Tongue Twisters from A to Z

This activity was originally developed as a learning center designed to give students practice with alliteration. Taking a manila file-folder, I wrote the title of the activity on the front cover in large block letters filling in the blocks with small, colorful letters of the alphabet. On the inside front cover, I wrote the list of tongue twisters. On the inside back cover, I made a pocket in which I placed individual index cards with the activities written on them. I laminated all the items for durability.

The Twisters:

• Angela Abigail Applewhite ate anchovies and artichokes.
• Bertha Bartholomew blew big, blue bubbles.
• Clever Clifford Cutter clumisily closed the closet clasps.
• Dwayne Dwiddle drew a drawing of dreaded Dracula.
• Elmer Elwood eluded elven elderly elephants.
• Floyd Flingle flipped flat flapjacks.
• Greta Gruber grabbed a group of green grapes.
• Hattie Henderson hated happy healthy hippos.
• Ida Ivy identified the ivory iris.
• Julie Jackson juggled the juicy, jiggly jello.
• Karl Kessler kept the ketchup in the kitchen.
• Lila Ledbetter lugged a lot of little lemons.
• Milton Mallard mailed a mangled mango.
• Norris Newton never needed new noodles.
• Patsy planter plucked plump, purple, plastic plums.
• Quinella Quist quite quickly quelled the quarreling quartet.
• Randy Rathbone wrapped a rather rare red rabbit.
• Shelly Sherman shivered in a sheer, short, shirt.
• Trina Tweety tripped two twittering twins under a twiggy tree.
• Uri Udall usually used his unique, unusual unicycle.
• Vicky Vinc viewd a very valuable vase.
• Walter Whipple warily warned the weary warrior.
• Xerxes Xenon expected to xerox extra x-rays.
• Yolana Yvonne Yarger yodeled up yonder yesterday.
• Zigmund Zane zig-zagged through the zany zoo zone.

The Activities:

1. Select ten twisters and illustrate them.
2. Extend ten twisters by adding more adjectives and adverbs.
3. Complete five twisters in the form of "Peter Piper."
   • Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
     The first line is a statement.
   • A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
     The second line rewords the statement.
   • If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
     The third and fourth lines ask an "if" and "where" question.
4. Make up twisters about famous people with whom you are familiar.
5. Make up twisters about popular products you use.
6. Make up a second line that does not follow the "Peter Piper" pattern for ten twisters.