Mainstream English Language Development
(Build proficiency in Standard English for non-standard English Speakers)
Grade: 4-5-6 Unit: 1 Week: Start Smart
Day
MELD Activities
Day 1: Introduction to Protocols for classroom management: 3 types Attention Signals
Objective: We will learn (and practice) the protocols we will use when I need your
attention in class
• Stop on a Dime (Freeze, Short call and response, and whistle)
• Clarifications (a variety of call and response i.e., rhythmic clap,
• Transitioning
Materials:
• Protocols for Culturally Responsive Learning and Increased Student
Engagement.
• Hollie’s text Excerpt
Suggested Lesson sequence
1. Define Attention Signals to students and let them know why you’ll be using
them throughout the year.
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a. Stop on a Dime signals are used to get students’ immediate attention!
Let students know that the teacher needs their immediate attention in
any type of emergency situation.
i. Teachers should only select ONE Stop on a dime Attention
signal.
ii. Spend time Role Playing to teach students how to respond to
your Stop on a Dime Attention Signal.
b. Clarification Attention Signals are used when students have been
released to a task or activity (whether small group or independent).
i. The teacher realizes that everyone can benefit from
clarification.
ii. Call and response: Students actively respond in unison to
speaker either verbally or with movement (or both) to an either
improvised or pre-taught “call”.
iii. Teachers should select 2-3 different Call and response protocols
to explicitly teach students how to respond to.
iv. Spend time Role Playing to teach students how to respond to
your call and response protocol.
c. Transitioning Attention Signals
i. These are the attention signals that let students know that it’s
time to transition from one activity to the next.
1. For example, this may include the routine you use to
end meld in a walk-to model as students prepare to
return to their classes.
Day 2: Introduction to Protocols for classroom management: participation protocols
Objective: We will learn (and practice) the protocols that we will use to respond to
questions during classroom instruction.
• Response protocols outline how students should be participating with the
facilitator during a whole group lesson, activity or discussion.
Materials:
• Protocols for Culturally Responsive Learning and Increased Student
Engagement.
• Hollie’s text Excerpt
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Suggested Lesson sequence
2. Introduce and practice all of the participation protocols using non-threatening
and engaging content. It is important at this time to have students practice using
the various protocols you’ve selected without fear of not knowing an answer to
the posed question. This will model how they will be expected to respond to the
teacher during a class lesson.
a. Begin by Choosing 2-3 participation protocols that you will be using
during meld instruction.
i. Explain to students that participation protocols tell when and
how they are expected to participate with the class as a whole.
ii. Explain that there will be different expectations during different
lessons, and you will spend today’s meld lesson practicing the
protocols that you will be using during your time together in
meld.
iii. Teaching a participation protocol:
1. Tell students the name of the protocol, what is, and why
it’s used.
2. Use the I do, we do, you do model to model and
demonstrate the protocol to the class.
3. Spend time Role Playing to practice using the 2-3
participation protocols that you will be using during
meld instruction.
Day 3: Introduction to Protocols for classroom management: discussion protocols
Objective: We will learn (and practice) the protocols that we will use to respond to
questions during classroom instruction.
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Discussion protocols outline how students should be learning with one another.
These cooperative learning structures facilitate instructional conversations.
Discussion protocols should be incorporated regularly and consistently
throughout the day to introduce, clarify, support, and review learning.
They can be used during engagement/accessing prior knowledge activities,
immediately following direct instruction, during guided instruction, review for
assessments or scaffolding.
Typically, any significant “teacher talk” time should be partnered with at least
one discussion protocol.
Materials:
• Protocols for Culturally Responsive Learning and Increased Student
Engagement.
• Hollie’s text Excerpt
Suggested Lesson sequence
3. Introduce and practice all of the Discussion protocols using non-threatening and
engaging content. It is important at this time to have students practice using the
various protocols you’ve selected without fear of not knowing an answer to the
posed question. This will model how they will be expected to respond to the
teacher during a class lesson.
a. Begin by Choosing 2-3 discussion protocols that you will be using
during meld instruction.
i. Explain to students that discussion protocols tell when and how
they are expected to participate with one another during small
group instructional conversations.
ii. Explain that there will be different expectations during different
lessons, and you will spend today’s meld lesson practicing the
protocols that you will be using during your time together in
meld.
iii. Teaching a discussion protocol:
1. Tell students the name of the protocol, what is, and why
it’s used.
2. Use the “I do, we do, and you do” model to model and
demonstrate the protocol to the class.
3. Spend time Role Playing to practice using the 2-3
participation protocols that you will be using during
meld instruction.
Building a Community for learners through writing
Objective: students will progress through the stages of the Writing process to complete
an autobiographical narrative writing. (Paragraph, essay, or poem).
Day 4: What’s in a Name?
Objective: students will brainstorm using a graphic organizer to list the characteristics
that are associated with their name.
Materials: graphic organizer (bubble map), chapter excerpt from Esperanza rising
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Lesson Sequence
1. Teacher will explain that students will be writing an autobiographical poem,
paragraph, or essay that begins with an exploration of their name.
2. Teacher will use the “I do, we do, you” model to guide students through the
prewriting stage of the Writing process.
3. Teacher will share his/her model of a completed graphic organizer with the
class.
4. Students complete their own graphic organizers.
5. Students will share their completed graphic organizer with at least two other
students. (Teacher may select appropriate discussion protocols).
