I vividly recall reading To Kill a Mockingbird in 8th grade. It was a group effort. I counted the number of people reading ahead of me to determine which passage I got to read aloud to the class when my turn came. I do remember loving it, but as I reread it this year, I realized I didn't retain it as much as I thought.
If I'm being honest, I remembered as much as the 1962 film with Gregory Peck offered to its audience. I am so happy to have reread it as if it were the first time. While the overall plot is straightforward with racism and classism, there are the in-between parts Harper Lee wrote that are just as special. The young love between Dill and Scout, the kids attending church with Calpurnia, Jem's impact on reading to Mrs. Dubose, Aunt Alexandra's role in the children's lives, and so much more.
As usual, we began by reviewing the historical background, including the civil rights movement and The Great Depression.
I also found this map online, which provided a great visual of the town and helped the kids determine who lived where.
As the kids read the first portion of the novel, they got to do an assessment of Boo Radley's behavior. Revisiting this lesson at the end of the book makes for great conversation.
They took quizzes along the way and responded to critical thinking questions to ensure they understood the content.
A lesson on the rabid dog, Tim Johnson, and his symbolism is also provided.
The kids took notes on the testimony of each witness while reading the trial. They used those notes to provide facts, evidence, and motives for each as if they were the 13th juror. They enjoyed this a lot.
Atticus Finch's closing statement was an essential part of the novel, so the kids read it, analyzed it, and highlighted its ethos, pathos, and logos statements throughout.
Provided within the Google doc is a link to real-life court cases resembling Tom Robinson's own is included to further the discussion, too.
As their final exam, they played Jeopardy and had to identify who said what, who was who, plot points, and more.
As mentioned, we also watched the movie, and they quickly realized how bare-bones it was. A lot of the story had been blended or not told at all. I feel bad for the students who skip reading the novel and depend on the film because they miss out. If you have a library card, the film is available to you for free on the HOOPLA app!
All the activities mentioned are linked in my blog. To access the lessons, click HERE!
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