Book Review - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Introduction

To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, is a well written book published in the 1960s.  The front cover is black except for the writing and a small little bird standing alone.  It looks like it represents Tom Robinson, the main coloured man in the story.  He is truly alone in his struggle for justice except for Atticus Finch who fights to help him.  On the back of the book it tells us about Atticus teaching his two kids, Jem and Scout, about injustice and unfairness to different races while he fights Tom’s case. 

The book tells the story through the eyes of a young child, Scout Finch.  She witnesses this injustice going on around her and sees Tom Robinson’s trial.  The family must suffer the names they’re being called.  The local people don’t approve of Atticus defending a black man who has been charged with the rape of a white girl.   The court case is the central part of the novel but a lot of the book is dedicated to before the case and the racist opinions of neighbours in the ‘sleepy’ town of Maycomb. 

To Kill a Mocking Birk TOM ROBINSON - NOT GUILTY

Our class acted as jury and we found that Tom Robinson was not guilty of raping Mayella Ewell.  Here are the reasons why:

Celebrating Malala and the Strength of Girls Everywhere

Excellent article about Malala from the Huffington post.

As the parents of young girls and people who believe that girls can change the world, today we're celebrating International Day of the Girl and the power of girls everywhere. One girl in the news right now embodies this strength: Malala Yousafzai.

She's only 16, but Malala is many things: a champion for girls' right to education, a survivor, an inspiration, an older sister, and a role model.

To Kill a Mockingbird - Newspaper Article Killing of Tim Johnson by ecenglish13

Heaney - The Underground

The Underground by Seamus Heaney   -   Visual images of poem  -  Ordinary Level L/C

Romeo and Juliet Themes

Romeo & juliet themes lesson from katstrelow

Newspaper Templates

Extranewspapers

 

I often get  students to write newspaper articles in relation to various topics covered in class! It is great to see this work in a newspaper, I find this handy, and easy to use, Word newspaper template resource useful for this purpose.  It includes a number of different templates that can be edited to suit  purpose and taste!

This is an example of one of the templates:

 

 

 

This was the haunting picture of an Afgan girl which appeared on the cover of the National Geographic June 1985.  It is a great picture for use as an aid in creative writing.

This is as she is today and the story of the girl whose  eyes have captivated the world since she appeared on that cover is told here .   Good use can also be made of the above photo for discussion, creative writing, her story is good for reading/comprehension and finally comparisons between student writng and her true story can be made and discussed!!

STORYBOARD

Comic strips for the classroom!  

Examples above and here show how they are used to explain conflict in literature. 

Have a go on Storyboard That!!

PERSUASIVE WRITING

This is a good video for helping with Persuasive Writing.

Thanks to Gormanstown English for sharing it!

ROMEO & JULIET

Dire Straits Romeo & Juliet...a gem

 

...and for a more modern take, Taylor Swift Love Story

Romeo & Juliet - Prologue Rap

Here's a nice way of introducing the Prologue using a RAP 

Romeo & Juliet Audio Book

Romeo & Juliet - Study Resources

Some useful resources:

1. The entire play online.
2. The death scene (Act 5 Sc.3) as performed by the Globe Theatre Company.
3. Shakespeare Online Guide to Romeo and Juliet with summary and analysis.
4. opensourceSHAKESPEARE text with one click quote correlation.
5. Grammarmancomic.com: Comic strip of balcony scene with worksheet.
6. BBC GCSE Bitesize: Video, analysis and more.
7. A collection of art inspired by Romeo and Juliet.
8. Lit Charts.com guide to Romeo and Juliet.

Thanks to  Newbridge College English Blog for the above resources

GREAT RESOURCE FOR STUDYING MACBETH

Globe Education’s online exploration of Macbeth for Playing Shakespeare!
Discover more about Shakespeare’s dark tragedy with unique resources on language, character, themes and performance.
You can't forget that at the end of the day Shakespeare's plays were written to be performed and that's where the magic really happens. But even if you didn’t see this production at the Globe, you can still have a look at some of the pictures, videos and interviews taken throughout rehearsals. We hope they’ll give you a feel of how this production of Macbeth came together as a whole. The Character profile pages and Text in Performance folders will be frequently updated with new images and interviews, so be sure to check back regularly.
Enjoy, and let us know what you think!

The Trenches World War 1

In the novel How Many Miles to Babylon Alec and Jerry end up in the trenches fighting on the front line in World War1.  The conditions were horrific, this short video gives us an insight into what the two young men would have experienced at the time.  It is footage from WW1, there are many other clips from WW1 available on YouTube, if you find some good ones let us know.

