Lesson Plan Template



Date: November 8, 2006

Lesson Title: To Kill A Mockingbird – Discovery Groups

Co-Designed with Michele Bisaccia

Purpose or Goal of Instruction (Big Ideas):

▪ Descriptions of plot, characters, and places help readers to visualize the world of the story in their minds.

▪ Language is an evolving form that constantly changes over time.

▪ Books are products of the cultures in which they are written.

▪ Authors have a purpose for writing about which the reader can speculate.

▪ Knowledge of the time period in which a story is set helps the reader understand the story more completely.

Objective:

▪ Student will demonstrate an understanding of the story world in TKAM by creating a map of Maycomb, listing the customs of the town, and creating a fictional newspaper for the town.

▪ Students will explain the history behind the use of the word “nigger’ and “Negro,” and will understand why this history is important to the story world of TKAM.

▪ Students will describe the history and social climate of the 1930’s era and explain why this history is important to understanding the story in TKAM.

▪ Students will describe the history and social climate of the 1960’s era and explain why this history is important to understanding Harper Lee’s motivation behind writing TKAM.

▪ Students will compose a biography of Harper Lee and explain how her life experiences play into the themes in TKAM.

Process / Procedures for Teachers:

Preparation:

▪ Create instruction sheets for each of the eight research groups.

▪ Create Research Notes graphic organizer for the five groups who are doing research-oriented topics.

▪ Obtain folders for each research group and put instruction sheet and contents list inside.

▪ Create a transparency with the research topics listed.

▪ Create sign-up sheets for research topics.

▪ Talk with media specialist and have books on 1930’s, 1960’s, civil rights movement, Harper Lee, and the use of racial slurs pulled for students to use.

▪ Reserve computers in Media Center for one-two days.

▪ Obtain art supplies – poster board, markers, colored paper

▪ Reserve projector and laptop in case students make a power point presentation

▪ Find internet sites and/or articles for students to begin their search – post links on a gateway website for students to access easily.

▪ Create rubric for assessment of portfolios and presentations.

Introduction:

▪ For homework the night before, class will write two questions they have about TKAM.

▪ Have class share their questions – make a list, identify which ones will be answered later in the text and which are knowledge questions that need to be researched.

▪ Explain that because TKAM deals with issues we may not be familiar with and takes place in a time we don’t know a lot about, we’re going to research some background information to help us understand what’s going on in the story better.

▪ We’re going to have 8 Research Groups. Each group will have a different topic.

▪ On Wed. and Thurs. you will work in your groups to research your topic and create a mini presentation to teach the rest of the class what you found out.

▪ Friday we will present our research to each other.

▪ Explain each group will receive a portfolio with a detailed description of their assignment, a list of work that will be turned in at the end of the project, and an individual writing prompt. Each group must turn in a completed portfolio containing all the required elements and create a visual presentation for the class. The work for this project will be completed in class.

▪ Explain the research topics.

▪ Create an Imaginary Newspaper for Maycomb, Alabama. (Group of 4)

▪ Draw a map of Maycomb and write out the town’s customs/laws. (3)

▪ Perform a dramatic interpretation based on the first four chapters of the novel, then present a prediction for what might happen in the next part of the story. (4)

▪ Research the history and significance of the word “nigger,” “Negro,” and “colored.” (3)

▪ Research the culture and social climate of the south in the 1930’s. (4)

▪ Research the Great Depression. (4)

▪ Research a biography of Harper Lee and the reasons why she wrote TKAM. (3)

▪ Research the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement. (4)

▪ Allow students to form groups and sign up for their research topic.

▪ Distribute portfolios, let students read through them. Keep folders in class.

Assistance:

▪ Michelle and I will circulate through the groups, making sure everyone is on task and assisting wherever we are needed.

Closure/Summary:

▪ After presentations have finished, ask students to write one paragraph describing how something they learned today relates to their reading of TKAM.

▪ Display posters/visuals around room for future reference as reading continues.

Process / Procedures for Students:

▪ Sign up for research topics

▪ Follow directions inside of research portfolio

▪ Present their findings to the class in a 3-5 minute presentation with a visual aide

▪ Turn in portfolio with all required assignments

▪ Write one paragraph describing how what they learned relates to reading TKAM.

▪ See attached for specific group instructions that will be included in portfolios.

Assessment:

Work collected / observed:

▪ Collected

o Group portfolio and individual paragraph – Summative Assessment

▪ 20%- Research sources – must use TKAM, 1 book, and at least 1 other resource.

▪ 20% - Creativity/Effort/Participation

▪ 20% - Completed portfolio with all assignments included

▪ 20% - Presentation – used visual aide, demonstrated understanding of content, made content clear for classmates

▪ 20% - Individual paragraph – demonstrated understanding of relationship between research done in class and their reading of TKAM.

o Observed – Formative Assessment

▪ Group participation/engagement

▪ Check in periodically with every group – ask what they have found out so far, check to make sure they are making appropriate connections between research and book

Accommodation:

Support Accommodation:

▪ To support students with difficulties, we will make sure that they are paired with students of stronger ability to assist them. We will make ourselves available for assistance. If we are providing lists of initial suggested resources, we will make sure to include texts of various difficulty levels to support all levels of readers.

Challenge Accommodation:

▪ Because of the open-ended nature of this assignment, students who wish to be challenged need only to go more in depth in their research and presentation. Extra credit will be given to students who take notes during other students’ presentations and turn them in with their individual paragraphs.

Civil Rights Movement

Group Directions

Even though To Kill A Mockingbird is set in the 1930’s, Harper Lee wrote the book in the 1960’s in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement. The events of this movement influenced Harper’s writing and the events that happen in the story. You will spend the next couple of days in the library doing research and creating a 3-5 minute presentation on your research for the rest of the class. Keep all your notes and written work in this portfolio. You will turn this portfolio in after you have given your presentation.

1. Begin your research in the library. Fill out the Research Notes graphic organizer to organize the information you find. If you choose, you may split your topic into sub-topics and assign one to each member of your group.

Resources:

a) Your resources must include: To Kill A Mockingbird, one other book from the library, and at least one other source, for a total of at least three resources.

b) There is a cart of books already pulled for you in the library.

c) You may use the computers in the library to do further research. If you need help getting started, visit the following web address. This is a website we created with links to resources that may be helpful to you.

Research Questions:

(Use these questions as a guide to help focus your research)

▪ What was the Civil Rights Movement? Why did it start? How did it end?

▪ What social issues was the Movement responding to? What was life like for Blacks during the Movement? What changes happened because of the Movement?

▪ What were some of the major events and protests of the Movement? Who were the people (both black and white) involved in the Movement?

▪ Why did people disagree with the Movement? Who were the Movements biggest opponents (both black and white)?

2. Plan your presentation to the class. Your presentation can be in any format you want. Here are a few ideas, or you can think up your own:

▪ Make an informative poster. (If you split up your research, you could have each person present on their subtopic.)

▪ Make a power point presentation.

▪ Perform a skit about the Civil Rights Movement. Make props, scenery and costumes, play period background music, get creative!

▪ Compose and perform a song about the Civil Rights Movement.

▪ Write a fictional short story about a person or family living during the Civil Rights Movement.

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Portfolio Checklist

Make sure that everything on this list is in your portfolio when you turn it in.

← Completed Research Notes graphic organizer

← Any notes, rough drafts, scripts, or other written work that you did to prepare your presentation.



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