Apostrophes, Word Endings, and Plurals, Oh My!

In themes 3.1 and 3.2, the curriculum covers using an apostrophe and s to show a possessive:

http://www.harcourtschool.com/glossary/grammar/index_word.html?grade=4&word=sing_poss_noun4.html&grade_defined=4

In studying these possessives, it was important that the students understand what a noun is.  First, we reviewed what  nouns and verbs are in making a complete sentence.  These parts tell who (noun) and what (verb).  Then, we chose a student to be our model.  Next, we picked something our model was wearing and named it by using a possessive.  Each student paper had a label such as Alanna's pink shirt.  I stapled the pages together, shared it with the class, then let the student who was our subject take it home.  To help your child review, you can ask the simple question, "Whose is it?"   The child can either reply or echo your answer, "It is ______'s."   Whose blog is it?  It is Mrs. N.'s blog.  Hopefully, the more this is practiced the less confusing it will be when students are introduced to using an apostrophe and s in a contraction. 

An online worksheet:

http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/nouns/possessive-nouns1.pdf

We used the word endings -s, -ed, and -ing this week.  Again, it was important to understand the parts of a sentence, the noun and the verb.  We add the endings to verbs.  Coming home in Monday's homework will be a list of verbs with the various endings (picks, picking, picked).  In the -ed section, a t above the word indicates the -ed makes the sound of the letter t,  -ed  indicates that the -ed makes the sound of the letters ed, and a d indicates that the -ed makes the sound of the letter d.   We have sorted words with -ed endings in class according to the sound the -ed makes (ed, d or t).   When reading, I have the students cover up the endings and read the base word first.  Then, they add the ending.  

An online activity for you to print:

http://www.havefunteaching.com/worksheets/phonics/ending-sounds/root-words-endings-S-ED-ING.pdf

Last week we worked on reading plurals with the letter s.  I tried to distinguish the word ending s from the plural s by emphasizing that plural  s works with nouns while the -s ending works with verbs.   These reading and grammar skills will appear in the upcoming benchmark tests.  

You can help your child by pointing out word endings, possessives, and plurals in whatever you read together.  Some students were excited to point out those elements by themselves in our reading of Mr. C.'s Dinner in the anthology.   If your child begins to point these things out to you I am glad.  You will share in the wonder and excitement of their learning.