Have you read/seen To Kill a Mockingbird?

[framefolly]

My eighth graders are reading To Kill a Mockingbird. Right after Thanksgiving I will lead a two-week media unit that includes showing the movie version with Gregory Peck. I have too many ideas, and I want to pare them down. If you have time to help me by responding to some of these questions, I'd really appreciate it!

- As an adult, what do you wish

Comments

[zanthinegirl]

We did something similar with To Kill A Mockingbird at about the same age (though it might have been 9th grade; can't swear to it 25 years later!). It was the first time I'd read the book, and we followed it with the movie too. I've reread it a couple of time since then; once in college, and again last spring.

Speaking for 8th-grade me: it was far and away one of the best books we read that year. It was compelling, and it was grown up in a way that most of the books we read in middle school weren't. It dealt with important issues and it was one of the few middle school books that I had to really think about, you know? It was beautifully written, though I'm not sure how much of that I appreciated as an 8th grader! It also gave a real sense of it's setting.

I have seen the movie with Gregory Peck, though not since 8th grade. I remember liking it, though much preferring the book. I really need to rent it don't I? I suspect I'd see very different things as an adult!

I wish I'd understood more about the social setting before reading and/ or watching To Kill a Mockingbird. Though I wonder in retrospect if my teacher did that on purpose so the racial issues would have more impact?

[framefolly]

Thank you for sharing your experience so thoughtfully! It's very helpful to me, especially these parts:

"...it was far and away one of the best books we read that year. It was compelling, and it was grown up in a way that most of the books we read in middle school weren't. It dealt with important issues and it was one of the few middle school books that I had to really think about, you know? It was beautifully written, though I'm not sure how much of that I appreciated as an 8th grader! It also gave a real sense of it's setting."

and

"I wish I'd understood more about the social setting before reading and/ or watching To Kill a Mockingbird. Though I wonder in retrospect if my teacher did that on purpose so the racial issues would have more impact?"

Would you mind if I shared this with my students? I might not have time to do so, but I like having some extra "treats" in my pocket just in case the class needs it :) .

[zanthinegirl]

Help yourself! Always happy to contribute to teaching a great book/ movie.

Your post inspired me to track down the movie BTW. I watched it last night. I don't think I'd seen it since middle school; it really is amazing. I still think the book's better but it's a close thing :D