A Novel Study on To Kill a Mockingbird

A study on constraint, identity, and authenticity

Title: We Are Not Constrained
Grade: English 10
Dates: 10 March 2015 17 April 2015
Teachers Name: Kasyn Sell
School: Warner School

Table of Contents

Overview
Rationale
Weekly View of Unit
Activities Overview
Resources
Learning Objectives/Essential Questions
Curriculum Connections
Instructional Strategies
Before
During
After
Assessment and Evaluation Plan
Other Curricular Connections
Display
Reflections
Tentative Calendar Overview
Lesson Plans

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4
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5
6
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7
9
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11
12
14
15
16
17
21

Overview

Type/Topic

This novel study will be on To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

It will discuss the topics of prejudice, authenticity, and constraint.

Central
Emphasis

This unit will look into the constraints of everyday life and how to become
an authentic person. It is meant to bring conscious awareness to the things
we may chose to ignore or are ignorant of. The unit will cause student
reflection of how we are constrained as a society, but how there are
individuals who have created authenticity within these confines. Well
discuss what makes a good person and if living an authentic life can make
heros out of the best of us.

Presentation of
content/Projects

The unit will start with the history and from there it will connect to the
Canadian experience. This will hopefully help the students understand the
context and why this book is meaningful. The students will be expected to
find much of this material themselves. From there the book will be read by
the students broken up only by journal responses and short minilessons.

Literature
Involved

6 Language Arts

Projects
Presentation of history
Find meaningful quotes and create a collage representing what you
think this is telling you?
Double-voice Poem
My Hero Project (heros presented everyday)
Tea with Alexandria final?
What would your society look like? How can you create what you want
to see?
Personal Essay
To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee
To Kill a Mockingbird Movie
My Hero examples
What about that video from social context outlining Canadas civil rights
movement?
Journey to Justice
Reading: Reading the book, the civil rights movement literature (articles),
recent articles involving unequal treatment,
Writing: pre anticipation responses, daily journal, Double-voice poem, my
hero project
Viewing: parts of the movie, journey to justice, hero presentations
Representing: Photo log, Hero Project
Listening: respect classmates opinions during classroom discussions and
hero presentations,
Speaking: Presenting groups double-voice poem, and hero presentations

Rationale
Student Interest: We live in a complex and changing society. This book brings up a lot of
critical and crucial questions of racism, constraint, freedom, evil vs good, and fairness which are
challenges the students face. Especially the idea of how to find freedom in a society that seems to
try and dictate how we should be thinking or feeling. This unit will discuss how systems have been
run and also how we can personally rise above the constraints of our current society and find our
individual freedom and authenticity.
Content: The book lends itself to this discussion. In To Kill a Mockingbird it discusses how the
county of Maycomb is constrained by the rules of their society. The town has come to certain
expectations of their world and yet many never realize how this worldview has constrained their
actions. Most willingly will put a man behind bars for a crime he may not have committed for
those constraints. However, even within a society where it was the norm to believe that,
authenticity can still be found. It begs the question of what freedom looks like and how freedom
can be found within the limits society holds us under. We must find what those limits are and if
they should and can be pushed. The content of the book allows these conversations to occur in a
natural and safe environment. It will gives the conversation reason to occur and pushes the
students to think outside of their comfort level.
Activities/Strategies: These activities were chosen to challenge student thinking. Ideally they
will facilitate the learning of the student and put themselves in the shoes of another to understand
the motivations. Furthermore the activities are meant to help connect the book with the students
growth and life. Ideally, students will create interesting and meaningful questions, relate book to
daily experience, and challenge the students to think about how experience and perspective can
affect behaviour. The unit activities will facilitate discussions on identity, challenging the norm,
and finding their own authenticity
Week 1: The first week of this unit will focus on the history and connecting the TKAM world
with the real world. We will look at the events surrounding the publishing of TKAM and
furthermore the research groups to present their material to the class. The first week will also
serve to make predictions, connect themes to Canadian culture, and create some initial responses
to some of the texts big ideas. This will help guide the students knowledge about what the
society was like back then so it doesnt feel so far away from their current experience. Since the
book is getting fairly old it can sometimes feel like there is little point in reading it. However, if
we can also look at some current examples from both the US and Canada this may make this
book feel more relevant. Students will continue to add to the courage map as the unit continues.
Activities/Assessments of the week
-History presentations (F)
-Anticipation(individual)/Courage Guide(as a class comp. word sprawl) (F)
-Note taking
-Journey to Justice
5

