State and Model the Objective
Tell the children that they will learn about Shirley, who shares shells on the shore, as they listen for words that start with the /sh/ sound, such as shore, shell, share, and sheet.
 
Literacy Activities
Gather shells on the shore

• Lay a sheet on the floor and put the real (or paper) shells on the sheet.
• Teach the children the tongue twister, “Shirley shares shells on the shore,” and point out that Shirley, shares, shells, and shore all start with the /sh/ sound.
• Have the children say the tongue twister together slowly as they pick up shells from the sheet.
• Challenge them to say it a little faster as they share their shells with each other.

More Practice
Repeat words with the target sound

• Write the words that start with /sh/ from the “Shirley shares shells on the shore” tongue twister on paper shells.
• Read the words aloud, emphasizing the /sh/ sound, and have the children repeat them back.
• Help the children think of a few other /sh/ words and write them on paper shells.
• Shuffle the shells and read a few of the words together as a tongue twister that the children echo back.
• Shuffle and say the /sh/ words as many times as desired.