Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell - Teaching Ideas

Molly Lou was a lot of things: short, buck toothed, bullfroggie sounding and clumsy, but none of these things stopped her from standing tall, singing loudly and believing in herself. Her grandma taught her that. So when Molly Lou had to start a new school and Ronald Durkin made fun of her, she didn't let him get her down. She showed him that just because she was different she could do some amazing things. She not only ran past Ronald on the football field to score the winning touch down but she balanced pennies on her buck teeth and cut out a beautiful paper snowflake. All these things made mean ole' Ronald Durkin double think how he treated Molly Lou Melon.

This is a great character lesson book with so many wonderful teaching opportunities, not only for character lessons but reading lessons as well. Listed below are reading skills and strategies that work great with this book.

I also created a character analysis FREEBIE to use after reading this book to your kiddos.

Reading level: 3.1

Theme/subject: bullying, confronting fears, school, pride & self esteem

Genre: Realistic fiction

Suggested Vocabulary/phrases: buck teeth, fumble fingered, shrimpo, foolish, glee, revealed

Reading skills and strategies:

• Asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder why Molly Lou Melon must stand tall. I wonder how big Molly Lou Melon really is.  {possible questions during} I wonder why Molly Lou had to move. I wonder how Molly Lou will be treated at her new school. I wonder why Ronald Durkin is being so mean to Molly Lou. {possible questions after} I wonder if Ronald Durkin will bully anyone else.  **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
• Author's point of view – Third. Be sure to find 3 pieces of evidence to support this (she, her).
• Author's purpose – entertain/inform {evidence} the illustrations are pretty silly. The author writes about a bully and how Molly Lou handles it. Molly Lou learns a lesson. All these things make an entertaining story that also helps you to learn about bullies and being yourself.
• Beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Molly Lou’s grandma told her to always be herself. {most important event from middle}Molly Lou moved to a new school and was teased by a bully. {most important event from end} Ronald Durkin brought Molly Lou a penny.
• Cause and effect – Why did Molly Lou’s grandma tell her to “walk as proudly as you can and the world will look up to you”? Because Molly Lou was the shortest girl in first grade. Why did Molly Lou’s grandma tell her “Smile big and the world will smile right alongside you”? Because Molly Lou had buck teeth that stuck out really far. Why did Molly Lou’s grandma tell her “Sing out clear and strong, and the world will cry tears of joy”? Because she had a voice that sounded like a bullfrog being squeezed by a boa constrictor. Why did Molly Lou’s grandma tell her “Believe in yourself and the world will believe in you too”? Because Molly Lou was a little bit of a klutz. Why did the kids at her new school think she was good at football? Because she caught the football and scored a touchdown. How come Ronald Durkin had to go to the nurse? Because he somersaulted backwards and hit his head. How come Ronald Durkin brought Molly Lou a penny? Because he was sorry for teasing her.
• Character analysis - describe Molly Lou Melon. Describe Ronald Durkin {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• Classify & categorize – Classify things about you: categorize how you look and things you can do.
• Compare & contrast – You and Molly Lou Melon. Any other character that is bullied because of what he or she looks like.  
• Connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Feeling different. Being short. Being clumsy. Starting a new school. Feeling proud of who you are and what you can do.  {possible text-to-text connections} Any book with bullies and starting a new school.
• Drawing conclusions & inferencing – Why do you think Ronald Durkin gave Molly Lou a penny? {text clues} Molly Lou could do some amazing things and every time she did Ronald felt foolish. {what I know} It is hard to tease someone that can do amazing things. I know that sometimes you give someone a little gift as an apology. {my conclusion} I think Ronald gave Molly Lou a penny because it was his way of apologizing to her.
• Main idea & details - {main idea} the story is mostly about Molly Lou Melon and showing that her faults are the best things about her. {details} Molly Lou could balance pennies on her buck teeth. Molly Lou could score a touchdown when playing football by running under everyone’s legs. Molly Lou made all the kids smile when she sang.
• Plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when Molly Lou scored a touchdown and Ronald felt foolish.
• Problem & solution - {problem} Ronald Durkin teased Molly Lou. {solution} Molly Lou showed Ronald and all the other kids that she could do some amazing things.
• Sequencing – Molly Lou’s grandma told her to always stand tall. Molly Lou’s grandma told her to always smile big. Molly Lou’s grandma told her to always sing out loud and clear. Molly Lou’s grandma told her to always believe in yourself. Molly Lou had to move. Molly Lou started a new school. Ronald Durkin teased Molly Lou about being small. Molly Lou scored a touchdown. Ronald Durkin called Molly Lou “Bucky Beaver”. Molly Lou balanced pennies on her teeth. Ronald Durkin made fun of Molly Lou’s voice. Molly Lou sings and all the kids smile. Molly Lou cuts out a beautiful snowflake. Ronald Durkin gave Molly Lou a penny.
• Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• Strong thought – Molly Lou Melon’s grandma gave her some great advice about accepting who she was. What is some other advice you have heard that could help Molly Lou or anyone else being bullied?
• Theme – Be the best person you can be. Believe in yourself. Be proud of who you are.
• Visualize – Molly Lou showed Ronald Durkin and the other kids that the things that Ronald teased her about are all the things that made her special. Pick something unique about you and visualize how it makes you special.