Week 2: The second week of this unit will focus on reading and comprehension. It will take a
couple weeks at least to read the full story. However, the first chapters of the book are the hardest
to get through. We will focus on content and comprehension to make sure students is able to
follow the text and create meaningful connections. The students will also be introduced to the
requirements and final expectations so they can start planning and filling out their TKAM
portfolio from the beginning.
Activities/Assessments of the week
-Its all about Tradition
-Pride in ancestry and conformity (what examples show this, why do you
think this is important? What examples can you draw from your own life)
-Initial character sketches follow through the chapters as you learn more
-Quotable quotes (F helps with PC)
-Discussion questions chose 2 to answer in journal
-Vocab work ( H3 for 1st 2 chapters, word maps, word walls, wordle)
-Daily personal journal entries (visual, running questions, written response)
-Hero workshop (book computer lab) Web of what they believe is a hero (F)
Week 3: From this point we have probably gotten through the beginning chapters. From here
they will have a decent base of what the book is about. Theyll have a gasp on the characters, the
history and how society works in Maycombe. This will help with further discussion on some of
the specifics of the story and hopefully allow students to engage in some of the deeper material.
Students will start their partner hero presentations this week and well begin discussion the idea
of societal constraints and begin exploring the extent behaviour is defined by expectations and
personal experience.
Activities/Assessments of the week
-Character changes (good, bad, similarities, differences)
-How are the characters youve been following this far constrained?
-Hero presentations and following group discussions
-Answer 2 discussion questions
-Double voice workshop (at ch 15) What is perspective and how does it affect
ideology? (F)
-Symbol conversation? What symbols do you see here? Show how you would
use symbols in your own writing?
-If they get to Alexandra coming in what does it mean to be a lady in that time?
-Time to work on their meaningful quotes/Collage + Double Voice Poem
Week 4(just before Easter): As the weeks continue to progress they should have built a toolbox
of sorts of resources and information they can utilize in the coming projects. The reading should
be done in during week. If not, they will have to finish it during Easter. They will continue to get
class time to read, but they will also get more class time to work on their assignments and find
meaningful connections with the text. This is where they will start making more connections to
the personal life and see how the themes relate to them. The conversation will continue along the
lines of how perspective and societal expectations influence behaviour. However, the
conversation will turn to how to create authenticity within this. They can look to the examplars
their classmates have brought in with their hero (or noteworthy person).
Activities/Assessments of the week
-Answer 2 discussion questions of their choice in journal
-Continue daily journals Any can be handed in or shared with teacher
-Usual Disease Handout Finish in class (F)
-How has tradition played a role so far in the book? Complete initial handout (F)
6

-Time to track and respond to favourite quotes. Brainstorm and gather ideas of
how they want to approach the Photo Collage (video response?) assignment.
-Double Voice Poem Ideally due before Easter? They should be given time
during this week to complete. Share in small groups Peer assessment and
discussion questions.
-What is the take away message? Get together in small groups and create a
poster of what youve learned here.
Week 5 (22nd, 23rd end): This will be the last week well be working on the book. The rest of this
week will be include a lot of work time for the students to catch up on some of the assignments
and get them handed in for final grading. Weve hopefully built up their knowledge enough about
the books and the themes for them to tackle their final essay.
Other notable things from unit to keep in mind
-Build in flex days
-Remember hockey girls will be gone some- plan how to catch them up
-Build in outside activities if weather is nice.
-Warner is small - build in that connection, especially with the work on tradition and
pride on ancestry. It may help them understand it if we come at it from a frame of
everyone knowing everyone else and how the people from a farming community stay in
one spot.
Resources used
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Bob Dylan Its alright Ma, Im only Bleeding, Hurricane
To Kill a Mockingbird - The Centre for Learning
To Kill a Mockingbird Teacher Guide
A Time to Kill Film
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/fsa/search/?q=alabama--childersburg&fi=subject Library of Congress. B/W photos
My Hero Project http://myhero.com
http://faculty.buffalostate.edu/beaverjf/nbd/kill9.htm - Photo timeline
http://youtu.be/yi7_Ov5iLe8 - White and Black in America
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-31721794

 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-31701328

Objective/Goals
Key Questions
What does freedom look like within the constraints of society?
To what extent does a persons life experience affect how he/she perceives a situation?
To what extent is our behavior defined by societal expectations
What is this system trying to maintain or create?

Learning Objectives
Students will understand the characteristics of an authentic person
Students will understand heroism comes from authenticity
Students will understand how societal constraints affect the life of characters in the book and will
apply it to their own life
Students will experiment with language and apply the writing process to express their thought
process
Students will investigate with perspective to conceptualize how its the perspectives we live
under that can affect not only our own behavior, but the behavior of others.

Curricular Connections

GLO 1: Explore
thoughts, ideas, and
feelings and
experiences
Photo Collage
Double Voice Poem
Personal Analytical
Essay
Hero Project

1.1 Discover Possibilities

1.1.1b form tentative under
standings, interpretations and positions on ideas and issues
communicated in literature and other texts by expressing own
explorations and considering others explorations
1.1.2 Experiment with language, image and structure
1.1.2b experiment with a variety of strategies, activities and
resources to explore ideas, opinions, experiences and emotions
[stream-of-consciousness writing, , free verse poetry]
1.2. Extend awareness
1.2.1 Consider new perspectives: describe personal responses
to new perspectives, and identify influences that have contributed to
such responses.

