to kill a mockingbird essay plan

The examiner is looking for you to show that you understand the relationship between Atticus and Scout and how Harper Lee uses Atticus to present the morals of the novel.

1 – Introduction

What are you going to do? You are going to argue either for or against this statement, i.e In this essay I am going to explore the fact that Atticus’ role in the novel is more important than Scout’s because………..

2 – Relationships

What is the relationship between Atticus and Scout like? Look at their differences e.g. Scout tells the story with her child like eyes, whilst Atticus is a constant reminder of the morals of the novel as he educates his children.

3 - Atticus

Select a few examples of when Atticus is important in the novel – the trial, educating Scout and Jem. Why are these important? How do they show the views of Harper Lee?

4 – Scout Select a few examples of when Scout telling the story is important – Why are these important? How do these show the view of a child?

5 – Conclusion

Come to a firm conclusion do you or do you not agree with the statement? To what extent do you or do you not agree? Maybe end with a quotation.

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — To Kill a Mockingbird — To Kill A Mockingbirds The Ewells

To Kill a Mockingbirds The Ewells

• Categories: To Kill a Mockingbird

About this sample

Words: 620 |

Published: Mar 19, 2024

Words: 620 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, the ewell family: poverty and ignorance, mayella ewell: a tragic figure, the lowest rung of white society, social inequality: poverty and ignorance, the ewells' interactions with atticus finch.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr Jacklynne

Verified writer

• Expert in: Literature

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 565 words

3 pages / 1407 words

2 pages / 713 words

2 pages / 887 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on To Kill a Mockingbird

A rhetorical analysis is a critical examination of a text to understand how the author uses language and devices to persuade, inform, or entertain the audience. It involves analyzing the text's structure, language, and style to [...]

Harper Lee's magnum opus, "To Kill a Mockingbird," transcends the realm of literature to become a poignant mirror reflecting the racial, moral, and social complexities of the American South during the 1930s. This essay embarks [...]

To Kill a Mockingbird is a well-known novel by Harper Lee, published in 1960. Set in the 1930s during the Great Depression, it tells the story of a young girl, Scout Finch, and her family as they navigate life in a small [...]

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird has been widely regarded as a classic novel that examines the complexities of race, class, and social inequality. Through the eyes of protagonist Scout Finch, readers are taken on a journey of [...]

Description of Maycomb, Alabama Introduction to the Finch family: Scout, Jem, and Atticus Mention of Dill Harris and their fascination with Boo Radley Scout starting school The Radley Place and the [...]

Justice and its relationship with prejudice is the central theme of the timeless 1960 novel, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Its focal point is the trial of Tom Robinson, an African-American erroneously charged with the rape [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• Study Guides
• Homework Questions

To kill a mockingbird essay 1

• Arts & Humanities

Mr McPhail's English Blog

Resources for Junior School, National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher

• FINAL EXAM STUDY
• National 5: Past Papers
• Higher: Past Papers
• Advanced Higher
• Reading for UAE
• Prelim Study
• Edwin Morgan
• Carol Ann Duffy
• Of Mice and Men
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• The Crucible
• The Great Gatsby
• Film Analysis
• Critical Essay Writing
• Guides to/Examples of Writing
• Creative Writing
• Reflective Writing
• Persuasive Writing
• Recommended Reading - lists and helpful guides
• Interesting Links
• Short Stories for Senior School
• To Reach Japan - Alice Munro

• International
• Schools directory
• Resources Jobs Schools directory News Search

To Kill a Mockingbird: 5 essay plans for 5 themes

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

11 August 2023

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

A great resource to help students plan essay responses to 5 different themes in the novel.

Tes paid licence How can I reuse this?

Get this resource as part of a bundle and save up to 81%

A bundle is a package of resources grouped together to teach a particular topic, or a series of lessons, in one place.

