Minilesson

To, Too, or Two: Developing an Understanding of Homophones

Grades
3 - 5
Lesson Plan Type
Minilesson
Estimated Time
One 60-minute session
Author
Publisher
ILA
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Overview

Site or sight? Write or right? Because there are many words in the English language that sound the same but are spelled differently, students may struggle to write the right spelling for certain words. These word types known to complicate spelling and vocabulary are called homophones. An integral part of students' vocabulary and spelling development is to learn and understand the meaning of these homophones. In this minilesson, students begin by generating a list of homophones with which they are familiar. Students then listen to a song, identify homophones in the song, and discuss their meaning and spelling. Finally, student groups create a skit that depicts the meaning of a homophone. As the group performs the skit, their classmates attempt to guess the homophone that is on display. Groups finish the lesson by creating a comic strip version of their skit to be compiled into a class "homophone book."

From Theory to Practice

Explorations in developmental spelling: Foundations for learning and teaching phonics, spelling, and vocabulary (Bear)

This article discusses the stages of spelling development and explores how those stages translate into appropriate instruction. Bear and Templeton touch on several aspects of vocabulary and spelling development including homophone instruction. The authors make the following observations:

  • Homophone instruction is an important transition in students' spelling and vocabulary development as it marks the point where "vocabulary development and meaning patterns increasingly become major aspects of word study instruction."

  • Instruction in the meaning and spelling of homophones also helps students realize that the spelling of a word "can represent its meaning as well as its sound."

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

  • 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
  • 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
  • 8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

Materials and Technology

  • Index cards

  • Internet access with audio capabilities

Printouts

Websites

Preparation

1. Check your computer's audio capabilities by playing the Homophones song. Be sure students will be able to hear the song.
2. Using the Homophone Reference List, write several homophones (15–20) on index cards (one word on each card) for small group work.
3. Create a sample homophone comic with the Comic Creator (see step 5 below) for students to look at before they create their own comics.

Student Objectives

Students will

  • Learn the definition of a homophone

  • Recognize and give examples of several common homophones

  • Listen to a song about homophones to extend their understanding

  • Work in small cooperative groups to create short skits demonstrating an understanding of homophones

  • Work in small groups to create homophone comic strips

Instruction and Activities

1. Begin by introducing the term homophone to students. Explain that homophones are words that sound alike but have different meanings and are spelled differently. Note the root word phone, which means sound. Homophones involve sound and listening, just like when one talks on the phone. Ask students to brainstorm some homophones and write them on chart paper or the board.
2. Tell students that they are going to be listening to a song, and they should listen for as many homophones as they can hear. Play the Between the Lions' Homophones song. You may want to play the song several times for students. Ask students to tell what homophones they hear in the song. Record them on the board. Depending on the age and maturity of your students, you may want to print out the lyrics to the song and have them sing the song as a class.
3. Once students have listened to the song and identified the homophones, discuss the meaning and spelling of each homophone with students. Point out that each homophone sounds the same but has a different meaning and spelling.
4. Divide students into small groups (3–4 students) and explain that they are going to be acting out several homophones for the class. The other students in the class will have to give the meaning and spelling of that particular homophone. Have students pick one of the homophone index cards. Each group should come up with a short (10–20 second) skit that depicts the homophone that they selected.
Example: If a group selects the homophone meet, they might act out a quick skit in which two people meet each other. The other members of the class would have to give the meaning and spelling of that homophone (meet). Depending on your class, you may want to say the homophone aloud before each skit and just have the other students in the class give the correct spelling and meaning based on the skit. Or, you may just want the groups to act out the skit and have students try to determine the homophone (without saying it orally first).
Have the other groups select index cards and act out the homophones on their cards. Continue with the skits until several sets of homophones have been identified.
5. Once all groups have completed their skits, each group can use the online Comic Creator to turn their skit into a short comic strip. Show students your sample comic strip before they begin. The comics can be compiled into a class "homophone book" or displayed in the classroom.

Extensions

In order to extend these activities, students may want to have more practice with homophones. Visit the following websites for additional practice pages:

Student Assessment / Reflections

Assessment can be done informally through observation and/or anecdotal notes during the instructional period. Students' comic strips can be assessed using the Homophone Comics Assessment Rubric.

Grades
K - 12
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Student Interactive
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Writing & Publishing Prose
Comic Creator

The Comic Creator invites students to compose their own comic strips for a variety of contexts (prewriting, pre- and postreading activities, response to literature, and so on).

