Calling All Homophones

Explicit instruction/Teacher modeling

• With students still gathered together, write the words write and right on the board.
• Read the two words together, aloud with the class.
• Give students actions to symbolize the different meanings of the words. Example: air writing for "write", raising a hand for "right" as in correct, and pointing to the right for "right" as in the direction.
• Have students listen as you use these homophones in sentences and mime which meaning you are using.
• Begin the game. Example sentences: I think I made the right decision to teach this class. I had to make a right turn to get to school today. It’s important to write your homework in your planner.
• Observe responses and add more sentences if practice is needed.

Guided practice/Interactive modeling

• Distribute Write or Right worksheets and project a copy on the board, using an interactive whiteboard or projector.
• Complete each item as a whole group.
• When you're finished, have students read the items using the hand motions from the teacher modeling section.

Independent working time

• Pass out the phone word cards from the Calling All Homophones activity sheet. Each student should receive just one card.
• Instruct students to write their names on the phone word card.
• Give directions for the Calling All Homophones game: the object of the game is to find the homophone match for your card as quickly as possible. Students will search for their match by calling out a sentence with their word, spelling it, or acting it out. After students find their partner, have them stand at the front of the room. If, after ten minutes, students still don't have a partner, have them turn in their phone word cards and sit down. Model these steps if necessary.
• Set timer to ten minutes and start the game.
• At the end of the game, staple word card pairs together. Collect unmatched cards and add them to the card pile.

• Enrichment: Challenge students to create additional homophone pairs. Students can write sentences that include a homophone pair in the same sentence.
• Support: Intentionally pass out word cards that are easier to decode to struggling students. Pair struggling students with peer mentors.

• Gather your students together and read each stapled word card pair. Students should give a thumbs up if they think the pair is correct, and a thumbs down if they think it's incorrect.
• Incorrect pairs should be separated and matched with their correct homophone from the pile.
• Any unmatched pairs should be matched by the group.
• Use the word cards and the guided practice worksheet to assess whether each student understands the concept of homophones.

• Ask students to rate how well the lesson helped them learn new homophones by holding up 0 (not helpful) to 10 (very helpful) fingers.
• Invite students to discuss their reasoning for rating the lesson how they did with a partner.