1. Visit this link for a page containing straightforward curriculum for To Kill a Mockingbird. It includes chapter questions, vocabulary, and writing prompts.
2. Have students read silently the account of The Scottsboro Boys Trial. Then, break students into groups of 3 -5. Assign each group two "characters" from the trial who were on opposing sides. Examples include: Haywood Patterson/Victoria Price; Roy White/juror; Judge Horton/Ruby Bates; etc.
Each group should write an imaginary journal entry from the perspective of each of their characters. The entry should be written to represent a phase of the trial that is most significant to that character. You should decide whether or not the "characters" should use an authentic voice, as this will inevitably lead to the use of racist terminology.
Finally, each group should read their journal entries aloud to the rest of the class.
3. This site holds a wonderful collection of essays and other work by Harper Lee. This essay, "When Children Discover America," discusses the importance of children discovering the world for themselves. The writing assignment I've developed is as follows:
In a 2-page, 12-point font, double-spaced essay (not the 5-paragraph type), explain a part of your own world (your world, country, state, town, neighborhood, yard, house, room – however you define it) you would like future children to see or know about.
- Include things like:
- What these parts look/sound/feel/smell/taste like.
- The history of these parts.
- Why these parts are important to you.
- What you hope children will learn from these parts.
- Whatever else you can think of to include
For extra credit, include a photograph of the part of your world you describe in your essay.