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Home : 2006 : January : 2

By BetsyC

I always use "Verb Safari" that I found in a Mailbox book. While students aren't in the room hang about 20 or so words of various parts of speech around the room. Try to put them in places that are somewhat inconspicuous
but not that hard to find. Talk to the students about what a safari is and tell them they will go on a safari for verbs (or nouns-whichever you'd like to do). They need to carry a clip board and paper around the room with them and must work independently and very quietly. I always tell mine to be careful not to be to obvious when they've found a word because that gives it away to other

students. The trick is they can only record the word on their paper if it is a verb. You could have them make a t-chart and record verbs on one side and nouns on the other. When time is up I allow students to share the words they found and where they found them. I take down each word as the student shares it. If the word wasn't a verb I have them decide what part of speech it is.

For irregular verbs: (go-went-have, has, had gone)
I write each irregular verb on an index card and display them in a pocket chart. We chant them:
go, went
have has
had gone.
I use a pointer and point to each card as we chant. We do this several times a day until they have them memorized. Then I'll challenge them to recite. I'll give them the present tense verb (go) and the student gives the next two (went, have has, had gone). I usually draw name sticks for this and have them close their eyes when it's their turn. They love doing this and beg me to do it. I also let them get a treat from the treat jar if they get their verbs correct. If a student misses his I'll go back at the end and give him another chance. When students must choose the correct verb for a sentence I tell them to first look for the tricky "h" words and then go from there. I can always here them quietly chanting when working independently.

I hope that what I've typed is understandable- I'm in a hurry as usual! Good luck! ;)
Betsy