Literary Devices Literary Devices    

Lesson 5: Alliteration: The Butter Betty Bought

by Carolyn Wells

Performer: Librivox - Betsie Bush

Directions

Study the poem for one week.

Over the week:

• Read or listen to the poem.
• Review the synopsis.
• Read about the poet.
• Complete the enrichment activities.

Synopsis

'The Butter Betty Bought' by Carolyn Wells plays with alliteration to create a fun tongue twister. Poor Betty has bitter butter that will blemish her batter. She runs out to pick up some preferable butter to make her batter better.

Concepts

Poets often use literary devices, defined as 'rules of thumb, convention, or structure that are employed in literature and storytelling.'

The nine literary devices we'll study include:

1. Rhyming
2. Alliteration
3. Similes
4. Metaphors
5. Personification
6. Foreshadowing
7. Allusion
8. Hyperbole
9. Onomatopoeia

Alliteration is defined as the 'repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of two or more words in a row, or at short intervals.'

1. Review the poem, 'Three Gray Geese' and its instances of alliteration.
2. Note the alliteration for the sounds of 'G,' 'R,' and 'GR' together.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Recite Poem Information

Recite the title of the poem and the name of the poet.

Activity 2: Study the Poem Picture

Study the poem picture and describe how it relates to the poem.

Activity 3: Recite the Poem

Practice reciting the poem aloud.

Activity 4: Study a Tongue Twister

Recite aloud the tongue twister below. Identify the instances of 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?

Activity 5: Identify Alliteration

Review the poem excerpt. Point out the instances of alliteration.

• Betty Botter bought some butter;
• 'But,' said she, 'this butter's bitter!'
• If I put it in my batter
• It will make my batter bitter.

Activity 6: Complete Book Activities   

• Click the crayon above, and complete pages 16-18 of 'Elementary Poetry 5: Literary Devices.'

References

'Alliteration.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.