CyberEnglish9 | To Kill a Mockingbird
Unit Syllabus
Objectives:
- Students will analyze a Pulitzer Prize winning American novel to better understand the human experience.
- Students will identify and evaluate the effect of the various literary elements that are present in the novel to understand the writing process.
- Students will develop and critique their opinions of the reading experience and of the film adaption as another form of analysis.
Assignments:
- Blog posts (x4) x 25 points each = 100
- Blog page x 50
- Visual theme x 25
- Movie review x 25
Total Unit Points = 200
Deadlines:
Reading and Literature circles: These must be completed by the dates below. If they are not, it defeats the purpose of the literature circles. As such, if you do not have the assignments completed by these dates, you will receive an automatic zero. You cannot make them up, NO exceptions.
- Chapters 1-7
- Chapters 8-11
- Chapters 12-15
- Chapters 16-20
- Chapters 21-24
- Chapters 25-31,
Unit Resources
To Kill A Mockingbird: The Student Survival Guide
Literature Circles
Literature Circles Assignment
A literature circle is simply a book club comprised of students within the same class who are reading the same text. Each class will be divided into groups of four. During the weekly literature circles, students will be assigned a specific role (see below). Each student is required answer the questions associated with their role prior to their literature circle discussion. These answers will be the driving force behind their group’s discussion. Students will participate in each of the different roles throughout the unit. Students will use these worksheets and questions to discuss the reading for the week within their literature circles.
Literature Circle Roles
| Definition of roles | Questions to answer prior to meetings |
| Discussion Director:The discussion director is in charge of facilitating the group’s discussion. This student must keep the group on task, ensure that all students present their answers to questions on the right, and participate in discussion. The discussion director’s questions are focused around the themes of the book. In other words, what are the messages the authors creating through the story about what it means to be human. |
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| Illuminator: The illuminator creates sticky notes throughout the book chapters that recognize specific literary devices and their effect on the story. This student must select three literary devices to define, present the exact quote from the novel that represents this device, and explain to the group why the author used this device. Each group member needs to present a different set of literary devices during their role as illuminator. |
Other elements to consider: irony, imagery (olfactory, auditory, etc.), metaphor, simile, round/flat/dynamic character, connotation, motif |
| Connector:The connector describes how the events, characters, conflicts, or settings of the novel connect to life in Sheboygan Falls. This student connects the story to events in life, news events, political events, or pop culture. |
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| Summarizer:The summarizer prepares a summary of the book chapters that are to be discussed in the literature circle. This student is to complete a written paragraph that describes the important details, characters, and events that take place. |
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Literature circle roles adapted from Harvey Daniels’ Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in the Student-Centered Classroom and Jim Burke’s Tools for Thought
Blog Posts
At the end of each literature circle discussion, each group member will create a blog post worth 25 points. In this blog post, the students will type their answers from their roles. Students will also reflect upon what they learned during their literature circle discussion. Blog posts should be between 250 and 300 words in length and categorized in one of two ways: TKAM or To Kill a Mockingbird.
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Step 1: Answer the questions associated with your role in full sentences/paragraph form so that it is interesting for your readers. Do not paste the questions into your blog post or place the answers in bullet points.
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Step 2: Summarize the discussion your literature circle had. Consider the different things you learned from your group members about the plot, the literary devices that were utilized, and the connections made to life as we know it.
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Step 3: Describe what you learned about what it means to be human or what it means to be a part of a community through this discussion. This is your philosophical moment; the time to exert your opinions about the book and the world around you upon your readers. Do not merely state that you learned that Scout, Dill and Jem are scared of Boo. State why you think this important and what this shows the reader. For example: Scout, Dill and Jem are afraid of Boo primarily because of the rumors and gossip that filters down to them from adults in the community. They have never actually met or talked to Boo and formed their own opinion. This reminds me of when I was a child and some of the opinions I formed of others was based on my parents’ or my sisters’ opinions. This taught me how impressionable children can be. Really, it taught me how naive and innocent they can be. I think this part is important because I think the children in the book will eventually grow up and lose this innocence some how.
