Unit Plan for To Kill A Mockingbird
Rationale:
A. Students need to study important historical information related to the setting of To Kill A Mockingbird. To Kill A Mockingbird is a powerful and timeless depiction of how external forces such as intolerance and prejudice can tear a community apart. By providing additional enrichment throughout the students’ study of this novel, the students’ will become knowledgeable of the different historical events that were influential in Harper Lee’s only book.
B. This unit will be interesting to the students and is developmentally appropriate because this age group has a keen sense of right and wrong, especially as it relates to intolerance of one segment of society for another. They are also intrigued by the mysterious and sinister sides of life.
C. NYSED ELA
Key Concepts/Essential Questions
- Week 1: Racism
What is racism? What are different topics related to the Civil Rights Movement?
- Week 2: The Great Depression
What was the Great Depression? How does this time period relate to our study of To Kill A Mockingbird? What difficulties come with trying to provide for a family on a typical Great Depression income?
- Week 3: Justice
What is lynching? How is it related to To Kill A Mockingbird? What is the Emmett Till case? How does this case relate to the case within To Kill A Mockingbird?
- Week 4: Protest Songs
What are protest songs? How were protest songs used throughout history?
- Week 5: Loose Ends
Student Learning Goals:
Knowledge:
The student will:
- Read and view a genre of literature (novel) based on a particular culture and historical period (1930s America)
- Interpret the work using a variety of literary elements,
i.e., characterization, plot, foreshadowing, etc.
- Visualize and interpret the experience of various characters in the novel through role-playing activities
- Understand important relationship dynamics between characters in the novel
Skills:
The student will:
- Read aloud expressively to convey a clear interpretation of the work
- Respond to and interpret the text with reference to the time period and by drawing on his/her own personal experiences and knowledge
- Use Standard English skillfully and with an individual style
- Recognize and understand advanced vocabulary words that appear in the novel
- Understand and use relevant literary terms, including static/dynamic characters, external/internal conflict
Disposition:
The student will:
- Explore the following fundamentals and universal ideas found in the literary work—power, change, intolerance, and reputation
- Link major themes/historical events to the novel’s concepts and ideas in other disciplines (i.e., history—Civil Rights Movement, the KKK; psychology—mob behavior/lynching)
Unit Map for To Kill A Mockingbird
Includes scope and sequence, core activities, instructional strategies, learning environment and resources, integration opportunities, and assessments.
9/15-916
Introduction
of To Kill A Mockingbird / 1. Journal Free-Write; What is racism?
(Individual)
2. Viewing of Racism Video
Clip
(Whole class)
3. Group research topic
(Technology Integration)
4. Creative poster project
(Small group)
5. Group presentation of
research topic using poster
(Small group; large group)
/ 1. Computer lab w/ Internet access
2. Worksheet on group research topic / 1. Free-write assignment
2. Ticket out the door
3. Poster presentation
4. Racism quiz
9/19-9/23
/ 1. Books handed out
2. Organization of journal
(Large group; individual)
3. Calendar of assignments discussed (Large group)
4. Journal groups organized
(Small group)
5. Large group discussion of Chapters 1-3 (Large group)
6. Quiz on Chapters 1-3
(Individual) / 1. To Kill A Mockingbird books (one for each student)
2. Rubrics and assignment sheets
/ 1. Journal responses
2. Journal group participation
3. Large group discussion
4. Chapter Quiz
9/26-9/30
The Great Depression / 1. Note taking using “guided notes”, The Great Depression
(Individual)
2. Discussion of the setting
(Large group)
3. “How they Managed” activity; budget planning with typical income of a family in during The Great Depression
(Small group)
4. Journal Assignment
(Individual)
5. Literature Groups
(Small group; Large group)
6. Quiz on Chapters 4-9
(Individual) / 1. Power point presentation
2. Budget Planning worksheet
3. Price list from 1930s
4. Computer, for power point presentation / 1. Note sheet
2. Student responses to class discussion
3. Budget Planning worksheet
4. Budget Planning reflection worksheet
5. Journals responses
6. Literature Groups/
Large group discussion
7. Chapter quiz
10/3-10/7
Lynching:
Emmett Till / 1. Viewing of To Kill A Mockingbird-Part I
(Large group)
2. Journal Free-Write; Quotation by Plato
(Individual)
3. Dipstick Activity; questioning students at random according to popsicle sticks
(Large group)
4. Reading of “A Crime That Refuses to Give Up Its Ghosts”
(Large group)
5. Think-Pair-Share; questions attached to article
(Individual; Small group)
6. “Choose One” assignment
(Individual)
7. Journal Assignment
(Individual)
8. Literature Groups
(Small group; Large group)
9. Quiz on Chapters 9-14
(Individual) / 1. Article “A Crime That Refuses to Give Up Its Ghosts”
2. Think-Pair-Share worksheet
3. Questions attached to article
4. “Choose One” worksheet / 1. Journal responses
2. Student responses to class discussion
3. Think-Pair-Share worksheet
4. “Choose One” essay assignment
5. Journals responses
6. Literature Groups/
Large group discussion
7. Chapter quiz
10/12-10/14
Protest Songs / 1. Protest songs listening activity (Large group)
2. “Strange Fruit” listening exercise (Large group)
3. Strange Fruit worksheet
(Individual)
4. Journal Assignment
(Individual)
5. Literature Groups
(Small group; Large group)
6. Quiz on Chapters 16-22
(Individual) / 1. Protest songs CD
2. “Strange Fruit” analysis worksheet / 1. Discussion participation
2. “Strange Fruit” worksheet
3. Journals responses
4. Literature Groups/
Large group discussion
5. Chapter quiz
10/17-10/21
Loose Ends / 1. Film (Large group)
2. Jeopardy Game-review (Large group)
3. Final test (Individual)
4. Journal Assignment
(Individual)
5. Literature Groups
(Small group; Large group)
6. Final Test
(Individual) / 1. To Kill A Mockingbird
Film
2. Jeopardy game / 1. Discussion participation
2. Journals responses
3. Literature Groups/
Large group discussion
4. Final test