Jessica Epley

RE 3150

Convention Lesson Plan

March 7, 2006

 

To BE or Not to BEE: A Lesson on Homonyms

 

Concept under investigation: Students have indicated a need for clarification of homonyms based on their previous writings. This lesson will clarify homonyms for students and enable them to enhance their writing by accurately using homonyms.     

 

Competencies and Skills: This lesson addresses the following competency goals of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study:

  • 6.04 Model an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by determining the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words using context clues, a dictionary, a glossary, a thesaurus, and/or structural analysis of words.
  • 6.04 Model an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by extending vocabulary knowledge by learning and using new words.

 

Other goals/objectives: Students will gain experience and confidence using words that are often tricky and that they frequently omit from their writing.   

 

Materials needed:

·         Paper and pencils.

·         Multiple dictionaries and thesauruses.

·         Multiple copies of Everyday Edit: Author Virginia Hamilton.

·         An overhead transparency of Everyday Edit answer key.

·         Everyday Edit tip sheet (Everyday edit activities from Education World) http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/edit.shtml

·         Multiple copies of homonyms worksheet.

·         Overhead transparency of homonyms worksheet.

·         Classroom computers with Internet access.

·         Additional resources: Online quiz

1.      http://www.rblewis.net/technology/EDU506/WebQuests/homophone/homonyms.html

 

Procedure with script:

  1. Welcome students to this lesson by outlining the day’s activities orally and by writing them on the board:

 

Here’s What We Are Doing Today

    1. Everyday Edit
    2. Homonyms worksheet
    3. Homonyms Quiz online

 

  1. Initiate the lesson with the Everyday Edit: Author Virginia Hamilton. Students will be familiar with this daily activity and should need little direction, if any, from the teacher (5 minutes).

 

  1. Display the corrected Everyday Edit paragraph on the overhead projector. Address common mistakes or difficulties students have with the editing activity (3-5 minutes).

 

  1. Establish the purpose of the lesson by writing a sentence on the board using incorrect homonyms. For example: The bare was attracted to the campsite by the cent of food. Ask students to correct the sentence on their own paper. Ask students how to correct the sentence. Make their corrections on the board (3-5 minutes).    

 

  1. Introduce today’s activity by providing each student with the homonym worksheet (<1 minute).

 

  1. Remind students to use the classroom dictionaries and thesauruses if they are in doubt of which word appropriately completes the sentences on their worksheet (<1 minute).  

 

  1. Ask students to group themselves in pairs and complete the first five pairs of sentences. If students are unable to group themselves into productive pairs, some teacher intervention may be required. If necessary, group students with their neighbors or move them about to avoid potential problems and future interruptions.  (7-10 minutes).

 

  1. Draw students’ attention to the overhead projector and the transparency of the worksheet. Ask for volunteers to provide the correct word on the five sentences. This allows you to observe their responses and ensure that all students are grasping the concept. Discuss any sentences that seem to pose a difficulty for students. If this is the case, pose questions such as “why do you think number 3 is particularly tricky?” (10-15 minutes).

 

  1. Direct students to complete the worksheet individually. Circulate among the students to provide additional assistance, notice common problems, and provide individual feedback (20 minutes).

 

  1. Draw students’ attention to the overhead projector and the transparency of the worksheet. Call on students by name to identify the appropriate word to correctly complete the sentence. Address any common difficulties students appear to have with particular words. (<15 minutes). 

 

  1. Explain to students that they will now take a quiz on homonyms on the Internet. Tell students that they are to answer five questions, worth five points. Tell students not to print out the quizzes because you will be able to view their results (<2 minutes).

 

  1. Direct students to maneuver themselves to their assigned computer station, to access the Internet, and log onto http://www.quia.com/quiz/113976.html. Write the web address on the board (<2 minutes).

 

  1. Remind students to log off the computers when they have completed the quiz (<1 minute).

 

  1. Close the lesson by reminding students of the importance of correct word usage in written communication, referring back to the sentence on the board. Tell students that you expect to see accurate homonym usage in their future writings.

