To Kill a Mockingbird Syllabus
Journeys Unit, Fall 2014
"'First of all,' he said, 'If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really
understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-'
'Sir?'
'-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.'" –Atticus, To Kill a Mockingbird, page 30
Throughout the next several weeks, we will be reading Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, a “classic” in American literature. The novel
earned a Pulitzer Prize in 1960, and it has been said that this book is one, “every adult should read before they die, second to the Bible.”
Set during the period of the Great Depression in Maycomb, Alabama, To Kill a Mockingbird is narrated by Scout Finch, a six-year old girl who
beautifully captures such themes as tolerance and courage. Through Scout’s eyes, we are able to experience the issues that plagued
Maycomb, Alabama, including racial prejudice, social class, gender roles, and superstitious beliefs of the 1930’s. Therefore, to best
understand and appreciate the novel, we will be interpreting the text in the context of the aforementioned concepts.
Dates of Assigned Readings, Vocabulary Homework, Vocabulary Quizzes, Rock the Talk DOK Questions, and Short Answer Responses:
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Homework: Vocabulary Notes Section 1 (chapters 1-5)
Distribute:
 TKAM Syllabus
 Vocabulary Notes Section 1

“To Love a Mockingbird” Article and Read
Read:
 Read Chapter 1 in To Kill a Mockingbird
 Introduce Depth of Knowledge Questions and Share Sample Questions and Sample Short Answer Responses
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Provide an objective summary of chapter 1 in TKAM. (RL 8.1 and RL 8.2- Central Idea and Cite the Text)
How does the fact that Scout is narrating the text impact the reliability or tone of the text? (RL 8.6- Point of View)
What purpose does chapter 1 serve in the text (RL 8.6- Point of View)
Read the following quote from chapter 1 and determine its significance to the central idea of the chapter:
There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb
County. But it was a time of vague optimism for some of the people: Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear
itself.
In the above quote, the author uses an allusion to draw upon the historical context of the text. Identify the allusion and its significance to the
text.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
 Vocabulary: Review Vocabulary Notes for Section 1
 Reading: Chapter 2 in To Kill a Mockingbird
 Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 2:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Homework: Short Answer Response for Chapter 2-3 Due Friday, 9/12
 Vocabulary: Review Vocabulary Notes for Section 1
 Reading: Chapter 3 in To Kill a Mockingbird
 Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
 Short Answer: Analyze how the author uses the character of Miss Caroline to develop the theme of chapter 2-3 in To Kill a
Mockingbird. (RL 8.1 and 8.2) Due Friday, 9/12
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 3
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Friday, September 12, 2014
Homework: Section 1 Vocabulary Quiz on Monday, 9/15
 Vocabulary: Review Vocabulary Notes for Section 1
 Reading: Chapter 4-5 in To Kill a Mockingbird
 Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 4:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Chapter 5:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Monday, September 15, 2014
Homework: Complete Section 2 Vocabulary Notes (chapters 6-11) for TKAM; Read Chapter 7 and Short Answer Response Due
Tuesday, 9/16
 Vocabulary: Quiz on Section 1 Vocabulary
 Reading: Chapter 6-7 in To Kill a Mockingbird
 Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
 Short Answer: (Chapter 7, RL 8.1, 8.2, 8.6) At the end of chapter 7, Scout states, “When we went in the house, I saw he [Jem]
had been crying; his face was dirty in the right places, but I thought it odd that I had not heard him.” Why does Scout fail to
recognize the reason why Jem was truly crying? How does the fact that Scout is narrating the text impact her narration of
this important scene? (Due Tuesday, 9/16)
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 6:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Chapter 7:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Homework: Read Chapter 9 and Short Answer Response Due Wednesday, 9/17
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Vocabulary: Review Section 2 Vocabulary Words
Reading: Chapter 8-9 in To Kill a Mockingbird
Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
Short Answer: (Chapter 9 RL 8.4- Figurative and Connotative Language) At the end of chapter 9, Atticus states, “But do you
think I could face my children otherwise? You know what’s going to happen as well as I do, Jack, and I hope and pray I can get
Jem and Scout through it without bitterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb’s usual disease.” What “disease” is
Atticus talking about? What connotation does the word “disease” have in developing the theme of the text? Due 9/17
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 8:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Chapter 9:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Homework: Short Answer Response for Chapter 10 Due 9/18
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Vocabulary: Section 2 Vocabulary
Reading: Chapter 10 in To Kill a Mockingbird
Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
Short Answer: Read the following quote from chapter 10:
“Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I
asked Miss Maudie about it.
“Your father’s right,” she said. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us.