GLO 2:
Comprehend
literature and other
texts in oral, print,
visual and
multimedia forms,
and respond
personally, critically
and creatively.
Personal Analytical
Essay
Photo Collage
Journal Responses
Hero Project

2.1 Construct meaning from text and context

2.1.1 Discern and analyze context: explain the relationship
between text and context [for example, constraints of time and
space, issues of gender and culture]
2.1.2 Understand and interpret content:
a. Us a variety of strategies to comprehend literature and
other texts [forming questions, context to determine the connotative
meanings of word]
b. Describe the personality traits, motivations, attitudes,
values and relationships of characters developed/persons presented
in literature; and identify how the use of archetypes adds to an
appreciation of text
2.1.4 Use references strategies and reference technologies
a. use a variety of appropriate reference strategies and
reference technologies to aid understanding [for example,
formulating and refining questions, and Internet search engines]
2.2 Understand and appreciate textual forms, elements, and
techniques
2.2.1 Relate form, structure and medium to purpose, audience
and content
d. describe the characteristics of various common
communications media [use of headlines in newspapers]
2.3 Respond to a variety of print and non-print texts
2.3.1 Connect to self, text, culture and milieu
a. identify and consider personal, moral, ethical and
9

cultural perspectives when studying literature and other texts; and

reflect on an monitor how perspectives change as a result of
interpretation and discussion
b. respond personally and analytically to ideas
developed in works of literature and other texts; and analyze the
ways in which ideas are reflected in personal and cultural opinions,
values, beliefs and perspectives.
c. compare choices and motives of characters and
people portrayed in texts with choices and motives of self and
others.

10

GLO 3: Manage
ideas and
information
Personal Essay
Journal Responses
Hero Project
GLO 4:
Create oral, print,
visual and
multimedia texts,
and enhance the
clarity and artistry
of communication.
History
Presentations
Photo Collage
Hero Project
Personal Essay

GLO 5:
Respect and support
and collaborate with
others
History
Presentations
Double Voice Poem
workshop

3.2 Follow a plan of inquiry

3.2.3 Form generalizations and conclusions
b. draw conclusions that are appropriate to findings,
reflect own understandings and are consistent with the identified
topic, purpose and situation
4.1 Develop and present a variety of print and non-print texts
4.1.1 assess text creation
a. reflect on the purposes for text creation and on own
motives for selecting strategies to engage an audience
4.1.3 Develop content
a. take ownership of text creation, by selecting or
crafting a topic, concept or idea that is personally meaningful and
engaging
4.2 Improve thoughtfulness, effectiveness and correctness f
communication
4.2.1 Enhance thought and understanding and support and
detail
a. review the controlling idea or desired unifying effect
of a text in progress for clarity and focus
4.2.4 edit text for correctness
b. know how to apply capitalization and punctuation
conventions correctly, including end punctuation, commas,
semicolons, colons, apostrophes, quotation marks, hyphens, ashes,
ellipses, parentheses, underlining and italics
5.2 Work within a group
5.2.1 Cooperate with others, and contribute to group processes
a. respect, be open to, and be supportive of thoughts,
opinions and contributions of others in a group; and share personal
knowledge, expertise and perspectives with others as appropriate

11

Learning Activities and Instructional Strategies

Pre Reading Activities
Students will do a pre-anticipation worksheet to reflect their thinking prior to reading the book.
They will chose two statements to respond to personally. At the end of the unit they will come
back to fill out a post-anticipation worksheet and reflect whether their thoughts have changed.
Students will also complete a courage mind map and create a response on what they believe
courage looks like.
Students will discuss an create a timeline of the civil rights movement in the US
Students will watch Journey to Justice in order to see how racism was in Canada during that time
so that they can connect the book closer to their home.
During Reading Activities
My Hero Project
This project will run throughout the entire unit. The theme of this part of the unit will focus on
what it takes to be an authentic person. The class will look at different heroic and authentic
individuals and discuss the characteristics that put them outside of the norm. The meaning behind
this is to understand where authenticity comes from, how we are each constrained in certain areas
of our life and how we can rise above that. Pairs of students will be expected to give a brief
presentation on a heroic or noteworthy character as exemplars. The presentations are formative
and act as a way for the students to connect with the material and create some work before their
final project. They will make a response of who they believe has followed their own beliefs and
forgotten what is holding them back. Their responses and presentation to this will work towards
their personal essay.

