We are looking for these two skills:
1. Knowledge of the text. Being able to explain moments in detail and why are they are
important/significant - Evidence and Elaboration
2. Writing your own topic sentence - clear, concise, focused on the question
Thesis: outlines your arguments (usually 3) and your own point of view.
TASK 1: quick time quotations - get ready to be TESTED on quotations - who says it? When do they
say it? Why is this moment important?
TASK 2: topic sentences (thesis) RECAP and practice
What is the success criteria for a topic sentence?
Summarises the whole essay
How you’re going to prove your argument - Main ideas of the essay
The main argument of the entire essay
Sentence starters –
In TKAM Harper Lee introduces Calpurnia as a character of morals through her education and
caregiver roles of Jem and Scout.
Character TS1 TS2 TS3
Scout Finch Harper Lee present Scout as a Lee present Scout as a Lee present Scout as a
tomboy in the novel To Kill a confident child in the well educated child in the
Mocking Bird. novel TKAM novel TKAM
Atticus Finch
Jem Finch
Tom
Robinson
Boo (Arthur)
Radley
Calpurnia
Dill Harris
Mayella
Ewell
Bob Ewell
TASK 3: looking at an exemplar paragraph
At the beginning of the novel, Scout is presented as a naïve and rash as her only way to deal with
situations is to use violence. This is evident when she aggressively injures Walter Cunningham after
school as she believes that he has got her on the 'wrong side' of their new teacher Ms Caroline. Jem
interrupts her fighting him by saying 'Let him go, Scout'. Here, Lee uses Jem's interruption to
highlight Scout's naivety, as he, unlike Scout, is able to realise that violence is not the solution to the
situation. Furthermore, Scout is presented as hot tempered when she fights her cousin Francis,
trying to protect Atticus' reputation. Once again, Scout resorts to violence in the first instance. Lee
describes Scout 'stalking one's prey' and 'roaring', using animalistic imagery to emphasise the extent
of Scout's violence. The large number of violent verbs used throughout this moment emphasises the
sense of quick movement, highlighting how quickly Scout acts before thinking through her actions.
As with Jem, Uncle Jack interrupts and 'pin[s] Scout's arms', supporting her to understand that
violence in not the only way to deal with upsetting situations.
Why is this a good example?
Task 4: Reminder on how to plan a whole text question
How does Harper Lee present Boo Radley as a memorable character?
1. Break down the question. What are they key words? What key
character or theme are you being asked to explore?
2. BRAIN DUMP: what do you already remember/know about this
character/theme? Which key moments in the novel will be relevant?
3. Decide your three topic sentences: what will your three key points be?
Decide what order they will go in.
4. Organise key terms/quotations into the three topic sentences
Harper Lee presents Boo Radley as an outsider who is misunderstood until the
end of the novel. This is evident in the first chapter, when Jem describes him
as... [quotation]
However, when Scout finally meets Boo at the end of the novel, she describes
him as... [quotation]
Perhaps, Harper Lee is trying to show/highlight/suggest...
