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English lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 30 minutes

Homophones: there/their/they're, to/too/two

Spelling

CCSS L.2.2CCSS L.4.1.GEngland: Y2 Spelling (homophones)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Homophones: there/their/they're, to/too/two.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Tricky words (common exception words)

Leads to: Homophones and near-homophones; Confusing words: its/it's, your/you're, then/than, whose/who's

Materials: Word cards, Look-say-cover-write-check sheets, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Tricky words (common exception words)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which word is spelled correctly? Clue: to own something (I ___ a bike) (have / hav / haf / hafe) → havePrompt: These are tricky words: they do not sound the way they are spelled.
  2. Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. She ___ like to come to my party. (woud / wud / would) → wouldPrompt: All three choices sound the same. Which one looks right?
  3. Which word is spelled correctly? Clue: a lot of (___ children like games) (meny / mani / menny / many) → manyPrompt: These are tricky words: they do not sound the way they are spelled.

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a word spelled two ways and ask which looks right, then why.
  • Share the objective: Homophones: there/their/they're, to/too/two. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Choose the correct word. The children put on ___ coats.
  • Step 1: Homophones sound the same but are spelled differently and mean different things.
  • Step 2: 'their' means 'belonging to them'.
  • Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The children put on their coats."
  • Step 4: So the answer is: their
  • Answer: their
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Choose the correct word. This soup is ___ hot to eat. (too / to / two) → tooPrompt: These words sound the same but have different meanings.
  2. Choose the correct word. A table has ___ legs. (fore / for / four) → fourPrompt: These words sound the same but have different meanings.

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Choose the correct word. Please ___ quiet in the library. (bee / bea / be) → bePrompt: These words sound the same but have different meanings.
  2. Choose the correct word. I can ___ the moon from my window. (sea / see / si) → seePrompt: These words sound the same but have different meanings.

Watch out for

  • Spelling every word exactly as it sounds.
  • Learning a list for a test but not using the words in writing.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Tricky words (common exception words).
  • Use concrete materials: word cards.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Homophones and near-homophones; Confusing words: its/it's, your/you're, then/than, whose/who's.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-2.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Homophones: there/their/they're, to/too/two

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Choose the correct word. Can I come ___?

    • A. too
    • B. two
    • C. to

  2. Question 2

    Choose the correct word. The twins lost ___ ball.

    • A. there
    • B. their
    • C. they're

  3. Question 3

    Choose the correct word. I can ___ the moon from my window.

    • A. si
    • B. see
    • C. sea

  4. Question 4

    Choose the correct word. This present is ___ you.

    • A. fore
    • B. for
    • C. four

  5. Question 5

    Choose the correct word. A ___ buzzed around the flowers.

    • A. be
    • B. bea
    • C. bee

  6. Question 6

    Choose the correct word. We walked ___ the library.

    • A. two
    • B. too
    • C. to

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Answer key: Homophones: there/their/they're, to/too/two

  1. 1. A. too

  2. 2. B. their

  3. 3. B. see

  4. 4. B. for

  5. 5. C. bee

  6. 6. C. to