To Kill a Mockingbird By Harper Lee Part
To Kill a Mockingbird By Harper Lee Part One Chapter 1 -11
Background Research Most of you should already have done this last week – If you were absent – please start here. 'To Kill a Mockingbird' is set in the deep south of America in the 1930's. In order to have a better understanding of what is happening in the novel, it's important to know about what was going on at the time and before the time. Use the internet to find out about the following: • The American Civil War • The Great Depression(including the Dust Bowl) Make notes of important events in your jotters or on a word document.
Background Research continued. • Create a timeline of important events in the Civil Rights Movement in America • Find out about the life of the author – Harper Lee Make notes of important events in your jotters or on a word document.
Check your research Read through the following information and check it against the notes you have taken. If you have missed anything important – write it up. If not – well done you. The American Civil War (1861– 1865) • Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the U. S. and formed the Confederate States of America (the Confederacy). • Led by Jefferson Davis, they fought against the U. S. federal government (the "Union"), which was supported by all the free states and the five border slave states. • Abraham Lincoln, the President of the 'Union' (United States of America) campaigned against slavery • Seven Southern states declaring their secession(find out what this means) from the Union this was seen as rebellion.
More on the American Civil War • On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces attacked the U. S. military at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. • Both sides raised armies as the Union assumed control of the border states early in the war and established a naval blockade. • In September 1862, Lincoln's 'Emancipation Proclamation' made ending slavery in the South an aim for the war.
More on the American Civil War • Important people were: • Confederate - Commander Robert E. Lee • Union - General William Sherman • Union – Ulysses S Grant • Important battles were: • Gettysburg and the Battle of Vicksburg, and the capturing of Atlanta, Georgia by the Union. • The war ended when Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865.
Other important items to note: v 620, 000 soldiers died as well as thousands of civilians v It ended slavery in the United States v The states were forced to rejoin the Union v The social, political, economic and racial issues of the war continue to shape contemporary American policies. Ext. If you are interested in the American Civil War – here are some films you can watch: 'Gone with the Wind', 'Lincoln', 'Cold Mountain', 'Free State of Jones', 'Gettysburg', 'Gods and Generals'. . .
Quiz on background. . . 1. When is 'To Kill a Mockingbird set? Time and Place 2. How did the 'southern states' make their money? 3. What is the attitude of the poor white community in the novel towards black people? Why do you think this is? 4. How did natural disasters effect states just before 'The Great Depression'? 5. What were 'The Wall Street Crash' and 'Black Tuesday'? 6. What happened to the price of cotton during this time? 7. What was the percentage of Americans who were unemployed in 1933? What impact do you think this would have had on communities in the south? 8. What happened to migration during this time? Why?
Reading • Read through the novel first OR • Read a chapter at a time. OR • Read a few chapters at a time. You can download a copy of the book onto your phone or tablet, read the copy I gave out, or you could always opt for the audiobook and listen to the story. . .
Activities Write a summary of each chapter –noting down all the important or key things that happen in that chapter. Answer the close reading questions on each chapter. Complete the other activities that are interspersed throughout the power point. You should complete the work on this powerpoint by Thursday April 2 nd.
Chapter One • Make a list of all the characters that are introduced in this chapter and indicate what relationship they are to each other. • What do we learn about Maycomb in this chapter? • Write down what you know about Boo Radley and the Radley place in general. Remember to complete your chapter summary.
Chapter Two • Describe Miss Caroline. Try to explain why she is not immediately popular with the children. • What do we learn about the Cunningham family? • What do we learn about Harper Lees view of the education system? • Remember to complete your chapter summary.
Task - In your research you found out about 'The Great Depression – use what you found out to help you answer the following 'Thinking Questions': “Are we poor, Atticus? ” Atticus nodded. “We are indeed. ” - Chapter Two Think about it – if possible – discuss with others in our class online if you can. . . How does this quote link to the time the novel was set? What families are affected by the depression in the novel? What impact do you think it had on their attidudes to each other or people from different 'classes'? Do you think this reflects what happens in all societies during a 'crisis'? Think about what is happening now and include that it your thinking. How do you think the writer wants you to feel about the circumstances of the novel? Has she achieved this?
Chapter Three • What do we learn about Calpurnia’s attitude to other people in this chapter? • What do we learn about Burris in particular and the Ewells in general? • “You never really understand another person until you consider things from his point of view-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” • What does this mean and is it an easy thing to do? • What does this tell us about Atticus? Remember to complete your chapter summary.
