Use a purchased or homemade flannel board to introduce compound words. Cut out simple shapes like house, dog, sun, flower, book, worm, back, pack, foot, ball. butter, fly. Put the picture of the worm and the book on the flannel board. Point to the book and ask a student to tell what the shape is. Point to the worm and ask what it is. Tell children that they can put worm and book together to make a new word. Put the shapes together (book, then worm). Ask a student to say the new word (bookworm). Ask students to name other compound words. Write the words or draw pictures on a dry board as students say them.
Compound Match
Arrange the compound shapes on the flannel board in random order. Let students take turns putting the shapes together to make compound words (doghouse, sunflower, bookworm, backpack, football, butterfly). Use the flannel board and shapes in a learning center. Add a worksheet with a matching activity with directions to draw lines to match parts of compound words. The worksheet should list 5 to 10 compound words with the first part of the word on the left side and the last part on the right side. Use pictures instead of words or both words and pictures according to students' level of understanding. Have students complete matching activities online.
Make Puzzles to Combine Words
Use the Compound Word Hunt activity on page 49 from the Florida Center for Reading Research. Cut card stock into strips large enough to write words. Write one part of a compound word on each piece. Use pictures instead of words if pictures are more appropriate for students. Let students work in pairs, taking turns matching words. The first player picks up the top card and says the word. The second player looks through the stack of cards for the word that completes a compound word and names it. The two cards that make up a compound word are put aside and the game continues until all the words have been used.
Group Activity Compound Words
Have students stand in a circle. Choose a leader to walk around the circle stopping in front of each child in the circle. The student in the circle names the first part of a compound word that the class has studied. The leader must complete the compound word by saying the last part. If he doesn't say the compound word in 5 to 10 seconds he and the student in the circle change places and the new leader moves to the next person in the circle.
Recognizing Compound Words
Use activities that encourage students to actively participate. Small and large group activities, pairing, learning centers, and online activities are all appropriate. Observe and record individual and group progress, and encourage students to trade worksheets and check one another's work. Most children enjoy learning about compound words and will make good progress if they have many opportunities to recognize and use them.
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