Photo Collage/Video Response

Students will have a chance to represent meaningful quotes they find in the books. They will make
a collage of photos to signify what these quotes mean to them. They will have a 500 word
response explaining their thought process and why they chose the quotes to show what theyve
learned or took away from this book. They will have a peer assessment which will be a formative
assessment tool for them to continue making the collage into a meaningful project and outcome.
Double Voice Poem

12

Workshop: The project will begin after chapter 15 of TKAM. Well listen to the chapter on
audiobook and watch the scene on the movie. Well start the discussion of what the differences and
similarities are. It will be important to look at the emotional impact this scene has. Furthermore,
well begin the discussion on perspective. Half of the class will be given the perspective of the
mob while the other half will take the position of Atticus. They will look at how the scene will
look like for both positions and find arguments to support each side. Once each group has a chance
to discuss the implications of the perspective they will then form into groups of two with someone
of the opposite perspective. This is where they will create an in class double voice poem. They will
share these double voice poems to other groups while in class.
Final: This project will continue however as the student will take what theyve learned in the
workshop and apply it to concept they personally connect with. These will be taken in for a
summative grade.
Journal Responses
There will be daily journal responses where students will respond to a prompt, question, or photo
which they have also had a part in creating themselves. The journal responses are mostly formative
assessments and the students log of where their thinking is and what they are taking from the book
themselves. They are in charge of creating it and reflecting about what they believe is important.
Its the personal journey through the book. They will chose four of the favourite responses and
hand those ones in for a summative grade. They will also have class time to get feedback on any
responses they would like.
After Reading Activities
Personal Response Essay
The final project of this unit is a personal response to what they believe authenticity is and how
they can create an authentic life for themselves. This is a chance for them to apply what weve
been talking about in class and use it directly into their life. They will be able to pull things from
their journal responses, the pre and post assessment responses, their hero project, and the book to
write this. Most of the word theyve been doing before this point is to add onto this essay which
will help them define what they believe is a society they would like to live in while being able to
draw support from multiple resources.

Assessment and Evaluation Plan

Stage 1 Desired Results

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Established Goals:
GLO 1: Explore thoughts, ideas, and feelings and experiences
GLO 2: Comprehend literature and other texts in oral, print, visual and multimedia forms, and respond
personally, critically and creatively.
GLO 3: Manage ideas and information
GLO 4: Create oral, print, visual and multimedia texts, and enhance the clarity and artistry of
communication.
GLO 5: Respect and support and collaborate with others
Understandings:
Students will understand that

Essential Questions:

Students will understand the characteristics of

an authentic person

What does freedom look like within the constraints of

society?
What is this system trying to maintain or create?

Students will understand heroism comes from

authenticity
Students will understand the societal
constraints
Students will understand how literature
reflects life
Students will know
2.1.1 Discern and analyze context: explain the
relationship between text and context [for
example, constraints of time and space, issues
of gender and culture]
2.3.1b: respond personally and analytically to
ideas developed in works of literature and
other texts; and analyze the ways in which
ideas are reflected in personal and cultural
opinions, values, beliefs and perspectives.
4.2.4b: know how to apply capitalization and
punctuation conventions correctly, including
end punctuation, commas, semicolons, colons,
apostrophes, quotation marks, hyphens, ashes,
ellipses, parentheses, underlining and italics

Learn
ing
Outco
mes

To what extent does a persons life experience affect how

he/she perceives a situation?
To what extent is our behavior defined by societal
expectations

Students will be able to do

1.1.1b form tentative understandings, interpretations and
positions on ideas and issues communicated in literature
by expressing own explorations and considering others
explorations
1.2.1 Consider new perspectives: describe personal
responses to new perspectives, and identify influences
that have contributed to such responses.
2.1.2 a: Use a variety of strategies to comprehend
literature and other texts [forming questions, context to
determine the connotative meanings of word]
2.3.1a: identify and consider personal, moral, ethical and
cultural perspectives when studying literature and other
texts; and reflect on an monitor how perspectives change
as a result of interpretation and discussion

Assessments
Title

Photo
Collage

My Hero

Journal
Response
Log

Type

Summativ

Formativ

14

DoubleVoice
Poem
Formativ

Critical
Respons
e Essay
(Final)
Summati

Pre/Post
Anticipat
ion
response
Formative/

Learning
Portfolio
Summat

(Formative/Summative)

Summati
ve/
Formativ
e

e/
Summati
ve

*
3
0
%

10
%

*
3
0
%

1
5
%

Weighting
1.1.1b form tentative
understandings,
interpretations and
positions on ideas and
issues communicated in
literature by expressing
own explorations and
considering others
explorations
1.2.1 Consider new
perspectives: describe
personal responses to new
perspectives, and identify
influences that have
contributed to such
responses.
2.1.1 Discern and analyze
context: explain the
relationship between text
and context [for example,
constraints of time and
space, issues of gender and
culture]
2.1.2 a: Use a variety of
strategies to comprehend
literature and other texts
[forming questions, context
to determine the
connotative meanings of
word]
2.3.1a: identify and
consider personal, moral,
ethical and cultural
perspectives when studying
literature and other texts;
and reflect on an monitor
how perspectives change as
a result of interpretation
and discussion
4.2.4b: know how to apply
capitalization and
punctuation conventions
correctly, including end
punctuation, commas,
semicolons, colons,
apostrophes, quotation
marks, hyphens, ashes,
ellipses, parentheses,
underlining and italics

