English I Name: To Kill a Mockingbird Activity Packet Overview As we read To Kill a Mockingbird, you will be expected to complete all the critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis activities in this packet. In addition to receiving quiz grades for all in-class comprehension quizzes, this packet (and all additional To Kill a Mockingbird word given) will be submitted together for one test grade. Since this packet will count for one test grade, it is important that you adhere to all of the following guidelines. Do not lose this packet. If you lose it, you will be responsible for printing yourself a new copy and completing all questions, even if they were answered previously. Unless otherwise directed, write in complete sentences. You will not receive full credit for responses written in incomplete sentences. You may discuss these questions with your classmates (in fact, we will often discuss them as a class). However, you should not copy someone else s answers instead of doing the work for yourself. Students caught cheating in this way will be given a referral and a grade penalization. Complete the chapter assignments in a timely manner. While we will answer many of the questions in this packet as a class, you will be expected to complete some of the activities independently. I may occasionally check your packet to ensure that you are on-track. If you do not have your packet or if it is not filled out, you will lose points for a homework grade. Bring this packet to class with you every day. Write neatly and be professional. If you wish to type your answers in the document for your final submission, you may do so. However, you are still expected to bring your hard copy with you to class everyday! If you do all of the above, you have the opportunity to earn a very high grade on an assignment that will count as a test grade! Reading & Quiz* Schedule *You are expected to make up all quizzes you miss. Please talk to me to schedule a time before or after school. Monday, December 1 Wednesday, December 3 Friday, December 5 Due: Pages 1-66 Due: -- Due: Pages 67-131 Chapters 1-5 -- Chapters 6-10 Quiz: Chapters 1-10 Monday, December 8 Wednesday, December 10 Friday, December 12 Due: Pages 132-179 Due: Pages 180-238 Due: Pages 239-283 Chapters 11-13 Chapters 14-17 Chapters 18-22 Quiz: Chapters 11-13 Quiz: Chapters 14-22 Monday, December 15 Wednesday, December 17 Friday, December 12 Due: Pages 284-376 Due: Completed Packet Half Day (Finish movie) Chapters 23-end Finish Persuasive Speeches Quiz: Chapters 23-end Begin movie
Chapter 1--Maycomb and the Radleys Find a line that gives the reader insight into the community of Maycomb. What impressions about the town do you get? Consider wealth levels, personalities, and general morals of the town. or Describe some of the rumors surrounding the Radley house and its inhabitants. How does the reader know that some of the rumors are untrue and that fears concerning the house may be unfounded? Briefly summarize what happened to the family. Chapter 2--The Cunninghams 1. Describe the Cunningham clan. 2. When Scout asks her father is they are as poor as the Cunninghams, how does he respond? Through Atticus response, what does the reader learn about the Great Depression and how it affected different classes of people in different ways? Chapter 3--The Ewells, Education, and Empathy 1. Who are the Ewells, and why are they treated differently than others? 2. Compare the education levels of Scout, Walter Cunningham, and Burris Ewell. How do these comparisons emphasize the relationship between class and education. 3. What important lesson does Atticus each Scout about understanding people? Chapter 4--Trees & Tires 1. What does Scout find in one of the trees at the edge of the Radley lot? Several days later, she and Jem find something else in the tree. What do they find? What do they decide to do with these items? 2. During the tire incident, Scout heard something inside the Radley house. What did Scout hear, and who do you suppose it was? Chapter 5--Miss Maudie 1. Describe Miss Maudie Atkinson. Why does Scout like her so much?
2. When Miss Maudie says, but sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whiskey bottle in the hand of--oh, of your father, what person is she criticizing, and what is the point of her criticism? 3. The children view Boo Radley as a strange and frightening figure. How do Miss Maudie and Atticus view him? What do they say about him? Chapter 6--Boo! 1. Describe what Jem, Scout, and Dill do in the Radley yard at the beginning of the chapter. What do they see that makes them run away? 2. What happens to Jem s pants? What excuse does Dill make up to explain the situation? 3. Scout is unable to sleep because she is so scared. How does she describe her sleepless night? Identify an example of personification in her description. 4. Jem has decided what he, Scout, and Dill did was wrong. What might account for Jem s change of heart? How does Scout feel about it? Chapter 7--The Knot-Hole 1. What surprised Jem that night he went to retrieve his pants from the Radley house? Why does this frighten him? 2. Briefly list the items Jem and Scout find in the knot-hole. 3. Who do you think is responsible for the gifts in the knot-hole? Why is this person leaving them? 4. How does Jem find out the explanation for filling the knot-hole is false? Do you think this is the real reason? Why? Chapter 8--Thoughts on Boo 1. Up to this point in the novel, Boo Radley has been perceived as a lunatic or a monster. What evidence in the past two chapters indicates that he is not at all the threatening figure that people have made him out to be? Chapter 9--Scout s Struggles 1. Briefly describe Scout s encounters with Cecil Jacobs and Francis. What happens to cause Scout to react in each situation? Do you think Scout actions can be justified? Explain your answer.
