Unit 2, Lesson 21: Putting It Together: Themes & Textual Evidence in TKAM

GRADE/CLASS: English 1 (9)

SUBJECT AREA: English Language Arts
UNIT TOPIC: To Kill a Mockingbird
DAY: 21, 22, 23
Desired learning outcome(s):
Students will be able to:
Cite textual evidence to support inference
Apply clear reasons and relevant evidence in writing
Essential question from learning objective:
1. How do I cite textual evidence to support inference?
2. How do I apply clear reasons and relevant evidence in my writing?
Common Core State Standards:
RL 1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text.
W 1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
SL 1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on
others ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
RL 2. Determine a theme or central idea 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; provide an
objective summary of the text.
RL 3. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop
over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
Relevant learner prior knowledge/ background experiences:
Students have been introduced to civil rights issues from today and the past. They completed an
activity to familiarize them with Jim Crow Laws, and read a contemporary short story about post9/11 racial intolerance. Students learned about characterization, and watched Fried Green Tomatoes
to introduce them to the historical period in which To Kill a Mockingbird takes place. While reading
the novel we analyzed the development of characters and discussed developing themes and motifs.
Last week introduced students to citing specific textual evidence to support inference. Students were
asked to predict, analyze, and synthesize daily reading and cite textual evidence for their answers in
an exit ticket each day. This week will synthesize all of these concepts as we collaborate on and
prepare for a Socratic Seminar as the summative assessment for the unit.
Materials and resources needed:
Agendas, Computer, Projector, novels
TKAM Reading Guides, notes, & other activities
Journals, Paper, Pens/Pencils

DAY 1: Teaching strategies

Anticipatory strategies
Hook/Activate Prior Knowledge (5 minutes)
Journal: What do you think of the phrase Seeing is believing?
o Do you think thats true? Why or why not?
o Do you only believe in things you can see? Why or why not?
Developmental strategies
PEE (Point, Evidence, Explanation) & Theme (Appendix A)
Pass out activity. Read through instructions together. Tie-in textual evidence exit tickets & PEE
Do 1 together as a class. Students should finish activity with a partner and turn in for a grade.
Overview Socratic Seminar
What the heck is a Socratic Seminar? Show of hands, who has participated in a Socratic Seminar?
(Have several of these students explain their experience.)
What types of questions were used in Socratic Seminar? How were you scored? What was the
teachers role? What were the roles of the students?
Concluding strategies
Homework
Write down 3 4 critical thinking questions for TKAM and bring them to class tomorrow.
DAY 2: Teaching strategies
Anticipatory strategies
Hook/Activate Prior Knowledge
Journal: What is the difference between recalling information and analyzing information?
o From which type of activity do you learn better?
o Which type of activity do you prefer? Why?
Developmental strategies
Develop Questions
Type up questions that students submit. Revise with class so questions meet expectations of rigor.
Once we have 10-12 questions, students may use rest of time to prepare notes
Concluding strategies
Homework
Prepare notes for tomorrows seminar! Remember the PEE strategy when creating your notes!
Assessment
Formative Assessment:
Observe student behavior, participation, body language, comments, classwork, etc. to determine
how they are responding to the lesson content. Circulate room to listen/observe work. Coach
students as needed during whole-class collaboration for seminar questions.
Summative Assessment:
Socratic seminar. Class collaborates to develop questions, then students prepare notes for a
discussion based on those questions. I will act as facilitator to keep discussion moving forward if
needed, and record student participation in the seminar for their grade.

Appendix A: Textual Evidence & Theme Activity

Themes in To Kill A Mockingbird

Review: Theme is the central idea or message in a work of literature. The theme of a piece of literature
should not be confused with the subject of the work, but rather, theme is a general statement about life
or human nature. Most themes are not completely obvious and must be inferred by the reader. A reader
must take a good look at the entire novel: the title, plot, characters, setting, and mood, which all work
together to reveal the themes in a piece of literature.