To Kill a Mockingbird HUGE BUNDLE

A comprehensive bank of 20 resources for 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. This is arguably 'worth' a lot more but I have reduced the price considerably since the novel was taken off the GCSE spec; however, this may still be essential for teachers in international schools or for teachers who are now teaching it at Key Stage 3 to prepare students for Key Stage 4. Includes: Essay responses Differentiated learning journeys Writing frames Planning frames Revision booklet Differentiated character investigation lessons

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

This resource hasn't been reviewed yet

To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:

• Info & Policies

To Kill a Mockingbird Unit Plan (Grade 8 to Grade 10)

Designing a great novel unit challenges even the most expert teachers. This To Kill a Mockingbird unit plan will help you make your unit a success. This unit divides the novel into six (approximately) equal readings.  Lessons, activities, discussion sets, and reading quizzes accompany each reading.

To Kill a Mockingbird Unit Overview

• Pre-reading: “It’s NOT about Birds!” (anticipation guide)
• Reading 1: Building Character
• Reading 2: The True Boo
• Reading 3: 1930s America
• Reading 4: Atticus v. Maycomb
• Reading 5: TKM and The Scottsboro Affair
• Reading 6: It’s Complicated (structure)
• Final Exam and Project: Beyond the Mockingbird (symbolism)

To Kill a Mockingbird Lessons

Pre-reading lessons.

● It’s NOT about Birds! ( anticipation guide ) ● Who Is Jim Crow? (historical context) ● A New Point of View (personal essay) ● When an Apple Isn’t an Apple (symbolism)

Reading 1 (Chapters 1-5)

● Building Character (textual analysis) ● One Form of Courage (group presentation) ● Setting and Mood (analyze word choice) ● Discussion Questions (Chapters 1-5)

Reading 2 (Chapters 6-9)

● The True Boo (structural effects) ● Atticus’ Guide to Parenting (characterization) ● Dialect in Dialogue (skit) ● Discussion Questions (Chapters 6-9)

Reading 3 (Chapters 10-14)

● Atticus v. Maycomb (points of view) ● 1930s America Gallery (primary sources) ● Symbol Poems (creative writing) ● Discussion Questions (Chapters 10-14)

Reading 4 (Chapters 15-18)

● Closing Arguments I (composition) ● Closing Arguments II (delivery) ● Harper Lee’s Style (textual analysis) ● Discussion Questions (Chapters 15-18)

Reading 5 (Chapters 19-23)

● Trial on Trial (argument and persuasion) ● The Scottsboro Affair (analyze bias) ● Writing with Imagery (creative writing) ● Discussion Questions (Chapter 19-23)

Reading 6 (Chapters 24-31)

● Lee’s Themes (trace development) ● Beyond the Mockingbird (symbolism) ● It’s Complicated (group structure diagram) ● Discussion Questions (Chapters 24-31)

Bonus lessons

● The Suspense is Killing Me! (effects of structure) ● To Kill a Mockingbird in Context (timeline) ● Hypocrites! (group skit)

To Kill a Mockingbird Unit and Teacher Guide contents:

31  to kill a mockingbird lesson plans:.

• 25 complete lessons
• 6 discussion sets
• Connected readings, graphic organizers, and clips
• A variety of activities and learning modes

To Kill a Mockingbird  Reading Checks (6 readings)

• 10 questions each (multiple choice)
• PDF and DOCX files (print as-is or modify in Word or Google Docs)
• Includes answer document

28  To Kill a Mockingbird  Assignments  (culminating tasks and learning extensions)

• Encourage debate, foster creativity, guide research,  and make connections.
• Assignment pages Include helpful organizers, scaffolding, and links.
• Resource preview (PDF)

To Kill a Mockingbird  Unit Test Bank

• Delete the questions you do not want.  That’s it, your test is ready.
• Comprehension/recall (70 multiple-choice questions)
• Language Arts elements (53 multiple-choice questions)
• Short Answer (28 prompts)
• Extended Answer (17 prompts)
• This file can be modified in MS Word or in Google Docs.

