English 10HName:

To Kill a MockingbirdLiterature Circles

The Task: As we read To Kill a Mockingbird, students will meet in groups every three days to complete a critical analysis of the text from a Feminist Perspective. Individual students will be responsible for completing a pre-meeting assignment (vocabulary and responses to Essential Questions), participating the group discussion, and for completing a reflective paragraph after each meeting. Pre-Meeting assignments and reflections must be submitted the day after a group meeting for a grade. At the conclusion of the novel, each group will prepare and present a culminating project that reveals their understanding of the novel as well as the approach.

Pre-Meeting Assignment

  1. Each group member will be responsible for completing one of the activities below for each of the words marked with an asterisk (*) on the vocabulary sheets in the study guide. The group meeting will begin with a 5-minute discussion of the vocabulary words in which each group member will share their work. Students should rotate through the activities and no activities should be repeated within a particular meeting.
  2. Write each word in a complete sentence that demonstrates proper use of the word and its meaning.
  3. Find synonyms, antonyms, and different forms of the word.
  4. Write a short rhyme that reveals the meaning of the word.
  5. Draw a picture/cartoon that clearly conveys the meaning of the word.
  6. Find the word in a context other than in the book we are reading in class. You can look for words in other texts, in songs, on TV or in movies, in magazine/newspaper articles, etc. You must provide the source information for each contextual reference.
  7. Each group member should respond to at least 2 of the Essential Questions below before each meeting. Students’ responses must be written in fullsentences and contain specific references (i.e. quotes) from the focal chapters for each meeting. Each student must respond to every question at least once.

Essential Questions for a Feminist Reading

  • What stereotypes of women are present? Are female characters oversimplified? Weak? Foolish? Excessively naïve?
  • Do the female characters play major or minor roles in the action of the story? Are the supportive or independent? Powerless or strong? Subservient or in control?
  • If the female characters have any power, what is kind is it? Political? Economic? Social? Psychological?
  • How do male characters treat the female characters?
  • How do the male characters talk about the female characters?
  • How do the female characters act toward the male characters?
  • How do the female characters act toward each other?
  • Is the work, in general, sympathetic to female characters? Too sympathetic?
  • What is the meaning in the mockingbird motif? How is the mockingbird motif associated with women? Which women?
  • Do any of the novel’s themes touch upon any idea that could be seen as a feminist issue? Is the theme supportive or disparaging towards women?
  • Which of the female characters is your favorite? Why? What characteristics do you find likable?
  • Which of the female characters is your least favorite? What characteristics do you dislike?
  • How are the ideals of the Southern lady present in the novel?
  • Compare and contrast the characters of Aunt Alexandra, Miss Maudie, Mrs. Dubose, and Mrs. Grace Merriweather.
  • How does Scout try to defy becoming a “proper” Southern lady? Does she develop any of the characteristics of the “proper” Southern lady as the novel progresses?
  • How would you describe the role of African-American women in relation to the white community? How are they treated by white women?

GroupMeeting Assignment

  1. Five Minutes: The group should discuss the vocabulary activities completed by each group member.
  2. Thirty-Five Minutes: The group should discuss the following:
  3. Students’ responses to the Essential Questions
  4. The culminating group project
  5. Three Minutes: Group members should assign vocabulary roles for the next meeting and reflect on the discussion.

Post-Meeting Reflection

Each group member must complete a reflection. Reflections must be typed, double-spaced and follow proper paragraph structure. Students should refer to any or all of the following topics in their reflections.

  • Which part of the group discussion was most meaningful or helpful to you? Why?
  • How did the group discussion enhance your understanding of the text?
  • Did the discussion change your mind or opinion about something/someone in the novel? If so, how?
  • Did group members disagree about any topics of discussion or have different interpretations? Explain. Who did you agree with? Why?
  • Did the discussion make you think differently about text? How?
  • Did someone point out something funny or entertaining that you missed in the reading?

