Name: ____________________________
Annotating Your Book & Questions (Part 1)
Deepen Your Thinking and Turn Your Book into a Useful Tool
Objectives/Grading: The Student will be able to…
C: Read the chapters; if you experience difficulty, come to class with specific questions.
*For basic reading homework, you must at least read the chapters and come prepared to
participate (with your observations and/or questions) and to take occasional pop quizzes.
*If you have not read the chapters, you will not be allowed to participate. You will need to read
while we discuss the book, and you will not earn credit for homework or classwork that day.)
B: Read the chapter, be able to answer most of the chapter questions, write a brief bulleted
summary at the end of the chapter (or on a post-it), underline only the most important
parts, and take 1 effective note per page. (B+ for 2 effective notes per page)
A: Read the chapter, be able to answer most of the chapter questions, write a brief bulleted
summary at the end of the chapter, underline only the most important parts, star key
quotes, and take at least 3 effective notes on a variety of topics per page.
(A+ for additional effective notes)
Effective Note-Taking: We take notes in our book to deepen our thinking (draw
conclusions) and to turn our book into a useful tool for discussions and writing. Try not to
leave pages blank OR crowd your book with too many notes. Take notes on…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Characters and characterization
Meaningful Literary Devices (metaphors, similes, symbols, irony, personification, hyperbole)
Conclusions you draw about the plot or characters (*Light Bulb Moments!*)
Setting
Questions (critical or comprehension)
Humor 
Themes
Motifs (what ideas, objects, symbols recur?)
1) Courage
2) Outcast
3) Outsider
4) Education
5) Prejudice
5) Losing Battles
6) Blind Spots
7) Empathy
8) Animals/bugs
9) Kid Logic
10) (Un)Written Rules:
11) Ghosts
12) Time/Clocks
13) Reputation
14) Hypocrisy
15) Superstition
16) Glasses
17) Maturing/Growing Up
18) Mockingbird
19) Archetype: kid, lady,
gentleman, mother,
wisdom, etc…
* I will check homework periodically. You could have a pop quiz based on the reading at any
time.
Name: ____________________________
Close Reading to Develop
A Deeper Understanding and to Turn Your Book into a Useful Tool
These questions on these next pages will make sure that you are reading closely and
understanding the important parts of the story. I will let you know if you need to jot down
answers or just be able to answer them.
Ch 1 Questions
1. According to Jem, what event led to his accident (i.e. broken arm)? Unlike Jem, who does
the narrator blame?
