Students’ age range: 14-16

Topic: How Writer Develops Theme of Racism

 

Description: Step 1
Students will watch a clip of a popular trial involving a black man and a white woman. Students will discuss what impact the race of the defendant and victim had on the outcome of the trial. Students will be asked to compare the issue on the video clip to the situation described in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird.

Step 2
Students will in pairs discuss how racism is shown (a) in 2018 and (b) in 1950 and discuss which era was better/worse and give reasons for their response. Students will be told to google search 'Black lives matter' and explain the reason behind the movement.

Step 3
Students will use graphic organizer to detail the steps that lead up to selected characters being treated unfairly because of their race. Students will listen as a section of the text is read and discuss how the think the character should have responded.

Step 4
Students will listen to clips of various civil rights advocates using their smartphones to identify them and make comments on the ways in which those people would have responded to the situation faced by the characters in the text. Students will identify specific examples of racism and the response of selected characters and give reasons for their responses.