Inspired by Y'all!

All of those in Bloggy Land and Pinterest continually inspire me!  Thanks for so freely sharing your ideas, classroom pictures, etc.  I've been so excited about trying everyone's Contraction Surgery idea with my students.  We did it today and they absolutely loved it!!  I started off as Dr. Reed and entered the classroom with my surgical mask, gloves, and nametag on.  They were so excited and shocked when they saw me!!  We started out with chart paper and I demonstrated how we would perform surgery on the "patients."  Then, I let each student "assist with surgery" as they did one word on the chart paper.  Then, I had all students use handgel so our surgical area would be sanitary.  I handed out their packets which contained 3 bandaids, latex-free gloves, a face mask, and a Contraction Surgery booklet plus 3 sets of words.  I purchased First Grade Fever (Christie)'s Contraction Surgery Center at TPT.  AWESOME Product!  Love it....y'all go check it out!!

Each student donned his/her mask and gloves and set to work performing surgery. 

By the time we had finished the activity, the kids totally GOT it!  They understood that a contraction is two words joined together and that the apostrophe replaces one or more letters that are no longer there.  Not only that, but I really think they will do a better job spelling contractions they include in their writing, because they now understand which letters are left out.  YAY...loved this.  I highly recommend this activity for everyone!  We even called the patients  "Mrs. I Have", "Mr. You Will", etc.

One little student made me laugh so hard.  She is so precocious and adorable...and she came up to me and said in a dead serious manner, "Dr. Reed, Mrs. I Have acted like a TOTAL child!  She wouldn't sit still, and she refused to take the pill.  But, when she saw that cool green bandaid, she settled back down."

I almost fell out of my seat laughing.  Another student said, "All of my patients liked their new look."  Haha!!

Dr. Reed, signing off.