Mary Mistretta’s Retrofit Assignment:

Original Lesson Plan:

Objectives:

1. Students will define and name new homophones.

NYS Learning Standards:

Standard 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and
understanding.

Standard 3: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis.

Standard 4: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.

Anticipatory Set: (5-8 minutes)

Class will discuss what homophones are and will popcorn responses to teacher
to write on board.

Notes: (15 minutes)

Students will copy a list of homophones and brief definitions.

Whole class practice: (15-20 minutes)

Students will complete a worksheet of sentences containing homophones in

which they circle the correct homophone to complete the sentence.

List will be placed on Promethean Board for students to see and teacher will
circle the correct word as students dictate.

Wrap-up: (1 minute)

Students will write a Know-Want-Learn response card.

Assessment: Informal assessment of student class work.

Self-Assessment:

How well were students able to grasp content based on delivery method?
Retrofitted Lesson Plan:
Lesson Title: Spell check doesn’t check these and you’ll look silly using the
wrong one: homophones!
Teacher Name: Mary Mistretta
Subject: English Language Arts Grade Level: 7-12
Time Required (days; time/day): 2 days, 40 minute class periods
 This template describes Day 1, which is preparation for Day 2 activity
 Day 2 will be formal assessment (completion of Word document edit) and is
included in assessment sections.
Topic: Homophones
Essential Question: Why is knowledge of homophones important in writing and
communication?
Pre-requisites (Prior Knowledge): Students will already be familiar with some
homophones and will also have used Goodledocs and Edmodo blog prior to
lesson.
STAGE 1 - DESIRED RESULTS
A. Content Area Standard(s): (include complete standard, not just standard #).

NYS English Language Arts Standards:

Standard 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and
understanding.

Standard 2: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and
expression.

Standard 3: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and
evaluation.

Standard 4: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/ela/pub/elalearn.pdf

B. Technology Standards:

National Educational Technology Standards

Standard 1: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

 Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and
technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and
innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.

Standard 2: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

 Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and
assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content
learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified
in the NETS•S.
Standard 3: Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
 Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an
innovative professional in a global and digital society.

http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_f
or_Teachers_2008.htm

B. Intended Learning Outcome Define what students will know and be able to do and
at what level of mastery they should be able to do it. NOTE: Add/subtract rows from
below each column heading,
Student will know… Student will be able to…
1. A high number of homophones along with 1. Use similar-sounding words correctly
their respective meanings. in full sentences.

2. The importance of learning and using the 2. Identify homophones in sentences and
correct homophone when writing and choose the correct term.
communicating with peers and others.

3. Mid-level mastery is expected at close of 3. Students will be able to effectively

lesson. Students should demonstrate a identify and define homophone errors in
working knowledge of common homophone a Word document after spell check has
usage, i.e. minimal errors on assessments. been implemented.

STAGE 2 – ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Students will demonstrate their learning/understanding in the following way(s):
A. Teacher-Created Assessments:
Pre-test: Post-test:
 Introductory activity and Wordle will  Student editing of Word
be assessed as a baseline for document containing homophone
students’ knowledge. errors.
B. Performance Assessments:
 Student sentence and blog writing with homophones will demonstrate mastery of
content.
 Student editing of homophone errors in Word document will assess content
mastery.

C. Other Assessments (e.g., Peer, Self):

Self:
 Students will post a blog at the end of class that explains one thing they learned
and one thing they were confused about.
D. Assessment Adaptations:  Students with difficulties can be
re-assessed after more time with
content.
STAGE 3 - LEARNING PLAN
A. Learning Activities
1. Instructional Strategies/Learning Activities:
(e.g., demonstration, discussion, small groups, role-play, etc.)

 Discussions: topics include reasons for homophone errors and ways to correct
 them, and why it is necessary to know homophone differences.
 Think-pair-share, blogs, and writing assignments.

2. Introducing the Lesson: (capturing students’ attention, activating students’

prior knowledge).

Whole class:
 Students will be asked to recall from a previous Greek and Latin Roots lesson
the meanings of the roots -homo and –phone. As we discuss the fact that the
word literally means “same sound” the students will be asked to think about
words they might know that share the same sound. I will then ask if the words
they know with the same sound have the same meaning and spelling.
3. Instructional Sequence:
(representing the content: teaching/learning activities, connecting to students’ prior
knowledge, etc.) Complete the following two columns, showing teacher activity in
correspondence with student activity. Add/subtract rows as needed.
Student activity (The student is
Teacher activity (The teacher is doing….) doing…)
1. Students will be instructed to sit with their 1. Students are logging on and waiting
clock buddies and will begin logging onto for further instructions.
computers and Edmodo and Googledoc
sites.

2. Lesson is introduced: See Introducing 2. Students will begin thinking of

the Lesson, above. homonyms they know.

3. Students will be instructed to do think-pair- 3. Think-pair-share:

share activity and list the homophones they Students will pair as instructed and will
know together. They should have at least 3 list what they know.
pairs but will most likely have more.

4. Teacher will instruct students to post their 4. With their lists students will begin to
lists to Google doc. in designated space. asynchronously post their homophones
Repetitions will be encouraged for Wordle, onto a Google doc. in the designated
and students will post more homophone space containing their names.
pairs as they come up with them or view
them in others’ work.

5. After a few minutes teacher will transfer all 5. Students will study Wordle and
student terms into Wordle, which will be discuss words they know or don’t know.
viewed by class on Promethean board, and
ask students to point out which words may
be new to them or which they are most
familiar with.

6. Teacher will show facebook posts 6. Students will deliver feedback on

containing erroneous homophone usage and posts: did they notice the mistakes? If so,
will instruct students to consider how these why? If not, why? Did they care about
errors affect their perceptions of those who the mistakes or not? How, if at all, did
 post these mistakes. their perceptions about the writer change
once mistakes were noticed?

7. Teacher will instruct students to follow 7. Students will decipher if word in

along on board as sentences are written into sentence is correct or not using a poll.
a Word document, and to choose the correct
homophone for each sentence by using the
Edmodo poll (poll will be pre-created with
most common homophones).

8. Teacher will instruct students to post their 8. Students will post blogs to close class.
blogs as class comes to an end.

9. Teacher will inform students to look over 9. Students will receive list and ask
homophone list for tomorrow’s work and will questions as needed.
hand out list.

B. Adaptations to the Instructional Sequence to Differentiate:

 Repetition of definitions and visual aids as necessary.

 Homophone worksheets and lists can be given to students as needed.
 Worksheets will include homophone practice: students will choose which
homophone is appropriate for sentence by circling word (pair/pare) as it appears
in sentence. Dictionary to be used as needed.
 Students will have the opportunity for extra study before reassessment.

C. Discussion and Assessment of Learning: (Pointing out to students how what they
are learning is related to the driving question; assessing students’ learning as a
result of the lesson)
 We will discuss how often homophones are overlooked in writing and will view a
Microsoft Word Document to study why spell check purposely overlooks
homophone errors.

 We will view facebook posts that include erroneous homophone usage and
discuss how this may influence viewers’ opinions of posters.

 Informal assessment of learning will occur simultaneously with lesson as

students think-pair-share homophones and create list for Wordle.

 Formal assessment will occur when students complete Word document edit.
D. Closure:
1. Overall Closure Plans:
 Student blogs.
 We will discuss the homophones the students found and review definitions
(which ones are easier than others to remember, and why).
 We will recap why correct homophone usage is important when using facebook
and other blog sites and in writing Word documents.
 Students will receive homophone list to look over in preparation for Word
document editing assessment.
 2. Extensions for Early Finishers:
 Day 1: N/A
 Day 2: Students who finish early on assessment day can begin their blogs.

3. Alternate strategies for struggling students or those who learn

differently:
 In addition to the blog, students will also view the homophones as a Wordle and
as a separate list, if necessary.
 Students with difficulties may use worksheets and dictionaries as necessary.

E. Procedures: (both already established procedures to be used, and

procedures to be taught for this lesson)
 Already-established procedures will include clock buddies (a pair-matching tool in
which students locate the person listed on their clocks at a given to partner with).
 Think-pair-share: Students are given time to think alone, then to pair up and
discuss their ideas with partners.
 Edmodo blog and poll usage: Students will know how to log on and navigate site
for blog and poll usage.
 Googledocs: Students will be familiar with Googledocs and will know where to
locate necessary assignments and directions (will be clearly labeled for
students).

LESSON DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

A. Technology Tools and Materials: (classroom set-up, preparations, resources, etc.)
 Computer Lab with Promethean (Smart-type of board used as overhead screen)
 Googledocs for Word editing (post-assessment)
 Wordle for pre-assessment
 Edmodo site for blog
 Homophone lists, worksheets, and dictionaries

B. Parent/Community Resources: N/A

C. Contact Information: School Email: mmistretta@dunkirk.wnyric.org
Student Work Sample:

Wordle Compilation
Student Rubric:

Recap:

As we have discussed, Microsoft Word spell check does not mark homophone

mistakes as incorrect because they are not spelled wrong. This is why it is so

important to know your homophones! Also, remember the facebook posts we

looked at? You don’t want to seem as though you don’t no how to right, do you?

Assignment:

You will edit a Word document that contains homophone errors. For practice, find

the two errors in the above recap. Erase them and then type the correct word in

their places. This is how you will complete the Word document edit.

Grading:

You will locate 50 different homophone errors. They will be worth 2 points each.

If you have difficulty with this assignment you will have a chance to make

corrections, but do your best now, as these corrections must be completed

outside of class time.