Literature Circle & Blog Posts Rubric
| A | Student was fully prepared for the literature circle with answered questions and was an active participant in discussion. Student demonstrates in-depth inferences about the message the author is sending through the story, about the human experience and societal issues. Student recognizes such inferences in their response to the literature role questions, discussion and in their blog posts. |
| B | Student was fully prepared for the literature circle with answered questions and participated in discussion when provoked by teacher or group members. Student understands the purpose of the literature circle roles and supplies sufficient evidence to support his or her analysis of the text through the role questions; however, student does not fully explain the inferences and connections made to the world around them. |
| C | Student answered the questions associated with their role, but was not an active participant in the group discussion. Student provides summary of the plot and characters in response to the literature role questions and in the blog post. |
| D | Student was not actively involved in the literature circle and merely summarized the book chapters in the blog post. |
| F | Student did not complete the required literature circle questions or the blog post. |
A = 23-25 _______ /25
B = 22-20 _______ /25
C = 19-18 _______ /25
D = 17-15 _______ /25
F = 14-0 _______ /25
Blog Page
The purpose of this assignment is for you to practice your literary analysis and interpretation skills. For this assignment, you must use formal, academic writing. Therefore, it must be written in the third person. When writing your paragraphs, consider your audience. Although not everyone reading your blog will have read To Kill a Mockingbird, they still do not want to merely read a summary or retelling of it. However, most of your readers will have read the novel. They are interested in what you think. As always, remember to back up your opinions with evidence from the text (quotes, paraphrase). Your responses need to be between 400 and 500 words in length. Each response needs to be published as a page, title TKAM.
Literary Analysis: Characterization
Characterization is the process by which the author reveals information about a character in the text. The author uses a variety of methods to create believable characters including a character’s speech, actions, effect on others and physical appearance. For this assignment, you will analyze a character using evidence from the text to support your claim. Please select one of the prompts below to guide you in writing an analysis paragraph on characterization that you will publish on your blog. Use one of the suggested thesis statements (T) or come up with your own.
- A dynamic character is one who changes by the end of the story, learning something that changes him or her in a permanent way.
- Analyze how Jem develops as a character because of what he learns from Mrs. Dubose. T: Jem’s interaction with Mrs. Dubose teaches him what real courage is
- Mayella Ewell is a complicated character. Her actions lead to Tom Robinson’s death, and it is difficult to condone her lies. However, she can also be seen as a sympathetic character. Discuss how readers may feel sorry for her. T: Even though Mayella Ewell lies on the witness stand, she is still a sympathetic character.
- Several characters serve as moral compasses in the novel. Their words and actions help teach the children about what is right and true. Choose one of the following characters and show how his or her words and actions teach the children. T: The children learn right from wrong through many events in the novel, but (character name) teaches them specifically about _.
- Miss Maudie
- Mr. Dolphus Raymond
- Atticus
- Authors often reveal the personality and beliefs of a character indirectly, meaning that they create characters through their speech, thoughts, actions, effects on others and looks (STEAL). Analyze the qualities of Atticus Finch by investigating his speech and interactions with others. Be sure you make a statement about the kind of man he is. You can narrow your focus to his qualities as a father, qualities as a lawyer, or qualities as a citizen of Maycomb. T: Atticus Finch is a role model for other fathers (or lawyers, or citizens).
Still need help? Here are some class examples from last year for you to look at.
Literary Analysis Blog Page Rubric
| A- Analysis responds to one of the characterization prompts. It has a well developed argument that includes one of the supplied thesis statements, at least one claim to support the thesis, and evidence cited from the text. The evidence is integrated into the essay with an introduction and explanation. The argument presents a clear idea of who the character is and their relationship to the theme of the novel. The writing is focused, organized, and grammatically sound. |
| B- Analysis responds to one of the characterization prompts. It has a clear argument that may be simplistic, excluding the major theme of the novel. There is a claim that supports the thesis and evidence is cited from the text. The writer has attempted to explain the significance of the evidence. The writing is organized and focused on the thesis. There are few distracting grammatical errors. |
| C- Analysis responds to one of the characterization prompts. It attempts an argument, but the argument is difficult to follow without an explicit claim to support the thesis. The writer has included evidence to support the argument, but lacks a clear explanation of the significance of the evidence. The writing is organized, but not fully developed, resulting in too much summary. There are some distracting grammatical errors. |
| D- Analysis responds to one of the characterization prompts. It is difficult to identify an argument, because the essay is off topic or unfocused. There is no evidence from the text. Writing is not organized and does not include any of the required elements of a literary analysis essay: claim, evidence, explanation. There are many distracting grammatical errors. |
| F- Student did not complete the assignment. |