How Many Miles to Babylon Tweets!

These are the 5th year Tweets in relation to Alicia in the novel.  Can you find examples from the text to back up your comments?

Great Tweets Girls!   

EC English‏@ecenglish13

Alicia is a very uncaring mother & likes to control Alec. Frederick doesn't get along with her either. Frederick is getting old. #Babylon13 

EC English‏@ecenglish13

5th years are reading How Many Miles to Babylon as their single text for the LC. Join us & follow our tweets about the novel #Babylon13

EC English‏@ecenglish13

For Alicia it is important which class people belong to. #Babylon13

EC English‏@ecenglish13

Alicia is pretty cold hearted because she is not interested in other people or how they feel. #Babylon13

 

EC English‏@ecenglish13

Alec prefers his dad to his mam. #Babylon13                     

EC English‏@ecenglish13

Alicia is not a nice person. She is Alec's mother & gives him a horrible time, always giving out to him for nothing. #Babylon13                    

EC English‏@ecenglish13

On the outside Mrs. Moore seems nice but she is not. #Babylon13

EC English‏@ecenglish13

Mrs Moore is a cruel person who judges others and treats her son Alec like a slave or a dog. #Babylon13

EC English‏@ecenglish13

Alicia is a very stuck up woman #Babylon13             

 

EC English‏@ecenglish13

Alicia is not a nice person. She is very mean to Alec's friend Jerry. Alicia always thinks she is in charge of every1. #Babylon13      

 

EC English‏@ecenglish13

Alicia doesn't get along with her husband Frederick or her son Alec.#Babylon13

EC English‏@ecenglish13

Alicia is Alec's mother. She is not a very happy person she is very controlling and wants everything to be done for her #Babylon13    

 

EC English‏@ecenglish13

Alicia is a mean person. She can't stand her husband and treats her son Alec like a stranger #Babylon13

 

EC English‏@ecenglish13

Alicia is a heartless person & has a bad relationship with her family members. She is angry & unhappy beneath the 'nice' surface #babylon13

There are many people in this world that can make us feel invisible.
 But there is always at least one person who makes us feel invincible.
Empty hallways. Well, they may as well be.
Not a glance is thrown either way.
Slowly moulding into the walls and pathways of a dull colourless world.
No sunshine. 
Only dark, unforgiving clouds that hang over the earth like a grudge.
I feel invisible.
No smiles, no happy gestures.
Ignorance. And sorrow. 
Furrowed eyebrows and lips twisted into permanent frowns. 
Same lifeless, soul-sucking grey.

A voice.  Mellifluous, soft.  Like a bird's song in spring.
A simple hug, a peck on the cheek.
Slate coloured eyes burst to deep cerulean, colour spreading like wildfire.
Greens, yellows, blues hitting the atmosphere like paint splatters on a blank canvas.
A smile, bright eyes make the world alive again as happiness floods the once dry rivers.
A hand is taken in anothers as a journey from a dark room is taken for the last time.  I feel invincible.

ED

Age 16 TY

A Day in the Life of a Dog

I listened carefully to my paws gently crushing the leaves that were strewn across the forest floor.  Moving swiftly along, not a care in the world. 

I'd be reaching the town soon.  I had slowed down to listen to the mellifluous sound of the birds singing their morning chorus.  I laughted to myself.  My long russet-coloured plume swaying along behind me, as if it was conducting the birds in their song.

Finally I had reached the road.  A gentle zephyr flew past me, ruffling my silken coat and gently moving the fallen leaves along the pavement.  It was a sombre day in November.  Giant puffs of cloud hovered above my head.  Rays of golden sunlight were struggling to break through.

I trotted along cheerfully.  My amber irises scanning my surroundings, I soon spotted something of great interrest: A Butcher's Shop.  I lurched forward.  My mighty paws beating off the cracked pavement as I galloped.

I waited until the butcher was distracted to make my move.  I leaped up snatching a crimson slab of meat before running off, the bewildered butcher shaking his fist and shouting loud words at me.

I didn't stop running until I reached the forest.  Adrenaline was pumping through my veins, but it was worth it.

I settled down in the debris of leaves, munching triumphantly on my steak once again listening to the gentle morning chorus of the sparrows.

 

Sophie Darling

Age 13 (2009)

The Power of the Introduction

This is a very good video on introductions in fiction, the same ideas can be used in essay writing...
Thanks to our colleagues in SCC English for pointing this one out!