Why do you think the children enjoy re-creating stories they've heard about him? Wells discusses the injustice and horrors of Southern lynch laws, focusing especially on the violence enacted against African Americans following the Civil War and Reconstruction Era. but what is life without violence? Beginning of dialog window. This lesson plan on 'To Kill a Mockingbird' will help students better understand one of the most famous works by the late Harper Lee and its criticism of life in the South. Daten über Ihr Gerät und Ihre Internetverbindung, darunter Ihre IP-Adresse, Such- und Browsingaktivität bei Ihrer Nutzung der Websites und Apps von Verizon Media. Damit Verizon Media und unsere Partner Ihre personenbezogenen Daten verarbeiten können, wählen Sie bitte 'Ich stimme zu.' Elderly Mrs. Dubose shouts insults at the neighbors from her porch. In the informational text “The Great Depression,” Jessica McBirney discusses the various causes and effects of the Great Depression, as well as how America’s economy eventually recovered. Scout smells stale whiskey on a man's breath. To Kill a Mockingbird is often read at about 8th or 9th grade, but the actual reading level of the novel is probably a bit lower than that. Author Harper Lee offers a snapshot of small-town life in Alabama during the 1930s, including views about race and some information about events taking place in Europe leading up to world War II. In this poem, the speaker reflects on his youth with longing. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. All rights reserved. Edgy tale of poor, abused woman's journey to independence. In this poem, McKay discusses facing death and other obstacles with courage and dignity, and reflects upon his perspective on the black experience during early 20th century America. The narrator, 6-year-old Scout Finch, and her brother Jem and their friend Dill play children's games, but they also have a clear view of the adults in their world. All that said, Lee's story is about a White family and is told from a White perspective. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. There's some threatened and real violence in this Pulitzer Prize winner: A man breaks a child's arm; a rabid dog is shot and killed; there is a stabbing death; the children and their father, Atticus Finch, confront a lynch mob; and the court case at the center of the novel involves a Black man who's been accused of raping and beating a white woman. Mrs. Dubose is secretly addicted to morphine. Your privacy is important to us. Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder and was found “not guilty” by a jury in July of 2013. A prisoner is shot trying to escape. What does the author achieve by making Scout the narrator? The children enjoy re-enacting make-believe versions of the stories they've heard about Boo. Atticus encourages his daughter to exhibit empathy and patience with others, and he warns both his children that tough times may be coming to their little family; they may hear things that upset them, and he wants them to keep cool. Francis Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911) was the child of free African American parents. It begins with a heading 3 called "Create Account". Excerpt from Southern Horrors: Lynch Laws in All Its Phases, President Obama's Remarks on Trayvon Martin Ruling, Anti-Jewish Legislation in Prewar Germany, The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian, The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America, British Literature: The English Renaissance, British Literature: The Extended 18th Century. We're updating our reviews to better highlight authentic stories and accurate, diverse representations. A drunk breaks a kid's arm. Sie können Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ändern. Be sure to read the passage summaries and our suggestions for instructional use. Told through the eyes of a child, Harper Lee's magnum opus may seem to take a simplistic point of view, but Scout's world is rich and complex, and the author doesn't stint when it comes to the realities Black people face in a racist society, and the pressures that poverty puts on the Maycomb community. In “Excerpt from Southern Horrors: Lynch Laws in All Its Phases,” historical activist Ida B. Miss Maudie offers the children friendly advice and baked goods. The informational text “From Slaves to Sharecroppers" describes the sharecropping system that emerged after the end of slavery in the United States. He risks not only public disapproval but also his own safety to make sure Tom receives as fair a trial as possible. Atticus and his children face down a lynch mob in the middle of the night. The story takes place in Depression-era Alabama, in the fictional town of Maycomb, which Lee patterned after her own hometown of Monroeville. Below are some reading passages that we have hand picked to supplement this book. In her adult life, Harper helped slaves escape through the Underground Railroad and wrote for abolitionist newspapers. Some interesting characters live on their street, both seen and unseen. Below are some reading passages that we have hand picked to supplement this book. See something that needs to be addressed? it had very heart warming scenes and very very sad scenes and it truly teaches to never ju... this book may seem violent to some but it isn't graphic and doesn't go into detail concerining violent events. I'm really glad that I read the book though it has so much more. this... Moving autobiography reveals brutality of Jim Crow South. The events that unfold surrounding the trial and its aftermath teach the children a lot about their father's inner strength and wisdom, and the effects of racism and poverty on their community.