Grades
K - 12
|
Student Interactive
|
Organizing & Summarizing
Crossword Puzzles
This tool allows students to complete crossword puzzles on a variety of grade-appropriate topics, and also create and print their own crossword puzzles.
stephanie s
K-12 Teacher
I really enjoyed reading this lesson. Ideas are very helpful and can make learning fun and motivating while learning about homophones.
Eva Martinez
K-12 Teacher
Thanks for sharing the Homophones song this lesson is a great with helping students for learning to identify homophones.
Valorie Williams
K-12 Teacher
Thanks for sharing. I love the homophones song. The ideas were a great help in creating a fun and memorable lesson.
e_bgs
K-12 Teacher
Thank you for sharing. It's really helpful!
Tammy Gardner
K-12 Teacher
This is a great mini lesson on homophones. My students love to act out skits so I will use this in my class. The comic strip is just a plus. Any student would love to make their own comic. The song is also a great idea for learning to identify homophones. I believe that as a mini lesson ,this will be an effective lesson.
Tammy Gardner
K-12 Teacher
This is a great mini lesson on homophones. My students love to act out skits so I will use this in my class. The comic strip is just a plus. Any student would love to make their own comic. The song is also a great idea for learning to identify homophones. I believe that as a mini lesson , this will be an effective lesson.
Amy Schoemehl
Literacy Coach
Between the Lions have wonderful extensions and introductory lessons that can make learning fun. I like the idea where you watch the video and write the words down as you see/hear a homophone. The students very easily could memorize the song. Thanks for sharing !
Weldon Brown
K-12 Teacher
I enjoyed this article and found it very neat. I agree with Valorie, the Homophones song are great with helping students understand what homophones are. With the songs, we can keep the childrens attention for a longer period of time. I would use this article to help me with the process of teaching meanings of word, and teaching Homeophones and reading concepts.
Tim
K-12 Teacher
The lesson was well developed and provided a variety of activities to help students learn about homophones. The activities used help to reach all learners (ie. musical, spatial and linguistic). I believe students will enjoy it!
Katie Powell
K-12 Teacher
Great lesson! I love all of the different elements and learning styles that are included. The students love songs and the kinesthetic and creative benefits of a skit are also a plus. The use of technology for the comic as well as extended worksheets is great. I think this lesson will be popular with all of my different types of learners.
Jo B Moses
K-12 Teacher
I really enjoyed this article, it was a great mini-lesson using homophones. Using homophones is fun and making learning fun is a great way for students to remember and learn better, and longer, even forever. The students will enjoy it and learn at the same time.
Brandie Klinkhardt
K-12 Teacher
I like the idea of this lesson. It sounds like it would involve all types of learners. I think lesson plans like these, which require actual physical and mental acitivity help the student to learn the task or skill much better. I really would like to try this with my students. I know that I would have to modifiy this some due to the lower levels of students, but I do in fact think this would be a great activity. I would also print out the lyrics, so my students could follow along reading with the song.
sylvia ellis
K-12 Teacher
This was my first time implementing this lesson and I absolutely loved it. I loved how Brian Mcknight and Cleo the Lion used homophones in their song. I thought it was fun and exciting for my students watch how Brian McKnight and Cleo compare homophones to object such as; read the book to the color red, the word meet to a piece of meat. My students also identified other homophones such as; no & know, right & write, but & butt, for & four, etc. My students did an amazing job on their skits and comic strips. They were able to comprehend and have fun at the same time. I would recommend this lesson to other teachers. This lesson plan really did extend my students undertstanding of homophones and I believe music played a major factor with their enjoyment of this lesson. It is a well-know fact that many people enjoy learning through music. Great Lesson.
Kevin Swain
K-12 Teacher
I like the idea of making learning fun for the students and to get them more involved with the lesson is a great idea. Having the students perform a skit and having their classmates guess the homophone I think would work great in a classroom instead of the teacher talking for 30 minutes to an hour and it would allow the students to see the lesson in a different point of view instead of the normal teaching method.
Sonya Osborn
K-12 Teacher
Love the lesson plan. The comic strip site is a great tool. Thanks.
Ricky Keller
K-12 Teacher
I thought this lesson was great. I think that this is a fun way to teach children homophones. With incorporating music into the lesson I think the kid will stay in gauged into the activities.
Crystal Smith
K-12 Teacher
