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A collaborative project between Canadian and American secondary schools
Lesson List
- Project Introduction
- Project Feedback
- Background Lesson #2 - Arts & Culture
- Background Lesson #1 - Biography
- Focus #1 - Meeting Maycomb
- Focus #2 - The Curious Case of Boo Radley
- Focus #3 - Narrative & Point of View
- Focus #4 - Characters
- Focus #5 - The Mob In Maycomb
- Focus #6 - Symbols
- Focus #7 - The Trial
- Focus #8 - And The Verdict Is...
- Focus #9 - Understandings
- Focus #10 - Heroes
- Group - Alexis B. and Kathryn W.
- Group - Britnee and Christopher M.
- Group - Brooklyn, Bryon K. & Kelsi E.
- Group - Carissa, Kendra J. & Michael F.
- Group - Caroline, Katie A. & Lemar E.
- Group - Christian and William F.
- Group - Cindy, Katelyn K. & Ryan J.
- Group - Colton, Kasondra G. & Russell M.
- Group - Daniel and Christopher L.
- Group - Jackson and Ryan G.
- Group - Janine, Mark S. & Haley S.
- Group - Jesse, Lauren Z. & Tyler W.
- Group - Joline, Austen B., Christina V & Caleb B..
- Group - Justin B. and Travis M.
- Group - Katrina, Garrett J. & Melissa D.
- Group - Kirk and Chad Z.
- Group - Kelsey ,Bridgette R., Lauren I.
- Group - Krista, Zach T. & Jazzmine S.
- Group - Ryan, Colton B. & Samantha B.
- Group - Sara, Nikkilyn H. & Jonathan S.
- Group - Shauna, Mark S. & Jessica P.
- Group - Shelean, Ana G. & Donald H.
- Group - Tamara, Angel C. & Allen A.
- Group - Tarrin, Aaron F, Lauren F.
- Group - Tasha and Jasmine Y.
- Group- Taylor, William B., Katie T.
- Group - Tyler and Brandon H.
- Group - Zoey, Julia S.
Resources
- Blog Rubric - Image
- Blog Rubric - Scribd
- Blogging Rules and Etiquette
- Cooperative Learning Rubric
- Cybersafety
- Group Participation Assessment
- Lessons From National Endowment of the Arts
- NEA: Jazz In The Schools
- Project Information
- Project Timeline
- Remembering Jim Crow
- The Role Of The Mentor
- To Kill a Mockingbird: A Historical Perspective
Hey, my name is Zoey. I am sixteen years old and I'm in grade 11. I enjoy playing sports. My favortite ones are basketball and snow boarding. My other interests are fashion and art.
ReplyDeleteHi. I'm Julia. I'm 15 years old going on 16 in about less than 2 months. I'm in 10th grade. I love singing, dancing, listening to music and hanging out with all of my firends. I also enjoy spending time with my family
ReplyDeleteWhat's school like in Canada?
ReplyDeleteSchool is pretty good here. I go to a small school but there still is plenty of classes to take and lots of sport teams to play on. Hows school there?
ReplyDeleteSchool's pretty fun. We have a lot of extracurricular activities to choose from. We have about over 200 people at the school that I go to. But our school isn't that big.
ReplyDeleteMaycomb sounds like a pretty small farmtown. Not a lot of people and everybody knows everybody. Sounds like Scout's teacher isn't fond of her because she's ahead and stands up for people. Her teacher seems real prissy and stuck up. Boo Radley sounds like he keeps to himself a lot. I think the kids make fun of him because he never really left the house like they do. I think throughout the book Jem, Scout and Dill will find that Boo's actually pretty nice and go introduce themselves to him.
ReplyDeleteOh thats good. Our school has about 400 people in ours. So in the book i agree that the teacher is real prissy but i disagree about Boo Radley. I think that he could be nice at times but can not control his actions. I think he may be mentally challenged in some way.
ReplyDeleteTo be an outsider is too not fit in with the crowd that is around you or people do not socialize with you because you are different. Some people are outsiders because they have different hobbies and interests than everyone else. Boo Radley is an outsider in the story because he is very different and everyone is scared of him. No one wants to associate with him.
ReplyDeleteThe children are so consumed with Boo beacuse they do not know anything about him except all of the rumors that they have heard. They want to find out more about him for themselves. No, there is no urban myths or legends from my area that i know of. In this chapter i learned that Boo is still alive. Some new characteristics that i would describe Boo is that he is a nice guy because he folded the pants. Harper Lee thinks education is very important and an essential key to young peoples minds. I think this is similar to my thoughts about education because i also think education is very important in life. The education is different today from back then is that we have more choices to what we learn in school which they did not back then.