e/
Summativ
e

Summativ
e

ve
4
0
%

5
%

0
%

Assessment Tool Overview

Assessmen
t Tool

ive

F
O
R

Brief Description

15

A
S

O
F

Photo/
Video
Collage

My Hero

Journal
Responses

Double
Voice Poem

Personal
Response
Essay

Pre/Post
Anticipatio
n Response

Students will have a chance to represent meaningful quotes they find

in the books. They will make a collage of photos to signify what
these quotes mean to them. They will have a 500-word response
explaining their thought process and why they chose the quotes to
show what theyve learned or took away from this book. They will
have a peer assessment, which will be a formative assessment tool
for them to continue making the collage into a meaningful project
and outcome.
This project will run throughout the entire unit. The theme of this
part of the unit will focus on what it takes to be an authentic person.
The class will look at different heroic and authentic individuals and
discuss the characteristics that put them outside of the norm. The
meaning behind this is to understand where authenticity comes from,
how we are each constrained in certain areas of our life and how we
can rise above that. Student pairs will be expected to give a brief
presentation on a heroic character. The presentations are formative
and act as a way for the students to connect with the material and
create some work before their final project. They will make a
response of who they believe has followed their own beliefs and
forgotten what is holding them back. Their responses and
presentation to this can work towards their personal essay.
Daily responses to readings. Students will respond to prompts,
questions, photos, and movies to deepen their understanding of
underlying concepts in book. They will choose four for summative
marks. Along with handing in the four journal responses they will
have to pass in a self-assessment response.
Students will create a double voice poem to explore how perspective
can change depending on who is looking at the situation. They will
also explore how history and culture can affect a persons point of
view. There will be a workshop where the work during that with a
partner will be formative and they will get peer assessment. A selfassessment checklist and response will be handed in for the final
learning portfolio.
This will be the students chance to show what theyve learned
through this unit. They will be able to dive into a topic, which they
connected to throughout the unit and discuss how it relates to the
book and how it can help create their ideal and authentic system.
Much of the work theyve done thus far can be used for this paper, as
they will also discuss what an ideal system would look like and how
to find authenticity.
Students will fill out a pre-assessment guide and respond to a couple
of the statements before reading the book. Once they have finished
reading they will bring out their responses and self-assess what they
initially thought about the book and about some of the themes. They
will make another response to show what theyve learned, if their
understanding has deepened, and how these topics relate to
understanding the book better. Their final response will be taken in
with their learning portfolio
16

X X

X X

X X

This is where students will keep their work. They will have a
checklist and learning targets outlined at the very beginning to guide
them through this process. They will be able to show what theyve
completed with this unit. In the portfolio they will be expected to
hand in everything from this guide, however, there will be a checklist
of their work. They will be able to choose what parts of the portfolio
Learning
that will be graded and why theyve chosen those pieces. They will
X X X
Portfolio
all be expected to write the personal essay and have that graded,
however, they will be able to choose between the Hero Project or the
Double Voice poem for grades while the other will be given
feedback.
*So the 30% on the Hero Project and Double Voice portion will only
be counted once depending on the choice the students make.
Summative plan How To Produce Grades Plan
Photo Collage I will probably use a checklist for this one to make sure they have incorporated
the elements required of them. This makes sense to me as this is a personal response.
My Hero Short Essay: A rubric will be used One will be created so that the DVP and the Hero
project can be marked with it.
Four Journal Responses A rubric will be used for the journal responses
Double Voice Poem A rubric will also be used for this project
Personal Essay I plan on using a rubric as well for the essay
Other Connections
This unit can connect with the social studies curriculum as there will be a lot of discussion about
cultural norms, prejudice, and the civil rights movement in both the USA and in Canada.
C.1 - Students will access, use and communicate information from a
variety of technologies.
Specific Outcomes

1.1

access and retrieve appropriate information from electronic sources for a

specific inquiry

1.2

process information from more than one source to retell what has been
discovered

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Plan for Accompanying Bulletin Board/Display

There will be a timeline of the civil rights movement posted on the back of the room. Students
will also be able to display their photo collage on one of the remaining bulletin boards in the
classroom. A few quotes will be posted pre reading from the book that help the students visualize
what the book will be about.

Reflections
Strengths

Weaknesses

The strengths of this unit plan is that it attempts to bring about important
conversations. There are some interesting activities that are less about
knowing the facts of the novel, however, it attempts to make the
information pertinent to their everyday life. There is also a variety of ways
for the students to show their learning.
There is the potential that the material brought in and the expectations will
not engage the students. Since I have not had time to get to know the
students and find out their interests this material may not be engaging or
interesting to them. A lot of the connections between activities need to be
made through conversation and discussion, so if the discussion does not
deepen or the students arent ready to take it there is may make the unit
feel less connected and smooth than what it could be. However, with this in
mind I can facilitate the discussion and be intentional of how I create the
climate students should be open and receptive.
It is important to note that all these plans have the potentially to change
and morph into something else depending on the classroom environment
or climate. Above all, one must be flexible and not so in love with idea they
are unwilling to change it.