2. Who is Atticus defending? What are the townspeople saying about the case? What is Atticus response to the gossip? 3. When Scout asks Atticus is he is going to win the case, he tells her, No, honey. She then asks him why he is taking on a case that cannot be won. What is his response, and what do you think he is referring to? 4. How does Atticus describe racism in the residents of Maycomb. To what does he compare it? 5. Why do you think Atticus wanted to Scout to hear what he said during his conversation with Uncle Jack? Chapter 10--The Symbolism Chapter 1. The novel s title, To Kill A Mockingbird, is references in this chapter. In what context is it presented? 2. How might the killing of a mockingbird be a metaphor for one of the novel s major themes? For example, what might mockingbirds symbolize? 3. Which of the novel s characters thus far might be considered similar to mockingbirds? 4. Some people suggest that the mad dog is a symbol for the evil that exists in Maycomb, specifically the racist behavior we see. What evidence can you find in this chapter or others that support this idea? Chapter 11--Mrs. Dubose 1. Describe Mrs. Dubose. 2. Explain why Jem has to read to Mrs. Dubose. 3. What is the significance of the alarm clock by Mrs. Dubose s bed? 4. What does Atticus say real courage is? How does his definition relate to Mrs. Dubose? How does it also fit Atticus circumstances?
Chapter 12--Journeys 1. In this chapter, the reader learns more about Tom Robinson s arrest. Of what has he been accused? Who has accused him? 2. There are many journeys described in this chapter: Jem s journey to maturity and knowledge, Atticus journey to the state capitol, and Scout and Jem s journey to Calpurnia s church. Choose one of those journeys and answer the questions below. 1. Find a line that best describes the journey that you chose: 2. How are the characters growing and changing in this journey? Think about how their behaviors might be changing as well as their ways of seeing and understanding events. 3. What do you think the outcome of this journey will be? 3. In this chapter, Scout and Jem seem to see Calpurnia in a new light. What do they learn about Calpurnia, and how does it change their views about her? Chapter 13--Aunt Alexandra 1. What is Aunt Alexandra s major theory concerning human behavior? How does Jem point out the irrationality of it? 2. Describe the caste system that is described in this chapter. 3. How do the last few paragraphs indicate that Atticus was merely following Aunt Alexandria s orders and that he feels bad about doing so? Chapter 14--Gossip and Guests 1. How is the town responding to the trial and to Scout and Jem? 2. Cite evidence that best shows what life with Aunt Alexandria is like. Explain your reason for choosing this quote and what it shows us about the Finch household at this point. 3. What does Jem do that shocks Dill and Scout? How does he explain this? How does it establish his maturity?
4. Why has Dill run away from home? Chapter 15--The Jailhouse (aka: The Chapter You Will Never (and should never) Forget) 1. The chapter begins on an ominous note as the reader receives hints that something bad is about to happen. Identify at least two instances of foreshadowing from the first several paragraphs. 2. The reason for the men s arrival at the jail is not directly stated. Taking into account what they say and their behavior, why have they come to the jail? 3. Briefly summarize what happens when Scout pushes her way through the group of men. How does she ultimately defuse the situation? 4. The concept of protection play a major role in this chapter, as several characters are involved in the act of defending or safeguarding one another. Who protects whom, and how do they do it? Chapter 16--The Trial: Black & White 1. What does Atticus say about mobs and men over the breakfast table? What does he mean by this statement, [M]aybe we need a police force of children? 2. What is significant about Mr. Dolphus Raymond? Why do you think Harper Lee introduced this character at this point in the novel? 3. According to Jem, why are Mr. Raymond s children sad? What is your personal, 2014 response to this statement? 4. How are blacks and whites segregated in the courthouse? Who are the exceptions? Chapter 17--The Trial: Tate & Ewell 1. Briefly summarize Mr. Tate s testimony. What does Atticus emphasize? 2. Describe Mr. Ewell. How does this fit with the information we learned about the Ewells in chapter 3?
