Speak Up, Molly Lou Melon Lesson Plan: 5 Days of SEL & Literacy Activities

Empower your preschool or kindergarten students with this week-long lesson plan for 'Speak Up, Molly Lou Melon.' Discover 5 days of engaging, standards-aligned activities focused on social-emotional learning (SEL), confidence, and finding your voice. This complete unit includes read-aloud guides, crafts like a 'Confidence Cape' and microphone, letter 'M' phonics practice, and story sequencing to build essential literacy and social skills.

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Week-Long Lesson Plan: Speak Up, Molly Lou Melon!

Materials Needed

  • Book: Speak Up, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
  • Art & Craft Supplies:
    • Large paper or chart paper/whiteboard
    • Markers, crayons, and colored pencils
    • Construction paper (various colors)
    • Child-safe scissors and glue stick
    • Empty paper towel tube
    • Aluminum foil
    • Tape
    • Yarn or string
    • Stickers, glitter, or other decorating supplies
    • A piece of fabric or an old t-shirt (for a cape)
  • Literacy & Sensory Supplies:
    • Index cards or small pieces of paper
    • A shallow tray or baking sheet
    • Sand, salt, or cornmeal for a writing tray
    • Building blocks (like LEGOs or wooden blocks)
  • Optional:
    • Puppets or small toys to represent characters
    • Camera to photograph creations

Overall Learning Objectives

By the end of this week-long unit, the student will be able to:

  • Comprehension: Identify the main character (Molly Lou Melon) and retell the main events of the story in sequence.
  • Vocabulary: Understand and use new vocabulary words from the story, such as "speak up," "bellowed," and "confidence."
  • Phonological Awareness: Identify the initial sound and letter 'M' for Molly Lou Melon.
  • Print Concepts: Practice writing their own name and the letter 'M' and contribute ideas to a shared writing activity.
  • Social-Emotional Learning: Connect the story's theme to their own life by identifying situations where it is important to use their voice.

Kindergarten Learning Standards Addressed

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1: With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3: With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.1.D: Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.3: Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.6: Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.

Daily Activities

Day 1: Meet Molly Lou Melon!

  • Focus: Introduction to the Story, Character, & Setting
  • Objective: Student will identify the main character and the central theme of speaking up.

Instructional Activities:

  1. Picture Walk (5 mins): Before reading, look through the book's illustrations together. Ask questions like, "Who do you think this story is about? What do you notice about her? What do you think might happen?"
  2. First Read-Aloud (10 mins): Read Speak Up, Molly Lou Melon aloud with expressive voices. Point to the words as you read.
  3. Talk About It (5 mins): Discuss the story. Ask: "Who was the main character? What was Molly Lou's grandmother's advice? What happened when the new boy, Humphrey, was unkind? How did Molly Lou use her voice?"
  4. Creative Activity: "My Voice is Important" Portrait (15 mins): Have the student draw a picture of Molly Lou Melon. As they draw, talk about what makes her special. Then, have them draw a picture of themselves next to Molly Lou. Label the drawings with their names. This reinforces name recognition and the story's theme.
  • Support: Provide a pre-drawn outline of a person for the student to decorate as Molly Lou or themselves.
  • Extension: Encourage the student to write the first letter of their name or Molly's name ("M") next to the portraits.

Day 2: The Sound of 'M' and Making a Microphone

  • Focus: Phonological Awareness (Letter 'M') & Creative Expression
  • Objective: Student will identify the letter 'M' and its sound, and create a prop for dramatic play.

Instructional Activities:

  1. Letter Hunt Warm-Up (5 mins): Reread the first few pages of the book, asking the student to listen for words that start with the "Mmm" sound (Molly, Melon, mother). Point out the uppercase 'M' and lowercase 'm' in the text.
  2. Sensory Writing (10 mins): In the shallow tray filled with sand or salt, show the student how to trace the letter 'M' with their finger. Say the sound "Mmm" as you trace. Let the student practice tracing 'M', 'm', and other familiar letters.
  3. Craft Activity: "Speak Up" Microphone (20 mins):
    • Give the student the paper towel tube. Let them decorate it with markers, crayons, or by wrapping it in construction paper.
    • Help them crumple a piece of aluminum foil into a ball.
    • Tape the foil ball to the top of the tube to create a microphone.
  4. Wrap-Up: Using the new microphone, take turns sharing one "important thing" about your day. Model how to hold the microphone and speak clearly.
  • Support: Guide the student's hand while they trace the letter in the sand tray.
  • Extension: Challenge the student to find three other things in the room that start with the letter 'M'.

