Cut the construction paper into 23 5" x 3" strips.
Write one helping verb on each strip of paper with a black marker. The 23 helping verbs are am, is, are, was, were, being, been, be, have, has, had, do, does, did, shall, should, will, would, may, might, must, can and could.
Print out 23 sentences, one for each of the 23 helping verbs. Some sample sentences can be found at USciences.
Explain what helping verbs mean and what their job is. Allow the class to ask questions to clarify any misunderstandings.
Give a few sample sentences that use helping verbs.
Use the 23 strips of helping verbs as flashcards, and show the class each one.
Give each student one of the 23 helping verbs. If there are more than 23 students in your class, you may need to repeat a few of the helping verbs. Depending on time constraints, there may not be enough time for each student to get a turn.
Write a sentence on the board, and leave a blank space for the helping verb. Have the student with the correct helping verb come up to the board and use a piece of tape to stick the helping verb in place.