Lesson 21 | Seeking Justice: To Kill a Mockingbird (2020) | 8th Grade English

Objective

Draft body paragraphs and appropriately cite sources.

Readings and Materials

Website: NAACP Death Penalty Fact Sheet
Article: “Racism and the Execution Chamber” by Matt Ford
Website: The Persistent Problem of Racial Disparities In The Federal Death Penalty
Article: “Race and the Death Penalty by the Numbers” by Aura Bogado
Article: “Washington State Strikes Down Death Penalty, Citing Racial Bias” by Merrit Kennedy
Website: Race and the Death Penalty
Website: Early History of the Death Penalty

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Target Task

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Writing Prompt

Imagine that the United States Congress is considering a ban on the death penalty. They are primarily motivated by studies showing that the death penalty is applied more frequently to African-Americans, suggesting racial bias within the judicial system.

Write an article for your school newspaper informing your fellow students on racial bias and the application of the death penalty in the United States. Your task is not to take a position on this issue but to give your readers the information they need in order to fully understand the issue.

Your article should:

be approximately 400 words long
include information from at least three different reputable sources
include statistics, definitions, examples, and quotations
introduce the topic clearly
include a concluding statement

Lesson Guidance

Students should decide the topic of their body paragraphs (at least three, depending on length) and begin to pull in specific details relevant to these topics. For examples, students may begin with a history or broad survey of the death penalty in the United States, racial differences in application based on accused, racial differences in application based on the victim, and the current state of the death penalty in this country. One way of helping students sort information is to write down facts on notecards and physically organize them that way.
Teach a short lesson on how to cite information from online articles, and/or provide students with a citation “cheat sheet.” (MLA Formatting and Style Guide by Purdue University is a useful resource.)

Common Core Standards

W.8.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content

Writing Standards

W.8.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content
W.8.2.a — Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

Writing Standards

W.8.2.a — Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
W.8.2.b — Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.

Writing Standards

W.8.2.b — Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
W.8.8 — Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

Writing Standards

W.8.8 — Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

Lesson 20

Lesson 22

Lesson Map

“Understanding Jim Crow”

Define Jim Crow, explain its impact on the lives of white and black Americans, and describe how it was maintained within the social order.

RI.8.1

TKAM — chapter 1
1933 Inaugural...

Explain how author Harper Lee uses figurative language to establish mood and setting in the first chapter of To Kill a Mockingbird.

RL.8.4

TKAM — chapters 2 and 3

Explain how specific events and lines of text reveal aspects of characters in To Kill a Mockingbird.

RL.8.3

“In Defense of a Loaded Word”

Explain Ta-Nehisi Coates’s point of view on the use of the N-word and his response to conflicting viewpoints.

RI.8.6

TKAM — chapters 4 and 5

Explain how specific events and lines of text reveal aspects of characters and develop the plot in To Kill a Mockingbird.

RL.8.3

TKAM — chapter 6
TKAM Movie — 00:24:20–00:33:13

Identify changes made by the director of the film To Kill a Mockingbird by comparing a scene from the text with the film version, and explain how the director uses specific film techniques to develop mood.

RL.8.4 RL.8.7

TKAM — chapters 7 and 8

Identify specific incidents and lines of text that reveal aspects of characters and develop the plot in To Kill a Mockingbird.

RL.8.3

TKAM — chapter 9

Draw conclusions about Atticus based on specific lines of dialogue by paying close attention to the connotations of words and phrases he uses.

RL.8.3 RL.8.4

TKAM — chapters 10 and 11

Explain how specific events and lines of dialogue in To Kill a Mockingbird reveal aspects of characters and cause a change in perspective.

RL.8.3

Literary Analysis Writing

TKAM — chapters 1-10

Gather evidence appropriate to the prompt and draft a strong thesis statement.

RL.8.9 W.8.1 W.8.1.a

Literary Analysis Writing

TKAM — chapters 1-10

Write two body paragraphs, providing at least two pieces of strong evidence to demonstrate Atticus’s character and clearly explaining how this evidence aligns to the Golden Rule.

W.8.1 W.8.1.b

TKAM — chapters 12 and 13

Explain how Harper Lee uses specific words and phrases in To Kill a Mockingbird to develop tone and create meaning.

RL.8.4

TKAM — chapters 14 and 15

Explain how specific incidents and lines of dialogue reveal aspects of characters and propel the action of To Kill a Mockingbird.