That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”
Explore the different motifs of the “mockingbird.” (RL 8.4)
Due 9/18
Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 10:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Homework: Read Chapter 12 and Short Response Due 9/19; and Study for Vocabulary Section 2 (chapters 6-11), Quiz on 9/19
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Vocabulary: Section 2 Vocabulary Chart
Reading: Chapter 11-12 in To Kill a Mockingbird
Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
Short Answer: (Chapter 11) Interpret the symbolism of the white camellia that Mrs. Dubose gives Jem upon her death.
What does Jem’s response to the gift indicate about his character? Due 9/19
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 11:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Chapter 12:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Friday, September 19, 2014
Homework: Section 3 Vocabulary (chapters 12-17) Due 9/22

Vocabulary: Quiz on Section 2 Vocabulary
 Reading: Chapter 13 in To Kill a Mockingbird
 Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 13:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Monday, September 22, 2014
Homework:
 Vocabulary: Review Vocabulary Notes for Section 3
 Reading: Chapter 14 in To Kill a Mockingbird
 Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions and Sample On-Demand Prompt
Chapter 14:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Homework:
 Vocabulary: Review Section 3 Vocabulary (chapters 12-17)
 Reading: Chapter 15 in To Kill a Mockingbird
 Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
 Short Answer: On-Demand Narrative Writing Prompt for Chapter 15
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 15:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Homework: Study for Section 2 Vocabulary Quiz on 9/25
 Vocabulary: Quizlet for Section 3 Vocabulary (chapters 11-17)
 Reading: Chapter 16 in To Kill a Mockingbird and “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman (Marginal Annotations)
 Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 16:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Homework: Complete Section 3 Vocabulary (chapters 12-17) due 9/26 and Begin Informational Essay
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Vocabulary: Quiz on Section 3 Vocabulary
Reading: Chapter 17 in To Kill a Mockingbird (Marginal Annotations) and “I, too, Hear America Singing” by Langston Hughes
Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
Informational Essay: (RL 8.4 and RL 8.6) Read “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman and “I, too, Hear America
Singing” by Walt Whitman. What is Langston Hughes’ perspective of America after reading “I, too, Hear America Singing.”
What does the author’s word choices reveal about his perspective? Due Friday, October 3
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 17:
Question 1:
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Question 2:
Question 3:
Friday, September 25, 2014
Immigration Research Project Presentations
Monday, September 29, 2014
Homework: Section 4 Vocabulary for TKAM (chapters 18-24); Read Chapter 19 for Homework and Complete Marginal
Annotations and Short Answer Response for Chapter 19
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Vocabulary: Review Vocabulary for Section 4
Reading: Chapter 18 and 19 in To Kill a Mockingbird
Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
Short Answer: Compare and contrast Mayella Ewell and Tom Robinson on trial? Do you sympathize with Mayella, despite
her rather pathetic demeanor on trial?
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 18:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Chapter 19:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Homework: Short Answer Response to Chapter 20
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Vocabulary: Quiz on Section 3 Vocabulary
Reading: Chapter 20 in To Kill a Mockingbird
Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
Short Answer: Reread Atticus’s Closing Statement. What was the central idea of his closing statement and how does Atticus
use language and tone to persuade the jury of Tom Robinson’s innocence?
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 20:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Homework: Study for Vocabulary Section 4 Quiz on Thursday
 Vocabulary: Section 4 Vocabulary Words
 Reading: Chapter 22-24 in To Kill a Mockingbird
 Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 22:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Chapter 23:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Chapter 24:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Homework: Complete Section 5 Vocabulary Notes (Chapters 25-31)

Vocabulary: Section 4 Vocabulary Quiz
 Reading: Chapter 25-27 in To Kill a Mockingbird
 Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 25:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Chapter 26:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Chapter 27:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Friday, October 3, 2014
Homework: Read 28-31 and Complete DOK Questions
 Vocabulary: Review Section 5 Vocabulary Notes
 Reading: Chapter 28-31 in To Kill a Mockingbird
 Listening and Speaking: “Rock the Talk” DOK Style
 Writing: 3 DOK Questions
Chapter 28:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Chapter 29:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Chapter 30:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Chapter 31:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question: 3
Monday, October 6, 2014
Homework: Study for Vocabulary Section 5 Quiz on Tuesday and Short Answer Response
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Vocabulary: Section 5 Vocabulary
Reading: Paul Laurence Dunbar “Sympathy” and Maya Angelou “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”
Listening and Speaking: Final Class Discussion using DOK Questions
Writing: (RL 8.3) Read Paul Laurence Dunbar’s “Sympathy” and make connections among and distinctions between the
“caged bird” and Tom Robinson from To Kill a Mockingbird.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Homework: Narrative Essay Due Monday
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Vocabulary: Section 5 Vocabulary Quiz
Writing: Grab your composition book and venture on an “odyssey” around your home, neighborhood, the library, school, the
park, etc. Sit down and jot your observations of the events that transpire. Then, write your own “Travels with…” in which you
describe the events and offer your own “worldviews” on such said topic. (See teacher sample)
Wednesday and Thursday, October 8 and 9, 2014
Homework: Narrative Essay Due Monday
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Reading: Read excerpt from “Travels with Charlie” by John Steinbeck
Listening and Speaking: (RI 8.3) Analyze how the text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas,
or events from To Kill a Mockingbird.
