Lesson Title: Getting to Know the Neighborhood: Reviewing Chapter Two through Four of TKM
Course and Grade: Sophomore English, 10th
Generalization: The main idea of this lesson is to get a good grasp on the characters and events of the novel’s first
three chapters.
Learning Targets:
Facts: Some of the more important facts from Chapters Two and Three, and For Chapter Four: this is the first
chapter where Scout uses ‘the n-word,’ although she is quoting Calpurnia; Scout finds chewing gum in the oak tree
on the corner of the Radley lot; when Jem finds out that she is chewing gum she found in the oak tree he insists that
she spit it out; Calpurnia and Scout are now on much better terms with each other; on the last day of school Jem and
Scout find Indian-head pennies there and debate about who’s leaving these things in the knot-hole and what they
ought to do with them; Jem and Scout believe that taking flowers or a squirt of milk from a cow or taking some
grapes is acceptable, but taking someone else’s money was different; they decide to keep the pennies until school
starts and then ask if they belong to anyone; Dill arrived and told a bunch of whoppers about how he had ridden the
train by himself and had helped the engineer, and had seen his father who was president of a railroad company and
was taller than Atticus and who had a black pointed beard; according to Jem a ‘Hot Steam’ is somebody who can’t
get to heaven and walks around on lonesome roads and if you walk through one when you die you’ll be one too, and
go around at night sucking people’s breath, and they can stretch themselves all the way across a road and to ward
them off one must say an incantation like ‘Angel-bright, life-in-death; get off the road, don’t suck my breath’ that
keeps them from wrapping around you; Scout contradicts Jem; Jem then gets his revenge against Scout by pushing
the tire in which she is rolling with all his force; the tire crashes into the Radley’s yard inside their gate; the children
start a new game where they act out the alleged history of the Radley family until they are caught by Atticus, and
then Scout says they should not play at it any more but Jem wants to continue to play; aside from not wanting to
anger Atticus Scout also wants to stop playing because she is sure she heard laughter from inside the Radley house;
‘the n-word’ is a hugely powerful and sensitive word that can still have a devastating impact, so its use in any work
of literature (and the emotional impact its use might have on readers) is a big deal and worthy of our attention and
consideration.
Skills: EL’s: Reading
1.3a read fluently focusing on text details when necessary to maintain meaning
1.4c analyze literary elements (plot, characters, setting, theme, point of view, conflict, resolution)
3.1b organize information from resource materials and communicate findings effectively
4.3a share knowledge gained through reading with others
Communication
2.1a communicate effectively with different audiences.
Materials: Lesson plan with discussion questions, pencils/pens, individual skit worksheets, copies of the quiz on
characters and setting (or a Senteo version of the quiz and clickers), SmartBoard.
Anticipatory Set: Have students respond to the quotation on the whiteboard or the SmartBoard: “Used rightly or
wrongly, ironically or seriously, of necessity for the sake of realism, or impishly for the sake of comedy, it doesn’t
matter. Negroes do not like it in any book or play whatsoever, be the book or play ever so sympathetic in its
treatment of the basic problems of the race. Even though the book or play is written by a Negro, they still do not
like it. The word nigger, you see, sums up for us who are colored all the bitter years of insult and struggle in
America.” —Langston Hughes in The Big Sea
Context and Purpose: “Today we’re going to briefly review Chapters Two and Three and discuss Chapter Four
more in-depth. My learning goals are for you to understand the basic plot so far—that is, what’s happening in the
book—and to understand the characters, the people appearing in the story, and to understand about their
personalities, their relationships, their backgrounds, and so on, and to connect the characters and plot to the book’s
themes. Also, Chapter Four is the first chapter where Scout uses ‘the n-word.’ We’ll get into a discussion about
that, and the power of that word, that does recur a few more times throughout this book, and we’ll also look at a
related poem, “Incident” by Countee Cullen. I’d like for you to have a basic understanding of the events of the
chapter and a greater appreciation of the power of words, and particularly, the hurtful power of racial slurs.” (30
seconds)
Instruction: Review Chapters Two and Three and discuss Chapter Four. (15-20 minutes) Discuss the themes of
judging people by their family name, ‘outsiders’ versus insiders, walking in the shoes of another.
Then begin work on skits by having students fill out their individual skit preparation worksheets. Collect those from
students, collate by skit preference while the students take the quiz on literary elements of TKM, correct that, and tell
them their groups. Have them get into groups and exchange contact information and begin working on their skit.
HW: Study vocabulary for the next vocabulary quiz and continue to work with skit group on the skit.
Discussion Questions for Chapter Two of To Kill a Mockingbird
How does Scout’s now going to the same school as Jem seem to affect their relationship?
Jem does not want his little sister being a ‘tag-along’ in front of his older friends, and he may find her to be
embarrassing.
