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English lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 60 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 · 6 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) (hafe / hav / have / haf) → havePrompt: These are tricky words: they do not sound the way they are spelled.
  2. Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. My best ___ lives next door. (freind / friend / frend) → friendPrompt: All three choices sound the same. Which one looks right?
  3. Which word is spelled correctly? Clue: to like very much (love / luv / lov / lerv) → lovePrompt: These are tricky words: they do not sound the way they are spelled.

Hook · 6 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 · 12 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 · 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.
  1. Choose the correct word. Our team ___ the match! (won / wun / one) → wonPrompt: These words sound the same but have different meanings.
  2. Choose the correct word. Come and sit over ___. (here / hear / heer) → herePrompt: These words sound the same but have different meanings.

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.
  1. Choose the correct word. The wind ___ my hat away. (bloo / blew / blue) → blewPrompt: These words sound the same but have different meanings.
  2. Choose the correct word. Can you ___ the music? (heer / here / hear) → hearPrompt: 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/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Choose the correct word. ___ is a frog in the pond.

    • A. They're
    • B. There
    • C. Their

  2. Question 2

    Choose the correct word. Can I come ___?

    • A. too
    • B. to
    • C. two

  3. Question 3

    Choose the correct word. We walked ___ the library.

    • A. too
    • B. two
    • C. to

  4. Question 4

    Choose the correct word. I ate ___ apple and a pear.

    • A. wun
    • B. one
    • C. won

  5. Question 5

    Choose the correct word. I would like ___ play outside.

    • A. too
    • B. to
    • C. two

  6. Question 6

    Choose the correct word. The children put on ___ coats.

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

  7. Question 7

    Choose the correct word. This soup is ___ hot to eat.

    • A. two
    • B. too
    • C. to

  8. Question 8

    Choose the correct word. The wind ___ my hat away.

    • A. blue
    • B. blew
    • C. bloo

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

  1. 1. B. There

  2. 2. A. too

  3. 3. C. to

  4. 4. B. one

  5. 5. B. to

  6. 6. A. their

  7. 7. B. too

  8. 8. B. blew