On Demand Informational Writing Assessment
Friday, October 10, 2014
Homework: Narrative Essay Due Monday
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Reading: Read Paul Laurence Dunbar’s “The Haunted Oak”
Listening and Speaking: Analyze the tone and point of view of “The Haunted Oak.” How do the tone and point of view of
the poem reinforce the theme? How does the fact that the poem is told from the Oak’s point of view impact the
effectiveness of the poem in reinforcing the theme? (Point of View)
Important Dates:
Research Project (Interview of an Immigrant): Friday, September 26
On-Demand Narrative Prompt: Tuesday, September 23
On-Demand Informational Prompt: Wednesday, October 8
Narrative Essay: (RI 8.6- Point of View) Grab your composition book and venture on an “odyssey” around your home, neighborhood,
the library, school, the park, etc. Sit down and jot your observations of the events that transpire. Then, write your own “Travels with…”
in which you describe the events and offer your own “worldviews” on such said topic. (See teacher sample) Due Friday, October 11
Informational Essay: (RL 8.4 and RL 8.6) Read “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman and “I, too, Hear America Singing”
by Walt Whitman. What is Langston Hughes’ perspective of America after reading “I, too, Hear America Singing”? What does
the author’s word choices reveal about his perspective? Due Friday, October 3
Vocabulary Quizzes:
Section 1: Monday, September 15
Section 2: Friday, September 19
Section: 3: Thursday, September 25
Section 4: Thursday, October 2
Section 5: Tuesday, October 7
Short Answer Responses:
1. Chapters 2-3: (RL 8.1 and 8.2) Analyze how the author uses the character of Miss Caroline to develop the theme of chapter
2-3 in To Kill a Mockingbird. (RL 8.1 and 8.2) Due Friday, September 12
2. Chapter 7: (RL 8.1, 8.2, 8.6) At the end of chapter 7, Scout states, “When we went in the house, I saw he [Jem] had been
crying; his face was dirty in the right places, but I thought it odd that I had not heard him.” Why does Scout fail to
recognize the reason why Jem was truly crying? How does the fact that Scout is narrating the text impact her narration of
this important scene? Due Tuesday, September 16
3. Chapter 9: (RL 8.4- Figurative and Connotative Language) At the end of chapter 9, Atticus states, “But do you think I could
face my children otherwise? You know what’s going to happen as well as I do, Jack, and I hope and pray I can get Jem and
Scout through it without bitterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb’s usual disease.” What “disease” is Atticus
talking about? What connotation does the word “disease” have in developing the theme of the text? Due Wednesday,
September 17
4. Chapter 10: Read the following quote from chapter 10:
“Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I
asked Miss Maudie about it.
“Your father’s right,” she said. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for
us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”
Explore the different motifs of the “mockingbird.” Compare the “mockingbirds” of Harper Lee’s 1930’s society to the
“mockingbirds” in today’s society. Explain. Due Thursday, September 18
5. Chapter 11: Interpret the symbolism of the white camellia that Mrs. Dubose gives Jem upon her death. What does Jem’s
response to the gift indicate about his character and perspective? Due Friday, September 19
6. Chapter 18-19: Compare and contrast Mayella Ewell and Tom Robinson on trial? Do you sympathize with Mayella, despite
her rather pathetic demeanor on trial? (Consider the manner in which Scout narrates the trial scene. Does she narrate the
scene in a way that promotes readers to sympathize with or criticize Mayella?) Due Tuesday, September 30
7. Chapter 20: Reread Atticus’s Closing Statement. What was the central idea of his closing statement and how does Atticus
use language and tone to persuade the jury of Tom Robinson’s innocence? (RL 8.2 and 8.4) Due Wednesday, October 1
8. Cumulative: (RI 8.3) Read Paul Laurence Dunbar’s “Sympathy” and make connections among and distinctions between
the “caged bird” and Tom Robinson from To Kill a Mockingbird. Due Tuesday, October 7