NEW NOVEL: Harper Lee's classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird
You can download my helpful study guide here.
NEW UNIT: LARGE-GROUP DIALOG: Becoming an effective contributor in large group discussions
Handouts for this unit can be downloaded here:
Mon-Tue, May 11-12
DUE:
- 3-5 seminar questions on the issues surrounding Mayella and Bob Ewell
- One paragraph response to the prompt on Bob or the prompt on Mayella
HOMEWORK: ?
IN CLASS:
Final seminars - this time we begin with the Ewells and allow the dialog to drift wherever it might go!
Student reflection on the seminar format
Thu-Fri, May 7-8
DUE:
3-5 seminar questions on the symbolism of the mockingbird in the text
One paragraph response on one of the two questions posed about making music or destroying people's gardens
HOMEWORK: Write 3-5 seminar questions on the following two ideas surrounding the Ewells and write a one-paragraph response to ONE of the two:
- Why is it that Mayella Ewell deserves both condemnation and pity? (While discussing why she deserves our pity, be sure to discuss how her actions with Tom Robinson and during the trial demonstrate a basic human need.)
- Atticus shredded Bob Ewell’s dignity in the courtroom, and Ewell aimed to exact some revenge by targeting the Finch children. Do you think Bob Ewell got what was coming to him? Or do you think this is somehow a tragic event? What is your level of pity for Ewell? Why should we feel anything for this man who beats his daughter, lies in court, and attacks children?
IN CLASS:
Small quiz on why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird AND the events in chapter 30
Sharing of seminar questions
Seminar focus:
- Keeping the conversation going
- Building on what has been said previously
- Relating everything back to the text or real life
Exit slip
Tue-Wed, May 5-6
DUE: 3-5 seminar questions about the end of ch 23 and all of ch 24
HOMEWORK:
Write three to five seminar questions about the issue of SYMBOLISM in the book, specifically the symbol of the mockingbird.
Review page 90 where Miss Maudie tells the children why it's a sin to kill mockingbirds.
Re-read ch 30 - review Heck Tate's explanation for why he says, "Bob Ewell fell on his knife" and spares Boo Radley the attention of everyone in town.
Choose one of the two questions below and write a one-paragraph response
- Find two characters in the novel who “make music” for others. Identify specifically the “music” each character makes for others, and who the recipient of the “music” is in each case. What results from the “music” each makes (what is the outcome of each person’s decision to act kindly)?
- Find two characters that seek to “destroy people’s gardens.” What is the “garden” each character is destroying? What is the outcome of the destruction these people cause?
IN CLASS:
Small quiz on chapter 24
Sharing of seminar questions
Practice seminar focus:
- Build on what has been said
- Relate comments to the text OR to real life
Exit slip
Fri and Mon, May 1 and 4
DUE: Five Socratic Seminar questions on today's topic: chapter 20
HOMEWORK TONIGHT:
- Re-read pages 222-237 (end of ch. 23 and all of ch. 24)
- Prepare notes and five questions for Socratic Seminar 2 on the issues of:
Read the second paragraph on 232. Explain how the reader could see what the woman says as both humorous and sad at the same time. Explain how the meeting of the Missionary Society overall is a lesson in hypocrisy.
Read the last paragraph of chapter twenty-three. Why are Jem's words particularly insightful? Explain what he has discovered, and how he arrived at his ephiphany.
IN CLASS:
Sharing of Socratic Seminar questions (from the homework)
Time to prepare notes and ideas for the seminar
Laying the "ground rules" of the seminar
It's time! Socratic Seminar #1
Seminar de-brief: How did it go? Comments? Questions?
END OF CLASS: Exit slip
Wed-Thu, April 29-30
DUE TODAY: Nothing
HOMEWORK TONIGHT:
- Re-read chapter twenty in TKM
- Create five Socratic Seminar questions for tomorrow's discussion on this idea:
Consider chapter twenty. In chapter twenty, Jem, Dill, and Scout encounter Mr. Dolphus Raymond outside the courthouse. Mr. Raymond is seen as the town drunk, yet the three children get a surprise when they discover that what he drinks is Coca-Cola and he only fakes being drunk.
1. How does he protect himself by putting on this act? How does he protect the majority white population by putting on his act?
2. Mr. Raymond reveals to us the innocence of children, and the beauty of being immature enough to cry at injustice, which is exactly what Dill did. Do you think that as we age we become more de-sensitized, as Mr. Raymond suggests? Explain your point of view, whether yes or no.
IN CLASS:
Review class notes on Socratic Seminar and dialog
Investigate the types of Socratic Seminar opening questions:
WORLD CONNECTION QUESTION:
- Write a question connecting the text to the real world.
- Example: If you knew were the only defense for an innocent person in danger of imminent harm, what would you do? (After reading about Atticus keeping watch at the county jail in TKM).
CLOSE-ENDED QUESTION:
- Write a question about the text that will help everyone in the class come to an agreement about events or characters in the text. This question usually has a "correct" answer.
- Example: What happened to Tom Robinson after his conviction for rape? (After reading the outcome of the trial in TKM).
