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Lesson Plan: Contractions and Possessives

Contractions-Possessives

Grade Level: 3–4
Subject: English Language Arts
Time: 30–40 minutes
Topic: Contractions and Possessive Nouns

Learning Objective

Students will:

  • Identify and form common contractions.

  • Explain that an apostrophe replaces missing letters in a contraction.

  • Identify possessive nouns.

  • Use apostrophes correctly to show ownership.

Materials

  • Whiteboard or chart paper

  • Markers

  • Student notebooks or paper

  • Pencil

  • Optional practice worksheet

Step 1: Warm-Up — 5 Minutes

Write these sentences on the board:

I am ready for school.

The book belongs to Maria.

Ask students:

“Can we make I am shorter?”

Guide students to:

I'm ready for school.

Then ask:

“How can we show that the book belongs to Maria?”

Guide students to:

Maria's book

Tell students:

“Today we are going to learn two important jobs for apostrophes: making contractions and showing ownership.”

Step 2: Teach Contractions — 7 Minutes

Explain:

A contraction combines two words into one shorter word. An apostrophe shows where letters have been removed.

Create this chart:

Two Words Contraction
I am I'm
you are you're
he is he's
she is she's
it is it's
we are we're
they are they're
do not don't
cannot can't
will not won't

Model

Write:

they are → they're

Explain:

  1. Start with they are.

  2. Combine the words.

  3. Remove the a.

  4. Put an apostrophe where the missing letter was.

they are → they're

Have students say the contraction aloud.

Important Reminder

Point out that contractions should still sound like the original two words.

Step 3: Practice Contractions Together — 5 Minutes

Write:

  1. She is happy.

  2. We are going home.

  3. They are playing outside.

  4. I am ready.

Have students rewrite each sentence using a contraction.

Answers

  1. She's happy.

  2. We're going home.

  3. They're playing outside.

  4. I'm ready.

Ask students:

“What does the apostrophe tell us?”

Expected response:

It shows where letters have been left out.

Step 4: Introduce Possessives — 7 Minutes

Explain:

“A possessive noun shows that someone or something owns or has something.”

Write:

The backpack belongs to Sam.

Change it to:

Sam's backpack

Explain that the apostrophe and s show that the backpack belongs to Sam.

Singular Possessives

For most singular nouns, add 's.

the girl's book

the teacher's desk

the dog's bone

the student's pencil

Model:

The bike belongs to Alex.

→ Alex's bike

Step 5: Introduce Plural Possessives — 4 Minutes

Explain that plural nouns ending in s usually need only an apostrophe.

the students' desks

This means the desks belong to several students.

Compare:

student's desk = one student

students' desks = more than one student

Also show a plural noun that does not end in s:

children's books

Explain that children is already plural but does not end in s, so we add 's.

Step 6: Guided Practice — 5 Minutes

Write the following on the board.

Part A: Contractions

Combine each pair:

  1. we + are = __________

  2. she + is = __________

  3. do + not = __________

  4. they + are = __________

Part B: Possessives

Rewrite each phrase using a possessive noun:

  1. the ball belonging to Jake

  2. the books belonging to the students

  3. the toys belonging to the children

Answers

Contractions

  1. we're

  2. she's

  3. don't

  4. they're

Possessives

  1. Jake's ball

  2. students' books

  3. children's toys

Step 7: Independent Practice — 5–7 Minutes

Have students write their own examples.

Contractions

Write two sentences using different contractions.

Example:

We're going to the library.

Possessives

Write two sentences using possessive nouns.

Example:

The girl's backpack is red.

Challenge students to use both skills in one sentence:

The students' teacher says they're ready.

Ask students to underline the contraction and circle the possessive noun.

Step 8: Quick Assessment — 3 Minutes

Give students these four questions:

1. Write the contraction:

cannot → __________

2. Write the two words:

they're → __________

3. Show ownership:

the bike belonging to Marcus → __________

4. Explain:

What does the apostrophe do in don't?

Answer Key

  1. can't

  2. they are

  3. Marcus's bike

  4. It shows where letters have been removed.

Differentiation

Students Needing Support

  • Provide a contraction word bank.

  • Practice one type of apostrophe use at a time.

  • Have students identify the two original words before forming a contraction.

  • Use sentence frames such as “The _____ belongs to _____.”

Students Working at Grade Level

Have students independently create contractions and possessive nouns in complete sentences.

Students Ready for a Challenge

Give students sentences containing both types of apostrophes and ask them to explain the purpose of each apostrophe.

Example:

The girls' teacher says they're ready.

Ask:

  • What does girls' show?

  • What two words make they're?

Common Misconceptions to Address

1. It's vs. its

  • it's = it is

  • its = shows possession

Example:

It's raining.

The dog wagged its tail.

2. They're vs. their vs. there

  • they're = they are

  • their = belongs to them

  • there = refers to a place

3. Apostrophes do not make regular nouns plural.

Incorrect: apple's

Correct: apples

Exit Ticket

Ask students to complete:

1. Write a contraction for “we are.”

2. Write a possessive phrase for “the pencil belonging to Sarah.”

3. In one sentence, explain the difference between a contraction and a possessive noun.

Success Criteria

Students can say:

“I can use an apostrophe to make contractions and to show ownership.”

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Posted: 9/3/26

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