Group Projects and Presentations

At the end of the novel, each group will have to prepare a culminating project (assignments attached) and present it to the class. Group projects will be assessed on the following:

  • Content: The project exhibits knowledge of the female role in the novel.
  • Development: The project includes sufficient and appropriate details and quotes from the novel.
  • Voice: The use of language is appropriate for the assigned task.
  • Conventions: The final copy is neat and free of errors.
  • Music: The music enhances the presentation and is thematically appropriate.
  • Presentation: The final presentation is enjoyable and easy to follow.

English 10HName:

To Kill a MockingbirdChapters

Vocabulary Exercises

Essential Questions

  • Respond to at least 2
  • Include the question
  • Responses must be written in full sentences
  • Responses must include specific references to the chapters (i.e. quotes)

Reflection

Group Assignment #1

  1. Reread the following Chapters: 9, 13, 14, 23, 29. Identify comments made by Scout, Atticus, Jem, Calpurnia, and Aunt Alexandra that illustrate the role that Aunt Alexandra plays in Scout’s development as a Southern young lady.
  2. Make a list of these comments and consider the following points in relation to each comment:
  3. What is the relationship between Scout and Aunt Alexandra when they are first introduced?
  4. What does each comment mean with respect to the proper attitudes and actions of a Southern young lady?
  5. What is the significance of each comment to Scout? To Aunt Alexandra?
  6. What support do Aunt Alexandra and Scout receive from other characters in the book?
  7. How does Scout respond to each comment?
  8. What does Aunt Alexandra see as her role in Scout’s life?
  9. What does Scout think of Aunt Alexandra?
  10. Has their relationship changed since they were first introduced?
  11. Culminating Project:
  12. Write a letter from Scout to Aunt Alexandra that
  13. Describes their relationship and how it changed (Group Member #1)
  14. Includes many of the comments made towards Scout during her childhood and how they affected her (Group Member #2)
  15. Reveals the woman Scout becomes and the influence that different women (Aunt Alexandra, Miss Maudie, Calpurnia) had on her development (Group Member #3)
  16. The group must present the letter to the class as a dramatic monologue with background music. The music must set an appropriate mood and be thematically appropriate.
  17. The group must present an answer to the following question: What conclusion can you draw about Harper Lee’s attitude toward women and their relationships?
  18. The group must submit a typed final copy of the letter and a copy of the song on the assigned due date.

Group Assignment #2

  1. Reread Chapters 19, 20, and 21 and focus on the character of Mayella Ewell. Think about the impact that social class has on her role as a woman in a small Southern town.
  2. Consider and discuss the following points:
  3. What level of education does Mayella have?
  4. What limitations, if any, are placed on her life because she is a woman?
  5. What limitations are placed on her because of her social class?
  6. How is she different from other female characters in the book?
  7. How would her life be different if she were an upper class woman?
  8. How would her life be different if she were an upper class man?
  9. Culminating Project:
  10. Rewrite one of the scenes in the chapter above as if Mayella were a member of the white upper class using Aunt Alexandra, Miss Maudie, or Mrs. Dubose as a role model (who do you think Mayella would be like?). This scene should portray Mayella as she would speak and act if she were a member of the white upper class. The new scene must demonstrate a marked change in her status and demeanor (facial expressions, stature, dialect and speech, carriage, etc.). Each group member must rewrite an equal part of the scene.
  11. Present the original scene to the class; then, present the rewritten scene. Explain why you made the changes to Mayella’s character based on the change in her social class.
  12. The presentation of the new scene must be set to background music. The music must set an appropriate mood and be thematically appropriate.
  13. The group must present an answer to the following question: What conclusion can you draw about Harper Lee’s attitude toward women and their relationships?
  14. The group must submit a typed final copy of the scene and a copy of the song on the assigned due date. The final scene must be color-coded to indicate which student completed which section.

