Mini-Lesson

Alliteration

Mini-Lesson: Grades 4-6

Students will identify and use alliteration.

1. Students will find examples of alliteration in the timeforkids.com news story, America's New Top Dog. Begin by asking students to define alliteration. Explain that it's the repetition of the same sound or letters at the beginning of two or more words. Then, instruct students to underline examples of alliteration as they read the article. If you are reading aloud, have students raise a hand when they hear alliteration in the article.

2. Make a list of the alliterative phrases that appear in the article (canine competition, pampered poodles, popular pooches, prim poodles and coveted crown).

3. To wrap up the mini-lesson, start a discussion. Ask: Why might a writer use alliteration? What is the purpose of alliteration?

4. Extend the lesson by having students come up with tongue twisters about dogs. Start them off with this example: The pampered poodle playfully pranced through purple puddles.