To Kill a Mockingbird - A Novel Study

"One of the best-loved stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, served as the basis for an enormously popular motion picture, and was voted one of the best novels of the twentieth century by librarians across the country. A gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable coming-of-age tale in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, it views a world of great beauty and savage inequities through the eyes of a young girl, as her father - a crusading local lawyer - risks everything to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime". - Citation Provided at the Bottom of the Description!

Follow Scout as she experiences first-hand the prejudices of her hometown as she learns to do what is right when things get difficult. Through the course, students will have the chance to explore the history surrounding racism after the Civil War but before the Civil Rights Movement Era. Through Socratic Discussions, students will challenge themselves by discussing reading comprehension, literary analysis, and history while pairing the course with an opportunity to learn about themes, symbols, character development, and other literary elements that make this story so incredibly powerful. An optional essay and optional writing prompts will be provided every class to get your students thinking more critically about the novel and to challenge their thoughts and opinions of the events that occur in the novel to help them gain a better understanding of the story itself and the significance it has played in American culture. The schedule attached below is an example of the topics that will be covered every day in class and that we will be pairing with reading each day as well.

Weekly Schedule:
Day One:
     - Welcome! and Class Introductions
     - Introduction to the Novel, Harper Lee, and Cultural Significance
     - Introduction to the Civil Rights Movement
     - History of the Civil Rights Era and the Scottsboro Boys
     - Discussion and Preparation for Reading the Novel

Day Two: Chapters 1 - 3
     - The Finch Family and Introduction to the Main Characters
     - History of Maycomb, Alabama and the Families that Live There
     - Character Analysis of Scout, Jem, Dill, and Atticus
     - School Rules and Scout's Interactions with Society

Day Three: Chapters 4 - 6
     - The Ewells, Radleys, and Life-Lessons
     - Discussion of Symbolism
     - Character Development and Coming-of-Age

Day Four: Chapters 7 - 10
     - Symbolism Continued
     - Snow and Fire and the End of the World
     - Surprises
     - Folded Pants and Nightmares
     - "...a sin to kill a mockingbird..."

Day Five: Chapters 11 - 13
     - Mrs. Dubose, Punishments, and Flower Symbolism
     - Dying "Free"
     - Visiting Calpurnia's Church
     - Aunt Alexandra Arrives to "Civilize" the Children

Day Six: Chapters 14 - 16
     - Denotative and Connotative Definitions
     - Adult's vs. Children's Understandings and Perceptions
     - Mob Mentality and Lynching

Day Seven: Chapters 17 - 18
     - Elements of Process of a Trial
     - Eyewitness Statements 
     - Read-Through of the Trial
     - Evidence Collection and Life Lessons
     - Atticus's Closing Argument

Day Eight: Chapters 19 - 20
     - Read-Through of the Trial
     - Evidence Collection and Life Lessons
     - Atticus's Closing Argument

Day Nine: Chapters 21 - 24
     - The Verdict
     - Themes, Symbols, and Coming-of-Age
     - The Town's Reactions and Connections to History

Day Ten: Chapters 25 - 31 (End)
     - Senseless Killing
     - Hitler and Maycomb, Alabama
     - The Incident of the Ham and One Last "Justice"
     - "...a sin to kill a mockingbird..."

Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. First Perennial Classic ed., New York, Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 1960.