Title: Exploring Themes of To Kill a Mockingbird Part 1

Subject: English
Grade Level: 9

Time Allotted: 55 minutes

Materials Required: Die, set of vocabulary words related to theme of text, variety of sticky notes.
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Michigan Curriculum Framework:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text,
including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

Objective(s):
1. The learner will identify different themes through the Vocabulary Rock and Roll strategy.
2. The learner will use the different themes defined through the Vocabulary Rock and Roll strategy to
break down the development of the themes by reading 10 pages of To Kill a Mockingbird.
3. The learner will break down the development of the themes through 2-3 specific details from the text as
evidence by taking notes of their thoughts on the text through the Sticky Note/Stop sign strategy.
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Instructional Procedure: What information do students need to accomplish the objective(s)?
Time
Essential Element
Allotted
5-10
1. Anticipatory Set:
minutes
Use Vocabulary Rock and Roll strategy as anticipatory set.
Have a student come up to roll the die through equity stick and pull out a vocabulary card.
o The vocabulary words should be related to key terms from To Kill a Mockingbird (e.g.
justice, ideal/perfect world, perspective, innocence, compassion, evil, morals, courage,
growing up, hope).
Have students perform what the die tells them to perform.
Repeat process about 5-10 times, depending on how fast students respond to the words.
o Emphasize to students they can be as creative as they want to be in performing the
tasks.
Wrap up the anticipatory set with discussion for student thoughts on the words and the strategy.
*This is the application of the Vocabulary Rock and Roll strategy (Strategy #1).
1-2
minutes

2. State Purpose and Objective(s) of Lesson:

Thank you for doing a great job participating in the Vocabulary Rock and Roll. All these
words you just had to define through the different ways are some words which are related to our
text. Vocabulary Rock and Roll will help us with our objective for the day. Today we will be
breaking down the development of the themes through 2-3 specific details from the
text as evidence by taking notes of the text through the Sticky Note/Stop sign strategy.
o Have objectives on the board/PowerPoint:
The learner will identify different themes through the Vocabulary Rock
and Roll strategy.
The learner will use the different themes defined through the

SOE Faculty, 2/26/10

40
minutes

Vocabulary Rock and Roll strategy to break down the development of

the themes by reading 10 pages of To Kill a Mockingbird.
The learner will break down the development of the themes through 2-3
specific details from the text as evidence by taking notes of their
thoughts on the text through the Sticky Note/Stop sign strategy.

3. Plan for Instruction:

Have students take To Kill a Mockingbird out on their desks.
Explain to students:
o They will be having silent reading time.
o They will make a Stop sign on one of the sticky notes, take the sticky note, and stick
it to the end of page 10 to mark that is how much they will be reading for class.
o While they are reading, they must have at least 3 sticky notes throughout their reading
either asking questions or making connections to specific quotes, particularly in regard
to some of the vocabulary words just defined.
Have words available on PowerPoint/board for students to reference.
*This is the application of the Sticky Note/Stop sign strategy (Strategy #2).
Once students are done with the reading, have students get into pairs or groups of 3 to discuss
their questions and connections, and to connect their questions and connections back to the
theme words.
o Give 5-10 minutes for discussion.
o Explain to students to write down notes on their discussions and take note of specific
details/evidence from the text for the teacher to take later as formative assessment.
Bring students back together as a class and tell students to share 2-3 discussion points, citing
words/phrases/quotes as evidence for each point.
4. Differentiation Considerations (accommodations):
For students who get through the reading activity quickly, check with the students and have
them read through the text to make note (with the sticky notes) any new vocabulary words or
any words that remind them of the words related to theme.
For struggling readers, talk to them individually and ask how many pages they would feel
comfortable reading till, put the Stop sign up to the page they are confident to finish reading
in class, to have at least 1 sticky note, and to write down unfamiliar vocabulary words on a
separate sticky note with page numbers.
Group strong readers with struggling readers and average readers with average readers.
5. Assessment:
Formal formative assessment
o Make note of which students are struggling to define some of the words in Vocabulary
Rock and Roll and write names down while students are reading.
o Small group discussion notes
Informal formative assessment
o Take note of both small group and whole class discussions and make mental note of who
may be struggling.

5
minutes

6. Closure:
Ask students what their one takeaway is from this lesson.
Ask students if they have any questions.
Thank students and assign 20 pages of reading, using the Sticky Note/Stop sign to make notes.
Look over small group discussion notes and provide feedback.

SOE Faculty, 2/26/10