Chapter Four • What do the children find in the tree? Why do you think the objects were placed there? By Whom? • What is the point of the ‘Boo Radley’ game? • Why is Scout keen to stop the games associated with the Radley house? Remember to complete your chapter summary.
Chapter Five • What do we learn about Miss Maudie Atkinson? • What more do we learn about ‘Boo’ in this chapter? • “Things they say about B – Mr Arthur’ are, according to Miss Maudie, “ three -fourths coloured folks and one-forth Miss Stephanie Crawford”. What does she mean by this? Remember to complete your chapter summary.
Chapter Six • Why do the children choose this particular night to look in the window of the ‘Radley’ place? • What happens in the garden? • What else do we learn about the relationship between Atticus and his children in this chapter? Remember to complete your chapter summary.
TASK 1: Read chapter 6 closely. Explore how tension is raised. Present ideas as a spider diagram, flow chart or graph. . . Some Techniques to look out for that Building Tension: • Repetition (repeating words more than once) • Alliteration (two words or more that begin with the same letter) • Long sentences with commas to slow the reader down and make them impatient to read on • Setting: usually set in darkness to create a mysterious effect
Some more techniques to look out for that a writer uses to build tension: • Telling the reader what the character is thinking • Using dramatic/ effective words • Onomatopoeia: words to describe sounds to make you feel like you are there • Short sentences to speed up the pace as you near the climax of the piece • Using the five senses so you know what the character can feel, smell, hear, taste, touch • Lots of adjectives (describing words)
Task 2 • Re-write the paragraph on the next slide to make it more exciting and tense. • Use at least 3 techniques from the previous slides to help you build tension. Or • Write your own piece of writing building tension. • Use at least 5 techniques from the previous slides to help you build tension.
TASK 2 Boring Paragraph Build tension by re-writing the paragraph – use at least 3 techniques mentioned on previous slides. . . I walked up the stairs and up to the door. I opened the door and walked in. The room was big. It had a big window and lots of other furniture. It was dirty and smelled. I walked over to the window and looked out. There was a man standing there. I didn't know what to do.
Chapter Seven • What does Jem reveal about his breeches? Who do you think is responsible? • What else do they find in the tree? What significance do you think these objects have: a) for the children? b) for the giver? • Why do you think Nathan Radley fills the hole in the tree? Why is Jem upset by this? Remember to complete your chapter summary.
Chapter Eight • What happens that convinces Scout that ‘the world’s endin’? • Jem and Scout stand in front of the Radley place whilst Miss Maudie’s house is on fire. What happens to Scout that is strange, and who does Jem think is responsible for it? • What more do we learn about Miss Maudie during this chapter? Remember to complete your chapter summary.
Chapter Nine • What is the cause of Scout’s outburst at the start of this chapter? • Why shouldn’t Atticus defend Tom Robinson? • Why, then, does he choose to do so? • Why does Scout have mixed feeling about Christmas? • What does Uncle Jack mean when he says that Scout is ‘growing out of [her] pants’? • What does Aunt Alexandra think of Atticus? • What does Scout reveal about her relationship with Atticus in this chapter? • Why do you think Atticus wants Scout to ‘hear every word he said’ Remember to complete your chapter summary.
Chapter 10 • Why does Scout consider Atticus to be feeble? Does her view change at all? Why does Atticus say that ‘it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’? • What is the significance of Tim Johnson in the novel? • Why does Atticus choose not to shoot? Remember to complete your chapter summary.
Chapter Eleven • What do we learn of Mrs Dubose in this chapter? • Why does Jem ‘cut the tops off every camellia bush Mrs Dubose owned’? • Why does Mrs Dubose make Jem read to her? • When Atticus says ‘I wanted you to see what real couageis, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand’ what does that mean? Remember to complete your chapter summary.
Task 1: Part One Tasks • Using the Summaries you have written and the questions you have answered, make notes on what lessons, from the most trivial to the most important, the three children learn? • Scout • Jem • Dill • How might these lessons help them with the up -coming trial?
Well done for completing part one. Please send any questions and work to the email for me on the website. We'll continue with part two after the holidays. . . In the meantime, keep up with your personal reading over the holidays. Keep safe, try to relax and have a good time. Hopefully see you all soon. Ms D x
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