Lockdown Day 56 – Prepositions
Literacy
* GRAMMAR – Part 3 *
We continue our grammar journey today.
PREPOSITIONS
Prepositions are words that tell us the position of one noun in relation to another noun. (Prepositions also work with pronouns, but let’s keep this simple for now!) Just as with the verb games we played last week, this is a perfect opportunity to include movement and develop comprehension skills!
USE YOUR LOUNGE
– Invite the child to play the preposition game with you where you will be learning new words that will have to do with where the s/he will place her/his body!
– Ask the child to sit ON the couch.
– Once the child has done this, ask the child to sit BEHIND the couch.
– Reflect with the child as to what changed. The child did not change, and the couch did not change, but the POSITION of the child changed because of two specific words in the instruction. Reiterate the words ‘on’ and ‘behind’.
Explore this with other prepositions like; in, outside, inside, beneath, alongside, beside, at, with, next to, and under. The main thing here is that the child is experiencing the feeling of being on, in or under.
You can also agree on the fact that some prepositions mean the same thing. The child could be asked to stand NEXT TO the chair, and then be asked to stand BESIDE the chair. Older children can be introduced to the word SYNONYM. Words that have the same meaning are called synonyms.
USING OTHER OBJECTS
Once the child is comfortable with this game, you can also use objects to play. Have a coin and a tin, a box and a button or a small bag and a small purse and play in the same way as detailed above.
With older children, this may be a fun time to recap the parts of speech you have already done. For example, you may ask the child to ‘Place the button under the box.’ After agreeing that the preposition in this sentence is UNDER, ask the child if s/he can identify the noun and the verb in the sentence. Remind the child if necessary that a noun is a naming word and the verb is the action word.
Enjoy adding more grammar knowledge to your day!
****