Sample To Kill a Mockingbird Lesson Plans

NOTE: Theses To Kill a Mockingbird lesson plans are align to the Common Core standards for grade 10.  However, since the Language Arts standards are recursive, they usually relate to the same standard for grade 8.

Lesson: The True Boo

Common Core standard: RL2 Key Ideas and Details (theme development) RL9-10.2 “Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.”

The message of a narrative (any story) is called the theme. A long text might have many themes. A theme is always expressed in a complete sentence.

Theme: Love stinks. (This is a complete sentence.) Theme subject: Love (This is not a sentence.)

Brainstorm all the theme subjects that are developing in To Kill a Mockingbird .

Chart student responses.

This reading develops a plot surrounding the true nature of Boo Radley. We unravel the mystery of Boo Radley along with the kids. What theme does Lee develop in this episode? (Hint: Jem’s point of view on the events is especially important.)

THE TRUE BOO HANDOUT (PDF)

Students create a chart that compares Boo Radley perceptions vs. Boo Radley reality. This chart may be completed individually or in collaborative groups. Decide if you want the students to simply identify the events or to include citations. After collecting the evidence, students should be able to identify the theme.

What theme has Harper Lee developed about perceptions? Summarize how she uses the plot surrounding Boo Radley to develop this theme.

Lesson: 1930s America Gallery

Common Core standard: SL4 Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas (present findings) SL9-10.4 “Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.”

Scout and Jem are growing up in a small town in Alabama in the 1930s. What aspects of their lives are the most different from your own experiences? What aspects are similar?

Discuss responses as a class.

Your group will present one image from the 1930s America Gallery to the class. You will conduct outside research in order to gain expertise.

1930s AMERICA GALLERY PDF (to print or project)

In your presentation make sure to…

• Explain key terms.
• Put the image in context. (How does it fit within history?)
• Think about the original purpose behind the image.
• Offer two informative quotes from your research.
• Analyze key details of the image.
• Make connections to To Kill a Mockingbird .

Decide how you want students to participate as listeners. Will they be required to ask one thoughtful question? Will they record an explanation for each of the primary sources?

Which image from today’s gallery is the most memorable or interesting for you? Explain your choice.

What are your key takeaways from today’s gallery? What did you learn? Do your findings help you better understand the setting of To Kill a Mockingbird ?

Lesson: Closing Arguments I (composition)

Common Core standard: W1 Text Types and Purposes (argument) W.9-10.1 “Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.”

We have not heard all the testimony, but what are some of the problems with the prosecution’s case so far? Review the aspects that do not build a solid case against Tom Robinson. Why might one doubt the Ewells’ testimony?

Chart responses as a class.

You will be serving on the defense team for Tom Robinson. Your task is the write the closing argument. Listen to Tom Robinson’s testimony and think about how the additional evidence will help you defend him.

How can you persuade the members of the jury to find Tom Robinson innocent?

Read the first part of Chapter 19 (Tom Robinson’s testimony) as a class. Add to the class chart of ideas and evidence.

Persuasive appeals (reasons): Logos : A logical appeal. Based on sound and reasonable thought. Pathos : An appeal to emotions. Anger, sadness, affection, etc. can persuade. Ethos : Moral expertise and knowledge. Determining right and wrong.

If time allows, discuss faulty reasoning and deceptive persuasion .

In defending Tom Robinson, think about the three types of appeals: logical appeals, emotional appeals, and ethical appeals. Regarding emotional appeals, a dramatic delivery is not out of order, but the tone should be appropriate for the trial.

What makes a formal argument?

• Organizing the elements: position statement, claims, reasons, evidence, and counterclaims
• Developing reasons and appeals with key evidence
• Making transitions and connections (transition words)
• Keeping an appropriate tone and style
• Concluding with authority

Click to access Writing-Argument-HANDOUT.pdf

Think about counterarguments. What claims and reasons might the prosecution present in the closing argument? How will you respond?

Lesson: To Kill a Mockingbird in Context (timeline)

Key standard: RL9 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas RL7-8.9 “Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history.”

