To Kill A Mockingbird Essay
For your To Kill a Mockingbird Essay, you will be choosing three of the assignments below. Each of these assignments has an associated rubric below:
- A character study of one of the main characters (300 words).
- A map of Maycomb. A letter from one character to another (300 words).
- A newspaper article about Tom’s trail (300 words).
- A report card for Scout after her first grade year
- An obituary or a eulogy for Tom Robinson.
- A comic strip that illustrates a major event from the novel.
- A monologue from one of the main characters that reveals his or her feelings about an event from the novel.
For each of the three that you choose, you will need to write an appropriate introduction which does not count toward the word count indicated. This introduction should explain to the reader what they are about to see and/or read. Each of the three that are chosen should be written on separate pages.
See the following rubrics:
Character Study
| Indicator/Point Value | Description | Instructor Comments |
| Indicator: Introduction is included Point Value: 5 | ? Character Study submission is on a separate page but in one file.? Introduction is at least 3 complete sentences.? Introduction contains information about a character study and which character is being studied. | |
| Indicator: Writing is a character study Point Value: 65 | ? Writing contains the 8 elements to a character study: physical description, background, personality, relationships, words and actions, motivation, conflict, and change. ? Writing does not provide a summary of the plot.? Writing uses textual evidence to support analysis.? Writing is a minimum of 300 words (introduction not included in word count)? Writing uses at least 2 paragraphs with 4-5 sentences each. | |
| Indicator: Writing maintains correct formatting. Point Value: 15 | ? 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font? Double spaced? One inch margins? Any text cited appropriately | |
| Indicator: Writing demonstrates correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Point Value: 15 | ? Writing is free of spelling or word use errors.? Writing contains a mixture of simple, complex, and compound/complex sentence structure.? Writing is free of run-on sentences or sentence fragments.? All punctuation is used appropriately.? All proper nouns and the beginnings of sentences are capitalized appropriately.? All other standard English grammar, punctuation, and spelling are followed. |
Map
| Indicator/Point Value | Description | Instructor Comments |
| Indicator: Introduction is included Point Value: 5 | ? Map is submitted on a separate page. This assignment may be submitted as a separate file.? Introduction is at least 3 complete sentences.? Introduction contains information about what the map is about. | |
| Indicator: Map provides all necessary components Point Value: 65 | ? Map is on an 8 ½ by 11 sheet of paper.? Map indicates the correct positions of the following: Finch House; Radley House; Mrs. Dubose’s House; Miss Maudie’s House; The School; The Courthouse; The Big Tree; The Gate; The Fence where Jem “loses” his pants; The snowman? All objects are correctly labled and positioned? All text is in clearly written and in black ink? Map is in color | |
| Indicator: Writing maintains correct formatting. Point Value: 15 | ? 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font? Double spaced? One inch margins? Any text cited appropriately | |
| Indicator: Writing demonstrates correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Point Value: 15 | ? Writing is free of spelling or word use errors.? Writing contains a mixture of simple, complex, and compound/complex sentence structure.? Writing is free of run-on sentences or sentence fragments.? All punctuation is used appropriately.? All proper nouns and the beginnings of sentences are capitalized appropriately.? All other standard English grammar, punctuation, and spelling are followed. |
Newspaper Article
| Indicator/Point Value | Description | Instructor Comments |
| Indicator: Introduction is included Point Value: 5 | ? Newspaper Article submission is on a separate page but in one file.? Introduction is at least 3 complete sentences.? Introduction contains information about the newspaper article and article subject. | |
| Indicator: Writing provides a detailed article about Tom’s Trial Point Value: 65 | ? Article contains the components of a newspaper article: The “lead” is in the first paragraph and should contain a clear overview of the main points (who, what, when, where, how, and why); The content should be unbiased and completely fact-based; Sentences should be concise and worded appropriately? Article demonstrates an understanding of the plot of the novel? Writing is a minimum of 300 words (introduction not included in word count)? Writing uses at least 2 paragraphs with 4-5 sentences each. | |
| Indicator: Writing maintains correct formatting. Point Value: 15 | ? 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font? Double spaced? One inch margins? Any text cited appropriately | |
| Indicator: Writing demonstrates correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Point Value: 15 | ? Writing is free of spelling or word use errors.? Writing contains a mixture of simple, complex, and compound/complex sentence structure.? Writing is free of run-on sentences or sentence fragments.? All punctuation is used appropriately.? All proper nouns and the beginnings of sentences are capitalized appropriately.? All other standard English grammar, punctuation, and spelling are followed. |
Report Card
| Indicator/Point Value | Description | Instructor Comments |
| Indicator: Introduction is included Point Value: 5 | ? Report Card submission is on a separate page but in one file.? Introduction is at least 3 complete sentences.? Introduction contains information about Scout, her teacher, and the report card. | |
| Indicator: Report card contains all necessary components Point Value: 65 | ? Report card includes a grade for reading, math, science, social studies, art, and behavior.? Each grade includes at least 3 sentences of teacher comments.? Report card design must be easy to read and understand.? Report card demonstrates an understanding of Scout’s academics and behavior at school in the novel. | |
| Indicator: Writing maintains correct formatting. Point Value: 15 | ? 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font? Double spaced? One inch margins? Any text cited appropriately | |
| Indicator: Writing demonstrates correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Point Value: 15 | ? Writing is free of spelling or word use errors.? Writing contains a mixture of simple, complex, and compound/complex sentence structure.? Writing is free of run-on sentences or sentence fragments.? All punctuation is used appropriately.? All proper nouns and the beginnings of sentences are capitalized appropriately.? All other standard English grammar, punctuation, and spelling are followed. |
Comic Strip
| Indicator/Point Value | Description | Instructor Comments |
| Indicator: Introduction is included Point Value: 5 | ? Comic strip is submitted on a separate page. This assignment may be submitted as a separate file.? Introduction is at least 3 complete sentences.? Introduction contains information about the scene’s position in the story and a brief introduction to the novel. | |
| Indicator: Writing is a character study Point Value: 65 | ? Comic strip contains a minimum of 8 panes.? Drawings are clear and characters are clear.? All writing is clearly written and easily read? Comic strip accurately depicts the event in the novel being represented.? Comic strip is in fully color. | |
| Indicator: Writing maintains correct formatting. Point Value: 15 | ? 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font? Double spaced? One inch margins? Any text cited appropriately | |
| Indicator: Writing demonstrates correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Point Value: 15 | ? Writing is free of spelling or word use errors.? Writing contains a mixture of simple, complex, and compound/complex sentence structure.? Writing is free of run-on sentences or sentence fragments.? All punctuation is used appropriately.? All proper nouns and the beginnings of sentences are capitalized appropriately.? All other standard English grammar, punctuation, and spelling are followed. |
Monologue
| Indicator/Point Value | Description | Instructor Comments |
| Indicator: Introduction is included Point Value: 5 | ? Monologue submission is on a separate page but in one file.? Introduction is at least 3 complete sentences.? Introduction contains information about the character giving the monologue and a brief summary of the plot of the novel. | |
| Indicator: Monologue has all necessary components. Point Value: 65 | ? Writing maintains the structure of a monologue: initial contact (idea you want to convey), a hook, character talk (how the character would talk); a climax; an ending.? Writing does not provide a summary of the plot.? Writing uses textual evidence to support analysis.? Writing is a minimum of 300 words (introduction not included in word count)? Writing uses at least 2 paragraphs with 4-5 sentences each. | |
| Indicator: Writing maintains correct formatting. Point Value: 15 | ? 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font? Double spaced? One inch margins? Any text cited appropriately | |
| Indicator: Writing demonstrates correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Point Value: 15 | ? Writing is free of spelling or word use errors.? Writing contains a mixture of simple, complex, and compound/complex sentence structure.? Writing is free of run-on sentences or sentence fragments.? All punctuation is used appropriately.? All proper nouns and the beginnings of sentences are capitalized appropriately.? All other standard English grammar, punctuation, and spelling are followed. |
