Prepared by
NCTE Team Members:
Gwendolyn Alexander, Judith Kelly, Dr. Charles Suhor, and Dr. William Costanzo;
Prince William County Lead Teachers: Penny Lake, Phyllis Peterson, and Sandra
Munnell
Visit Preparation Activities for the Broadcast for
additional activities: Outward Appearances and Inner Qualities, Role Playing, and
Sentence Starters
Whether or not your students have studied the novel or the film version
of To Kill a Mockingbird, the activities below will help prepare them for
consideration of many of the themes likely to be discussed on the live,
interactive teleconferences. Like prereading and prewriting exercises, these
sample activities engage students productively in initial reflection and
interaction. As students explore their own experiences, ideas, and feelings about
themes and issues in TKM, they develop personal frames of reference for the
presentations‹and the interactive discussions‹that will take place on the
teleconferences.
Activity 1 - Brainstorming and Discussing: Heroes
Place the words
"heroes" and "heroism" on the chalkboard. Ask students to state words, phrases,
and names that come to mind as they consider heroes and heroism. Jot down their
responses as they brainstorm. As the responses wane, consider whether it would
be useful to ask for further or more varied reactions. For example, if students
have given only names, ask for common nouns - perhaps synonyms or near - synonyms
such as "courage;" or ask for places or objects that they associate with heroes
and heroism. If the heroes named are mostly in a particular category such as
sports or TV stars, ask whether any figures from the past are heroes to them; or
whether fictional figures are heroes; or people who are not necessarily famous;
or people who are highly regarded by their parents, or by people in other times
and cultures.
The final student list should provide excellent raw material for
follow-up discussion on points such as the following:
Choose two or more
heroes on the list and tell what they have in common. Choose two or more and tell
how their heroic qualities differ.
Do people from different cultures and
different generations seem to have different kinds of heroes? If so, how do they
differ?
Which heroes, if any, are people who did not necessarily show
physical bravery but showed courageous moral character?
Is the list
dominated by particular categories of heroes - e.g., celebrities, males, whites,
people of color, younger people, older people, Americans, living people, dead
people, etc.? If so, what might be the reasons for these emphases?
Consider
whether these and other points of discussion can be related to the characters in
TKM, helping your students explore and assess Harper Lee¹s ideas about heroes and
heroism as expressed in her characters.
Activity 2 - Our Words, Others' Words
Ask
your students to think of words and phrases they commonly use that older
generations don't use. Write the words they cite on the chalkboard. For each
word, ask them to identify a parallel word or phrase that older generations used.
List the words or phrase pairs side by side on a chart. (You can be a resource
if students have difficulty coming up with a "generational" word or phrase by
giving the word or phrase used when you were a teenager.)
Many of the words will
be slang. The students might state a slang usage such as "digs" for "house," and
a different slang usage such as "pad" can be identified for their parents'
generation. Further, an obsolete word such as "domicile" might be associated
with even earlier generations. Common objects often undergo slang
evolutions - consider, for example, generational slang words for car, money, or
clothing.
Interjections are another interesting and often amusing source of
language differences among generations. Students might seek different
expressions over time for interjections such as gee whiz, right on, fiddlesticks,
yuk, hip, oh my goodness, etc.
Next ask your students to work in small groups to
develop five or six sentences of dialogue that make use of words peculiar to
their own generation, and another five or six sentences of dialogue - preferably
but not necessarily on the same subject - as spoken by people from another
generation. Stress that the critical point is to keep the language of each
dialogue appropriate to the speakers in their own time period.
After the groups
read aloud and discuss their original dialogues, introduce the concept of
realistic dialogue. Point out that skilled authors attempt to portray speech
patterns and vocabulary that reflect the language of the times and the
environments in which the characters live. To ascribe words or language styles
that are historically or culturally inaccurate for the characters in a work would
be a literary flaw.
The writer's concern with realistic language may result in
words and passages that some readers find offensive. In TKM, Harper Lee uses the
racial epithet "" and words such as "damn" and "rutting" (for sexual
intercourse). Realism is also evident in negative events in the novel, such as a
rape and a murder. Point out that such language and events are only part of the
larger theme and moral vision of the author. Also point out that some writers go
beyond the need for realism in depicting language and events, using inflammatory
words and phrases and horrid events sensationalistically or for shock value. Note
that distinguishing between dialogue handled skillfully and dialogue that is
exaggerated, used sensationalistically, or otherwise off target is an important
critical thinking skill for readers and viewers. In this manner your students can
be prepared to discuss Harper Lee's use of words/dialogue in TKM during the first
teleconference.
Activity 3 - Opinionnaire
Ask your students to give their
initial, gut reactions to the 12 statements in preparation for a discussion of
the statements. Assure them that their responses can be simply first
impressions - starting points for further discussion about degrees of agreement or
disagreement with the ideas in the statements. Ask them to write "1" beside the
statement if they strongly agree, "2" if they agree somewhat; "3" if they
disagree somewhat; and "4" if they strongly disagree. They might jot down
comments about a statement that aroused mixed feelings or about the wording of or
the premise underlying a particular statement.
Discuss the statements, perhaps
inviting students to begin with those that struck a strong chord of response in
them. Encourage different viewpoints, but ask students to talk through their
ideas beyond their first impressions - e.g., by considering the fuller implications
of their positions and giving concrete examples to support their views.
The items
in the Questionnaire all relate to themes and issues - e.g., equal justice,
heroism, vigilante action, language differences - in To Kill a Mockingbird. The
discussion sets the scene, then, for the teleconference or for study or review of
the novel or the film.
All men are created equal.
Girls should act
like girls.
It¹s okay to be different.
Nobody is all bad or all good.
Some words are so offensive that they should never be stated or written.
Under our justice system, all citizens are treated fairly in our courts of
law.
The old adage, "Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words
will never hurt you," is true.
Speaking standard grammar proves that a
person is smart.
A hero is born, not made.
No one is above the law.
Education is the great equalizer.
When the law does not succeed in
punishing criminals, citizens should do so.
Activity 4 - Exploring Stereotypes
If your students have not worked with the concept of stereotypes, explain
that a stereotype is a way of "labeling" categories of people in rigid
ways‹usually, unfavorable ways. Ask whether the labels below carry connotations
that are stereotypical. If so, what are the qualities that are attached to the
stereotype? Are some labels themselves clearly negative words that are
substitutes for favorable, or at least neutral, terms?
jock
preppie
bookworm
dude
lawyer
motorcyclist
grunge
townie
cheerleader
babe
tomboy
televangelist
hunk
redneck
computer geek
Ask students to suggest and discuss stereotypes that are not on the list.
Use these activities to prepare students for a discussion of stereotypes held by
some of the characters in TKM, an issue likely to be among those raised for
discussion during the teleconference. (Note: If some of the stereotypes are not
known to your students, you can be a resource, giving your impressions of the
stereotypical qualities.)
Visit Preparation Activities for the Broadcast for
additional activities: Outward Appearances and Inner Qualities, Role Playing, and
Sentence Starters