I love using music with lessons. It's something that gets stuck in your head and is easy to recall. I can still remember songs from when I was in elementary. I also think that including the skits is an awesome idea. I don't like to just use worksheets or class discussions on lessons on things like this because I know kids can get lost in day dreaming or get off track. Singing and having kids act out things really brings them into the lesson and makes it more fun for both teacher and student. I enjoy having my class interact with each other because I feel they learn from that experience more so than just working independently.
Jennifer Sokolova
K-12 Teacher
I really enjoyed this lesson. I think it is very important to put actions with words. Having them act it out only solidifies in ther brains what the homophones are. It is very easy to remember things when you put an action to it such as in math, science and especially spelling. Would love to put this into action in my room at this moment. We are working on homophones and this would be not only entertaining to the students but a good Lesson plan to help them learn and not just do something fun that would not have a great outcome. Thank You!
Lisa H
K-12 Teacher
Loved the idea of using the comic strip maker. My kids would love doing this
Sherri Shirrell
K-12 Teacher
I think this is a great lesson plan. There are plenty of interactive activities to keep the students engaged in learning about homophones. I really liked the crossword puzzle extension and the comic creator. Great ideas and thank you for sharing.
CoCo Reed
Preservice Teacher
Thought this was a very good lesson plan. I always enjoy when music can be incorporated with learning and in this case learning homophones to music will definitely great for students and I can’t wait to use it in the classroom.
Crystal Smith
K-12 Teacher
I did actually try acting out homophones this week after reading this. It was a lot of fun! I am covering synonyms and antonyms which leads into this for next week. So we did a little practice with this today. The kids loved it.
I love doing songs with my lessons. I try to do them as much as possible. I still remember songs from my elementary grammar classes.
Kara Wallacea
K-12 Teacher
I have this lesson coming up in a few weeks and I am so glad I was introduced to this lesson plan. I loved the homophone song and I will for sure be using it a lot with my students.
Sara L.
K-12 Teacher
This is a great lesson on homophones. With being a special education teacher at the high school level they still struggle with homophones. I am going to try and put my LA class in groups and have them create a comic strip. Thanks for sharing this great lesson and website.
Tammy Gardner
K-12 Teacher
This is a great mini lesson on homophones. My students love to act out skits so I will use this in my class. The comic strip is just a plus. Any student would love to make their own comic. The song is also a great idea for learning to identify homophones. I believe that as a mini lesson ,this will be an effective lesson.
Tammy Gardner
K-12 Teacher
This is a great mini lesson on homophones. My students love to act out skits so I will use this in my class. The comic strip is just a plus. Any student would love to make their own comic. The song is also a great idea for learning to identify homophones. I believe that as a mini lesson , this will be an effective lesson.
Brooke Pixley
K-12 Teacher
I think this lesson was very well organized and detailed. I liked that this teacher was able to not only give us a musical way of learning what homophones were, but also a physical activity related to the lesson. I really think this will help this particular skill, and word stick with them. This educator covered all of his/her bases by including many different interesting approaches to teaching a hard concept. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this lesson, it is too hard for my current students right now; but maybe one day I will get to implement it into a lesson with modifications.
Julie Kennedy
K-12 Teacher
The song about homophones is so much fun and made the idea of what the word is (which is complicated enough for them to say) and what it means. I cannot wait to use that song to see how students respond and make learning homophones a fun learning activity.
Camilla Sides
Literacy Coach
This is a cute lesson that I think students would enjoy. Using the song with a class is a wonderful way to keep the students engaged while they are learning about homophones. Playing the song several times for the students will help them remember the different words and the spellings for each homophone. I like the idea of using a skip to act out each word. The students I work with would enjoy this part of the lesson. When students interact in activities like this, they gain a better understanding of the skill being taught. They do not realize they are learning because they are having so much fun. Students like comic stripes and creating their own with the comic strip maker would give them more practice with homophones.
Thanks for the terrific mini lesson! I plan to share this with the teachers in my building.
stephanie s
K-12 Teacher
I really enjoyed reading this lesson. Ideas are very helpful and can make learning fun and motivating while learning about homophones.
Amy Schoemehl
Literacy Coach
Between the Lions have wonderful extensions and introductory lessons that can make learning fun. I like the idea where you watch the video and write the words down as you see/hear a homophone. The students very easily could memorize the song. Thanks for sharing !

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