Atticus, Scout, and Boo. What Can These Characters Teach You?
My students need to own their own copy of the classic novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird."
FULLY FUNDED! Mrs. Cosmai's classroom raised $503
This project is fully funded
My Students
"Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passion'." To Kill a Mockingbird an American classic and arguably the greatest book ever written should be studied in every 8th grade English class. My students will be moved by the integrity of these characters. I want them to have their own copy of this.
I teach in a Title I school with a 67% poverty rate.
This is only an economic statistic and has not affected my students' desire to learn and live a rich, meaningful lives. I taught these students when they were in 7th grade. One of our units of study was entitled A Call to Social Action. The students were moved to get involved in political and social issues where they felt there was an injustice. They researched issues that they found interesting and shared their research in an attempt to raise awareness and influence social change. Our school's mission is to educate citizens who will affect civic change, and they take this very seriously. When reading The Giver in 7th grade, students wrote about living in a utopia. They questioned euthanasia and conforming to unfair laws. My students are able to ask sophisticated questions and are clearly affected by characters and books that compel them to think and question.
My Project
We will read this book during the school year. I want each of my students to own his/her own copy of this book to highlight and jot down notes as they get to know the characters. We will read this book as a class and students will track characters and get to know the characters and the time in which they lived. As we engage in close readings of characters and plot development, students will question character's actions and words and will come to appreciate the vulnerability, honesty, integrity and strength of many of these characters. I will focus on Atticus, who will become a role model for most of my students. As my students track his actions throughout the text, and as they engage in discussions about these actions, what he says and what others say about him, my students will aspire to be just like him. Students will write literary essays when we are finished reading this book together. The essays will be well developed and refined, having the benefit of owning their own book.
Many of my students will not have the resources to buy this book.
Whenever we are reading a book as a class, students are given a school's copy and they can participate in the reading. However, for those who own the book, they have the benefit of highlighting and jotting down comments and authentically respond to the text. This promotes deeper comprehension and brings student to a more sophisticated understanding. Since this is such a powerful book,each of my students need to own this book.
More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Cosmai and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.