Reading Schedule for TKAM & Writing Assignment

Creative Writing for To Kill A Mockingbird:

Using the account of the trial in chapters 16-21, make one or more new texts by adapting the original.  Please post this on your ePortfolio and you may want to submit it to the website fanfiction.  Here are some suggestions:

• Write an account of the events of a chosen day, or a summary of the trial after the verdict for a local or regional newspaper, such as the Maycomb Tribune, the Montgomery Advertiser or the Mobile Register. (All these newspapers are named in the text. While Maycomb is a small [fictitious] town, Montgomery is the state capital of Alabama and Mobile is another large city in the same state.)
• Script and present a short item on any part of the trial for a news broadcast on an Alabama radio station.
• Write a scene for a play (stage or TV) or cinema screenplay of some part of the trial. You may wish to edit the original text to make your version shorter.
• Prepare a list of bullet points for Atticus to use in presenting his appeal against Tom’s conviction.
• Write one or more monologues, showing how various people experienced or witnessed the trial. These could be participants or observers. You may wish to choose some of the following: Judge Taylor, Mayella Ewell, Calpurnia, Helen Robinson, Mr. Gilmer, Heck Tate, Dill. Decide how open and truthful you want to be.

Reading Schedule for this week:

Monday/Tuesday March 8 & 9: for HW read chapters 22-24

Wednesday/Thursday March 10 & 11: for HW read chapters 25-28

Monday/Tuesday March 15 & 16: complete the novel ch. 29-31

As you begin to analyse the different characters from To Kill A Mockingbird, please use your worksheet from class and see our notes from class.  Then complete the following activity in class.

To Kill a Mockingbird -  Drawing a Character Based on Textual Support

 Task:  To create a drawing of one of the characters from To Kill a Mockingbird, based on textual evidence.  You will work in pairs or singles, your choice.

 Steps:

 - Begin looking in the novel for any thing that describes what your character looks like, acts like, thinks, or feels.   Use the STEAL mnemonic device to assist you if necessary.

 - Write down these quotes, as you will need to put them on your poster.

 - Create a drawing of that character that fills up most of the paper.  Around the drawing, write the quotes from the novel that support your ‘vision’ of the character.

 - Please provide correct MLA citations for every quote!   Also label each of your direct quotes with either:  Speech, Thoughts, Effect on Others, Actions, or Looks

 e.g.:  Looks:  “…she was nearsighted; she squinted…” (6).

 Although this is not art class, do your best.  Your drawings will be assessed based on use of textual support from the novel and your ability to provide correct MLA citations.  The drawings will be placed outside on the bulletin board and in the classroom.

 You should have a minimum of SEVEN (7) examples of direct textual support; some characters may have more.

 Character Options:

Calpurnia                    Scout                                                      Dill

Boo Radley                Atticus                                                   Jem

Burris Ewell               Walter Cunningham                           Miss Maudie

Grading:

Efficient use of class time                                                  /5

Minimum of 7 direct quotes                                              /5 

Quotes chosen are effective                                              /5

MLA citations are all correct                                             /5 

Each quote is correctly labeled                                         /5

Drawing accurately represents the character, based on the quotes          /5

TOTAL    /30

Next week “The Odyssey Club” will be promoting its annual short story contest. Details will be outlined during Tuesday’s assembly and on the various posters that will adorn our hallways and bulletin boards mid to late next week. For now, here are the details:

1.      600 word maximum!

2.      Must have the prompt (“….and a silent scream split my brain…”)and the theme (“Dreams and Hopes”)

3.   All stories must be submitted to Mr. Krocker, room 306, by April 2, 2010

4. Prize Money: 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Place … (1500, 1000, 500 baht gift certificates for Kinukoniya)

For your ePortfolio (AKA: your blog), chose one of the following topics to write about by next class:

1. Compare your growing up years with that of Scout, Jem or Dill.  Are there any similarities?  Any differences?  Can you relate to any of these kids?  Explain.

2. What is “courage”?  What makes someone courageous?  Use examples to support your definition.

3. What are the benefits of living in a small community?  What are the negative aspects?  Relate this to your own experience, how you live, where you live, etc.

For class, you should have completed chapters 1-4.  Today we will take an in-depth look at the introduction to the novel and go over the Research Presentations from class.  There were quite a few misrepresentations that I will clarify. 

Homework: Keep reading To Kill A Mockingbirdand add additional books onto your shelfari.com account.  Please add “teachwatts” as your friend if you have not already done so.