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ASSURE Model Instructional Plan

To Kill a Mockingbird: Setting
9th Grade
English Literature
Lesson length: 60 minutes, or one class period
Analyze Learners

Total number of students: 24

Male students: 14
Female students: 10
Students with low learning skills: 2
Visual/Spatial learners (approximately 1/3 of students)
Kinesthetic learners (approximately 1/3 of students)
Verbal/linguistic learners (two to three students)

State Objectives

SOL 9.4 Students will be able to analyze the importance of setting in literature.
SOL 9.4 TSW develop an understanding of the relationship of setting to the authors style
by
a) locating Monroeville, Alabama (the authors hometown and the inspiration for Maycomb)
b) comparing the layout of a small town (Monroeville) to their own drawings of Maycomb
from their Book Binders

SOL 9.8 -TSW use technology (Google Earth) to evaluate information about the setting of
the book.

Select Media, Materials, and Methods

Media:
4 classroom computers with internet access.
Projector and computer hookup
Movie clips from Fried Green Tomatoes

Materials:
Students Book Binders Students copy of the book
Graph Paper Copies of racial trials news stories from the 1900s
Colored Pencils Movie clips from Fried Green Tomatoes

Methods

Whole group observation of movie clips

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Whole group instruction of center activities

Small group centers
Discussion groups (news stories)
Google Earth observations
Group map creations

Big group discussion of setting and the implication it has on the storyline especially in
relation to To Kill a Mockingbird

Utilize Media, Materials, and Methods

Media:
4 classroom computers with internet access Will be used for Google Earth research on
the town of Monroeville, Alabama. Students will access Google Earth themselves in order to
become more efficient in the process of researching a setting. Students will evaluate the
difference between Maycomb and Monroeville.
1 overhead projector used to project the movie clips to show students a different
perspective on trials

Materials:
Students Book Binders Students will put their maps of Monroeville in their Book Binders
as a reference when reading the story
Students copy of the book Students will draw maps of Maycomb based on the story and
will put their maps of Maycomb in their Book Binders as a reference when reading the
story
Graph Paper Students will draw maps of Maycomb and Monroeville
Copies of racial trials news stories from the 1900s Students will evaluate the history of the
trials and compare to the story
Colored Pencils Used to color maps

Methods:
Whole group observation of movie clips enable students to observe another perspective
of trials in the settings time period

Whole group instruction of center activities:

Small group centers
Discussion groups (news stories) students will discuss the trials and how they
relate back to the story
Google Earth observations students will explore Monroeville, AL to the setting of To
Kill a Mockingbird
Group map creations students will map out Monroeville, AL near the computers in
order to develop a baseline comparison to their own maps of Maycomb
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Big group discussion of setting and the implication it has on the storyline especially in
relation to To Kill a Mockingbird. Based on a prompt, students will breakout into larger
groups and discuss how the author used their own experience to create a setting. Students
will discuss the implications and importance of how setting applies to stories, especially in
relation to a historical context.

Require Learner Participation

Whole Group Observation of Movie Clips:

TTW introduce the topic of the day and will then play the clips from Fried Green Tomatoes
for the students to give background information and a visual basis of trials for African
Americans in the early 1900s.

Whole Group Instruction of Center Activities:

TTW divide students into four groups of six students each. The students will rotate so that
there are two groups at the computer station at a time. The groups at the computers will
have three students per computer. Remaining groups will remain at their seats for
discussion.

Small Group Center Activities:

TSW work in groups to collaborate on each center activity. The groups will switch at
approximately 15 minutes.
Discussion groups (news stories) Students will read a few news stories and will
compare and contrast these stories to the movie clips and to the book.
Google Earth observations The computer groups will spend several minutes
exploring Monroeville, AL.
Group map creations Students will draw a rough sketch of Monroeville, AL.
Students are welcome to use cell phones to take a picture of the computer screen to
reference later.

Big Group Discussion of Setting:

Students will be broken up into three groups of eight (attempting to work with a few students
they have not yet been in a group with yet). These groups will be given a prompt (which will
have been in their packets they picked up upon entering the classroom). Based on the
prompt, students will discuss the authors use of her own experience to the creation of her
book. The students will discuss the importance of history in the book and how that
contributes to the setting as well. Students will also write down a few notes from this group
discussion on their exit tickets (provided in packet) to be turned in at the end of class.

Students will be able to engage in multiple learning styles. The Kinestic learners will have
drawing, while the visual learners will have the actual map to look at, and the verbal
learners will have group discussion.
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Evaluate & Revise

Student Performance:
TSW be evaluated on their exit tickets to determine their participation and their collaboration
in groups. Students will also put their maps in their Book Binders and will be evaluated on
their attention to detail and their evaluation of Google Earth to the area of Monroeville.

Instructor Performance:
TTW walk throughout the class during discussion and evaluate students discussions and
determine if students are participating and to ensure students are grasping the concepts.

Media Performance:
Google Earth will help students to tie in a real world aspect to setting and will also serve as
a tool for students to practice researching and evaluating their own research.