ReplyDeleteFocus #2
ReplyDeleteI found that when Scout found the gum in the tree and the events following it funny. I wasn't surprised at all that she ate it because little kids do that sort of stuff all the time, putting things they find in their mouth that is. I also found it pretty funny how scout thought that she might die from eating the gum and yet still ate it after she had a taste test.
I also found it slightly funny how the characters let their imagination run free about the Radely's so much that they made a play about it, and that they were so dedicated to it that the did it even though they knew if they got caught they'd be in trouble. When I was a kid we had tons of make believe things that we'd do that we weren't supposed to, like when my backyard would flood we'd use my sandbox lid to make a boat and pretend all sorts of things. Our parents were'nt so happy about that however, especially when our "boat" would spring a leak and everyone would get soaked.
The children are so obsessed with Boo because not much about him is known so they can just let there mind wander about him. They're little kids and little kids are full of questions. They want to know if what they're making up is actually real.
Around where I live I never really hear of there being any urban legends or anything like that. The closest there probably is to an urban legend here is any of the houses people say are haunted.
We learn that Boo might now really be as crazy as we think. He's leaving the kids candy in the tree, trying to befriend them. Boo Radely is just lonely and looking for a friend.
In my opinion I think that Harper Lee sees education as a slow moving process in the beginning. From how Scout described it I think that Lee sees the education system as not being able to figure out the best methods to teach the children and that can also slow down their process. I think that our education system now is much more improved, even though there are many different methods of teaching still. Now when we're in the earlier grades we get right to reading, writing, and other essential skills we'll need during the rest of our education.
The kids are really obsessed with Boo. Pretty much all they talk about is Boo. Boo now seems like a really nice person. I think he fixed up Jem's pants to show him that he's there and wants to communicate. Another school year for Scout has started. She still doesn't like school. I felt bad when Mr. Radley cemented up the tree. I don't think he want's Jem, Scout and Dill to communicate with Boo.
ReplyDeleteZoey and Julia had very good conversations about the book. All of there discusions were always on topic and seemed to accurate. They mention alot of good things and seem to have a good train of thought for all their posts. One thing they could improve on is asking more questions to eachother. But other than that i found there posts to be very good.
ReplyDeletefocus #2
ReplyDeleteI'm Alie and I'm in one of the honors classes.
Jem and Scout seem to always find something to do. They do seem very obsess with Boo and its very weird how obsessed they actually are. I think that the kids are making Boo seem crazier than he actually is.
Also, I also think that Harper Lee thinks that schooling is very slow and a continues project that brings people down.
If the book was nararated from Dill or Boo Radleys point of veiw it would be much different from Scouts point of veiw. Scout tells it by saying how scary Boo Radley is and tells all of the rumors that are told about him. If Boo Radley would have told the story from his point of view he probaly wouldn't say any of the rumors were true and he would tell about how the children are always coming over to see who he is and find out if the rumors are true. He would wonder why they are all acting like this. If Dill nararated it, it would be close to Scouts point of veiw because they are around the same age and they see and hear the same rumors. Atticus is trying to explain to Scout to not judge people before you know what they are going through. Harper Lee might have told the story this way because it shows what children do not notice and realize until they are older and more mature. It helps you know what Scout is thinking about at the time and what she thinks later on when she is older. A role in perspective of understanding a novel is to think more deeply into the novel and read between the lines. It helps you to understand what is happening in the book.
ReplyDeleteThe two characters that i'm choosing for number 3 is Calpurnia and Boo. Calpurnia is a African American woman who helps out in the Finch family. She is the house keeper and a nanny. She has taken over the role of a mother for Jem and Scout. A moment that Calpurnia has made a reaction to Scout is when she tells Scout that she could come to her place some time and visit. Boo is one of their neighbours. No one has ever seen Boo before but they have a rough idea what he looks like. But only what they have heard from all of the rumors. A moment that Boo has made a reaction to Scout is when Scout is cold outside while she is watching Mrs. Maudie's house burn down. Boo had placed a blanket on Scout so she would not be cold anymore. Scout did not notice that he had done this until later.
ReplyDeleteIf the book was narrated by Boo or any other character, the books perspective would be a lot different due to the perspective of the person.
