Lesson 29 | Seeking Justice: To Kill a Mockingbird (2020) | 8th Grade English

Lesson Overview

Objective

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

Readings and Materials

Book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee — whole text

Lesson Notes

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Lesson Map

Lesson

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

Materials

“Understanding Jim Crow”

Standards

RI.8.1

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapter 1
1933 Inaugural...

Standards

RL.8.4

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapters 2 and 3

Standards

RL.8.3

Lesson

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

Materials

“In Defense of a Loaded Word”

Standards

RI.8.6

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapters 4 and 5

Standards

RL.8.3

Lesson

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.

Materials

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

Standards

RL.8.4RL.8.7

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapters 7 and 8

Standards

RL.8.3

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapter 9

Standards

RL.8.3RL.8.4

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapters 10 and 11

Standards

RL.8.3

Lesson

Literary Analysis Writing

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

Materials

TKAM — chapters 1-10

Standards

RL.8.9W.8.1W.8.1.a

Lesson

Literary Analysis Writing

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.

Materials

TKAM — chapters 1-10

Standards

W.8.1W.8.1.b

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapters 12 and 13

Standards

RL.8.4

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapters 14 and 15

Standards

RL.8.3

Lesson

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.

Materials

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

Standards

RL.8.7

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapters 16 and 17

Standards

RL.8.1RL.8.2

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapter 18

Standards

RL.8.3RL.8.4

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapter 19

Standards

RL.8.3

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapters 20 and 21

Standards

RL.8.4RL.8.9

Lesson

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.

Materials

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

Standards

RL.8.7

Lesson

Informative Writing

Gather evidence relevant to the topic.

Materials

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

Standards

W.8.2W.8.2.b

Lesson

Informative Writing

Draft body paragraphs and appropriately cite sources.

Materials

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

Standards

W.8.2W.8.2.aW.8.2.bW.8.8

Lesson

Informative Writing

Write introductory and concluding statements that frame the article.

Materials

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

Standards

W.8.2W.8.2.aW.8.2.f

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapters 22 and 23

Standards

L.8.5RL.8.4

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapters 24 and 25

Standards

RL.8.3

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapters 26 and 27

Standards

RL.8.3

Lesson

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

Materials

TKAM — chapter 28

Standards

RL.8.4

Lesson

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.

Materials