Group Assignment #3

  1. Reread Chapters 3, 10, 12, and 14 and focus on the character of Calpurnia. Think about the impact that social class has on her role as a woman in a small Southern town.
  2. Consider and discuss the following points:
  3. What level of education does Calpurnia have?
  4. What limitations, if any, are placed on her life because she is a woman?
  5. What limitations are placed on her because of her social class?
  6. How is she different from other female characters (Helen Robinson, Lula, white women) in the book?
  7. How would her life be different if she were a white, upper class woman?
  8. How would her life be different if she were a white, upper class man?
  9. Culminating Project:
  10. Rewrite one of the scenes in the chapter above as if Calpurnia were a member of the white upper class using Aunt Alexandra, Miss Maudie, or Mrs. Dubose as a role model (who do you think Calpurnia would be like?). This scene should portray Clapurnia as she would speak and act if she were a member of the white upper class. The new scene must demonstrate a marked change in her status and demeanor (facial expressions, stature, dialect and speech, carriage, etc.).Each group member must rewrite an equal part of the scene.
  11. Present the original scene to the class; then, present the rewritten scene. Explain why you made the changes to Calpurnia’s character based on the change in her social class.
  12. The presentation of the new scene must be set to background music. The music must set an appropriate mood and be thematically appropriate.
  13. The group must present an answer to the following question: What conclusion can you draw about Harper Lee’s attitude toward women and their relationships?
  14. The group must submit a typed final copy of the scene and a copy of the song on the assigned due date.The final scene must be color-coded to indicate which student completed which section.

Group Assignment #4

  1. Reread Chapter 24.
  2. Discuss the following questions:
  3. What actions support that Aunt Alexandra is the stereotype of the Southern Belle?
  4. What statements made by the characters show the positive characteristics of the Southern Belle?
  5. What statements made by the characters show the negative characteristics of the Southern Belle?
  6. What role does Miss Maudie play in the scene?
  7. Does Atticus interact with the women of the missionary circle differently than he does with Aunt Alexandra and Miss Maudie privately? If so, why?
  8. Does this scene present women in a positive or negative light?
  9. What is Scout’s impression of each woman?
  10. How does Aunt Alexandra’s public persona differ from her private persona in this scene?
  11. For each character, what do her actions and comments say about the role and nature of women in the South in the early twentieth century?
  12. Culminating Project:
  13. Create a “biography” of Aunt Alexandra (Group Member #1), Miss Maudie (Group Member #2), and Mrs. Grace Merriweather (Group Member #3). Each “biography” must include:
  14. A description of the character’s public persona.
  15. A description of the character’sprivate persona.
  16. A description of how you think she became the woman that she is.
  17. An explanation of how you think each character feels about their public persona and having to keep certain aspects of their private persona from the public.
  18. The group must present the “biographies” to the class as dramatic monologues with background music. The music must set an appropriate mood and be thematically appropriate.
  19. The group must present an answer to the following question: What conclusion can you draw about Harper Lee’s attitude toward women and their relationships?
  20. The group must submit a typed final copy of the “biographies” and a copy of the song on the assigned due date.

Group Assignment #4 – Period 2

  1. Reread Chapter 24.
  2. Discuss the following questions:
  3. What actions support that Aunt Alexandra is the stereotype of the Southern Belle?
  4. What statements made by the characters show the positive characteristics of the Southern Belle?
  5. What statements made by the characters show the negative characteristics of the Southern Belle?
  6. What role does Miss Maudie play in the scene?
  7. Does Atticus interact with the women of the missionary circle differently than he does with Aunt Alexandra and Miss Maudie privately? If so, why?
  8. Does this scene present women in a positive or negative light?
  9. What is Scout’s impression of each woman?
  10. How does Aunt Alexandra’s public persona differ from her private persona in this scene?
  11. For each character, what do her actions and comments say about the role and nature of women in the South in the early twentieth century?
  12. Culminating Project:
  13. Create a “biography” of Aunt Alexandra (Group Member #1), Miss Maudie (Group Member #2), and Mrs. Grace Merriweather (Group Member #3), Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose (Group Member #4). Each “biography” must include:
  14. A description of the character’s public persona.
  15. A description of the character’sprivate persona.
  16. A description of how you think she became the woman that she is.
  17. An explanation of how you think each character feels about their public persona and having to keep certain aspects of their private persona from the public.
  18. The group must present the “biographies” to the class as dramatic monologues with background music. The music must set an appropriate mood and be thematically appropriate.
  19. The group must present an answer to the following question: What conclusion can you draw about Harper Lee’s attitude toward women and their relationships?
  20. The group must submit a typed final copy of the “biographies” and a copy of the song on the assigned due date.