board. Ask if there's a faster way to say this. Guide them to 'I'm'. Explain the apostrophe replaces the missing letter. Do more examples: - He is -> He's - They are -> They're - Cannot -> Can't.
  • Apostrophe Detectives (10 mins)
    Distribute a worksheet with simple sentences. Some sentences should correctly use apostrophes for possession, some for contractions, and some should be missing apostrophes. Have students circle the apostrophes and decide if they show possession or contraction. If an apostrophe is missing, they should add it.
  • Wrap Up (5 mins)
    Review the two uses of apostrophes: possession and contractions. Ask students to give examples of each.

Interactive Exercises

  • Possession Game
    Hold up different objects (pencil, book, toy). Ask students to say whose object it is using an apostrophe. For example, if you hold up Sarah's pencil, students should say, 'It's Sarah's pencil!'
  • Contraction Charades
    Write contractions on slips of paper (I'm, he's, can't). Have students act out the two words that make up the contraction without speaking. The other students guess the contraction.

Discussion Questions

  • What does it mean when we say something 'belongs' to someone?
  • Why do we use contractions? How do they make our writing faster?
  • What does an apostrophe look like?

Skills Developed

  • Understanding and applying apostrophe rules.
  • Identifying possessive nouns and contractions.
  • Writing simple sentences using correct grammar.

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

What does an apostrophe show when it's used for possession?

Correct Answer: That something belongs to someone

Question 2:

Which word uses an apostrophe to show that the book belongs to Tom?

Correct Answer: Tom's

Question 3:

What does an apostrophe do in a contraction?

Correct Answer: Replaces a letter or letters

Question 4:

Which of these is a contraction for 'I am'?

Correct Answer: I'm

Question 5:

Where do we put the apostrophe?

Correct Answer: High on the line

Question 6:

Which of the following is an example of possession?

Correct Answer: Cat's pajamas

Question 7:

Which is the correct contraction for 'he will'?

Correct Answer: He'll

Question 8:

Which word means something belongs to you?

Correct Answer: Possession

Question 9:

Which is the contraction for 'cannot'?

Correct Answer: Can't

Question 10:

If I say 'The dog's tail', what does it mean?

Correct Answer: The tail belongs to the dog

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

An ___________ looks a lot like a comma.

Correct Answer: apostrophe

Question 2:

We use an apostrophe to show that something ___________ to someone.

Correct Answer: belongs

Question 3:

The word 'I'm' is a _____________ of 'I am'.

Correct Answer: contraction

Question 4:

In the sentence 'My mom's car' who owns the car?

Correct Answer: mom

Question 5:

A contraction is a ___________ form of one or two words.

Correct Answer: shortened

Question 6:

If the bone belongs to the dog, it is the _____ bone.

Correct Answer: dog's

Question 7:

'She's' is the contraction for _________.

Correct Answer: she is

Question 8:

An apostrophe takes the place of missing __________.

Correct Answer: letters

Question 9:

When we use an apostrophe to show something belongs to someone, it is called ___________.

Correct Answer: possession

Question 10:

The apostrophe is always _____ on the line.

Correct Answer: high

Educational Standards

1.5.W.1:Students will compose simple sentences that conclude with an end mark. 1.5.W.3:Students will capitalize the first letter of a sentence, proper names, and months and days of the week. 1.5.W.4:Students will use periods, question marks, and exclamation points. 1.2.PC.1:Students will recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence (e.g., capitalization of the first word, ending punctuation: period, exclamation point, question mark).

Teaching Materials

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