Tongue Twisters Are Terrific!:

Exploring Alliteration in Tongue Twisters

Lesson Plan

Tenagne Tessema

EDUC 540: Student Teaching

Drexel University School of Education

Fall 2015

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Lesson: Tongue Twisters Are Terrific! Exploring Alliteration in Tongue Twisters

Grade: 4

Subject: English Language Arts

Duration: Approximately 2, forty-five minute sessions

Teacher: Tenagne Tessema

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students will learn about alliteration through the use of tongue twisters. They will

listen to, read, and discuss the composition of popular tongue twisters, such as “Peter Piper” and

“Betty Botter”. As guided practice, the students and teacher will work together to complete an

instructional handout en titled “Alliteration is Awesome”, in which they brainstorm groups of

words that begin with the same sound and write alliterative sentences using given letters. As

independent practice, students will write original, alliterative tongue twisters. Students will

complete the “Tongue Twisters Are Terrific” tree map to organize their ideas before writing their

tongue twisters. As an integrated arts component to the tongue twister writing activity, students

will design their own tongue twister funny face on which they will display their tongue twisters.

The students’ tongue twister funny faces will be hung up in the classroom for other students to

view.

Content & Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.5

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word

meanings.

Instructional Objectives

Students will be able to:

1. Define alliteration.

2. Identify alliteration in tongue twisters.

3. Compose original alliterative tongue twisters.

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Essential Questions

1. What is alliteration?

2. How can I identify alliteration in my reading?

3. How can I use alliteration to improve the quality of my writing?

Materials, Equipment, & Technology

1. “Peter Piper” – one copy for teacher

2. Appendix A:“Alliteration Attention” (Alliteration Examples) – one copy per student

Created by Karen Wilson, Teachers’ Keeper ©2013

3. Appendix B:“Alliteration is Awesome” – one copy per student

Created by Karen Wilson, Teachers’ ©2013

4. Appendix C:“Tongue Twisters Are Terrific” – one copy per student

Adapted from Karen Wilson, Teachers’ ©2013

5. Student composition books, pencils – for student use

6. Appendix D:Tongue twister funny face template – one copy per student

7. Pink paper strips – on which students will write their tongue twisters

8. Additional art supplies –markers, construction papers, scissors, glue, stapler

9. Dictionaries, thesauruses

10. Computer with Microsoft Word; Digital Projector – for teacher use

Instructional Procedures

Anticipatory Set – Introducing Alliteration

1. Ask students to open their composition books and write name, date, and section.

Although students usually write the title of the lesson at this point, tell them that you are

purposefully leaving this information blank (you will read aloud the popular nursery

rhyme and tongue twister, “Peter Piper”, in order to introduce the lesson topic). “Class, I

usually tell you the topic of our weekly PSSA lesson. However, today, I want you to try

to make an educated guess about what the topic might be based on something that I am

going to read to you very shortly.”

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Explain to students that they will be continuing their study of figurative language, and

today they will be learning about another figurative language device. Quickly review and

call on students to identify the figurative language forms that they have previously

studied (e.g. simile, metaphor, and personification).

2. Read aloud “Peter Piper” to the class. As the nursery rhyme is lighthearted and

humorous, have a little fun reading the rhyme. It is likely that many students will already

be familiar with the nursery rhyme, and their prior knowledge will benefit its use as a tool

for teaching alliteration:

“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers;

A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked;

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,

Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?”

After you read, ask students to think about the language used in “Peter Piper”. “Class, do

you notice anything special about the language used in this nursery rhyme? Do you

observe any patterns related to the words or letters that are in the rhyme?”

Students should recognize that words beginning with the letter “p” are repeated

throughout the nursery rhyme. Explain to students that this is an example of the figurative

language device that they will be studying in today’s lesson. Ask the class if anyone

knows what this figurative language device is called. If a student recognizes the structure

of the nursery as an example of alliteration, confirm that he or she is correct. If there are

no students in the class that are able to identify what it is, tell students this is an example

of alliteration.

3. Now students may write the title of today’s lesson in their composition books:

“Alliteration”.

4. Write down a concise define of alliteration that the students may copy down in their

composition books: “Alliteration occurs when the same letter or sound is repeated at

beginning of words in a sentence or word group.”

5. Write down two examples of alliterative sentences that students may copy down in their

notebooks.

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a. Peter Piper picked a peck of peppers.

b. The dainty dog dug into the dirt for a delightful doggie treat.

6. Distribute to students“ Alliteration Attention “ handout, on which there are more

examples of alliteration. In particular, the handout demonstrates examples of alliterative

tongue twisters, such as “Betty Botter”. Call on students to read aloud tongue twisters

and discuss the repeated letter sounds in each tongue twister.

Guided Practice – “Alliteration is Awesome”

1.  Distribute to students the “Alliteration is Awesome” handout (if desired, print this sheet

on the back of “Alliteration Attention” handout in order to conserve paper).

2. Activity A on the “Alliteration is Awesome” handout lists five words: bark drive,

teacher, soccer, and turtle, and the teacher and students are asked to brainstorm exciting

words that begin with the same sound as each word. The first word – bark – is completed

for students as an example.

3. Activity 2 displays letters – C, M, A, D, and P, and the teacher and students are asked to

write a few sentences together using words that begin with the given letters. The first

letter – C – is already completed as an example.

4. Depending on the time available and the students’ need for additional guided practice,

you may complete some or all of these activities as a whole class. If students have a solid

grasp of the concept, do two prompts from Activity A and Activity B together; allow

students to complete the rest independently.

Independent Practice – Write Your Own Alliteration Tongue Twister

1. Explain to students that they will have the opportunity to write original tongue twisters

using alliteration. Distribute “Tongue Twisters Are Terrific” tree map. This will aid

students in brainstorming and organizing their writing.

2. Tell students that, after they write their tongue twisters, they will design their own tongue

twister funny face, on which they will display their tongue twisters. Indicate that you

must check students’ “Tongue Twisters are Terrific” tree map and read their tongue

twisters before students move on to the art project.

3. Distribute tongue twister funny face template, pink paper for tongues, and other art

supplies.

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4. Give students time to write the tongue twisters. The tongue twisters should be 1-2

sentences in length.

5. Circulate around the classroom, assisting students and providing targeted support.

Assessment/Evaluation

In order to determine the extent to which instructional objectives were attained, the teacher will

assess students according to the following criteria.

1. Class Discussion/Observation – Did the student demonstrate an understanding of the

alliteration concept during class discussion?

2. Alliteration is Awesome Worksheet” – With teacher guidance, was the student able to

complete all 8 prompts listed on the handout? Did he or she do well or struggle with

brainstorming words that begin with the same sound? Did he or she do well or struggle

with creating alliterative sentences?

Completion of 7 out of 8 prompts will indicate proficiency.

3. Alliteration Tongue Twisters - Was the student able to compose an original tongue

twister with or without teacher support?

1-2, complete alliterative sentences in the student’s tongue twister will indicate

proficiency

Differentiation

1. Provide targeted support to struggling students. Take dictation for students if necessary.

2. Provide dictionaries and thesauruses to support student writing of tongue twisters.

3. Encouraging students who are excelling in understanding the concept to write longer

tongue twisters.

4.

Teacher Self-Assessment

Use student performance data from assessment/evaluation to determine the efficacy of

the lesson. If students did not adequately reach instructional objectives, consider re-teaching

material to support their learning. If particular students struggled with mastering instructional

objectives, pull those students aside for small group, targeted instruction.

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Appendix A

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Appendix B

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Appendix C

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Appendix D