To Kill a Mockingbird
Major Grade Descriptive Essay
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. Until you climb into
his skin and walk around in it” ~Atticus
The Jim Crow era is marked by encounters with poverty, racism,
and protest. When the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, first appeared
in 1960, it portrayed these themes during a time in which the Civil
Rights Movement was well on its way. This assignment requires
you to take Atticus’ advice and crawl inside another person’s skin
and see things from his/her point of view. The two parts of this
assignment are:
a.) Select and research one of the provided historical events or figures. Gain as much
information on your topic as you possibly can; the more knowledgeable you are, the
more in-depth you will be able to describe your walk back in time.
b.) Use this information to write a descriptive essay in which you are “living in the
moment.” For example, you can assume the identity of a historical figure or an
innocent bystander that witnesses the mayhem. Your possibilities are endless; be
creative! Remember, you want to be very descriptive to truly paint the picture of
what you experience.
c.) We will be going to the computer lab on December 6th.
Requirements:
1. The essay must be typed. (Times New Roman, 12 pt font, double spaced)
2. The essay must have a word count of at least 300 and contain at least four
paragraphs.
3. Staple your rough draft to the back of your final copy and turn in hard copies to Mrs.
Balthazar.
4. This is due Tuesday, December 11, 2012 by 11:59 p.m. to
turnitin.com!
Paragraph One: The Introduction
Begin with an interesting idea that relates to your topic to “hook” your reader. Give a
general overview of what your experience is like. What kind of feelings do you have about
what you are describing? Remember, your diction (word choice) and tone can tell the
reader how you feel without saying something like “I was very happy yesterday.”
Paragraphs 2 and 3 – Body Paragraphs
Discuss and elaborate on the feelings and items mentioned in your introduction. Use
sensory images in your descriptions. Describe your emotions and those individuals around
you. Also, include transition words and phrases in your body paragraphs (however, finally,
first, in addition, etc).
Paragraph 4 – The Conclusion
Bring it all together. Think about what you discussed in the first paragraph and relate it to
what you discussed in the body paragraphs. Add your final thoughts.
My Descriptive Essay Topic is _________________________________________
Select a topic of interest to research for the descriptive essay.
Brown v. Board of Topeka, Kansas
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Congress of Racial Equality & Freedom Rides
Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Bombing
Greensboro Sit-ins
Bloody Sunday
Watts Race Riots
Formation of the Black Panthers
Assassination of Martin Luther King
Chicano Repatriation Operation of 1954
Cesar Chavez & the UFW
James Meredith & University of Mississippi
Brown Berets & Chicano Blowouts
Abduction of Emmett Till
The Little Rock Nine
March on Washington
Freedom Summer
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Loving v. Virginia
Zoot Suit Riots
Mendez v. Westminster
The Grape Boycott
The Sleepy Lagoon Trial
Bracero Program
Select a topic of interest to research for the descriptive essay.
Brown v. Board of Topeka, Kansas
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Congress of Racial Equality & Freedom Rides
Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Bombing
Greensboro Sit-ins
Bloody Sunday
Watts Race Riots
Formation of the Black Panthers
Assassination of Martin Luther King
Chicano Repatriation Operation of 1954
Cesar Chavez & the UFW
James Meredith & University of Mississippi
Brown Berets & Chicano Blowouts
Abduction of Emmett Till
The Little Rock Nine
March on Washington
Freedom Summer
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Loving v. Virginia
Zoot Suit Riots
Mendez v. Westminster
The Grape Boycott
The Sleepy Lagoon Trial
Bracero Program