ARTICLE: What 'To Kill a Mockingbird' Isn't

[Shirley Durr]

Did you see the article What 'To Kill a Mockingbird' Isn't
in the Wall Street Journal? It sparked lesson ideas for me -- court cases, parent/child relationships from stories in the news, 50th anniversary issues, etc.. Does anyone have other resources for looking at TKAM in this year's news?

I couldn't help myself and wrote a comment to the WSJ. In doing so, I read the other comments. I think the comments themselves along with the article would make an interesting lesson next school year. If you add your comments, I just might include those, also.

[Andrea Brown]

http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/07/14/1112382/to-mock-a-hero.html is an op-ed piece on the treatment of Harper Lee by the media. I had thought it was written in response to the WSJ article, but it doesn't mention it specifically.

[Shirley Durr]

I finally read the article through, Andrea, and will be adding it (and some responses) to my lessons. You have my gratitude. It does, indeed, sound as if it's a response to the WSJ article, although it mentions Malcolm Caldwell's article in the New Yorker last year: "The Courthouse Ring". That article, apparently, received a great deal of (negative) reaction. This is developing into a lesson on persuasive argument as well as TKAM!

[Shirley Durr]

Some interesting stuff I found while looking for news on TKAM.

• Malcolm Gladwell’s Weak Attack on “To Kill a Mockingbird” By S.T. K... -- may be a bit difficult for many of my students but maybe.

• from a British perspective -- Rereading: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

• 'To Kill A Mockingbird' Anniversary: On Its 50th Birthday, Why Is 'T... By Jesse Kornbluth -- includes excerpt videos from the film.

• From an African American blogger who is ANGRY! Stuff White People Do: Warmly Embrace A Racist Novel. My students will love this!

•from NPR, includes an audio link50 Years On, 'Mockingbird' Still Sings America's Song by Lynn Neary -- a bit flowery for my taste but a great contrast to the above blogger.

•"The Case against To Kill a Mockingbird" by Isaac Saney in Race and Class (2003) which I had previously saved on my desktop and forgot about until I saw this CACE report
referenced in one of the articles above. A pdf is attached it below.

[Andrea Brown]

I also came across this lesson plan from the Library of Congress this morning... http://memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/98/mock/intro.html?THEBIGDEALBO... It uses primary sources and says it was created for 7-12th graders.

[Shirley Durr]

Thanks, Andrea. One of the Social Studies teachers at my school is looking to team teach something. This looks like a possibility.