 Happy planning!

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The Hallo-wiener by Dav Pilkey - Teaching Ideas

This book is the perfect book for October, not only is it a Halloween book but the underlying theme is bullying, which we all know that October is National Bullying Prevention month. Oscar is a very caring dog that is loved dearly by his mother and teased endlessly by his peers. To make things worse his mother got him a very embarrassing costume to wear for Halloween, but of course he doesn't want to hurt her feelings so he wears the costume. The other dogs, in typical bullying behavior,  howl with laughter when he comes out to trick-or-treat. As the night goes on poor Oscar has no candy and is ready to head back home, sad and disappointed, when all of a sudden, he hears the other dogs yell for help. Oscar, being the kind, caring dog that he is goes to see how he can help. Oscar finds that a large monster has scared the other dogs into the pond. Oscar doesn't think twice, he attacks the monster, revealing their true identity and then jumps into the pond to save the other dogs. The dogs are so surprised and happy to be saved they thank Oscar by giving him all their candy and they tell him how brave he is, he is their "Hero Sandwich"!

This is a wonderful book for creating a lesson, whether it be on bullies, what it is to be brave or a simple skill or strategy lesson. Listed below is information, questions, and ideas to help you with your lesson, BUT if you don't want to create anything, don't worry I have created a wonderful packet to use with this book. The bottom of this post has pictures and information about the packet.

Reading level: 2.8

Theme: Halloween, bravery, bullies

Genre: fiction, holiday

Suggested Vocabulary: obedience school, Vienna sausage, dashed, quite frank, ghastly, all his might, ornery, frankfurter

Reading skills and strategies:

• asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder what the story is going to be about? Why does that dog look so unhappy? {possible questions during} Why did the other dogs have to be so mean to Oscar? Why didn't Oscar tell his mom that she embarrasses him? Why did Oscar keep hanging out with the other dogs when all they do is tease him? I wonder why Oscar helped all the other dogs when they got scared? I wonder why the cats scared the dogs? {possible questions after} After Oscar saved the other dogs they were very nice to Oscar, but I wonder why they still didn't wait for him while they trick-or-treated. **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
• author's point of view - 3rd person point of view. Find 3 pieces of evidence to prove this.
• author's purpose - entertain {evidence} Dogs don't talk and Oscar looked really silly in his costume. The cats dressed as a scary monster to scare the dogs. All these things are silly and make the book very funny.
• beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} The other dogs laughed and made fun on Oscar.{most important event from middle} Oscar's mom got him a silly hot dog costume to wear for Halloween. {most important event from end} Oscar saved the other dog from the pond.
• cause and effect - Why did the other dogs laugh at Oscar? because of his unusual shape and size. Why was Oscar not upset about the teasing today? because it was Halloween. Why did Oscar not make a scary costume? because his mom got him a surprise costume, a hot dog bun. Why did Oscar decide to wear the costume his mom got him? because he did not want to hurt his mother's feelings. Why did the other dogs howl with laughter? because Oscar showed up in his silly costume. Why did the dogs stop dead in their tracks? because they heard a hissing sound. Why did the dogs scream for their lives? because a ghastly monster rose from the graveyard. Why did Oscar tug at the monster? because he saw something the other dogs didn't, a cat tail. Why did all the dogs share their Halloween treats with Oscar? because he saved them. Why did the other dogs start calling Oscar "Hero Sandwich"? because he was so brave.
• characterization - describe Oscar, describe the other dogs {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• classify & categorize - Ways people act - things bullies do, things friends do.
• compare & contrast - Oscar and the other dogs
• connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Being teased. Wearing a silly costume. Having your mom embarrass you. Being brave.
• drawing conclusions & inferencing - Why would Oscar go help all the other dogs when all they do is tease him? {text clues}Oscar wore the costume his mom got him even though it was embarrassing because he didn't want to hurt his mom's feelings. {what I know} If someone does something even though it will be embarrassing for them because they don't want to hurt someone else's feelings they are usually and really nice and caring person. {my conclusion} I think Oscar saved the other dogs because Oscar is a very nice and caring dog and he didn't like to see his "friends" in trouble.
• fact & opinion - {facts} 90% of students have said they have been bullied. The main reason for being bullied is a persons appearance or body size.  1 out of 10 students will drop out of school because of bullying. Only 57% of students will actually report being bullied. (http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-school-bullying) {opinions} I think bullies are mean. I think bullies should go to jail. I think some people don't know they are being bullies. Bullies are always in trouble.
• main idea & details - {main idea}The story is mostly about Oscar being teased and left out. {details} The dogs laughed at his size and shape. The dogs laughed at his costume. Oscar couldn't get any candy when he trick-or-treated because the other dogs went before him and took it all.
• predict - What do you think the story is about? What kind of scary costume do you think Oscar is going to make? Do you think Oscar will wear the costume he got from his mom? Will Oscar ever get any treats? What do you think Oscar will do about the other dogs being in the pond? How do you think the other dogs will treat Oscar now that he saved them?
• problem & solution - {problem} Oscar was always teased by the other dogs.  {solution} Oscar saved the other dogs and now they think he is brave.
• sequencing - Oscar was excited about Halloween. He was going to make a scary costume. Oscar's mom had a surprise costume for him, it was a hot dog bun. Oscar wore his costume trick-or-treating. The other dogs howled with laughter at Oscar's costume. The other dogs got scared when they walked past the graveyard. The dogs jumped into a nearby pond. Oscar started pulling and tugging at the monster. Oscar pulled the costume off the 2 cats that were scaring the other dogs. The cats ran away. Oscar saved the other dogs from the pond. All the other dogs now loved Oscar and gave him their candy.
• story elements - list title, author, character's, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• strong thought - What do you think about bullies?
• summarize - {someone} Oscar {wanted} wanted to make a scary costume {but} but his mom already got him one {so} so he wore that costume even though it was embarrassing. Oscar was teased because of his costume but the other dogs {finally} finally stopped teasing him when he saved them.
• theme - What did you really learn from the story? Nice, caring people will always be nice and caring and even help those that may have bullied them.
• visualize - visualize yourself being brave. What would you do to show that you were brave.

This packet is filled with differentiated worksheets that are aligned with the Common Core standards. It is also tailored to this book with specific questions of varying degrees of difficulty. Students will respond by drawing, circling answers, writing sentences and or finding text evidence to support their thinking.

Included in packet:
Directions and Common Core Standard for each skill and strategy. Plus ideas for extending the activities.
* Vocabulary - 4 pages
* Asking Questions - 2 pages
* Beginning, Middle, End - 5 pages
* Cause and Effect - 3 pages
* Character Analysis - 4 pages
* Classify and Categorize "Bullies and Friends"- 5 pages
* Compare and Contrast - 3 pages
* Connections - 3 pages
* Inference/Drawing Conclusion - 3 pages
* Fact and Opinion about bullying - 2 pages
* Main Idea and Details - 5 pages
* Predicting - 3 pages
* Problem and Solution - 5 pages
* Story Map - 3 pages
* Visualize and writing "Visualize Being Brave" - 5 pages

 Happy teaching!

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