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English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 minutes

Homophones and near-homophones

Spelling

CCSS L.3.2.FCCSS L.4.1.GEngland: Y3/4 Spelling (homophones)England: KS2 SATs GPS

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Homophones and near-homophones.

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

Leads to: Tricky word pairs (affect/effect, advice/advise…); Year 5/6 homophones (aloud/allowed, stationary/stationery)

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 · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Homophones: there/their/they're, to/too/two). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Choose the correct word. The ___ rode a white horse into battle. (nite / night / knight) → knightPrompt: These words sound the same but have different meanings.
  2. Choose the correct word. Please ___ quiet in the library. (bea / bee / be) → bePrompt: These words sound the same but have different meanings.
  3. Choose the correct word. My bike is bright ___. (blew / bloo / blue) → bluePrompt: These words sound the same but have different meanings.

Hook · 5 min

  • Show a word spelled two ways and ask which looks right, then why.
  • Share the objective: Homophones and near-homophones. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Choose the correct homophone. Please ___ the cheese for the pizza.
  • Step 1: Homophones sound alike, so the meaning of the sentence tells you which spelling to use.
  • Step 2: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Please grate the cheese for the pizza."
  • Step 3: So the answer is: grate
  • Answer: grate
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 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 homophone. I ___ the answer! (no / know) → knowPrompt: Both words sound the same. Think about what each one means.
  2. Choose the correct homophone. A thick ___ covered the hills. (missed / mist) → mistPrompt: Both words sound the same. Think about what each one means.

You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Choose the correct homophone. The ___ on the parcel was too tight to untie. (knot / not) → knotPrompt: Both words sound the same. Think about what each one means.
  2. Choose the correct homophone. The bus ___ is two dollars. (fair / fare) → farePrompt: Both words sound the same. Think about what each one means.

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: Homophones: there/their/they're, to/too/two.
  • 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: Tricky word pairs (affect/effect, advice/advise…); Year 5/6 homophones (aloud/allowed, stationary/stationery).
  • 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-3.

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

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Homophones and near-homophones

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Choose the correct homophone. The puppy wagged its ___.

    • A. tail
    • B. tale

  2. Question 2

    Choose the correct homophone. Press the ___ to stop the bike.

    • A. brake
    • B. break

  3. Question 3

    Choose the correct homophone. I ___ the answer!

    • A. know
    • B. no

  4. Question 4

    Choose the correct homophone. ___ bag is this?

    • A. Whose
    • B. Who's

  5. Question 5

    Choose the correct homophone. We will ___ at the park at noon.

    • A. meet
    • B. meat

  6. Question 6

    Choose the correct homophone. She wore a ___ white T-shirt.

    • A. plain
    • B. plane

  7. Question 7

    Choose the correct homophone. Grandpa told us a ___ about a dragon.

    • A. tail
    • B. tale

  8. Question 8

    Choose the correct homophone. The butcher sells ___.

    • A. meet
    • B. meat

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Answer key: Homophones and near-homophones

  1. 1. A. tail

  2. 2. A. brake

  3. 3. A. know

  4. 4. A. Whose

  5. 5. A. meet

  6. 6. A. plain

  7. 7. B. tale

  8. 8. B. meat