6. Teacher will conduct a read aloud of a chapter about a name in the book
Esperanza Rising.
a. Students will use an appropriate response or discussion protocol to
answer an essential question posed about the reading.
Day 5: What’s in a Name?
Objective: students will brainstorm using a graphic organizer to list the characteristics
that are associated with their name.
Materials: graphic organizer (bubble map), chapter excerpt from Esperanza rising
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Lesson Sequence
1. Teacher will explain that students will be writing an autobiographical poem,
paragraph, or essay that begins with an exploration of their name.
2. Teacher will use the “I do, we do, you” model to guide students through the
prewriting stage of the Writing process.
3. Teacher will share his/her model of a completed graphic organizer with the
class.
4. Students complete their own graphic organizers.
5. Students will use the “give one, get one” discussion protocol to share their
completed graphic organizer with at least two other students. (Teacher may
select appropriate discussion protocols).
a. Students will use a graphic organizer as an accountability sheet to
ensure they are being active participants in the classroom discussions.
b. This product can provide additional scaffold to students when they
move through the writing process.
6. Teacher will conduct a read aloud of a chapter about a name in the book
Esperanza Rising.
a. Students will use an appropriate response or discussion protocol to
answer an essential question posed about the reading.
Day 6: What’s in a Name?
This is another way that students can practice prewriting, as you continue to gain
information about your students. In addition, this prewriting activity is responsive to
different intelligences displayed by you students.
Objectives:
1) Students will create a visual display to map out the floor plan of where they live.
2) Teachers will be to administer the meld diagnostic screener.
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Materials: graphic organizer
Lesson Sequence
1. Teacher will instruct students to think about their family memories, and in doing
so, think about a place that they lived in, that were important to them—or that
holds special memories for them.
2. Teacher will instruct students that today’s planning for their autobiographical
writing will take the form of a floor plan of a special place that holds good
memories for them.
3. Teacher will use the “I do, we do, you” model to guide students through the
prewriting stage of the Writing process.
4. Teacher will share his/her model of a completed graphic organizer with the
class.
5. Students complete their own graphic organizers.
6. Using their graphic organizers, students will complete a list of people, foods,
games, smells, events, sayings, and accidents.
a. After completing their lists, students will be instructed to identify three
items, in total, that they would be comfortable writing about.
7. While students are working on their graphic organizers, teachers can begin
calling students to administer the meld diagnostic tools.
Day 7: What’s in a Name?
In this session, teachers will help students understand how to transfer information from a
graphic organic organizer into writing.
Objectives:
1) Students and teacher will work together to develop the success criteria for
their autobiographical narrative.
2) Students will begin the process of drafting their autobiographical narrative
writing (poem, paragraph, or essay).
3) Teachers will continue to administer the meld diagnostic screener.
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Materials: graphic organizer
Lesson Sequence
1. Teachers will model the process of turning a graphic organizer into a
paragraph, poem, or essay (depending on the final product the teacher has
selected).
2. Teachers will present a model of a final draft to review with students—
allowing students develop their success criteria.
a. If this is what a good autobiographical narrative looks like, then
what should you include in yours.
b. Use this process to develop your success criteria for this
assignment.
3. Teacher will use the “I do, we do, you” model to guide students through the
process of turning their graphic organizers into a draft.
a. Teachers will help students understand how to translate the ideas
from the graphic organizer into complete sentences.
4. As students begin to work independently, the teacher can complete the meld
diagnostic screeners.
Day 8: What’s in a Name?
Objectives:
1) Students will complete their drafts of their autobiographical narratives.
2) Students will share their drafts with their peers to help them determine
if their writing meets the success criteria for the assignment.
Materials: success criteria (rubric), drafts of writing
Lesson Sequence
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1. Students should be allowed time to complete the drafts of their autobiographical
narratives.
a. If students complete drafts before the rest of the class, the teacher
should review the writing with the students to add proofreading marks
where needed.
2. After al the students have finished their drafts, the teacher will model how to
evaluate a draft, referring the success criteria for the assignment.
a. Teachers should read a model paper to the class, and the class can help
determine if the writing meets the criterion stated on the rubric.
3. Students will participate in two sessions of musical shares to share their writing
with their peers.
a. As students read their drafts to one another, they should work with a
partner to determine if each criterion referenced in the rubric is present
in their writing.
5. Teachers will collect student writings to provide feedback for revision
a. Utilize 2 highlighter colors and a pen.
b. 1 highlighter color for vocabulary used for synonym development,
2nd highlighter color to identify the use of home language, and the
pen would be used for editing marks.
Day 9: In this session teachers will facilitate and coach students through the revision
stage of the writing process and time to prepare final draft
Objective: Students will progress through the revision stage of the writing process in
preparation for the final draft.
Materials: Editing and proofreading Marks chart, final published formatting and access
to technology
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Lesson Sequence
1. Teacher will review editing and proofreading marks
2. Teachers lift possible vocabulary for synonym development (personal
Thesaurus)
a. Teacher will model how to use the personal thesaurus for
students
3. Teacher will demonstrate contrastive analysis with sentence lifting from
students writing drafts
Students will revise and edit rough draft using the strategies modeled by the teacher.
Students will rotate in small groups with teacher for support.
Students orally present final piece.
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