ReplyDeleteAunt Alexandra is very annoying. I don't understand why she doesnt treat Scout with respect; the way she'd want to be treated. I also can't believe that she's living with them! Wow.
Jem’s Coming of age
ReplyDelete• Starts reading the newspaper
• Tries to protect Atticus and Scout from getting hurt
• Spends more time by himself
• Had a large appetite
• Was growing
• Was difficult to live with, inconsistent, moody.
• Becomes more independent
• Tells Atticus what to do
My Coming of age
When you are becoming a teenager, everyone tends to go through the same phases a Jem is going through. Our appetite gets bigger and we have large growing sprees. You find new interests that you never paid attention to before.
Jems Journal Entry
ReplyDeleteDear Journal,
Tonight Scout, Dill and I had snuck out of the house. We wanted to find out what Atticus was up to because he had left the house late at night and took the car, which he never does. He had also taken an electrical cord with a light bulb at the end of it, so we were also curious about what he was going to do with it. We walked around town until we saw Atticus sitting outside of the old jail. He was sitting on a chair and above him was the electrical cord that ran up to the light bulb. We sat there watching him for awhile, but then a strange car had pulled up beside the jail and some men piled out of it. We all wondered what the car was doing there and what the men wanted with Atticus. The large men started to surround Atticus and they looked to be talking deeply into the conversation. I looked over at Dill and Scout to see what their reaction was. They were both surprised too. But, as soon as I looked back toward the mob around Atticus I see Scout running out towards them. What was she thinking? Now Dill and I quickly ran after her before anyone had seen her. We were too late. She had already reached Atticus and the mob. I was terrified what these men could do to us and what kind of trouble we would be in from Atticus. Atticus started yelling at us and telling us to go home, but I wouldn’t. I wasn’t about to back down to him or these unfamiliar men. Then Scout decided to talk to one of the men in the mob because she has recognised him. From her talking to him, it seemed that it made them change their mind because they decided to leave.
Hey, I'm Christina H. This seemed like a good conversation I could jump in on. Well, I go to school in Wisconsin. I'm on the Cross Country team. Last year I played soccer in the spring, although this year I'm thinking about doing track.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I think the entire book is about Coming of age. Throughout the book we see Jem growing up and kind of separating himself apart from Dill and Scout as he becomes more mature. The book shows how children don't understand most of what is going on around them. To Jem and Scout, Calpurina isn't like other black people. They don't look down on her, the way Aunt Alexandra does. They look up to her because she is smart and knows how to read and write.
The book was written in the point of view of a young girl with a wild imagination. I can relate to Scout in some ways. Me and my cousin used to always act stuff out. I remember the one time when we pretended there wasa ghost in my basement, and we were trying to hide from it. We eventually started to believe there was really a ghost and we ran upstairs screaming.
My cousin, being 2 years older than me, grew out of playing games before I did. This reminds me of Jem maturing before Scout. Another way I can relate is when my sister and I would go swimming and pretend we were mermaids. She's five years older than me, so when she got to 7th grade all she wanted to do was tan, while I still wanted to play in the water.
The mob is crazy. I can't believe Calpurnia didn't stop Jem, Scout and Dill from looking out the window. Atticus should've gotten a weird feeling that someone was watching him.
ReplyDeleteZoey, I agree with you completely with Jem's coming of age.
ReplyDeleteWhen kids have their "coming of age", they have larger appetites followed by growth spurts. They also start acknowledging the opposite sex. Kids usually start to turn on their parents and ignore what they say.
The mockingbird in the story symbolised peace and innocents of people and the characters in the story.
ReplyDeleteScout- She is a 8 year old girl. She is very outgoing and opinionated. She does not understand everything that goes on around her but she has a pretty good understanding to it.
Tom Robinson-He is a black man that is getting charged with raping a girl named Maybella.
Atticus- He is a middle aged man with two children, Jem and Scout. He defends the African Americans. He is also a lawyer. Atticus thinks that everyone is equal and does not think lowly of anyone.
Jem- He is a 12 year old boy. He also has a younger sister Scout.
Calpurnia- Is an African American woman who works for Atticus and his family. She is the house care taker and also a nanny to the children. She is also a holy woman.
Dill- He is a eight year old boy. He is Scout and Jem’s friend.
Boo Radley- He is a caring person but no one really realises it. He put the blanket around Scout when she was outside freezing while. He is the one that everyone is spreading rumours about.
