Teachers often require students to memorize a preposition list. A preposition list is a compilation of many common prepositions. The teacher may require that students memorize some, or all, of the list so they remember them better. By presenting the students with this list, they can also refer to it when working on homework that deals with prepositions and prepositional phrases.
Teachers may use an activity that involves an animal and a tree to introduce to students the subject of prepositions. Take the animal, such as a stuffed animal, and draw a tree on the chalkboard or on a large poster board. Hold the animal up in the tree. Explain that the animal is “on the tree.” “On” is a preposition and describes where the animal is. Next, tell the kids that the animal can go “down the tree,” explaining that “down is also a preposition. Ask the children if they can think of other things the animal can do with this tree. This could include that the animal can go “around the tree,” “up the tree” and “in the tree.”
Take a ball and place the ball somewhere in the classroom. Use a preposition to describe where the ball is, such as “under the desk.” Let the students take turns placing the ball in various places, and ask each student to describe the ball’s location by using a preposition. A couple examples may include “on the book shelf” or “by the garbage can.”
Make up an opposite game using prepositions. This activity involves saying a prepositional phrase and asking students to determine what the opposite is using prepositions. For example, say that the girl went “in the door.” The students would reply with the opposite of that, saying the girl went “out the door.” Make up as many phrases as you desire, and use this activity to introduce prepositions to the students.
After students have an idea of what prepositions are, give them a handout that contains a poem. Choose a poem that has many prepositions in it. Ask the students to circle all of the prepositions they can find on the handout.