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English lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 45 minutes

Apostrophes in contractions

Punctuation

CCSS L.2.2.CEngland: Y2 GPS (apostrophes for contraction)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Apostrophes in contractions.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Capital letters and full stops (periods)

Leads to: Apostrophes for possession; Apostrophes for one owner (the dog's bone); Confusing words: its/it's, your/you're, then/than, whose/who's

Materials: Punctuation cards, A short unpunctuated text, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Capital letters and full stops (periods)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which sentence is written correctly? • The moon is bright tonight • the moon is bright tonight. • The moon is bright tonight. • the moon is bright tonight (The moon is bright tonight / the moon is bright tonight. / The moon is bright tonight. / the moon is bright tonight) → The moon is bright tonight.Prompt: Look at the very first letter.
  2. This sentence has no capital letters. How many capital letters does it need? the dog barked at max. (1 / 2 / 3 / 4) → 2Prompt: Count the first word.
  3. Which sentence is written correctly? • Our class went to the farm. • our class went to the farm. • our class went to the farm • Our class went to the farm (Our class went to the farm. / our class went to the farm. / our class went to the farm / Our class went to the farm) → Our class went to the farm.Prompt: Look at the very first letter.

Hook · 5 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Apostrophes in contractions. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Write the contraction (short form) of "it is".
  • Step 1: Join the two words and replace the missing letter(s) with an apostrophe (not "its" or "i'ts").
  • Step 2: So the answer is: it's
  • Answer: it's
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Write the contraction (short form) of "let us". → let'sPrompt: Which letter or letters are left out?
  2. Which is the correct short form of "do not"? (don't / dont' / dont / do'nt) → don'tPrompt: Which letter is missing in the short form?

You do: independent practice · 10 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Write the contraction (short form) of "will not". → won'tPrompt: Which letter or letters are left out?
  2. Which is the correct short form of "has not"? (hasnt / hasn't / has'nt / hasnt') → hasn'tPrompt: Which letter is missing in the short form?

Watch out for

  • Using commas where a full stop (period) is needed.
  • Putting apostrophes in plurals (apple's).

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Capital letters and full stops (periods).
  • Use concrete materials: punctuation cards.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Apostrophes for possession; Apostrophes for one owner (the dog's bone); Confusing words: its/it's, your/you're, then/than, whose/who's.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-2.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Apostrophes in contractions

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which is the correct short form of "will not"?

    • A. wo'nt
    • B. wont'
    • C. wont
    • D. won't

  2. Question 2

    Write the contraction (short form) of "has not".

    Answer

  3. Question 3

    Which is the correct short form of "cannot"?

    • A. cant'
    • B. can't
    • C. cant
    • D. ca'nt

  4. Question 4

    Write the contraction (short form) of "do not".

    Answer

  5. Question 5

    Which is the correct short form of "are not"?

    • A. aren't
    • B. arent
    • C. are'nt
    • D. arent'

  6. Question 6

    Write the contraction (short form) of "I have".

    Answer

  7. Question 7

    Write the contraction (short form) of "cannot".

    Answer

  8. Question 8

    Write the contraction (short form) of "did not".

    Answer

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Answer key: Apostrophes in contractions

  1. 1. D. won't

  2. 2. hasn't

  3. 3. B. can't

  4. 4. don't

  5. 5. A. aren't

  6. 6. I've

  7. 7. can't

  8. 8. didn't