OPEN-ENDED QUESTION:
- Write an insightful question about the text that will require proof and group discussion and "construction of logic" to discover or explore the answer to the question.
- Example: Why did Mayella Ewell feel she had to lie on the witness stand? (After reading Mayella’s testimony in TKM).
UNIVERSAL THEME/ CORE QUESTION:
- Write a question dealing with a theme(s) of the text that will encourage group discussion about the universality of the text.
- Example: What does the behavior of Boo Radley and Mayella Ewell tell us about a person’s need for companionship? After reading Lee’s TKM,
LITERARY ANALYSIS QUESTION:
- Write a question dealing with HOW an author chose to compose a literary piece. How did the author manipulate point of view, characterization, poetic form, archetypal hero patterns, for example?
- Example: Considering Tom Robinson and Boo Radley, how effective is the symbolism that it is a “sin” to kill a mockingbird? (After reading TKM).
Practice writing questions regarding a few issues in the text:
- Why is it that Mayella Ewell deserves both condemnation and pity? (While discussing why she deserves our pity, be sure to discuss how her actions with Tom Robinson and during the trial demonstrate a basic human need.)
- Find two characters in the novel who “make music” for others. Identify specifically the “music” each character makes for others, and who the recipient of the “music” is in each case. What results from the “music” each makes (what is the outcome of each person’s decision to act kindly)?
- Find two characters that seek to “destroy people’s gardens.” What is the “garden” each character is destroying? What is the outcome of the destruction these people cause?
A look ahead to tomorrow's first Socratic Seminar session
When I am evaluating Socratic Seminar participation, I ask the following questions about participants. Did they….
- Speak loudly and clearly?
- Cite reasons and evidence for their statements?
- Use the text to find support?
- Listen to others respectfully?
- Stick with the subject?
- Talk to each other, not just to the leader?
- Paraphrase accurately?
- Ask for help to clear up confusion?
- Support each other?
- Avoid hostile exchanges?
- Question others in a civil manner?
- Seem prepared?
END OF CLASS: Exit slip
Mon-Tue, April 27-28
QUIZ TODAY on TKM - Traditional and essay components
IN CLASS:
- Quiz prep
- Take the quiz
- Overview of dialog and Socratic Seminar
Introduction to the Socratic Seminar
Background
The Socratic method of teaching is based on Socrates' theory that it is more important to enable students to think for themselves than to merely fill their heads with "right" answers. Therefore, he regularly engaged his pupils in dialogues by responding to their questions with questions, instead of answers. This process encourages divergent thinking rather than convergent.
Students are given opportunities to "examine" a common piece of text, whether it is in the form of a novel, poem, art print, or piece of music. After "reading" the common text "like a love letter", open-ended questions are posed.
Open-ended questions allow students to think critically, analyze multiple meanings in text, and express ideas with clarity and confidence. After all, a certain degree of emotional safety is felt by participants when they understand that this format is based on dialogue and not discussion/debate.
Dialogue is exploratory and involves the suspension of biases and prejudices. Discussion/debate is a transfer of information designed to win an argument and bring closure. Americans are great at discussion/debate. We do not dialogue well. However, once teachers and students learn to dialogue, they find that the ability to ask meaningful questions that stimulate thoughtful interchanges of ideas is more important than "the answer."
Participants in a Socratic Seminar respond to one another with respect by carefully listening instead of interrupting. Students are encouraged to "paraphrase" essential elements of another's ideas before responding, either in support of or in disagreement. Members of the dialogue look each other in the "eyes" and use each other names. This simple act of socialization reinforces appropriate behaviors and promotes team building.
The Nature of Dialogue
Most classrooms rely on monologue: one person controlling the talk. That person is usually the teacher. Dialogue requires a shift away from this one-person control.
Monologic Classroom
|
Dialogic Classroom
|
- Teacher holds the knowledge
- Teacher poses all or most questions
- Students respond to teacher
- Teacher evaluates student responses
|
- Teacher & students construct knowledge
- Teacher & students pose questions
- Students respond to each other
- Class evaluates ideas & reaches consensus
|
All participants seek to contribute to the dialogue. Certain strategies can help encourage thoughtful dialogue:
- Ask open-ended questions that resist obvious, simple, or "already-known" answers.
- Wait for replies (do not rephrase or ask another question; open-ended questions require time to think).
- Whenever possible, encourage students to engage in "uptake" by responding or building upon the idea of the previous speaker.
Tue-Wed, Mar 31 - Apr 1
DUE: Chapter 9 questions
HOMEWORK TONIGHT:
- Read chapter 10, answer study guide questions 2, 3, 4
- Read chapter 11, answer study guide questions 2, 3
IN CLASS
Discussion of chapter nine issues, and a bit of review of ch 7-8
ANNOUNCEMENT: If, when we arrive next class it appears everyone has answered the five homework questions, we will NOT have a quiz. However, if it appears too many people have NOT, then we will have a quiz.
