To Kill A Mockingbird

Notes from yesterday - allusions to Andrew Jackson, The Battle of Hastings, FDR the people of Maycomb have "nothing to fear but fear itself".

Characters - Scout (narrator), Jem (Scout's old brother - 4 years older), Atticus (father - allusion in the name), Uncle Jack and Aunt Alexandria


Jem broke his arms when he was 12.  The novel will recount how that happened.  According to Jem the story starts with the arrival of Dill (who don't know who Dill is yet). 


Unit Learning goal:
Students will demonstrate an understand of one the main concept of the novel by producing a final project (PowerPoint, Film, Presentation) that incorporates a 1-page essay that explains how a main concept works in the novel and using specific examples to backs up the students ideas.
Main Concepts:
 
Does the American law guarantee justice for all?
How does personal experience contribute to prejudice?
How do our preconceptions influence our sense of justice?
Can a hero have both good and bad qualities?
Scale/Rubric relating to learning goal:
 
4 – The student can produce a project that explores and demonstrates in-depth understanding of a main concept in the novel and/or connects two of more of these concepts together.
3 – The student can produce a project that demonstrates an understanding of a main concept and how it works in the novel.
2 – With some direction/help from the teacher the student can produce a project that demonstrates an understanding of a main concept and how it works in the novel.
1 – Even with help from the teacher the student is unable to produce a project that demonstrates an understanding of a main concept and how it works in the novel.
 
Objectives (smaller chunks of overall goal) and suggested time periods
 
Students will be able to
1)  Explain how the following themes work in the novel: The meaning of duty; How prejudice works in society; The meaning of courage
2)  Discuss the meaning of the following symbol: mockingbirds, the knot-hole, the mad dog
3)  Keep a reading journal – which includes character development, allusions, symbols, questions about the meaning of justice or how prejudice works
4)  Discuss how the author’s life and times influences the novel.
5)  Outline the plot and discuss why the author may how chosen to structure the novel how she did.
6)  Discuss how Scout grows during the novel and why the novel can be considered a Bildungsroman.
7)  Keep a detailed list of characters recording important details about them as the student reads (starting with chapter 1)
8)  Explain – why you never really understand a person until you… (Point of View Exercise)
9)  In a group write testimonies and recreate the courtroom scene from the novel
10) Keep a list of the various types of prejudices that occur in the novel
11) Discuss how setting is important to this novel.
12) Discuss how the Civil War references/allusions work in the overall meaning of the novel.
 
Essential Questions:
Does the American law guarantee justice for all?
How does personal experience contribute to prejudice?
How do our preconceptions influence our sense of justice?
Can a hero have both good and bad qualities?
 
Starting with chapter 1, students will keep a reading that will include the following:

1) A brief description of what happens in the chapter
2) Important literary elements (at least two per chapter) - and what larger meaning it might include
3) List of characters and how the grow or change
4) Part of plot   
5) Major theme connected with the chapter




Chapters 1-4 Questions

What is the background of the Finch family?  Where did they come from?  
List three allusions from Chapter 1.
Who is Dill?  What is Dill like?  
How does the book start with a foreshadow? 
What happens at school during Scout's first day?
Who is Calpurnia? What is her place in the Finch household?
What is Walter Cunningham like? What does his behaviour during lunch suggest about his home life?
What do you think of the way Atticus treats Walter?
Does Scout learn anything from Walter's visit? What do you think this is?
Atticus says that you never really understand a person “until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”. What does this mean? Is it an easy thing for Scout to learn? (In the last chapter of the novel, Scout repeats this, but she changes “skin” to “shoes” - this is probably not a mistake: Harper Lee suggests that Scout cannot clearly recall exactly what Atticus said and when, but the reader can check this!)
What do you learn in this chapter about the Ewells?
FOR REVIEW - GO HERE 

Go HERE   



NEW VOCABULARY
1)    Subpoena
2)    Fey
3)    Venerable
4)    Uncouth
5)    Sundry
6)    Begrudge
7)    Elucidate
8)    Acquiescence
9)    Succinct
10) Façade
 
 
Course Hero and Book Cheats (are two video guides that you can use but do not just watch them and skip the book).  
 

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