18

Tentative Calendar View (updated: everything will move forward a few days)

19

Monday 9
PD

Tuesday 10

Wednesday 11

Thursday 12

Introduction games
And get to know you
Team building

Lesson 2: What was

Going on in the civil
Rights movement
Jim Crow Laws, Rosa
Parks, lynching,
Great
Depression
-they will have to
present their findings
to the class and have
a written visual to
keep in the room

Finish Journey to
Justice
-response

Journey to Justice
Short Film
-quick write

listen to first
chapter on
audiobook

HW: Find current

events

time: write out take

away message on
an online word map

Lesson 1
Activities: Introduce
Book, movie trailer,
Reviews, awards
Well make
predictions
Finally, well fill out
an Anticipation guide
and respond to two
statements question:
why should
people read this book

Friday 13
No School

-talk about current

events in the world
that are related to
the topic
Courage response
find someone who
shares the same
idea

Hand in today:
Their Personal
playlists

Monday 16

Tuesday 17

Wednesday 18

Thursday 19

Friday 20

Lesson 4:
Introduce
assignments
And expectations Jigsaw

Read (20 30 mins)

Journal Response
(10 MIns)

Read (20-30 mins)

Read (20 30
mins)

Read (10 mins)

-Vocab for first

chapter -take away
message
word map

As you read:
Look for words you
Dont know
-What do the
residents of
of Maycomb believe
of tradition

Read (20- 30mins)

Musical Chairs
where
They find someone
To talk to about
what
Stood out to them
Journal Response
(10 mins)

What has happened

To Boo? Why are
People suspicious of
the House? What
does this mean
For Boo?
What does It reflect
about society?

Journal Responses
(10 mins)
Workshop
What is a hero?
In computer lab
where We can
explore the Hero
website
Have students work
In small groups and
Discuss what a hero
Looks like. Why they
Have left a legacy
Can an ordinary
person
Be a hero? What is
Our own legacies

Quotes meaningful?
Can we have
Interviews From
community heros?
Sign up for other
hero pres.

Journal Response
-20 mins, time to
work on previous
responses
Scout character
map

Journal Response
A letter from Miss
Maudie about the
Day it snowed
(10 mins)
Hero Presentation 1
(40 min class)

Vocab work
Word maps

Meaningful quote?

Work on the book

comprehension
workbook. Has
comprehension
questions and
activities and they
can choose several
to interact with the
novel
My presentation on
My hero Examplar

Monday 23

Tuesday 24

Wednesday 25

Thursday 26

Friday 27

At Chapter 15

Read (20-30)

Read (20-30)

Read (20 30)

Or audiobook

Read (10)

Audio book
Movie Differences
and Similarities

Journal response
What changes do you
Notice in Jem? Are
they Good changes?
(10 mins)

Journal Response
Why is Alexandria
There? Why is it
Important to teach
Scout to be a 20
lady?
In context, what does
Being a lady being in
That time frame?

Double Voice
Workshop

Hero Presentation
2,3

Journal Response
(20 Mins)

Journal response
(10mins)
Hero Presentation

Hero Presentation
6,7
Flex day to work on

Continue work on
Double Voice poem

Lesson
Title/Focus

Lesson 1: Finding Meaning

Date

10 March 2015

Subject/Grade
Level

English 10 - 1

Time
Duration

40 Mins

Unit

To Kill a Mockingbird Novel Study

Teacher

Kasyn Sell

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General
Learning
Outcomes:

GLO 1: Students will write, listen, and speak to explore thoughts, ideas, and feelings and
experiences
GLO 2: Students will write, listen, and speak to comprehend literature and other texts in
oral, print, visual and multimedia forms, and respond personally, critically and
creatively.
1.1.1b form tentative understandings, interpretations and positions on ideas and
issues communicated in literature by expressing own explorations and considering
others explorations
2.1.1 Discern and analyze context: explain the relationship between text and
context [for example, constraints of time and space, issues of gender and culture]

Specific
Learning
Outcomes:

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1.
2.
3.

Students will:
Identify why this book is still meaningful to read
Make predictions on limited background information
Respond critically and personally to themes

ASSESSMENTS
Observations:

Key Questions:
Products/Performances:

Can students:

Summarize an article
Make predictions
Work in a group
What does freedom look like within the constraints of society?
1st journal response
Response to articles - poster paper

LEARNING RESOURCES
CONSULTED
http://neabigread.org/teachers_guides/lesson_plans/mockingbird/
Lee_TG2014.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=FN7dbfT7Wiw&spfreload=10

http://youtu.be/yi7_Ov5iLe8

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Journals
3 articles form resource
Youtube clip on black incarceration rates
Movie trailer
Powerpoint

PROCEDURE

21

Attention Grabber
Assessment of Prior
Knowledge
Expectations for Learning
and Behaviour
Advance
1.
Organizer/Agenda
2.
3.
4.
Transition to Body
Learning Activity #1

