There are so many approaches to teaching a Language Arts curriculum, but compound words lend themselves especially well to visualization.  Some kids “get” the concept of compound words quickly, but others struggle with it.  Having a versatile lesson plan that encourages visualization can help make the abstract idea of combining two words into one a little easier to swallow.

How about using picture cards to represent each word?  Use one card with a cow and one card with a boy pictured on it.  Put them together, kind of like in a math equation.  Cow + Boy = Cowboy.  The spatial aspect of visualizing a cow and a boy helps some kids underdstand the concept of joining the two words together.

Of course, it’s always fun to look around the house for compound words. Kids enjoy this!  Point out that the fireplace in your living room is actually made from 2 words, or the mailbox out in the yard, or the doorway to the kitchen.  That feeling of discovery might be enough to get ‘em interested, and once they’re interested, the “click” of understanding will happen in no time.

There are plenty of other suggestions online as well, so don’t be afraid to search a little to find a unique method to reach your student.  Here’s a neat site I found with some educational compound word games to get you started!