Why is Jem in a haze for days when Miss Maudie introduces Miss Caroline Fisher, who boards in Miss
Maudie’s upstairs room, to Jem and Scout? (16)
Miss Caroline Fisher is beautiful and Jem has a crush on her.
Why is the class suspicious of Miss Caroline Fisher? (16)
She is from North Alabama, Winston County, which, during the Civil War, seceded from Alabama and the
Confederacy and went to the side of the Union, the North.
When Scout’s teacher finds out she can read and write very well, how does she react? (17-18)
She does not want Scout’s father (Atticus) to teach her to read and write any more because he is not ‘qualified’ like
she is to teach Scout and he’s undoubtedly teaching her the ‘wrong’ way. Miss Caroline states that Scout’s father
must not teach her to read any more because it will ‘interfere’ with her reading, because it’s “best to start reading
with a fresh mind.” Also, her “father does not know how to teach.”
Why does Scout suddenly love reading, whereas she had not before? (17-18)
When Scout realizes reading is about to be taken away from her, she realizes she loves it. Up until that point it had
been such an integral part of her life she hadn’t thought about it. She took reading for granted in the same way one
takes breathing for granted.
Whom does Scout ‘blame’ for her being able to write? (18-19)
Calpurnia, who would have Scout practice copying the alphabet and Biblical passages (probably to keep Scout
occupied so she wouldn’t drive Calpurnia crazy) and on the rare occasions Scout pleased her Calpurnia would
reward her with an open-faced sandwich of bread, butter and sugar.
Who is the boy at school who everyone can see just by looking at him has hookworms? (19)
Walter Cunningham.
When Miss Caroline offers Walter a quarter to buy his lunch, since he doesn’t have any, what happens?
(19-20)
The class ‘elects’ Scout to tell Miss Caroline she is shaming Walter because he doesn’t want to take anything he
can’t pay back and he’ll never be able to pay her back. When Scout tells her this Miss Caroline becomes very angry
with Scout and decides to punish her.
Discussion Questions for Chapter Three of To Kill a Mockingbird
Scout is mad because she got into trouble with Miss Caroline Fisher. Whom does she blame for her starting off on
the wrong foot and what does she do to him? (22)
She blames Walter Cunningham and she jumps him in the schoolyard and beats him up.
What did Jem do to make up for Scout’s having beaten up Walter? (23)
Jem invited Walter over to their house for ‘dinner.’
During dinner, what mistake in table manners or etiquette does Walter make? (24)
He pours molasses all over his food.
How does Scout react? (24)
She asks him what in the sam hill he is doing.
What does Calpurnia do after Scout has shamed Walter for not knowing proper table manners? (24)
She calls Scout into the kitchen and scolds Scout for treating a guest so rudely, saying that Walter is company and
he can eat up the tablecloth if he wants to and there’s no call for putting down his table manners.
Back at school, what does Miss Caroline see in Burris Ewell’s hair? (25)
A cootie, or, a louse (singular of lice).
After Miss Caroline has told Burris to go home and wash himself, and Burris has told her he’s not coming back to
school for the rest of the school year, what does Burris make sure he has accomplished before he leaves school for
the year? (28)
He makes sure that he gets in his last insult and makes Miss Caroline cry.
What ‘simple trick’ or life-lesson does Atticus teach Scout regarding her teacher? (30)
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … climb into his skin and
walk around in it.” This is the theme of ‘walking in the shoes of others.’
What compromise does Atticus offer Scout, who does not want to attend school any more since her teacher told her
that Atticus should no longer read to her at home? (31-32)
He also says that if Scout will go to school, they’ll continue to read at home just like they always have, as long as
she doesn’t tell her teacher. Atticus believes in compromise and bending the law sometimes.
Discussion Questions for Chapter Four of To Kill a Mockingbird
What does Scout find in the knot-hole of an oak tree on the edge of the Radley lot? (33)
Scout finds chewing gum in the oak tree on the corner of the Radley lot.
How does Jem react when he finds out that she’s chewing gum she found in a tree on the Radley’s property? (3334)
When Jem finds out that she is chewing gum she found in the oak tree he insists that she spit it out.
How has Scout and Calpurnia’s relationship changed since the beginning of the book? (34)
Calpurnia and Scout are now on much better terms with each other; Calpurnia generally just gently grumbles
disapproval and is no longer so tyrannical. Scout goes to some effort not to provoke her.
On the last day of school, what else do both Jem and Scout find in the knot-hole of the oak tree, and what do they
debate? (34-35)
On the last day of school Jem and Scout find Indian-head pennies there and debate about who’s leaving these things
in the knot-hole and what they ought to do with them.
What are Jem and Scout’s feelings on taking things that don’t belong to them, and what do they ultimately decide to
do about the Indian-head pennies? (35)
Jem and Scout believe that taking flowers or a squirt of milk from a cow or taking some grapes is acceptable, but
taking someone else’s money was different; they decide to keep the pennies until school starts and then ask if they
belong to anyone.
