Do You Want to Build a Snowman Contractions Activity

How to Teach Contractions

A contraction is a short way to write two words. The two words are joined, a few letters are left out, and an apostrophe takes their place, so do not becomes don’t and I am becomes I’m. The Do You Want to Build a Snowman Contractions Activity turns that idea into a winter game for 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade students. Children build a snowman by putting the two words on the body and the contraction they make on the head.

About This Activity

Students cut apart 12 Body cards and 12 Head cards. Each Body card shows two words, and each Head card shows one contraction with a cheerful snowman face and top hat. Players place a Body card on the Snowman Building Mat, read the words, and hunt for the one Head card that is the short way to say them. Every body has exactly one matching head, so students must look closely at which letters were dropped. They record each match on the Recording Sheet. A 2nd grade practice worksheet follows, where students write the contraction for underlined words in winter sentences and then write the two words that make four new contractions. It is a fun snowman contractions game for literacy centers, partner work, small groups or a cozy winter day.

What’s Included

• Cover and a teacher How to Use page
• 12 Body cards and 12 Head cards
• Snowman Building Mat
• Recording Sheet
• 2nd grade practice worksheet
• Answer key for the cards and the practice page

Why It Helps Kids

• Building a snowman makes the two parts of a contraction easy to see and remember.
• Matching each body to one head trains children to notice the letters the apostrophe replaces.
• Writing both forms on the Recording Sheet connects reading contractions with spelling them.

Ideas for Teachers and Parents

Model one snowman with the class first, then let partners race to build all twelve. Print the cards on cardstock, store them in a zip-top bag, and turn them face down for a game of memory. The do you want to build a snowman contractions activity also makes a quick review before a winter writing lesson.

Related Resources

• Contractions Flash Cards
• Writing Contractions Worksheet
• Circling Contractions Worksheet
• Noun Song (Video)