Grammar Grabbers

Words, words, words!!! Now that we have worked with the spelling of words and what the words mean and have even written with the words, it is time to really study the words and focus on grammar. Usually grammar is a harsh word that makes people nervous but in First Grade, of course, there will be a fun and hands-on approach that will allow the child to learn about nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and all the other essential grammar elements. Let ’ s keep working to make the children word experts!

1. Ten Questions-         

Place an object, such as a hairbrush, inside a bag or box. Invite the child to ask questions about the object in the bag in an effort to discover its identity. Write the questions on a piece of notebook paper, pointing out the capital letter at the beginning of each sentence and the question mark at the end, before answering them. A maximum of ten questions can be asked before the object is revealed; however, at any time during the question and answer exchange, the child can try to guess the object. If the child correctly identifies the object, a new object is place d in the bag and play is continued.

2. Lost and Found- 

Place a few favorite storybooks in a quiet reading area and provide ample time for the child to browse through the books before you begin. Invite the child to make a lost and found poster for a storybook character. Encourage the child to describe the lost character. Explain that the reader will want to know who is lost, what the character looks like, and anything else that would help with identification. Allow the child to return to the book area, if needed, to look for pictures of the selected character or to double-check information. As the child works on the poster, have him or her include information as to what should be done if the lost character is found. Encourage creative thinking and spontaneity as the child creates the poster.

3. Names, Names, Names- 

Set out index cards, stickers, or sentence strips and a box of markers. Invite the child to make labels for objects (nouns) in the house, such as furniture, a computer, items on a desk, and so on. Encourage the child to use a dictionary for the correct spelling of each noun before writing it. Then have the child display the labels beside the objects.

4. Past Tense Sense- 

Help the child make a scrapbook page. Begin by having the child tape the picture or drawing on the page. Encourage the child to decorate the page using one or more of the following suggestions: paint a border, glue or tape a paper frame around the picture, use fancy letters to write a caption, add ticket stubs or other souvenirs associated with the picture. Invite the child to write a sentence at the bottom of the scrapbook page to tell what happened. Remind him or her to write ion the past tense.

5. Yak-A-Sak! 

Begin by writing sentence parts on sentence strips. Make up five to six simple subjects, or naming parts. An example of a subject is red, juicy tomatoes. Write five to six simple predicates, or telling parts. An example of a predicate is are growing in the garden. Place the two sentence parts in separate sacks. Next have the child pick one sentence part from each sack and combine them to make a sentence. Prepare yourself for some silly sentences.