To be an individual in society means that you don’t’ fit in and are very different from everyone else. They do not do the same things that everyone else does that are around them and they do not hang out with the same crowd and do not do the same activities. Another name people would call them are outcasts. An example in “to kill a Mockingbird” is Boo Radley. He is different from everyone else and does not socialize with the people in the town.
I think it does because Atticus is masculine in his own way. He stands up for what he believes in and he is very protective over his family. He also doesn’t judge people and think they are all equal. I don’t think you have to be big and strong to be masculine, I think that you can be strong in other ways.
The mockingbird symbolized the peace of all the people in Maycomb.
ReplyDeleteScout is 8 years old going on 18. She's very bright for her age and has an older brother named Jem.
Jem is a 12 year old boy who is coming of age. He has a little sister named Scout.
Tom Robinson is a young black male who is getting charged for raping Miss Mayella Ewells.
Atticus is a middle-aged man who is defending Tom Robinson in his case. His children are Jem and Scout.
Calpurnia is an older black woman who cares and tends to the Finches.
Dill is an 8 year old boy who is Jem and Scout's friend. He also has a crush on Scout.
Boo Radley is about 35 years old. He is stuck in his house and is trying to have contact with the people in Maycomb. Mainly the kids: Jem, Scout, and Dill.
To be an individual in society means to be different than anyone else.
Final Post-Focus 7:
ReplyDeleteAtticus seems really caught up in the trial and is getting verry stressed out. I feel that is would be okay for the children to watch because they should know what's going on. But, they should've asked Atticus before viewing the trial. As for Mayella and her father, I feel that her father's beating her and no one's coming clean due to the fact that a black man is being charged for the crime.
People in this trial should look deeper into the fact rather that charge him for something he didn't do.
Final Post-Focus 8:
ReplyDeleteOne turning point for the story is when Atticus asked Mr.Ewells to write is name and found that he was left-handed. This was to show that he was the one who actually beat Mayella.
Another turning point is when Mayella spoke. She wanted to tell the court the truth, but lied to get her out of being beaten again by her father.
Lastly, was the conviction of Tom Robinson. The jury found him guilty of rape and battery. I feel that it is obsurd that they convicted him just because he's a black man. they should've seen in Mayella's testimony that Mr. Ewell was responsible for what happened to Mayella.
The major points in the novel are:
ReplyDelete- When Scout started school
- When Miss Maudie’s house caught on fire and Boo Radley came and put the blanket around Scout to warm her up without her noticing
- When the mob came to see Atticus at the town jail.
- Jem and Scout sneak into the court room to observe the trial that Atticus is in.
I think the most significant turning point in the novel is when Boo Radley came and placed the blanket on Scout. This was a major turning point because it showed that Boo Radley was not as weird and different from everyone in the town. He still had a nice side to him like everybody else. Scout is starting to realize that all of the rumours may not be true that she’s been hearing around town.
Focus 8
ReplyDeleteI think an important turning point in the story for the Finch children is the situation with the rabid dog. Scout and Jem had always thought of Atticus as a boring old man who did not like to do, according to them, "fatherly" things. He never played sports with Jem, and never participated in any of the events other children's fathers did. When the rabid dog comes near the Finch home, Atticus is requested by Sheriff Heck Tate to take out the dog with his rifle. Atticus does in fact shoot the dog, and Jem and Scout are amazed that their father possesses an extraordinary ability they never would have expected. This event is a major character development for Atticus and an extreme turning point for Jem and Scout because they come to realize their father can do more than just sit at an office all day.
Dustin S.
Zoey, I have to agree that Boo placing the blanket on Scout is important but I believe the most important turning point is the guilty verdict. I believe this because throughout the trial the trial seems to be easily won by Atticus, but as we soon find out Atticus actually loses and Tom is imprisoned. Throughout the whole trial Lee gives many examples of Tom's innocents such as his crippled arm. If the trial ended in Tom's freedom, how do you think the book would've ended?
ReplyDeleteFocus #8
ReplyDeleteExpand
I think that the main points in the novel are:
-When Dill meets the Finch children, which results in them acting on their infatuation with Boo Radley.
-When Jem first starts growing up and so Scout begins spending more time with Miss Maudie.
-When Miss Maudie’s house caught on fire and boo made his first physical contact with Scout.
-When Calpurnia takes the Finch Children to church with her.
-When Aunt Alexandra comes to live with the Finchs.