Day 3: Retelling the Story

  • Focus: Sequencing & Story Comprehension
  • Objective: Student will retell the main events of the story in the correct order using picture cards.

Instructional Activities:

  1. Read-Aloud (10 mins): Read the story again, this time pausing to ask predictive questions like, "What do you think Molly Lou will do now?"
  2. Story Sequencing Cards (15 mins): On 3-4 index cards, draw simple pictures representing the main events:
    1. Molly Lou's grandmother gives her advice.
    2. Humphrey makes fun of her voice.
    3. Molly Lou speaks up for the turtle.
    4. Molly Lou and Humphrey become friends.
    Read the book again, and have the student place the cards in the correct order as you reach that part of the story.
  3. Act It Out (10 mins): Use the microphone from Day 2 and puppets or toys to act out one of the scenes. Let the student choose to be Molly Lou or Humphrey. This is a great way to assess their understanding of the plot and character motivations.
  • Support: Use only two cards (beginning and end) to simplify the sequencing task.
  • Extension: Ask the student to create a *new* card showing what Molly Lou and Humphrey might do the next day at the park.

Day 4: What Does It Mean to Speak Up?

  • Focus: Social-Emotional Connection & Shared Writing
  • Objective: Student will connect the story to their own experiences and contribute to a shared writing chart.

Instructional Activities:

  1. Discussion (5 mins): Talk about the difference between being "loud" and "speaking up." Explain that speaking up means sharing your ideas, asking for help, or helping someone else.
  2. Shared Writing: "We Can Speak Up When..." (15 mins): On a large piece of paper, write the title "We Can Speak Up When..." Ask the student for ideas and write them down, reading the sentences back as you write.
    • Example ideas: "We need help tying our shoes." "We see someone being unkind." "We have an idea for a game." "We want to say thank you."
  3. Creative Activity: Confidence Cape (15 mins): Give the student a piece of fabric or an old t-shirt to decorate as their own "Confidence Cape," just like a superhero. They can use markers or stickers. Explain that this cape can remind them to be brave and use their voice, just like Molly Lou. Wear the capes for the rest of the day's activities!
  • Support: Provide sentence starters for the chart, such as "I can speak up when I feel..."
  • Extension: Encourage the student to draw a picture next to one of the sentences on the chart.

Day 5: Build, Write, and Share!

  • Focus: Culminating Project & Application
  • Objective: Student will creatively apply story elements and literacy skills in a final project.

Instructional Activities:

  1. Building Challenge (15 mins): Using building blocks, challenge the student to build something from the story. It could be the playground, the park, or the toy store. As they build, ask them to describe what they are making and what happened there in the story.
  2. My Own "Speak Up" Story (15 mins):
    • Fold a piece of paper in half to make a simple book.
    • On the cover, have the student write their name (or trace it).
    • Inside, ask them to draw a picture of a time they could speak up. It could be a real memory or an imaginary one inspired by yesterday's chart.
    • Ask the student to tell you about their picture. Write down their words as a caption. (e.g., "I can ask for the red block.")
  3. Author's Chair & Celebration (5 mins): Let the student sit in a special "author's chair," wearing their Confidence Cape and holding their microphone. Have them "read" their book and share their building creation. Celebrate a fantastic week of learning with lots of applause!
  • Support: The student can dictate the entire story while the teacher writes. Focus on the drawing and verbal explanation.
  • Extension: Encourage the student to add more pages to their book or write a key word (like "ME" or "UP") themselves.

Assessment Throughout the Week

Assessment is ongoing and informal, based on observation and work samples:

  • Day 1: Can the student verbally identify Molly Lou Melon as the main character?
  • Day 2: Does the student attempt to trace the letter 'M' and make its sound?
  • Day 3: How accurately does the student sequence the story cards (with or without support)?
  • Day 4: Does the student contribute at least one relevant idea to the shared writing chart?
  • Day 5: Does the student's final drawing and dictation reflect an understanding of the theme "speaking up"?
  • Work Samples: The self-portrait, microphone, storybook, and cape all serve as tangible evidence of engagement and learning.