What do you think Harper Lee wanted to accomplish in writing To Kill a Mockingbird ? (Of course, she may have had many reasons.)

Harper Lee wanted to entertain readers and be compensated, but she may have had larger goals. After all, she published in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement.

To think about how this work of fiction relates to real history, you will create a timeline of key terms and events. You must sort the terms in chronological order from earliest to latest.

Include the fictional events of To Kill a Mockingbird (1933-1935) and the publication of To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) in your timeline.

Click to access To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Context-HANDOUT.pdf

How does Harper Lee mirror real-life events in To Kill a Mockingbird ? Why does she create these similarities?

Think about the people reading To Kill a Mockingbird for the first time in 1960. How do you think different people reacted to the novel?

Lesson: Beyond the Mockingbird (symbolism)

Common Core standard: RL2 Main Ideas and Details (theme) RL9-10.2 “Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.”

SYMBOLISM DRILL! Choose four examples from the list and offer an idea about what each might represent in a creative work. Be imaginative!

What objects, places, events, or people in To Kill a Mockingbird might be symbols?

Harper Lee uses symbols to develop the novel’s themes (messages about life). Each group is to choose one symbolic element from the list and present analysis on its development.

Decide how extensively students must use textual evidence. This presentation could work at varying levels of formality.

Your presentation must include…

• Relevant textual evidence with analysis
• An explanation of how Lee creates the symbolism
• The connection between the symbol and a theme

Speaking and Listening (SL9-10.6): Practice presentating in a professional manner.

• Posture (standing up straight and not fidgeting)
• Movement (engaging eye contact and gestures)
• Voice (clear, paced, and with inflection)
• Tone (formal vocabulary and phrasing)
• Explanation (Do not read off the screen or board. The text is a list of concepts and details that you will explain, not a script. Expand on the key terms, phrases, and visuals with your expert knowledge.)

Does symbolism have an impact on you as a reader or is it a wasted effort? Explain your answer.

Which symbol from To Kill a Mockingbird is most impactful to you as a reader? Explain your choice.

Create an outline for a short story that includes a symbol. Briefly outline the characters, setting, plot, theme, and symbol.

Goals of the To Kill a Mockingbird Unit:

Analyze point of view. Explain how Lee’s choice of narrator impacts the telling.  The narrator is an adult, but, through her memories, we adopt a childish point of view.  As a result, the reader benefits from two points of view in one.

Trace theme development.   Lee packs T o Kill a Mockingbird with messages about life and human nature.  Major themes on understanding others, protecting the innocent, and prejudice develop through a variety of literary elements.

Interpret symbolism and analyze its use.   While the mockingbird symbol is heavy-handed and obvious, Lee also creates more subtle symbols.  Recognize symbols, analyze their development, and explain the author’s purpose.

Make connections to historical context. Explain how the setting of the novel and the time of publication relate to historical realities and events.

Recognize the complexities of structure.  At first glance, TKM seems like a straightforward recollection.  Closer inspection reveals a text with two parts, parallel main plots, episodic subplots, and a wealth of structural effects that weave together in a cohesive whole.

Describe the author’s style.  The highlights of Lee’s style in To Kill a Mockingbird include how she integrates dialect, creates imagery, and establishes tone.

Explore methods of characterization. In TKM Harper Lee creates some of the most memorable characters of American literature.  Explain characterization methods in general and characterization in TKM specifically.

Download the complete resource :

Thanks for checking out  to kill a mockingbird unit plan.

I started TeachNovels after many frustrating years of trying to find the perfect resources for the books that I wanted to teach. It is my sincere hope that you have found some ideas that you can use in your teaching practice. Check out all of the TKM posts for more ideas and resources.

Related Post:  To Kill a Mockingbird Unit Test (PDF)

NOTE: I developed my To Kill a Mockingbird Unit for grade 8 at a magnet school (special admission with IEP inclusion). I aligned the unit to Common Core standards for grade 9 and 10 as part of an accelerated program.  Since the Language Arts standards are recursive, the goals for each standards are similar from grade to grade.