RL.8.3

TKAM — chapter 15
TKAM Movie — 1:00:00–1:07:55

Analyze the extent to which the filmmakers have stayed faithful to or departed from the original text of To Kill a Mockingbird by comparing and contrasting text and film.

RL.8.7

TKAM — chapters 16 and 17

Summarize the events described in Heck Tate’s and Bob Ewell’s testimony.

RL.8.1 RL.8.2

TKAM — chapter 18

Explain how Harper Lee uses specific words, phrases, and lines of text to reveal aspects of Mayella Ewell’s character.

RL.8.3 RL.8.4

TKAM — chapter 19

Explain how Harper Lee uses specific lines of text to reveal aspects of characters, as well as racial dynamics within Maycomb.

RL.8.3

TKAM — chapters 20 and 21

Explain the impact of Atticus’s word choice and references to historic texts in the development of meaning in his closing argument.

RL.8.4 RL.8.9

TKAM — chapter 20
TKAM Movie — 01:32:25–01:42:48

Analyze the extent to which the filmmakers have stayed faithful to or departed from the original text of To Kill a Mockingbird by comparing and contrasting text and film.

RL.8.7

Informative Writing

NAACP Fact Sheet
“Racism and...”
The Persistent ...
“... By the Numbers”
“Washington State...”
Race and...
History of...

Gather evidence relevant to the topic.

W.8.2 W.8.2.b

Informative Writing

NAACP Fact Sheet
“Racism and...”
The Persistent ...
“... By the Numbers”
“Washington State...”
Race and...
History of...

Draft body paragraphs and appropriately cite sources.

W.8.2 W.8.2.a W.8.2.b W.8.8

Informative Writing

NAACP Fact Sheet
“Racism and...”
The Persistent ...
“... By the Numbers”
“Washington State...”
Race and...
History of...

Write introductory and concluding statements that frame the article.

W.8.2 W.8.2.a W.8.2.f

TKAM — chapters 22 and 23

Interpret figurative language and explain how Lee uses it to create meaning in To Kill a Mockingbird.

L.8.5 RL.8.4

TKAM — chapters 24 and 25

Explain how specific incidents and lines of text reveal aspects of characters in To Kill a Mockingbird or cause them to change.

RL.8.3

TKAM — chapters 26 and 27

Explain how Harper Lee uses specific lines of text to reveal aspects of characters, as well as racial dynamics within Maycomb.

RL.8.3

TKAM — chapter 28

Explain how Harper Lee uses word choice and literary devices to develop tone and establish a suspenseful mood.

RL.8.4

TKAM — chapter 28
TKAM Movie — 1:53:00–1:57:50

Analyze the extent to which the filmmakers have stayed faithful to or departed from the original text of To Kill a Mockingbird by comparing and contrasting text and film.

RL.8.7

TKAM — chapters 29–31

Explain how Harper Lee uses specific incidents and lines of text to reveal aspects of characters.

RL.8.3

TKAM — whole text

Determine themes from To Kill a Mockingbird and explain how Harper Lee uses specific characters to develop them over the course of the text.

RL.8.2

Socratic Seminar

TKAM
Socratic Seminar Guide

Take a clear position on questions and support those positions with appropriate textual evidence and thoughtful analysis.

SL.8.1 SL.8.1.a

Literary Analysis Writing

“Duluth...”
“Despite 'Discomfort'...”
“Why Schools...”
“No, To Kill a...”
“Forget...”

Explain the expectations of the writing task and begin to delineate arguments and gather evidence from both sides of the debate.

W.8.1 W.8.1.b

Literary Analysis Writing

“Duluth...”
“Despite 'Discomfort'...”
“Why Schools...”
“No, To Kill a...”
“Forget...”

Develop strong claim statements, including a counterclaim, and continue to draft body paragraphs.

W.8.1 W.8.1.a

Literary Analysis Writing

“Duluth...”
“Despite 'Discomfort'...”
“Why Schools...”
“No, To Kill a...”
“Forget...”

Complete a full draft of a letter, including a logical introduction and concluding paragraph.

W.8.1 W.8.1.a W.8.1.e

Literary Analysis Writing

“Duluth...”
“Despite 'Discomfort'...”
“Why Schools...”
“No, To Kill a...”
“Forget...”

Provide meaningful feedback to peers and incorporate peer feedback into own writing.

W.8.1 W.8.5

Assessment – 2 days

“The Man in the Well” — paragraphs 1-19

Seeking Justice: To Kill a Mockingbird (2020)

Objective

Readings and Materials

Target Task

Writing Prompt

Lesson Guidance

Common Core Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Lesson Map

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