Danielle Pomeroy

Kathy Lau
Hannah Lee
MACI 631

To Kill a Mockingbird Lesson

Standards​​:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1

Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text.

CSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the
text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective
summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3

Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the
course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

Knowledge (concepts, facts, key vocabulary)

● Main characters and plot
● Connections between previous events in the novel and the characters

Understanding (big ideas, large concepts, declarative statement of an enduring

understanding)
● Human morality
● Social complexities
● Intersectionality

Do (skills, competencies)
● Collect evidence from the novel to gain knowledge and understanding of the characters,
the characters’ roles in the story, and the overall plot line development
● Make connections between characters using imagery and metaphors
● Articulate a defense, prosecution, and/or verdict through mock trial

How will we pre-assess student knowledge?

● What do you think the outcome of the Tom Robinson trial will be? Why?
● https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfwGS5rBBBvdeYR-Fv2xbFHNhnyAFY7v
0av1ldsPzRgR_mybQ/viewform?formkey=dGNvejN2dElSMTJpVDAzVnpiY1RkRWc6
MQ

Tier I​​: Divide students into three groups (i.e. defense, prosecution, jury). Review the novel
leading up to the trial and gather concrete details of the plot and characters with quotes to be
used as evidence in the mock trial.
 Danielle Pomeroy
Kathy Lau
Hannah Lee
MACI 631

● Atticus Finch
● Tom Robinson
● Scout/Jem
● Mayella Ewell

Tier II​​: Make connections between characters in the book and imagery. Navigate the characters’
roles and what they implicate within the context of the book. How do past incidents indicate
what is to come?
a). Translate this to modern day. How do you think the case would play out?

TRIAL
Groups​​: Finch Firm representing Tom Robinson, Maycomb Prosecution Office, Jury
I. Introductory Statement
II. Presentation of Facts (Finch Firm, Prosecution)
III. Rebuttal (Prosecution, Finch Firm)
IV. Conclusion
V. Jury deliberation and decision

Tier III​​: Predict the ultimate outcome of the upcoming trial and explain why using quotes.
● Jury - take notes during the trial, then make a decision
● After the student jury makes a decision, students will individually submit an exit card
with their own prediction of the jury’s verdict in the book.

REFLECTION
The process of developing a tiered lesson was initially challenging because it was our
first time using this specific format, but it proved to be quite effective and efficient. The
Equalizer allowed us to design the tasks in a way that will enable student choice and action,
while varying the level of difficulty according to the students. In order to scaffold students into
truly understanding the novel and the implications of the story, we had to equalize the levels of
concrete versus abstract, simple versus complex, more structured versus more open, less
independent versus more independent, and vice versa. It was beneficial to develop a tiered lesson
for ​To Kill a Mockingbird​ because it allowed us to think critically about how to balance the
difficulty of each task, what the purpose was for each task, and how the tasks would impact the
students’ learning as a whole.
The process of collaboration was incredibly positive. We felt that we work very well
together, especially from being in the same cohort and growing as educators. We built off of our
different beliefs in education and passions within the sphere of literary education, making our
collaborative lesson planning all the more effective. Each one of us would provide ideas and we
would respectfully agree or disagree. Whenever one of us disagreed or questioned an idea, we
 Danielle Pomeroy
Kathy Lau
Hannah Lee
MACI 631

would generally provide our reasoning and an alternative task. When we re-aligned ourselves to
the standards and redefined what the students should know by the end of the lesson, we were
able to gain clarity on what we should design. At one point, we were piggybacking off of each
others’ suggestions and found ourselves excited at the prospect of bringing our tiered lesson to
life. There was mutual agreement that it would be beneficial to us to work together in our lesson
planning during our student teaching and professional teaching experiences.
In terms of the actual lesson designing process, we started by identifying specific
standards that pertained to an overall unit, before breaking it down to individual lessons. By
utilizing this backwards design approach, we were able to find clarity regarding the overall goal
of the lesson, allowing for more creativity with its implementation. For us, it was important to
find new ways to revamp “old” texts, making the content more relevant and culturally sensitive
for this high school class. ​To Kill a Mockingbird​ is charged with racial, gender, and political
tensions that transcend time. Moving forward, we would like to collaborate to continue
producing stimulating and engaging lessons that will allow our students to develop a greater
understanding and appreciation for English literature.