Seeking Justice: To Kill a Mockingbird (2020)

Lesson 2
icon/ela/white

ELA

Unit 7

8th Grade

Lesson 2 of 35

Objective


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

Readings and Materials


  • Book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee  — chapter 1

Fishtank Plus

Unlock features to optimize your prep time, plan engaging lessons, and monitor student progress.

Target Task


Writing Prompt

What examples of figurative language does Scout use to describe the Radley place? What mood do these words develop? Provide at least two examples from the text and explain how they establish the mood. (pages 9–10, pages 14–16)

Key Questions


  • What words and phrases does Scout use to describe the town of Maycomb? What mood do these words develop? Provide at least three examples from the text and explain how they establish the mood. (pages 5–6)

  • Reread the first conversation between Dill, Jem, and Scout. How does Lee’s use of dialect help to establish the setting? Provide specific examples from the text to support your answer. (pages 7–8)

  • How does Lee’s allusion to FDR’s “nothing to fear…” speech help to establish the setting? Explain your thinking. (page 6)

  • Discussion: What can we infer about Scout’s character based on this first chapter? Provide specific examples from the text.

  • Discussion: What do we notice about race relations in Maycomb? Where in the text do you see references to race?

Lesson Guidance


Standard and Literary Concepts

  • Allusion: An indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance. It is generally a passing comment, and the writer expects the reader to possess enough knowledge to spot the allusion and grasp its importance in a text.
  • Dialect: A dialect is the language used by the people of a specific area, class, district, or any other group of people. The term dialect involves the spelling, sounds, grammar and pronunciation used by a particular group of people, and it distinguishes them from other people around them.
  • Imagery: Specific descriptive language related to sensory details (how things look, sound, feel, taste, etc.).
  • Metaphor: The comparison of two unlike things/concepts/experiences (with the intention of clarification or evoking emotion).
  • Setting: Where/when the action of a text occurs.
    • Physical location (country, state, city, neighborhood, landscape, building, room, etc.)
    • Time period, time of day, season
    • Climate/weather
    • Social Context
  • Simile: A comparison between two unlike things, using the phrases like or as to establish the comparison.

Notes

  • Begin a character list, including significant details about each.
  • Today’s reading includes the phrase “jackass” and “son-of-a-bitch.”

Homework

  • Read To Kill a Mockingbird, chapters 2 and 3.

Common Core Standards


  • RL.8.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.

Next

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

Lesson 3
icon/arrow/right/large

Lesson Map

A7CB09C2-D12F-4F55-80DB-37298FF0A765

Request a Demo

See all of the features of Fishtank in action and begin the conversation about adoption.

Learn more about Fishtank Learning School Adoption.

Contact Information

School Information

What courses are you interested in?

ELA

Math

Are you interested in onboarding professional learning for your teachers and instructional leaders?

Yes

No

Any other information you would like to provide about your school?

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

We've got you covered with rigorous, relevant, and adaptable ELA lesson plans for free