Introduction
You tube clip of black incarceration
What do they know about the history of civil rights? What do we experience
now?
Being respectful to others and listening to their thoughts. Being open to
discussion and new ideas.
Movie Trailer and Reviews
Prediction Time
Anticipation Guide
Closure
Today will be pretty laid back, were going to look at some history, watch
the movie trailer, and do some predictions.
Body
We will discuss the book and how it has made an impact on society. Point out
its sort of a big deal
Book: Pulitzer Prize
A new sequel is getting published
3 Academy Awards (adapted screenplay, best actor, and best art direction)
AFI 2003: Atticus Finch best movie hero of the 20th century

Time
5

Time

10 mins

Movie trailer shown and some reviews will be shared

Transition

Learning Activity #2

Books handed out to students

Students will be asked what they think they know about the book.
The journal will be discussed. Students will be keeping daily journals to
document what they are feeling about the book or questions they have.
Preliminary expectations will be discussed here. More in depth explanations
will come next week when we discuss all the assignments.
First response is today

Assessments/ Differentiation

Learning Activity #3

Assessment of Learning:
Feedback From Students:
Feedback To
Students
Reflections from the
lesson

10 mins

Prediction time Find a partner on the other side of the room and discuss
what you think this book is going to be about and the topics its going to
cover. The predictions should be organized in their journals. Even though
you are discussing this with a partner, each person will need to write his or
her own predictions.
Are there any questions at this point about any of the topic weve covered or
the journal? Well be going into more detail of the assignments for this entire
unit next week.
Fill out anticipation guide and have students chose two statements they
connected with to write a response to.
Share one reason people should still read this book.
Closure
They will have their journal responses and anticipation guide
What do you want to learn about in this book? What are you most looking
forward to?
Write on stickys with your name and hand in.
Tomorrow were going to discuss the civil rights movement in both the US
and Canada.

20 mins
Time
5 mins
1 min

Notes: What do students have in ways of a journal? (we can do either paper or blog)

22

Lesson
Title/Focus

TKAM L2 Civil Rights

Date

11 March 2015

Subject/Grade
Level

English 10-1

Time
Duration

80 Mins

Unit

To Kill a Mockingbird Novel Study

Teacher

Kasyn Sell

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General
Learning
Outcomes:

GLO 1: Students will write, listen, and speak to explore thoughts, ideas, and feelings
and experiences
GLO 2: Students will write, listen, and speak to comprehend literature and other texts
in oral, print, visual and multimedia forms, and respond personally, critically and
creatively.
1.1.1b form tentative understandings, interpretations and positions on ideas and issues
communicated in literature by expressing own explorations and considering others
explorations
2.1.1 Discern and analyze context: explain the relationship between text and context
[for example, constraints of time and space, issues of gender and culture]

Specific
Learning
Outcomes:

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will:
1. Research the civil rights movement
2. Present their findings creatively
3. Connect US civil rights movement to Canada

ASSESSMENTS
Observations:

Key Questions:
Products/Performances:

Can students
Research a topic
Creatively present their topic to the class
Respond to a video
How does culture influence behaviour?
Written journal response, poster paper of written response to research

LEARNING RESOURCES
CONSULTED

https://www.nfb.ca/film/journey_to_justice

http://neabigread.org/teachers_guides/lesson_plans/mockingbird/Le
e_TG2014.pdf

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Poster paper
Journey to Justice film
Journals

PROCEDURE
Introduction
Attention Grabber
Share why this book still needs to be read from last class
Expectations for Learning
Respect your group members and other groups as they present. Students
and Behaviour
will remain on task. Classroom rules still apply.
Advance Organizer/Agenda 1. Computer lab research
2. Presentation of research
3. Journey to Justice
Transition to Body
Pass out paper and articles to give them a base to read.
Body
Learning Activity #1
Computer lab small group research There job is to come up with some
specific and big events from the years that could have either a) affected the
Note: Hockey girls gone,
writing of this books or b) had an effect on the culture of the time.
split this up a bit more.
Students broken into groups (pick a card)

23

Time
5 mins

Time
30 mins

Students could focus on

-The Great Depression
-Civil Rights
-Scottsboro Trials
-Jim Crow Laws
-Cultural differences between the south and north
-What being an African American in the south was like
Group 1: Scottsboro Trials/Jim Crow Laws
Who was involved?
What was the outcome?
Are they fair?
Why was this allowed to happen?
Group 2: Cultural differences between the S and N/ What it was like
being an African American in the south
Who was involved?
What was the outcome?
Are they fair?
Why was this allowed to happen?
Group 3: What influenced Harper Lee to write the book.
Where did she grow up?
What events occurred in her life that made her passionate about this
topic?
Why did she think this was important

Question they must attempt to answer: How does current society affect
the ideology of a culture? Or actions
Learning Activity #2

Students will be asked to do quick representation/presentation of what

theyve found.
5 min drama sketch, song, rap, dance
They will also have to have a written response (poster paper to give a
visual, or mind map) which we can keep up on the bulletin board to remind
us of the cultural background of the time.