2. What led to Atticus Finch’s “distaste for the practice of criminal law?”
3. What would Jem do when he missed his mother?
4. What do you learn about Dill? How is he characterized?
5. What movie had Dill seen which helped Jem begin to respect Dill?
6. Why wouldn’t children eat pecans that fell from the Radley’s tree?
7. What did Arthur do when he was young?
8. Why didn’t Mr. Radley want his son, Arthur, to be sent to the state industrial school?
9. What happened to the boys who went to the school?
10. What happened to Arthur?
Name: ____________________________
Close Reading to Develop
A Deeper Understanding and to Turn Your Book into a Useful Tool
11. What did Boo (i.e. Arthur) Radley supposedly do to his father?
12. What did Calpurnia say about Mr. Arthur Radley (Boo’s father) after he died?
13. What did the children think they saw after Jem touched the Radley’s house?
14. Why do you think Arthur is called “Boo?”
15. How Maycomb characterized?
16. What kind of narrative voice or viewpoint does this novel have?
17. This narrator is telling a __________ about what leads up to what event?
Ch 2 Questions
1. How does Scout first feel about starting school?
2. What happens to Scout the 1st day of school before the morning is over?
3. What does Miss Caroline ask Scout to tell Atticus? (Irony?)
4. Who does Scout blame for teaching her how to write and why? (Blind Spot?)
Name: ____________________________
Close Reading to Develop
A Deeper Understanding and to Turn Your Book into a Useful Tool
5. What lie does Walter Cunningham tell Miss Caroline and why?
6. How did Mr. Cunningham pay for Atticus’ legal services; what does this reveal?
7. Why did Scout think Miss Caroline wanted her to hold out her hand? (Blind Spot?)
8. How does Ms. Caroline reveal two blind spots in this chapter?
Ch 3 Questions
1. What does Scout do to Walter? What does Jem ask Walter to do?
2. What amazes Jem and Scout about Walter and Atticus? (World Education?)
3. What does Walter pour on his food? What is the significance?
4. What do you learn about the education of Walter and other farm children at this time?
5. What scares Miss Caroline after lunch? Which poor, gentleman-like boy helps her?
6. How many times has Burris Ewell started 1st grade? What else do you learn about him?
7. What else do you learn about the Ewell family from Burris and Atticus?
Name: ____________________________
Close Reading to Develop
A Deeper Understanding and to Turn Your Book into a Useful Tool
8. What “simple trick” does Atticus teach Scout? What motif does this relate to?
9. Why does Atticus say Scout must go to school even though Burris Ewell does not?
10. Why does the town let Mr. Ewell hunt out of season?
11. What compromise do Atticus and Scout make?
12. What are a few ways Cal shows herself to be a mother figure in this chapter?
13. What are a few ways that Atticus shows he is a good and caring father?
14. How does Atticus show wisdom in this chapter?
Chapter 4 Questions
1. What does Scout now think of school?
2. What is the 1st thing Scout finds in the knothole of an oak tree on the Radley property?
3. What is the 2nd thing Scout and Jem find in the Radley’s tree?
4. Who is Cecil Jacobs?
5. Why does he walk a mile every day when he lives close to the school?
Name: ____________________________
Close Reading to Develop
A Deeper Understanding and to Turn Your Book into a Useful Tool
6. What new information/stories does Dill share with Jem and Scout that seem to be lies?
7. How has Dill changed (grown) since last summer?
8. What superstitious beliefs do Scout and Jem reveal?
9. Why does Jem push Scout so hard in the tire? Why does he yell when she pops out?
10. What are the children playing when Atticus catches them?
11. What are the two reasons why Scout wants to quit the game?
12. What might be the cause of the laughter from inside the house?
13. How does Jem show prejudice against women in this chapter?
Chapter 5 Questions
1. How has Scout’s relationship changed with Jem and Dill?
2. What facts do you learn about Miss Maudie? (Characterization)
3. How is Miss Maudie a type of mother figure?
Name: ____________________________
Close Reading to Develop
A Deeper Understanding and to Turn Your Book into a Useful Tool
4. According to Maudie, how does she know Boo is alive and why does he stay inside?
5. What does Miss Maudie explain about Mr. Arthur Radley?
6. What does Miss Maudie say about Atticus?
7. What lies does Dill tell and why might he lie?
8. What does Atticus catch the kids doing? What else does he rebuke them for doing?
Chapter 6 Questions
1. Why do Dill and Jem choose the last night of summer to peek into the Radley’s window?
2. How do the children stop the Radley’s gate from squeaking?
3. What does Scout see after Jem makes it to the Radley’s back porch?
4. What does Jem leave behind because it gets caught on the Radley’s fence?
5. What does Mr. Nathan assume about the intruder and reveal about himself?
6. What excuse does Dill give for Jem not having his pants?
Name: ____________________________
Close Reading to Develop
A Deeper Understanding and to Turn Your Book into a Useful Tool
7. Why does Jem willingly face such danger to avoid a whipping from Atticus?
8. Can you find an example of prejudice against women in this chapter?
Chapter 7 Questions
1. What didn’t Jem tell Scout before?
2. What 3rd item do Jem and Scout find in the knothole of the Radley’s tree?
3. Infer: Why do Jem and Scout only find things in the knothole when school is in?
4. What 4th object do Jem and Scout find in the knothole?
5. What 5th item do Jem and Scout find in the knothole?
6. What 6th item do Jem and Scout find in the knothole?
7. What is the 7th item that Jem and Scout find in the knothole?
8. What do the children want to place in the knothole?
9. What happens to the knothole?
Name: ____________________________
Close Reading to Develop
A Deeper Understanding and to Turn Your Book into a Useful Tool
10. What is odd about Mr. Nathan Radley’s explanation about his tree with the knothole?
11. Jem’s crying shows that he understands something that Scout still does not. What does he
realize and why does this make him cry?
