Adapt traditional games such as Matching and Bingo to assist students learning to correctly use contractions. Write or print contractions on one set of cards and the associated words they replace on another set of cards. Have students place the cards upside down and then flip them to find matches. Play Bingo by creating Bingo game boards containing contractions. Call out sets of words the contractions replace and have students mark the cards if they have that contraction.
Teach students to play a timed race game forming contractions. Provide students with dry-erase boards or pieces of paper. Call out a word used to form contractions such as not, am, is, are, will, would, have, has or had. Students race during a designated amount of time to form as many contractions as possible that use the stated word. Base time limits on ability or grade-level.
Place sets of words on cards in a bucket. Divide kids into two or more teams to run a relay race. Each student in turn runs to the bucket, takes out a word set and on a whiteboard, chalkboard or piece of paper, writes the contraction form of the two words. An adult or designated student monitors student responses for correct answers. Students may not run to tag the next person in the relay line until they correctly form the contraction.
Make or purchase blank sets of puzzle piece pairs. Write words on the pieces for which students can make contractions. Mix the pieces up and pass out to students. Have students search to find a matching puzzle piece partner then work together to create the contraction for the two words. If correct, students receive a sticker or other token. After all matches are made, mix the pieces and play again so that students practice many different contraction formations.