Transition
Learning Activity #3

Students will find a comfy seat and bring their journals along with them to
jot down some notes. Write down the questions.
Start the Journey to Justice video. This video is to help conceptualize this
book and relate it to the Canadian experience. Even though it happened in
the USA similar events did happen in Canada. We arent as multicultural as
wed like to think and sometimes it takes looking at that in the face and
going from there to make sure our future looks better.
Things to watch out for
-What did racism look like in Canada
-How was it the same/different from USA
-What are you surprised at?
-Do we still have these problems?
-What did it take for change to occur?

Assessments/ Differentiation

Assessment of Learning:
Feedback From Students:

20 mins

Keep in mind how long this movie goes on for in this part. Make sure they
have time to discuss what theyve seen so far and have that quick write.
This will help them consolidate what they are viewing and discuss it in a
safe way.
Closure
5 min quick write on movie
Round robin on what they know about what the context the book was

24

20 mins

Time
5 mins
2-5 mins

Feedback To Students

Reflections from the

lesson

written in
Look for current events that involve prejudice, racism, or constraint- well
share and discuss this next class.
Notes: Get computer lab booked, get general questions and prompts to give for their
research --- Hockey girls gone. Split this up more.

Lesson
Title/Focus

TKAM L3 Canadian Perspective/Current

Events

Date

11 March 2015

Subject/Grade
Level

English 10-1

Time
Duration

80 Mins

Unit

To Kill a Mockingbird Novel Study

Teacher

Kasyn Sell

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General
Learning
Outcomes:

GLO 1: Students will write, listen, and speak to explore thoughts, ideas, and feelings
and experiences
GLO 2: Students will write, listen, and speak to comprehend literature and other
texts in oral, print, visual and multimedia forms, and respond personally, critically
and creatively.

Specific
Learning

1.1.1b form tentative understandings, interpretations and positions on ideas and issues
communicated in literature by expressing own explorations and considering others

25

Outcomes:

explorations
1.1.2b experiment with a variety of strategies, activities and resources to explore ideas,
opinions, experiences and emotions [stream-of-consciousness writing, free verse poetry]
Consider new perspectives: describe personal responses to new perspectives, and identify
influences that have contributed to such responses.
2.1.1 Discern and analyze context: explain the relationship between text and context [for
example, constraints of time and space, issues of gender and culture]
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

4.
5.
6.
7.

Students will:
Discuss the civil rights movement
Respond critically to a short film
Connect US civil rights movement to Canada
Experiment with different language forms to express thoughts, ideas and feelings

ASSESSMENTS
Observations:

Key Questions:
Products/Performances:

Can students
Critically respond to a short film
Connect historical events to current issues
Experiment with different language forms to express opinion
What system do we live under now?
Journey to Justice response
Courage response

LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

https://www.nfb.ca/film/journey_to_justice
The Learning Centre, To Kill a Mockingbird

Current events- Ferguson, Martin

Poster Paper
TKAM audiobook

PROCEDURE
Assessment of prior
knowledge
Advance Organizer/Agenda

Transition to Body
Learning Activity #1

Introduction
Ask: Why is it important to look at the context of a culture to
read this?
1. Journey to Justice
2. Current events
3. Courage
4. Hand out books
5. Read!!
Let students get their journals and they will then get into a
comfortable position to watch the film
Body
Brief discussion of what they took from the movie yesterday.
Finish Journey to Justice movie
Gallery Walk Students will go around with music playing to write
down responses to questions on poster paper stuck on desks.
Things to watch out for
-What did racism look like in Canada
-How was it the same/different from USA
-What are you surprised at?
-Do we still have these problems?
-What did it take for change to occur?
-What do we deal with today in Canada? Indigenous groups,
residential schools
They will have ten minutes after to complete their response. These

26

Time

Time
45 mins

Assessments/ Differentiation:

Learning Activity #2

responses will be taken in on Monday for feedback.

Keep checking to see where the students are with their responses. This
one will be handed in for feedback. So they will need time to work with
the material and their thoughts.
Have students share the current events they brought in. If there is a link
we can bring it up on the SMART board. If they brought printed
versions we can get into small groups and they can discuss the articles
they brought together.
Share: Why did you choose this?
What stood out to you?
What does it mean?

Learning Activity #3

10 mins

No written work needs to be done. Only bring around the idea that this
book is still relevant. There are still issues in society where inequality is
at work. There are still people unable to get passed this mind frame.
Courage Response - fill out the mind map what does courage look
like to you?
Response: Comic strip, drawing, poem, etc. if they do a representation
have a short written response explaining the thought process.
They will walk around and find some one who believes the same way
they do and then change

30 mis

Hand out books

Assessments/ Differentiation

Assessment of Learning:

Feedback To Students

Reflections from the

lesson

Listen to the first chapter on audiobook (What is one meaningful thing

you can take out of the first chapter?)
Learning preferences considered: Visual, written, kinesthetic, auditory
Closure
two responses
Current event discussion
Time: If time, write one take away message on wordle or online
map otherwise next lesson
Well look at the other assignments due for this unit on Monday, well
also go over the criteria for the journal and responses.

Time
5 mind

Next Lesson: Vocab for first chapter, what does it seem like living in the south is like? What
cultural differences do you notice so far? Audio book?

27