3. What is Mr. Ewell s version of what happened? 4. Why does Atticus want Mr. Ewell to write his name? Chapter 18--The Trial: Mayella 1. Describe Mayella. Be sure to include the little bit of positive observations Scout made. 2. Why does Atticus ask Mayella questions about her family? 3. What is unusual about Tom Robinson s arm? Why is this important? 4. Considering the evidence and testimony up to this point, do you think Tom Robinson is guilty? Why? Do you think he will be convicted? Why? Chapter 19--The Trial: Tom Robinson 1. Explain Tom Robinson s version of what happened. 2. Why did Tom run away from the Ewell s house? What else could he have done? 3. When Tom admits that he felt sorry for Mayella Ewell, how do the majority of the white people in the courtroom react? 4. Why does Dill begin to cry? Chapter 20--The Trial 1. Explain what the children learn about Dolphus Raymond. What does this tell us about Raymond as well as the town of Maycomb? 2. How is Atticus closing statement in defense of Tom Robinson also an attack upon racism?
3. Atticus says, A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up. What does he mean by this assertion? Chapter 21--The Trial 1. Choose a line or short passage that you think is important in this chapter. Write the line below and explain why this is important, how it impacts the chapter, and how it impacts the novel as a whole. Chapter 22--Children Weep 1. What does Atticus mean when he says, it seems that only children weep? 2. Who brought food to Atticus, and why? 3. Explain the responses of each of the following characters in the aftermath of the verdict: Jim-- Scout-- Miss Maudie-- Dill-- Chapter 23--Threats and Revelations 1. How does Atticus take Mr. Ewell s threat? 2. What are Jem s major points about the legal system? How does Atticus address them? 3. When Scout learns about the Cunningham juror, what does she say she will do as soon as school starts? What is Aunt Alexandra s response?
4. How does Jem describe the social hierarchy in Maycomb? What is Scout s response? 5. At the end of the chapter, what conclusion does Jem draw about Boo Radley? What leads him to this conclusion? Chapter 24--The Missionary Circle 1. What is your impression of the missionary circle? Explain your answer using examples from the text. 2. When Mrs. Merriweather claims, there are some good but misguided people in this town, what is she talking about? 3. What does Miss Maudie say to silence Mrs. Merriweather? What does she mean by this statement? 4. Summarize what happened to Tom. 5. In this novel, we ve heard many hypocritical and ignorant comments about Atticus. What do we learn about how others perceive Atticus based on Miss Maudie s response to Alexandra? Chapter 25--Tom s Death 1. Why didn t Scout kill the roly-poly? What theme does the incident underscore? 2. What is the town s response to Tom s death? 3. What remark did Mr. Ewell make upon hearing of Tom s death? What is the significance of this remark? Chapter 26--Scout s Thoughts 1. What are Scout s current thoughts on Boo Radley? 2. Why is Scout surprise that her teacher hates Hitler? How is Miss Gates similar in this regard to the ladies in the missionary circle from Chapter Twenty-Four? Chapter 27--The Halloween Pageant 1. What three unusual things happened in Maycomb by the middle of October?
2. Identify at least two instances of foreshadowing in the final four paragraphs of this chapter. Chapter 28--The Attack 1. Harper Lee creates a mood of suspense and foreboding as Jem and Scout begin their walk home. Briefly summarize their journey from the school to the big oak tree, noting some elements that contribute to the suspenseful mood. 2. Who do you think the assailant was? Explain why you think this. 3. Who is the stranger who carries Jem home? Explain why you think this. 4. The chapter closes on a dramatic note. According to Sheriff Tate, who is lying under the big oak tree? Chapter 29--After the Attack 1. According to Heck Tate, why did Bob Ewell go after Scout and Jem instead of Atticus? Chapter 30-- Hey, Boo. 1. Who does Atticus think killed Bob Ewell? Why doesn t he want it covered up? 2. What is Heck Tate s theory about how Bob Ewell died? 3. Who actually killed Bob Ewell? Why does Tate decide to keep this information from the public? Chapter 31--The End. 1. In what ways is Boo Radley like a child in this chapter? What is the significance of his behavior? 2. As Scout stands on the Radley s front porch, she flashes back to a number of scenes from the previous two years. Summarize these flashbacks. What is the significance of Scout remembering these scenes? 3. What lesson comes to Scout s mind as she reminisces on the Radley porch? What is the significance of this?
4. How is the ending of The Gray Ghost similar to Scout s experiences with Boo Radley? 5. What is Atticus final statement about people? What theme does this statement highlight? Final Thoughts: What do you think is the most important lesson conveyed in To Kill a Mockingbird? Articulate your idea and explain how this idea is developed throughout the novel. Please include at least three examples from the text.