Fri-Mon, Mar 27 and 30
DUE: Ch7 #5, Ch8 #3,4,5
HOMEWORK TONIGHT:
Read Ch9, and answer these questions:
- Why does Cecil Jacobs verbally abuse Scout?
- What does Atticus say about people who use the "n-word"?
- On pgs 74-77 Atticus tries to teach his daughter something. How is he trying to shape her behavior?
- ** WHY do you think Atticus wanted Scout to hear his conversation with Uncle Jack?
IN CLASS
Review of questions and issues in chapters 7-8 and in-class reading
Wed-Thu, Mar 25-26
DUE: Nothing in writing
HOMEWORK TONIGHT:
- Read ch 7-8
- Answer Ch7 #5 and Ch8 #3,4,5
IN CLASS:
Vocabulary activity (see below)
Correcting and reviewing the Ch 1-5 quiz
A look at the action in Ch6 - in-class reading
A preview of Ch7
TKM Vocab Exercise #1 - chapters 1-5 (no word repeated)
Terry's ________ nature often got him into trouble - he was interested in how anything and everything worked. Although many of his adventures to find answers were __________, he often had success answering the questions he devised. He liked to talk of his adventures, and if given the chance he would ________ for hours on travels.
King Mahookalakamaki was a(n) _____________ ruler. One day he made laws that were friendly to the people, the next he created _____________ rules that terrorized the population. He was known to sit in a peaceful pose, looking quite __________, but out of those moments of deep thought came some of his most ___________ and _________ laws. Like the one I remember he made that stated if a man was caught taking fruit from any tree on public land, that man would have his hand cut off because all public land really belonged to the king.
Jim's _____________ nature made many enemies - he always seemed ready to fight. His mother could do nothing about it; she became ___________ after trying everything she could to get him to behave. She was depressed for months, _______ by his behavior. One day Jim said he wanted to go to college, and he was turning over a new leaf. Her state of mind was immediately ____________ by his words, and she made him waffles for dinner.
Mon- Tue, Mar 23-24
DUE: (at end of class)
- Chapter 4 questions #2,3,4
- Chapter 5 questions #1,3
HOMEWORK TONIGHT: Read chapter 6
IN CLASS:
Group investigations of issues in chapters 4 and 5
- Group 1: Describe the communication occurring between the children and the Radley house. How does each side try to reach out to the other? Evaluate: Which side reaches out in a more childish way? (The children or the Radley home?)
- Group 2: Describe the behavior of Dill and Jem when Dill arrives for summer. What are the boys conspiring to do, and what clues lead you to your conclusion? (You can also include evidence from earlier chapters if necessary.)
- Group 3: Describe the relationship the children, especially Scout, have with Miss Maudie. Why is she the kind of woman kids like? What valuable lessons does she provide?
- Group 4: Discuss the point of view of the story. We all know it's first person, but why do you think the author chose to tell the story from the point of view of a girl rather than a woman, or even a third-person omniscient point of view? And what parts of the book do you think so far would have been difficult to write in the voice of a girl about 12-14 years of age?
- Group 5: Scout is definitely a tomboy. What clues in the book let you know that she's not a "girly-girl?" Why do you think she grows up a tomboy? What factors influence if a girl becomes a "tomboy" or "girly-girl?"
- Group 6: Small town life means we know everything about everybody. Who are the minor "characters" in town and at Scout's school who make the setting of the novel more interesting and humorous for the reader? Include what you know about the different families AND individuals.
Groups share findings
Quiz
Homework collected
Thu-Fri, Mar 19-20
DUE: Notebook check per yesterday's description (see previous lesson)
HOMEWORK TONIGHT:
Read chapters 4-5
Answer the reading guide questions: Chapter 4 #2,3,4 Chapter 5 # 1 and 3
Be ready for a quiz (including vocab) on chapters 1-5
IN CLASS:
Hand back all random assignments in the "out box"
Organize notebooks for notebook check
Workstation/group activity:
- Station one: Vocabulary and writing sentences with vocabulary words
- Station two: The Cunninghams, Little Chuck Little, Burris Ewell, and Miss Caroline
- Station three: Jem
- Station four: Scout
- Station five: Atticus
- Station six: Random questions from chapters 1-3
Work groups will spend a few minutes at each station, adding to the work done by other groups
A graphic organizer will be shown for character analysis. If absent, copy the graphic organizer from a friend.
Tue-Wed, Mar 17-18
DUE: Nothing
HOMEWORK TONIGHT:
- Read chapters 2 and 3 (15 pages). Start adding to the VOCAB section of your notebook; the study guide gives vocab for each chapter. Look up each word in a dictionary AND thesaurus so you see the various meanings of each word.
- Notebooks will be checked next class for:
- Vocab section up-do-date with chapters 1-3 words and similes/definitions.
- Class Notes section includes
- your ideas and class ideas on small town life
- character list
- Assignments section includes your work from Gatsby
IN CLASS
TKM (To Kill a Mockingbird) books checked out
Gatsby books collected
Point of view (class notes)
Characters in TKM (class notes)
The setting of TKM (class notes)
Reading time
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