Introduce the students to the concept of homophones. Talk about how they are words that sound alike but have different meanings. Cite examples of common homophones and include their meanings. Some of the students should already know some of the most common ones, such as "deer"/"dear," or "ring"/"wring."
Give the students a list of homophones and have them use the list on a scavenger hunt for sound-alike words. Let them search online and print words or images, or use old magazines and newspapers. Cut and paste them onto note cards. The note cards will be used for additional activities.
Take the note cards, mix them up and play a memory game with them, in which the students flip one over and then try to find the matching homophone. If the homophone has more than one sound-alike, such as "to" "two" and "too," have the student find all of the words.
Elicit sentences with homophones. Have the students draw a card at random and make a sentence with it. Point out that context is what will help students distinguish which homophone is the right word for a sentence. Give an example sentence, "Please pass the butter, dear," and hold up pictures of a deer and a person, and ask the students which one will pass the butter
Use homophones to expand student vocabulary and introduce new subject matter. This forces students to look at word meanings to draw conclusions. At the second-grade level, this is a crucial skill; when they enter third grade, this skill will be assumed. Students will be reading for information for the rest of their scholastic careers. Some homophones are commonly used, like "be"/"bee" and "hair"/"hare." Highlight this fact to students. For example, "row"/"roe" -- one word refers to moving a boat, and the other refers to fish eggs. Which one will they run into more often in their daily lives?