Possessive Nouns
nd
rd
2 – 3 Grade Build a
Phrase Activity
Created By
Lindsay Zobrist 2013
CCSS Aligned
 I can use
apostrophes in
possessives.
L.2.2.
 I can use
apostrophes
appropriately to
show
possession.
L.3.2.
Build-A-Phrase Teacher Directions
For this activity you will need:
1. One copy of “Build a Phrase- Whose is it?” Worksheet per student.
2. One copy, per partner pair, of Picture Sheet A, on colored cardstock.
3. One copy, per partner pair, of Picture Sheet B, on a different color cardstock.
Notes:
 Picture sheets could be used for multiple years, students do not need to glue the
pictures on the worksheet, they can just use them as picture tiles and put them all
back when they are done with the activity.
 I chose to have students do this in pairs so that they could talk to each other if they
had questions about how to write a specific possessive noun.
Directions:
1. Once the pictures are cut and separated into two piles, partners take turns
choosing one picture from each pile and placing them on the worksheet in the
Picture A/Picture B place.
2. Once the first tiles are placed the student writes the possessive noun phrase that
goes with the two pictures.
Example
Jane
hat
Jane’s hat.
3. Partners continue taking turns choosing and writing until they have filled in all of
the boxes.
4. Some of the answers may be kind of silly, so you could have each student choose
their funniest response to share with the class.
Name:______________________
Build-a-Phrase – Whose is That?
Using Apostrophes to Create Possessive Nouns
Sentence Frame
Example
Person/Animal
Noun: Object
__________’s
____________
 Bob’s car
 Emilia’s horse
 The dog’s bone
Picture A
Person/Animal
Jane
Jane’s hat.
Picture B
Object
Possessive Noun Phrase:
Picture A
Person/Animal
hat
Picture A
Person/Animal
Picture B
Object
Possessive Noun Phrase:
Picture B
Object
Possessive Noun Phrase:
Possessive Nouns: Build a Phrase
Picture A
Person/Animal
Picture B
Object
Possessive Noun Phrase:
Zobrist 2013
Build-A-Phrase – Whose is that?
Picture A
Person/Animal
Picture B
Object
Possessive Noun Phrase:
Picture A
Person/Animal
Picture B
Object
Possessive Noun Phrase:
Picture A
Person/Animal
Picture B
Object
Possessive Noun Phrase:
Possessive Nouns: Build a Phrase
Picture A
Person/Animal
Picture B
Object
Possessive Noun Phrase:
Picture A
Person/Animal
Picture B
Object
Possessive Noun Phrase:
Picture A
Person/Animal
Picture B
Object
Possessive Noun Phrase:
Zobrist 2013
Picture Sheet A: Person/Animal
Directions:
 Cut out all of the pictures for Picture Sheet A. These are all people or animals.
 Turn all of the pictures over when you are done.
 You and your partner will take turns choosing pictures from Set A, once you have everything set-up.
Picture A
Picture A
The cat
Picture A
Picture A
The dog
Picture A
The pig
Picture A
Picture A
The snake
Our family
The mouse
Picture A
Bill
Picture A
The cow
Possessive Nouns: Build a Phrase
The frog
Picture A
The horse
Picture A
The fish
The brother
Picture A
Picture A
Abby
The sister
The clown
Wilma
Picture A
Picture A
The baby
Picture A
Trevor
The teacher
Picture A
Picture A
Picture A
Picture A
The artist
Picture A
Picture A
Sam
Picture A
Amanda
Picture A
Dominic
The princess
Zobrist 2013
Picture Sheet B: Object
Directions:
 Cut out all of the pictures for Picture Sheet B. These are all objects.
 Turn all of the pictures over (face down) when you are done.
 You and your partner will take turns choosing pictures from Set B, once you have everything set-up.
Picture B
Picture B
Picture B
ball
Picture B
hat
Picture B
ice cream
Picture B
lollipop
radio
Picture B
phone
book
football
swimsuit
house
Possessive Nouns: Build a Phrase
pencil
Picture B
umbrella
Picture B
school
slide
Picture B
Picture B
Picture B
computer
Picture B
Picture B
Picture B
ballet shoes
ring
car
bike
piggy bank
Picture B
Picture B
Picture B
Picture B
bus
Picture B
Picture B
Picture B
Picture B
microphone
Picture B
cake
trophy
Zobrist 2013
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