English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 60 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 · 6 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.
- Choose the correct word. Please ___ quiet in the library. (bea / bee / be) → bePrompt: These words sound the same but have different meanings.
- Choose the correct word. Our team ___ the match! (wun / one / won) → wonPrompt: These words sound the same but have different meanings.
- Choose the correct word. The ___ rode a white horse into battle. (knight / nite / night) → knightPrompt: These words sound the same but have different meanings.
Hook · 6 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 · 12 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 · 12 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Choose the correct homophone. She won a gold ___ for running. (medal / meddle) → medalPrompt: Both words sound the same. Think about what each one means.
- Choose the correct homophone. We ___ a deer in the forest. (saw / sore) → sawPrompt: Both words sound the same. Think about what each one means.
You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Choose the correct homophone. The ___ is sunny today. (whether / weather) → weatherPrompt: Both words sound the same. Think about what each one means.
- Choose the correct homophone. After the war there was ___ in the land. (piece / peace) → peacePrompt: 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