Contractions fluency

Activity Type: Build Fluency

Activity Form: Standard

Grade: 1

Group Size: Small Group, Whole Class

Length: 5 minutes

Materials: Contractions index cards (print them here)

Goal: Given a written word with a contraction, the student can say the word with automaticity ( it's -> "it's" ).

Items: Contractions such as it's, I'm, you'll, he's, didn't, we'll, won't, can't, we've, they've, we're

What to do

Assemble a stack of around 12 index cards with contraction words printed on them. (Once students are comfortable with contractions, you can include in the pack some words the students already know.)
Now let's play a game. We're going to try to go through this stack of cards as fast as we can, saying the word on each card. Let's see how fast we can go. Remember, when you read a word with an apostrophe in it, like this one, just read it as if the apostrophe weren't there. My turn first.
Next, model taking the top card off the stack, showing it to the students, and saying the word after a pause. Continue through the stack.
Do you think you can go faster than I did? Call on a single student in the group, starting with a student you think may be slower. Show the first card: What's the word? If the student is incorrect, correct him, have him repeat your answer, and move to the next card. Praise correct answers.
Select the next quicker student and repeat until all students in the group have worked through the stack.
Okay, now let's go faster. Shuffle the stack of cards and repeat with students in the same order, but encouraging them to go faster.
If time and focus allow, shuffle and repeat at an even faster pace.
For students who struggle, give them help and make a note in an Activity Log.