To Kill a Mockingbird Scapegoating & Social Rules

1. To Kill a MockingbirdScapegoating & Social Rules Ms. Moody I.S. 52 October 2013

2. Teaching Point: • We will become Public Policy Analysts (PPA) as we explore a problem present in all texts we have read so far. • We will not only explore a problem, we will also develop solutions to it and create a policy or rule that will guide behavior. Do Now: Read the following quote and answer the questions that follow: “If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.” What does this quote mean? Explain in your own words. Then, give an example to support your response.

3. Steps of Public Policy Analyst (PPA) • Define the Problem (What is the issue at hand?) • Gather the Evidence (What will support my definition?) • Identify the Causes (What has created this issue?) • Evaluate Existing Rules (Advantages & Disadvantages) • Develop Solutions (How can I solve this issue?) • Select the Best Solution (Feasibility vs. Effectiveness)

4. Define the Problem: Scapegoating Others • Read& write a text-based paragraph response. • (excerpt from Woman Warrior) • How does Maxine treat the quiet girl at school? Why? • How does the quiet girl react? Why? • How does the quiet girl feel? Why? • Read & write a text-based paragraph response. • (excerpt from To Kill a Mockingbird) • How does Scout treat Walter Cunningham? Why? • How does Walter Cunningham react? Why? • How does Walter Cunningham feel? Why?

5. Text-Specific Turn & Talk& Whole Group Share Out • Consider what you know about the relationship between Maxine and the quiet girl, and between Scout and Walter. • What is a scapegoat? • What is the relationship between making a scapegoat and taking responsibility? • Is making a scapegoat moral or immoral? Why? (or fair/unfair)

6. Gather the Evidence • All evidence will come from To Kill a Mockingbird • In groups, you will explore scapegoating situations… 1. Each group will be assigned one situation 2. Read your section 3. Describe the situation: Who is the scapegoat? Why? What is the impact? 4. What is the cause or reason for making the scapegoat?

7. Scapegoats in To Kill a Mockingbird • In groups, you will explore scapegoat situations… • Walter Cunningham (Scout blames him for getting her in trouble) • Boo Radley (Scout and others believe he is a monster who preys on children) • Aunt Alexandra (Scout thinks she is too bossy and Scout doesn’t want to be a lady) • Tom Robinson (The Ewells accuse him of raping Mayella) • Atticus (The townsfolk believe he is doing the devil’s work in defending Tom Robinson) • Jem & Scout (They are attacked for being Atticus’s children, since Atticus defends Tom)

8. Identify the Causes • For your assigned scapegoat situation… • Revisit the text to decide who or what causes the scapegoating to happen. In other words, why is a person scapegoated? • Find text-based evidence to support your response.

9. Identify Social “Rules” • In To Kill a Mockingbird, many social norms or rules impact behavior. Some of these rules are moral and some are immoral. Some are used morally, some immorally. Some are followed and some are broken. These include: • School etiquette (Scout & Walter) • Respect neighbors & differences (Scout & Boo Radley) • Respect elders (Scout and Aunt Alexandra) • Jim Crow laws (Tom Robinson and the Ewells) • Lawyer’s code (Atticus & Tom Robinson) • Respect elders (Jem, Scout & Bob Ewell)

10. Evaluate Social “Rules” • In your group… • 1. Describe how the “rule” applies to your assigned scapegoat situation. • 2. Is the rule followed or not? Is the rule moral or immoral? Explain. • 3. What are the advantages of following the rule? What are the disadvantages of following the rule? • 4. On chart paper, write the scapegoat situation and rule at the top of the page. Then create a T-Chart listing the advantages and disadvantages of following it.

11. Group debate: Should the “rule” be followed or not? • In your group, choose a position to defend for your scapegoat situation and rule. Should the rule be followed in this situation or not? • Questions to consider: • Is the rule moral or immoral? • Does the rule prevent scapegoating or give rise to it? • After choosing a position, give 3 text-based reasons to support your position. Also, acknowledge the opposing position, considering what evidence could be used by other groups to refute your position. Be ready to battle! • (Use H.O.P.E. to organize your argument: Hook, opposing position, position, evidence/examples).

12. Turn & Talk: Develop Solutions • With a partner… • Choose one of the scapegoat situations for which the social “rule” that applies should not be followed. • Discuss what should be done to solve the issue of scapegoating. • Write 2-3 ideas for solving the scapegoating problem. • Be ready to share out with the whole class!

13. Class Consensus: The Best Solutions • Each pair will Share Out your solutions to the class • As one pair member shares aloud, the other member will write the solution(s) on the board • After all pairs have shared and all solutions have been written on the board, we will vote on the Best Solutions • When voting, consider… • Feasibility (Is this solution possible or not really?) • Effectiveness (Will this solution best solve the problem, or would another work better?)

14. Exit Ticket • We all agree that scapegoating is immoral. We should now also have mixed feelings about the social “rules” we follow. • What can you do if you recognize scapegoating in real life? • What can you do if you realize a social “rule” you have followed is immoral?

15. …Next: Webquest! • Webquest topic: Jim Crow Laws & TKAMB • Website to be explored and used: • http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/education_lesson6_steps.html • Movie: “Scottsboro—An American Tragedy”