To Kill a Mockingbird
Scapegoating & Social Rules
Ms. Moody
I.S. 52
October 2013
Teaching Point:
We will become Public Policy Analysts (PPA) as we
explore a problem present in all texts we have read so
far.
We will not only explore a problem, we will also
develop solutions to it and create a policy or rule that
will guide behavior.
Do Now: Read the following quote and answer the
questions that follow:
“If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the
problem.”
What does this quote mean? Explain in your own words.
Then, give an example to support your response.
Steps of Public Policy Analyst (PPA)
1.
Define the Problem (What is the issue at hand?)
2.
Gather the Evidence (What will support my definition?)
3.
Identify the Causes (What has created this issue?)
4.
Evaluate Existing Rules (Advantages & Disadvantages)
5.
Develop Solutions (How can I solve this issue?)
6.
Select the Best Solution (Feasibility vs. Effectiveness)
Define the Problem:
Scapegoating Others
•
Read & write a text-based paragraph response.
–
(excerpt from Woman Warrior)
•
•
•
•
How does Maxine treat the quiet girl at school? Why?
How does the quiet girl react? Why?
How does the quiet girl feel? Why?
Read & write a text-based paragraph response.
–
(excerpt from To Kill a Mockingbird)
•
•
•
How does Scout treat Walter Cunningham? Why?
How does Walter Cunningham react? Why?
How does Walter Cunningham feel? Why?
Text-Specific Turn & Talk
& Whole Group Share Out
•
Consider what you know about the relationship
between Maxine and the quiet girl, and between Scout
and Walter.
–
–
–
What is a scapegoat?
What is the relationship between making a scapegoat
and taking responsibility?
Is making a scapegoat moral or immoral? Why? (or
fair/unfair)
Gather the Evidence
All evidence will come from To Kill a
Mockingbird
In groups, you will explore scapegoating
situations…
1. Each group will be assigned one situation
2. Read your section
3. Describe the situation: Who is the scapegoat?
Why? What is the impact?
4. What is the cause or reason for making the
scapegoat?
Scapegoats in
To Kill a Mockingbird
In groups, you will explore scapegoat situations…
Walter Cunningham (Scout blames him for getting
her in trouble)
Boo Radley (Scout and others believe he is a
monster who preys on children)
Aunt Alexandra (Scout thinks she is too bossy and
Scout doesn’t want to be a lady)
Tom Robinson (The Ewells accuse him of raping
Mayella)
Atticus (The townsfolk believe he is doing the
devil’s work in defending Tom Robinson)
Jem & Scout (They are attacked for being Atticus’s
children, since Atticus defends Tom)
Identify the Causes
For your assigned scapegoat situation…
Revisit the text to decide who or what
causes the scapegoating to happen. In other
words, why is a person scapegoated?
Find text-based evidence to support your
response.
Identify Social “Rules”
In To Kill a Mockingbird, many social norms or rules
impact behavior. Some of these rules are moral and
some are immoral. Some are used morally, some
immorally. Some are followed and some are broken.
These include:
School etiquette (Scout & Walter)
Respect neighbors & differences (Scout & Boo Radley)
Respect elders (Scout and Aunt Alexandra)
Jim Crow laws (Tom Robinson and the Ewells)
Lawyer’s code (Atticus & Tom Robinson)
Respect elders (Jem, Scout & Bob Ewell)
Evaluate Social “Rules”
In your group…
1. Describe how the “rule” applies to your assigned
scapegoat situation.
2. Is the rule followed or not? Is the rule moral or
immoral? Explain.
3. What are the advantages of following the rule? What
are the disadvantages of following the rule?
4. On chart paper, write the scapegoat situation and
rule at the top of the page. Then create a T-Chart
listing the advantages and disadvantages of following
it.
Group debate: Should the
“rule” be followed or not?
In your group, choose a position to defend for your
scapegoat situation and rule. Should the rule be followed in
this situation or not?
Questions to consider:
Is the rule moral or immoral?
Does the rule prevent scapegoating or give rise to it?
After choosing a position, give 3 text-based reasons to
support your position. Also, acknowledge the opposing
position, considering what evidence could be used by other
groups to refute your position. Be ready to battle!
(Use H.O.P.E. to organize your argument: Hook, opposing
position, position, evidence/examples).
Turn & Talk: Develop Solutions
With a partner…
Choose one of the scapegoat situations for
which the social “rule” that applies should not
be followed.
Discuss what should be done to solve the issue
of scapegoating.
Write 2-3 ideas for solving the scapegoating
problem.
Be ready to share out with the whole class!
Class Consensus: The Best Solutions
Each pair will Share Out your solutions to the
class
As one pair member shares aloud, the other
member will write the solution(s) on the board
After all pairs have shared and all solutions
have been written on the board, we will vote on
the Best Solutions
When voting, consider…
Feasibility (Is this solution possible or not really?)
Effectiveness (Will this solution best solve the
problem, or would another work better?)
Exit Ticket
We all agree that scapegoating is immoral. We should
now also have mixed feelings about the social “rules”
we follow.
What can you do if you recognize scapegoating in real
life?
What can you do if you realize a social “rule” you have
followed is immoral?
…Next: Webquest!
Webquest topic: Jim Crow Laws & TKAMB
Website to be explored and used:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/education_lesson6
_steps.html
Movie: “Scottsboro—An American Tragedy”