Chapter 8 Questions
1. Who dies that winter?
2. What does Scout see that makes her think the world is ending? How is this a blind spot?
3. What new information do we learn about Calpurnia? What can we infer about the town?
4. Why does Atticus tell Jem he has to disguise the snowman?
5. What happens to Miss Maudie’s house?
6. What was placed on Scout during the fire? Who puts it there? What does that suggest?
7. What does the calamity reveal about Miss Maudie’s character? How does she respond?
8. What is the evolution of the “time” motif? Where do you see time/clocks mentioned?
Name: ____________________________
Close Reading to Develop
A Deeper Understanding and to Turn Your Book into a Useful Tool
Chapter 9 Questions
1. Why does Scout want to beat up Cecil Jacobs?
2. Why does Atticus tell Scout not to use the word “n----r?”
3. Why is Atticus choosing to really defend Tom Robinson? Is this typical?
4. Why does Atticus say they won’t win the case?
5. According to Atticus, who is he fighting in this trial?
6. What keeps Scout from beating up Cecil Jacobs?
7. What does Atticus ask Uncle Jack to purchase for Jem and Scout?
8. What does Francis say is the family’s opinion about Atticus defending Tom Robinson?
9. Why is Aunt Alexandra critical of Scout? How does she wish Scout would act?
10. Why does Scout tell Uncle Jack he’s not being fair?
11. Why doesn’t Scout want Uncle Jack to tell Atticus the truth about her fight with Francis?
Name: ____________________________
Close Reading to Develop
A Deeper Understanding and to Turn Your Book into a Useful Tool
12. What doesn’t Atticus want Scout and Jem to catch?
13. Infer: What does the last sentence in this chapter reveal about Atticus. What did he know?
Chapter 10 Questions
1. What do the children think of Atticus at the start of the chapter?
2. What does Atticus tell Jem it’s a sin to do?
3. Why does Miss Maudie say it’s a sin to do this?
4. Miss Maudie tells Scout she and Jem have the benefit of what?
5. Who is Tim Johnson? What’s wrong with him?
6. Why do Jem and Scout nearly faint? What do they learn?
7. Does Atticus want people to know about his talent? What does that reveal about him?
8. Why isn’t Scout ashamed of her father anymore?
9. According to Miss Maudie, when and why did Atticus put his gun down?
10. Why doesn’t Jem want Scout to say anything about the Tim Johnson incident at school?
Name: ____________________________
Close Reading to Develop
A Deeper Understanding and to Turn Your Book into a Useful Tool
Chapter 11 Questions
1. How does Atticus expect Jem to react to Mrs. Dubose’s demeaning comments?
2. How does Jem get back at Mrs. Dubose for her remarks about Atticus?
3. What does Mrs. Dubose ask Jem to do for her after school and Saturdays?
4. Why don’t Jem and Scout have to stay the full 2 hours the first day?
5. According to Atticus, what kinds of people use a word like “n-lover?”
6. Why does Atticus say he is a “n-lover?”
7. What suddenly occurs to Scout the evening that Atticus comes to get her and Jem?
8. Why does Atticus get called to Mrs. Dubose’s house a month later?
9. What were Mrs. Dubose’ fits from and how does she overcome her problem?
10. What does Mrs. Dubose ask Jesse to prepare for Jem?
11. Chapters 10 and 11 are the last chapters in the first part of the book. What does Atticus want
his children to see that courage is NOT (chapter 10) and what courage is (chapter 11)? What
is Atticus’ definition of courage? Why will this matter in the next part of the novel?