In this SMART Board lesson, students are introduced to how two words make up a contraction. The lesson begins with the definition of a contraction and a place for the teacher to write the definition on the SMART Board screen. Then the students see a chart with two-word groups in columns that are the words that make up contractions. Underneath the two-word groups, there is space to write in the contraction that is formed. Then the teacher chooses from other words at the bottom of the screen to separate into the two-word form. Finally, students see two-word lists, one with contractions and one next to it with two-word groups. Students then draw lines from the contraction to its matching two-word group.
In Match and Write Contractions, students see screens with green frogs. Each frog has a contraction on its belly. Students match the contraction to the two-word groups found at the top of the screen. Then they go to a screen with more frogs that have more contractions on their bellies and a line above their heads. Students write the two words that make up the contraction in the lines above the frogs. Additional screens use the same exercise with different words.
One of the advantages of SMART technology is that teachers can animate words and characters for an enhanced learning experience. In Animated Contractions, students see lists of words and match them to their contraction counterpart. When they have completed each exercise, they push a button to show how many correct answers they have. Additional screen have characters that animate when a student makes a correct contraction choice.
SMART Board technology makes review and practice fun and exciting. In this contraction review, students begin by reviewing what a contraction is and see examples of common contractions. Then they take apart contractions by identifying the first word in the set of words that make up a contraction. By taking contractions apart and seeing which two words are involved and in which order, students better understand how to form the contraction and where the apostrophe goes. Students are then given only a first word and have to make up the rest of the contraction on their own. The SMART Board allows them to move a box over their answer to see if they have written the contraction correctly.