Prompt: What themes can be found in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Directions: For each of the following themes (POINT) from the novel, find an appropriate quote or
incident from the text that best exemplifies or illustrates that particular theme (EVIDENCE). You may
choose your incident or quote from anywhere in the text. Then, explain how the incident or quote
exemplifies the theme (EXPLANATION)
1. Theme: Prejudice is a disease with deep and far-reaching roots.
Evidence:

Explanation:

2. Theme: Before you can judge someone, you must walk a mile in his shoes.
Evidence:

Explanation:

3. Theme: Racism is kept alive through fear and ignorance.

Evidence:

Explanation:

4. Theme: True courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to proceed in spite of it.
Evidence:

Explanation:

5. Theme: What you see is not always the truth.

Evidence:

Explanation:

Appendix B: Questions and Reflection for Socratic Seminar

Collaborative questions
On the next page is a list of questions the students brainstormed in class. As students submitted
questions, I typed them on the projection screen. We worked together as a class to edit each question
and ensure they all met the high expectations of rigor I have for my students. I added a couple questions
of my own at the end to cover points that student questions did not address.
The day of the seminar, students were required to contribute at least 3 times to the discussion. The
contribution had to be in a complete sentence, demonstrate critical thinking, and evidence and
reasoning to support the answer. We discussed what critical thinking sounded like versus answers that
were too simple, yes/no, etc. during our preparation for the seminar. Students lost 5 points each time I
saw them having a sidebar conversation (this only happened once or twice). Students were asked to
encourage all of their classmates to contribute. Luckily, this was a gregarious bunch, and the discussion
went very smoothly.
Below is the self-reflection form students filled out at the end of the Socratic seminar.

Socratic Discussion Reflection

Name _____________________________
Topic _____________________________
Reflection Statement
I completed my assigned reading or notes before the discussion
I wrote thoughtful and complete responses to the questions
I asked questions to clarify my understanding of the reading and/or to
help me better understand my classmates ideas
I shared parts of the reading that interested me and I explained why
they were important.
I was a careful listener by giving complete attention to my classmates
when they were speaking
I responded intelligently to my classmates ideas.

Date ___________________
Class Period _____________
Yes

Somewhat

No

What was an important contribution you made to the discussion today?

What was an important idea or explanation expressed by someone else during the discussion?

To Kill a Mockingbird Socratic Seminar Questions

1. Had Tom Robinson lived, would his appeal have ruled in his favor? What if the novel had taken place
in the late 1960s? How might the jury have ruled?
2. What do you think happened to Jem after the book ended? For instance, how did he react when he
woke up?
3. What would you compare to killing a mockingbird today? Consider specific contemporary events
from the news.
4. A person has a right to be tried by a jury of his/her peers. Why were there no African Americans on
Toms Jury, and what does this say about the people of Maycomb county?
5. How might Scout and Jems lives have differed if Boo Radley had not been kept inside his house by his
family?
6. What are some of Atticus Finchs values, and how did they impact his decisions or actions?
7. What are some of the themes from the novel?
8. If Bob Ewell had not been killed and Atticus pressed charges, what would the outcome have been?
Alternatively, if Jem Finch had been charged for killing Bob Ewell (see: Atticus & Heck Tate porch
argument), what would the outcome have been?
9. What is the significance of the story being told from Scouts point of view? How might her perspective
have colored the narrative?
10. What would the Missionary Tea ladies have said if they were talking about Jem and Scout?
11. Have times changed since the 1930s, or is history repeating itself? How does discrimination today
compare to the mid-twentieth century? What types of discrimination do we see today versus then?
12. How does Scout change throughout the story? What general realizations or understandings about
the world and the nature of human beings does she discover?
13. Harper Lee, the author, makes many observations about life and human nature through the speech
and thoughts of several characters. Examine Atticuss final speech in the courtroom (Chapter 20). What
are Lees views or struggles with life and human nature as seen in Atticuss final speech?