DAILY LESSON PLAN
To Kill a Mockingbird
Emmett Till Lesson
AGENDA
NCTE Standard(s): Standards 2.6 & 4.1 Plan
and carry out frequent and extended learning
experiences that integrate arts and humanities
into the daily learning of their students.
Understand the purpose and characteristics of
different kinds of curricula and related teaching
resources and select or create instructional
materials that are consistent with what is
currently known about student learning in ELA.
Common Core Standard:
(Speaking and Listening: Presentation and
Knowledge of Ideas) CCSS.ELALiteracy.SL.11-12.5 Make strategic use of
digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio,
visual, and interactive elements) in
presentations to enhance understanding of
findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add
interest.
(Speaking and Listening: Comprehension and
Collaboration) CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.3
Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning,
and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the
stance, premises, links among ideas, word
choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.
Lesson Objective:
By the end of the period, students will be able to make connections between historical context of To
Kill a Mockingbird and the fictional events that unfold in it by reading/listening to the Emmett Till
song and article in order to better understand the author’s purpose for writing it as seen through
whole class discussion.
(NCTE Standards 2.6 & 4.1)
Activator:
-Go over study guide questions from last night’s reading
-Vocab review—charades!
Mini Lesson:
1. - Read article about Emmett Till—
“Killer’s Confession: A Shocking Story
of Approved Killing in Mississippi” by
American Experience (NCTE Standards
2.6 & 4.1)
2. Discuss the meaning of social justice
Checking for Understanding:
1. Why might this be something we
decided was important for us to read in
class?
2. Make sure students make the
connections between Emmett Till and
Tom Robinson (in both cases, the killers
got off the hook and in both cases the
murderers over-killed the victims—Tom
had been shot 17 times and Emmett was
beaten until he was unrecognizable and
then left in a river)
Learning Activities:
1. Listen and follow along to song lyrics
a. Talk about text to text
connections…the article the next
Checking for Understanding:
day and Mr. Underwood’s
editorial…what’s the effect of
listening to the song
b. Link to Song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=ywc3YFeMiYE
(NCTE Standards 2.6 & 4.1)
1. We will take a three minute pause.
During this silent time, write down what
you are most surprised about and a
reaction to this song/article.
2. Tie up loose ends about final chapters
a. Talk about how Reverend Skyes
tell Scouts, “Stand up your daddy
is passin’” (showing the respect
that the black community had for
Atticus and the effort he put in to
truly defend Tom as best he could,
how Atticus called Mayella
Ma’am and what effect it had on
Mayella)
3. Read as a class Mr. Underwood’s
editorial for the Maycomb Tribune that
comes out the day after Tom’s killing. In
it, he speaks out against the cruelty.
4. Pass out and review editorial
assignment—they’re writing an editorial
with supporting details from the text, a
concession, counter concession, and
closing statement that either supports or
strikes back against Mr. Underwood’s
editorial. The editorial must be written in
the persona of one of the characters of the
book.
Wrap Up:
1. Video about Emmett Till—12 minutes (if time)
Homework: Finish TKAMB and respective study guide questions
Formative Assessment:
Students think-pair-share with their tables and class about the connections that the story of Emmett
Till has to TKAMB in order to help them recognize the history of the time period and have a better
understanding of the novel and Harper Lee’s choices in her writing.
Summative Assessment: The editorial assignment will be an essay grade due in two classes.
Differentiation Strategies Used/Accommodations Made:
-I applied to multiple ways of knowing by reading the article, watching a video, and listening to the
song
Materials and resources needed:
-Book
-Vocab Words
-Article about Emmett Till—“Killer’s Confession: A Shocking Story of Approved Killing in
Mississippi” by American Experience
-Bob Dylan music video of the Ballad of Emmett Till and copies of the lyrics to follow along
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywc3YFeMiYE