Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird Novel Study
What's included
8 live meetings
7 hrs 20 mins in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. Students will need to read 60 to 80 pages per week and the time the reading takes will vary depending upon the individual reader. Students will be provided a reading guide where they can record meaningful quotes and notes to share in class. Assignments in class may be completed in small groups, but the cumulative project assignment will be independent and should take students less than 1 hour per week to complete by the end of the course.Assessment
Informal assessment will take place through the class sessions with discussion, group activities and handouts. All students will be encouraged to complete and present a project at the conclusion of our 8 weeks. Students who need a letter grade should contact the teacher in advance and grades will be provided based upon class participation, activities, and the final project.Grading
includedClass Experience
US Grade 8 - 10
To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic but timeless novel told from the perspective of young Scout Finch. Readers explore the world of the American South in the 1930s at the height of the Great Depression through the eyes of a child. Their journey twists and turns through topics including racism, discrimination, injustice, integrity, friendship, cultural bias, and more. During the 8 week class students will read the novel independently, participate in class discussions and activities, and complete a cumulative project to be shared in our final class meetings. My teaching style is interactive and students will be encouraged to work with one another as well as one-on-one with the teacher during class. Students may reach out to the teacher outside of class time for assistance, support, clarification or explanation. Discussion and interaction are required elements of this class and students are STRONGLY urged to use their cameras and microphones in order to receive the full benefits of this class. **********PLEASE READ************* Outschool has recently changed its policy regarding class cancellations. We know how disappointing canceled classes can be for learners, so we too are amending our policy. In the past we have waited for late enrollees, of which we have had MANY! Unfortunately we can no longer do that. Instead we will evaluate class enrollment for ongoing classes on teach Sunday at 5pm Eastern. IF enrollment falls below 3 students, we will push the class back a week. When other sections are available students will have the option to transfer to another class. IF enrollment falls below 3 students, we will push the class back a week. When other sections are available students will have the option to transfer to another class. Full refunds will be provided for learners who cannot attend the newly scheduled class time. All other refunds will be provided as per the Outschool Limited Refund policy (see below). If for any reason the class does not meet your expectation, you have the confidence of knowing that Outschool has a Happiness Guarantee and will provide a refund upon request via their Customer Support. Transfer requests within 24 hours of a scheduled class will NOT be approved. At that point it is too late to reschedule the class, and it is unfair to other families who may have enrolled thinking there were multiple learners enrolled. Instead students will be encouraged to watch the video of the class. Thank you for understanding, and for your loyalty. The course breakdown is: Week 1 - Pre-reading activities, presentation of vocabulary needed, conversation about sensitive topics and use of words that are considered derogatory in contemporary society. Ice breaker activity and getting to know one another. Introduce culminating project. Week 2 - Discuss and Analyze Chapters 1-5. Week 3 - Discuss and Analyze Chapters 6-11. Assign short essay. Week 4 - Discuss and Analyze Chapters 12-15. Week 5 - Discuss and Analyze Chapters 16-18. Check in with students about culminating project. Week 6 - Discuss and Analyze Chapters 19-23. Week 7 - Discuss and Analyze Chapters 24-31. Review expectations for the presentation of culminating projects during week 8 class. Week 8 - Student presentation of culminating projects, wrap up of the novel and discussion of possible extension activities or novels students may wish to explore.
Learning Goals
Students will:
Analyze how complex characters develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
Use context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning, mood, and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place or an emotion; how it sets a formal or informal tone).
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; provide a summary or thorough analysis of the text, including the appropriate components.
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Determine a theme 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.
Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific language choices shape meaning, mood, or tone of the text.
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
Use context clues and text structures to determine the meaning of new vocabulary.
Demonstrate comprehension of print and electronic text by responding to questions (e.g., literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing).
Monitor own comprehension by adjusting speed to fit the purpose, or by skimming, scanning, reading on, looking back, note taking or summarizing what has been read so far in text.
Identify and explain an author's use of direct and indirect characterization, and ways in which characters reveal traits about themselves, including dialect, dramatic monologues and soliloquies.
Explain how literary techniques, including foreshadowing and flashback, are used to shape the plot of a literary text.
Analyze the author's use of point of view, mood and tone.
Explain how authors use symbols to create broader meanings.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
This is a classic novel that explores racism, has an accusation of rape and the murder of a black man. The N-word is included in the text. The accusation of rape plays a central role to the story, and the dehumanizing language and subsequent killing of Tom Robinson is unfortunately accurate for the South in the 1930s.
I realize that this book has very sensitive content and am prepared to tackle it with sensitivity. I am using resources from Facing History to assist with this approach to teaching intolerance. This is a novel that I have taught MANY times in a traditional classroom setting consisting of students from differing races and socio-economic backgrounds.
Supply List
Paper and a writing utensil will be needed for the class. Students will also need access to a printer for the handouts that will be provided. Students will have an opportunity to complete a project at the conclusion of the novel, supplies will vary but most likely use items commonly found at home. Students will need a print copy of the text. For US students with a processing or other reading challenges, I encourage you to use the following link to submit an application with the National Library Service and Library of Congress to acquire free resources which may be helpful for this class: https://www.loc.gov/nls/about/eligibility-for-nls-services/talking-books-reading-disabilities/ Another free and valuable resource for students who learn differently is: https://www.bookshare.org/cms/promo/adwords/audiobooks-learning-disabilities
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Teacher expertise and credentials
1 teacher has a teaching certificate
Ohio Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
1 teacher has a Graduate degree
Master's Degree in Education from Lourdes College
1 teacher has a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's Degree in Education from Auburn University
As a National Board Certified Teacher, To Kill A Mockingbird is a novel I have taught for several years. My experience as a Holocaust trained educator lends itself to the approach I take to be honest, historically accurate, but sensitive to the controversial topics in the novel. A conversation will be held about the "N-word", how and why is was used and why it is denigrating and derogatory. Students will be directed that the only time it is appropriate to actually say the word is when they are reading a quote from the novel, otherwise it should be referred to as the "N-word".
Additionally the accusation of rape against Tom Robinson by Mayella will be similarly handled. The class will discuss why Mayella felt compelled to lie, and why the ramifications of her lie cost Tom his life. Race, poverty and the Jim Crow South are central to understanding the novel.
Reviews
Live Group Class
$100
for 8 classes1x per week, 8 weeks
55 min
Completed by 12 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-16
3-8 learners per class