-When the children witness the trial.
-When Mr. Ewell attacks the children and Boo saves them.
I think that the most important point in the novel was the trial. It was most important because it showed the children how prejudiced the world was. It also helped inspire Jem to not think like other people just because it was viewed as “right” by society. He still knew that through the evidence given that Tom was innocent.
Focus #8
ReplyDeleteExpand
I think that the main points in the novel are:
-When Dill meets the Finch children, which results in them acting on their infatuation with Boo Radley.
-When Jem first starts growing up and so Scout begins spending more time with Miss Maudie.
-When Miss Maudie’s house caught on fire and boo made his first physical contact with Scout.
-When Calpurnia takes the Finch Children to church with her.
-When Aunt Alexandra comes to live with the Finchs.
-When the children witness the trial.
I think that the most important point in the novel was the trial. It was most important because it showed the children how prejudiced the world was. It also helped inspire Jem to not think like other people just because it was viewed as “right” by society. He still knew that through the evidence given that Tom was innocent.
Final Post-Focus 9:
ReplyDeleteHarper Lee's theme of social injustice is relevant today because it still happens today. Say, if someone has lots of money, like celebrities, if they "think" they did something to them or their children, they're going to sue that celebrity for a lot of money so they can have that money.
Take, for instance, Michael Jackson. He never had a childhood, always wanted better for everyone, etc. Then allegations of child molestation come about and ruin his life. The parents of the children knew Michael did nothing wrong, yet continued with the trial so they could get "their share" of his fortune.
Everyday there are people who are so greedy and don't care about themselves. Some people still even treat negros poorly. It's a never-ending cycle that will probably keep going until the end of time.
Focus #9
ReplyDeleteExpand
Even now in the 21st century there is still racism just like in TKAM, only now it’s not quite as bad or widespread. In my school some kids are treated badly just because of who they’re friends with. Some kids won’t be friends with people just because of the stereotype they’re given. I’ve heard bad things about people that almost made me not want to talk to them because I thought that they were mean. When I actually talked to the person, however, and got to know them I realized that what I had initially thought of them had been completely wrong.
Hey I'm Rachel Green. :]
ReplyDeleteFocus 9 Expand
Harper Lee's theme of social injustice will always be relevant in society. We will always have scared uneducated people, thus racism and prejudice. Right now in my community the blacks, Hispanics, Middle Easterners are getting glares from the white trash of this town. It is even present in my own family [though I am sorry to say it]. My grandmother was called for jury duty and the man was black so she instantly said guilty. My mother thinks she is above minorities simply because she is a white woman. Her side of the family thinks the Middle East should be blown up not understanding that not every Middle Easterner is a terrorist. To be frank it makes me sick to my stomach listening to it.
But I feel like a hypocrite, I have to say I am at times prejudice. An imposing man on the street will make me pick up my pace, look over my shoulder. I fear men because it is what was instilled in me as a child. [I want to say race has nothing to do with it but I can never be sure]. It may be wrong to assume that they are "bad" men, but I must admit it keeps me safe.
I feel that the most heroic character is Scout. Scout shows that she is a hero when she acts just as herself(a kid) when they were in the courtroom in front of the mob. She showed Mr.Cunningham that he was a really bad person to have him go against the person who helped him for free. She acts so brave through the entire book. It's amazing how many times she acts like a kid. She never took the story of Boo seriously at all. She always knew that he was a child at heart. Scout shows everyone that it's not so bad being a kid at all. It's actually better to be a kid and have no worries than to be an adult and to have so many worries about everything. Children have no worries and love everyone; they have a pure heart. As the children get older though, they learn to either be racist, communist, socialist, religious, etc. that when they're adults, they don't view those things as wrong. I feel that we should all get along and live like a child for as long as we can; pure hearted and free.
ReplyDelete:)
Harper Lee’s theme of social injustice is still relevant today because there is still racism that occurs in our community. People still tend to believe that white people are better than other people of other nationalities.
ReplyDeleteThe quote means that Atticus had tried his hardest to free Tom Robinson but because of the racism that goes on in the man’s heart is why Tom did not go free. The meaning of the second quote is saying that you can not hate some one for their race when you do the exact same thing back at home.
I think Atticus is the most heroic person in the novel because he does not judge people. He thinks that everyone is equal and it doesn't matter who they are or what they do. He also does not judge you because of your skin color. He believes everyone is equal and no one is better than someone else.
ReplyDelete