What kinds of things does Dill tell Jem and Scout he’s done when he gets back a couple of days later, and do you
think he’s telling the truth? (36)
Dill tells Jem and Scout about how he had ridden the train by himself and had helped the engineer, and had seen his
father who was president of a railroad company and was taller than Atticus and who had a black pointed beard. Dill
is probably lying about having seen his father, about his father owning a railroad company, and about helping the
engineer.
According to Jem, what is a ‘Hot Steam’ and how do you protect yourself against one? (37)
According to Jem a ‘Hot Steam’ is somebody who can’t get to heaven and walks around on lonesome roads and if
you walk through one when you die you’ll be one too, and go around at night sucking people’s breath, and they can
stretch themselves all the way across a road and to ward them off one must say an incantation like ‘Angel-bright,
life-in-death; get off the road, don’t suck my breath’ that keeps them from wrapping around you.
What does Scout say to Dill about Jem’s story on Hot Steams? (37)
She contradicts Jem and says that it’s not true, and “Calpurnia says that’s nigger-talk.”
What does Jem do to Scout to get back at her for contradicting him about Hot Steams? (37)
When they play at rolling in the tire, he pushes Scout with all his might.
Where does the tire end up? (38)
The tire ends up inside the gate of the Radleys.
What does Jem say when Scout refuses to go inside the gate and retrieve the tire? (38)
He says to Scout, “Scout, sometimes you act so much like a girl it’s mortifyin’.”
Why would he and Scout both find this insulting?
Because to both of them, the term girl’ is a put-down. Scout thinks of herself as one of the boys; she’s a tomboy.
What Jem means when he says she’s acting like a girl is that she’s weak and afraid, and Scout resents this.
What new game do the kids start up, and who eventually catches them playing this game? (38 and 40)
The children start a new game where they act out the alleged history of the Radley family until they are caught by
Atticus, who implies that they must stop.
What do Jem and Scout argue in terms of whether they should continue doing the play or not? (40-41)
Scout says they should not play at it any more but Jem wants to continue to play; Jem argues that if Atticus had
known what they were up to he’d have said something. Scout isn’t so sure. Jem insists they should continue
because Atticus didn’t specifically say that they couldn’t, even though it was implied, which Scout realizes.
What’s another reason Scout doesn’t want to continue their play about the Radleys, aside from possibly making
Atticus mad and getting in trouble with him? (41)
Aside from not wanting to anger Atticus Scout also wants to stop playing because she is sure she heard laughter
from inside the Radley house; the implication is Boo heard them and she doesn’t want to make him mad because
she’s still afraid of him and what he might do to them if they continue the play.
Returning now to the part where Scout quotes Calpurnia about the matter of Hot Steams. This is the first time in the
book where Scout uses ‘the n-word.’ Yet she’s quoting Calpurnia. Why is that significant?
Answers will vary.
Is Scout racist because she uses this word?
Answers will vary.
Is the author, Harper Lee, racist for having her main character use this word, or does that make the book itself racist?
Answers will vary.
Read the poem “Incident” and discuss the impact of the use of that word on the poet-protagonist.
How does the use of that word in this poem impact the poet-narrator, our protagonist, Countee Cullen?
Answers will vary.
What lines in the poem might show us how deeply this incident impacted him, without saying so directly?
Answers may vary, but may include that the final four lines indicate that of all the things he experienced in
Baltimore, only this one incident remains with him. It was so traumatic it’s the only thing that he remembers, and it
blocks out everything else, it ‘trumped’ all his other experiences.
Have students look again at the quotation by Langston Hughes in light of the poem. Read through the quotation
again.
How is the way in which the word is used in the poem “Incident” different than the way in which Scout uses it in
Chapter Four?
Answers will vary, but may include that Scout uses it unknowingly, and is quoting a black person, and she’s using it
around whites, and she may not even know what it means. The kid in the poem is using the word as a put-down
deliberately, targeting a black child (the poet-narrator) to be cruel.
For Langston Hughes, going off of his quotation here, does it make any difference? Does it make the word any less
hurtful for him to read it or hear it if the character using the word is not using it specifically against a black person as
a slur, meaning to be hurtful, but rather using it without knowing its meaning?
Answers will vary.
Poem: “Incident” by Countee Cullen
Once riding in old Baltimore,
Heart-filled, head-filled with glee,
I saw a Baltimorean
Keep looking straight at me.
Now I was eight and very small,
And he was no whit bigger,
And so I smiled, but he poked out
His tongue, and called me, “Nigger.”
I saw the whole of Baltimore
From May until December;
Of all the things that happened there
That’s all that I remember.
Countee Cullen (1903-1946)