 

SPED modifications: The following consists of SPED modifications for this lesson:

·         Providing an outline of the lesson.

·         Providing both oral and written instructions.

·         Allowing for group work for a portion of the assignment.

·         Reviewing corrected examples of sentences.

 

Formative Assessment: Students will demonstrate their understanding of homonyms by completing the online quiz during class and by submitting their worksheets at the end of class. Summative Assessment: Students will demonstrate their mastery of homonyms by correctly using them in future writings. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answer Key

Born in Ohio on March 12, 1936, Virginia Hamilton was an award-winning author. She wrote books about African-American life from a house on her family's land. "I've been a writer all my life, since the time I was a child in grade school when I first learned to scribble down sentences describing the pictures in my head," Hamilton once said. In 1995, Hamilton was awarded the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for her life's work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/edit/edit0312.shtml

 

 

 

 

 

Name: _____________________________________

Date: ______________________________________

 

Homonyms Worksheet

 

1.         acts, axe
The play we saw had three _______________.
He chopped down the small tree with three swings of the ________________.

2.         affect, effect
How hard you study can ________________ how well you do on the test.
The heavy winds did not seem to have any _______________ on our neighborhood.

3.         aid, aide
The manager called on her _______________ to do the job.
The doctor called for a nurse to come to his __________.

4.         altar, alter
The priest stood in front of the ________________ as he said a prayer.
Highway construction forced us to _______________ our route.

5.         beach, beech
One of my favorite things to do is to walk along the _______________ in winter.
My aunt planted a _______________ tree in her front yard.

6.         beau, bow
Molly introduced her new _______________ to her parents.
The dress had a big pink _______________ on it.

7.         boar, bore
I won't _______________ you by telling that story again.
A wild ________________ appeared in my path as I walked through the woods.

8.         board, bored
He nailed a ________________ over the broken window.
Whenever I get _______________, I pick up a book.

9.         brows, browse
I love to _______________ through the bookstore whenever I have time.
The magician's remarkable trick made the people in the audience raise their _______________.

10.       census, senses
The latest _______________ shows that the population of our state is shrinking.
He used all five _______________ to appreciate the fine meal.

11.       clause, claws
The hawk swooped down and grabbed the fish in its _______________.
A ________________ in the contract called for him to work 10 hours a day.

12.       creak, creek
Open the door slowly or it will ________________.
Follow this little _______________ and you will end up in the Mississippi River.

13.       discussed, disgust
He got up from the table in ______________ and walked out of the restaurant.
We ________________ the issues in this year's election before we voted.

14.       fair, fare
People complained when the bus _______________ went up 25 cents.
They said it was not ________________ to raise the price.

15.       fir, fur
That _______________ tree will grow to be 40 feet tall.
My sister will not wear a _______________ coat.

16.       heal, heel
Harry's broken arm did not _______________ as quickly as the doctor expected.
Tommy walked on his ________________ because his toe was throbbing.

17.       lessen, lesson
That was a hard way to learn a _______________.
Keisha wore an extra sweater to _______________ the chances she would feel cold.

18.       morning, mourning
Family members were in _______________ over the death of their grandmother.
The sun shined brightly on the _______________ of the funeral.

19.       paced, paste
You can glue or _______________ the pictures into the scrapbook.
The nervous father _______________ in the waiting room until he got the news.

20.       pair, pare
The company was forced to _______________ its workforce because they had so few orders.
Students had to _______________ off to work on the project.

21.       pride, pried
The boy was his father's _______________ and joy.
The mechanic _______________ open the car door with a special tool.

22.       rain, reign
After a dry spell, the people were happy to see _______________.
King George will _______________ for the next 20 years.

23.       ring, wring
The diamonds on the _______________ sparkled when the light hit them.
The towel was so wet, Wes had to _______________ it out before he could soak up any more of the spill.

24.       scent, sent
The _______________ of spring flowers filled the air.
If you _______________ the package by air mail, it should be there in two days.

25.       seam, seem
The trip did not _______________ to take as long as I expected.
When I bent down, the ________________ of my pants ripped.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp314-05b.shtml