Introduction: This Webercise is designed to be a way to introduce the text to the class.

Instead of having the students listen to a lecture and take notes, the students can explore
different resources and think critically while they are searching for the answers. The
essential question sets them up with the main focus and the questions for each section are a
way for them to have guided notes. This will get the students to think about the historical
context with the book along with the thematic meaning of the novel. The summary is
included in the bottom to help students collect their thoughts and so the teacher could see
where the students are at with the understanding of the text.

To Kill a Mocking Bird - Essential background and History Question and

Search Webercise
INSTRUCTIONS: Respond to the questions in the space on the left-hand side. Click the links to search for
the answers for each section. Please answer in complete sentences. When the questions are completed,
think about the essential question and all you have learned, and write a summary in the space provided at
the bottom of the sheet. Complete all sections for full credit (20pts possible).

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What is the background information on the novel and it’s setting, how is this
important to understanding the context and meaning of the book?

Questions on the Timeline and Link: PBS LEARNING MEDIA To Kill a Mockingbird Setting: A
Setting (5pts) Portrait of a Southern Town in the 1930s

When did the book take place, and what

was significant about this time period?

Where does the novel take place, and

what impression does the description of
the town give you?

What type of life do the people in the

town live, would you describe it as
urban or rural?
Who is Alice Harper Lee, and what does
she have to say about the background?
How were Black Americans treated
during this time, how does this contrast
the lives of white Americans?
Questions on the book and Author Link: This Day in History: To Kill a Mocking Bird
(5pts)
Who is the author of the book, and
when was the book published?

What was the author’s hometown and

how is it important to the novel?
How was the author given the
opportunity to write the book?
What was the original title of the book,
and why was it changed?
Questions about the Narrative Links: Shmoop: Point of View
(5pts) Shmoop: Meet the Cast

In what point of view is the book written

in, and why is this important?
How long does the plot of the story
occur, and how is it different from other
books?

Who are the three main characters of

the book, and are they protagonists or
antagonists?

Based on the information you have

learned, what themes or ideas do you
expect to find in the book?

(5pts) Summary: