Literacy Mini-Lesson Presentation:

RADD Character Mapping

Stereotypes within Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird
By: Miss. Molly Martindale
EDR 524- Dr. Jean Ann Hunt
05/01/17

Introduction: The teacher will first introduce the unit, which is a multi-discipline study of
stereotypes and the negatives effects that these prejudgments, and biases can have
within our lives. The teacher will explain that for the ELA segment we will be reading
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and studying the stereotypes that are placed on
the characters within the novel. The teacher will first give some background information
on some of the stereotypes that surround some of the characters within the novel, and
will introduce the main ideas and themes within the book for those that need a quick
recap (innocence, kindness, conscience, hatred, and empathy). The teacher will explain
that the stereotypes assigned to characters in To Kill a Mockingbird stem from a
variety of issues including racial tension (trial against Tom Robinson), financial and
class inequalities (Ewell), gender conventions (Jem and Scout), and sexuality (the
alleged rape of Mayella Ewell).

Purpose: This literacy strategy is titled RADD Character Mapping. The purpose is to
investigate implicit character traits through explicit evidence in the form of reactions,
actions, dialogue, and description (physical) in order to understand characters motives,
actions, feelings, and relationships. In this study, this character mapping technique is
utilized for exposing the stereotypical character traits that are placed on each character
throughout the book. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to support
stereotypical character traits within To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee based on
explicit textual evidence in a graphic organizer format (RADD Character Mapping).

Procedure: The teacher will demonstrate the character mapping strategy by showing
an excerpt from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee that shows character
development. The first excerpt will be centered around the gender stereotype of Scout
Finch. The first character trait that the teacher will map will be tomboy and the second
character trait will be hotheaded. After briefly reading the passage aloud, the teacher
will introduce and explain the RADD Character Mapping graphic organizer to students.
Next, the teacher will write the two character traits on the graphic organizer based on
the passage, and explain that an image of the character can be drawn on the left side of
the organizer. The teacher will then demonstrate how to gather evidence to support the
character trait from the text by underlining dialogue in one color, actions in another
color, description (physical) in another color, and reactions of other characters in the
fourth color that can be used as support for the character traits. The teacher will then
use that evidence underlined in the text to complete the graphic organizer evidence
section for each character trait. The teacher will also explain that character traits are
things that can be applied for an extended length of time, meaning that bored isnt a
character trait because it is often temporary, while tomboyish is demonstrated
repeatedly over time making it definable as a character trait.

Application: The teacher will give the students an opportunity to practice the literacy
strategy. Each student will receive an excerpt from the novel that offers an example of
development for a different character (Burris Ewell) in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper
Lee. The teacher will ask students to work in groups of two to practice underlining
RADD (reactions, actions, dialogue, and descriptions) in order to support inferences
about character traits, and complete the character map graphic organizer. The teacher
will scaffold the students by walking around the room and guiding students that are
struggling, or making sure that groups are on task. The teacher will allow about 5
minutes for students to work together to complete the graphic organizer, before
wrapping up the mini-lesson, and explaining how the literacy strategy can be applied in
a variety of disciplines that need to study and investigate a person which can have a
variety of forms including character in literature (ex: Scout Finch in To Kill a
Mockingbird), a prominent person in the field (ex: scientist), or a historical influence (ex:
George Washington).

Conclusion: To conclude this literacy strategy, the teacher will discuss the importance
of explicit evidence from a text to demonstrate implicit character traits, because traits
will often be implied rather than explicitly stated. The RADD Character Mapping literacy
strategy helps readers understand characters and the stereotypes that are placed on
them through textual based examples of actions, dialogue, descriptions, and reactions
from other characters. The teacher will also pose questions to students about the
stereotypes that were present in the excerpts from the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by
Harper Lee during the application practice of this literary strategy, and how these can be
supported through the RADD evidence. The teacher will also explain that this strategy
can be used for any reading in order to explore character, and help students visualize
the evidence that supports a character trait, or in this case a stereotypical bias.

Connection to research:

UDL Guideline 3.3: Options that guide information processing, and Marzano Research
based strategy: Summarizing and note-taking. Character mapping provides students
with a note-taking option when investigating characterization within literature. This
strategy asks students to break down implicit character traits by providing evidence
through explicit actions or thoughts of the narrator or main character, and dialogue and
actions of others. Breaking this information down into a graphic organizer helps guide
information processing when reading and understanding character development within
a novel. In this lesson, which involves investigating stereotypes, understanding the
actions and dialogue that builds the stereotype is important.

Resources:

Block, C., & Pressley, M. (2002). Comprehension instruction: Research-based best

practices. Guilford Press: New York, NY. Retrieved from EBSCO on April 30, 2017.

CAST. (2011). UDL Guidelines 2.0. Retrieved from

http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines on April 29, 2017.

Harper, L. (1982). To Kill a Mockingbird. Grand Central Publishing Group. New York: NY.

Lanley, J. (2016). Character Analysis and Transformation. Retrieved from

http://notebookingfairy.com/character-notebooking-page/ on April 30, 2017.

Marzano, R. (2011). Marzanos Nine RBSI. Retrieved from

http://www.middleweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Marzanos-Nine.pdf on April 29,
2017.
ReadWriteThink.org. (2017). Character Maps. Retrieved from
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/printouts/character-30199.html on
April 29, 2017.

Reutzel, D.R. (1985). Story maps improve comprehension. Reading Teacher, 38(4),
400-404. Retrieved from EBSCO on April 28, 2017.

Trabasso, T., & Bouchard, E. (2002) Teaching readers how to comprehend text
strategically. In C. Block and M. Pressley, (Eds.) Comprehension instruction: Research-
based practices (PP. 176-200). NY: Guilford Press.

Character Focus: Scout Finch

(Pg. 108)

Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly
hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said
I wasnt supposed to be doing things that required pants. Aunt Alexandras vision of my
deportment involved playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl
necklace she gave me when I was born; furthermore, I should be a ray of sunshine in
my fathers lonely life. I suggested that one could be a ray of sunshine in pants just as
well, that Aunty said that one had to behave like a sunbeam, that I was born good but
had progressively worse every year. She hurt my feelings and set my teeth permanently
on edge, but when I asked Atticus about it, he said there were already enough
sunbeams in the family and to go on about my business, he didnt mind me much the
way I was.

At Christmas dinner, I sat at the little table in the dining-room; Jem and Francis
sat with the adults at the dining table. Aunty had continued to isolate me long after Jem
and Francis graduated to the big table. I often wondered what she thought Id do, get up
and throw something? I sometimes thought of asking her if she would let me sit at the
big table with the rest of them just once, I would prove to her how civilized I could be;
after all, I ate at home every day with no major mishaps. When I begged Atticus to use
his influence, he said he had none--we were guests, and we sat where she told us to sit.
He also said that Alexandra didnt understand girls much, shed never had one.

(Pg. 110)
Francis grinned at me. Youre mighty dumb sometimes, Jean Louise. Guess
you dont know any better, though.

What do you mean?

If Uncle Atticus lets you run around with stray dogs, thats his own business, like
Grandma says, so it aint your fault. I guess it aint your fault if Uncle Atticus is a negro-
lover besides, but Im here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the family--

Francis, what the hell do you mean?

Just what I said. Grandma says its bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now
hes turned out a negro-lover well never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb agin.

He is not! I roared. I dont know what youre talkin about, but you better cut it
out this red hot minute! I leaped off the steps and ran down the catwalk. It was easy to
collar Francis. I said take it back quick.
Character focus: Burris Ewell

The boy blinked. Who, me? Miss Caroline nodded.

Burris Ewell

Miss Caroline inspected her roll-book. I have an Ewell here, but I dont have a
first name...would you spell your first name for me?

Dont know how. They call me Burrist home.

 Well, Burris, said Miss. Caroline, I think wed better excuse you for the rest of
the afternoon. I want you to go home and wash your hair.

From her desk she produced a thick volume, leafed through its pages and read
for a moment. A good home remedy for--Burris, I want you to go home and wash your
hair with lye soap. When youve done that, treat your scalp with kerosene.

What fer, missus?

To get rid of the--er, cooties. You see, Burris, the other children might catch
them, and you wouldnt want that, would you?

The boy stood up. He was the filthiest human I had ever seen. His neck was dark
gray, the backs of his hands were black deep into the quick. He peered at Miss.
Caroline from a fist-sized clean space on his face. No one had noticed him, probably,
because Miss. Caroline and I had entertained the class most of the morning.

And Burris, said Miss. Caroline, please bathe yourself before you come back
tomorrow.

The boy laughed rudely. You aint sendin me home, missus. I was on the verge
of leavin--I done done my time for this year.

Miss. Caroline looked puzzled. What do you mean by that?

The boy did not answer. He gave a short contemptuous snort.

One of the elderly members of the class answered her. Hes one of the Ewells,
maam, and I wondered if this explanation would be as unsuccessful as my attempt.
But Miss. Caroline seemed willing to listen. Whole schools full of em. They come first
day every year and then leave. The truant lady gets em here cause she threatens em
with the sheriff, but shed give up tryin to hold em. She reckons shed carried out the
law just gettin their names on the roll and runnin em here the first day. Youre
supposed to mark em absent the rest of the year (pg. 35-36).