Name: Jennifer Gulick Date: 01, December 2014

Unit: To Kill A Mockingbird Time Length: 1-2 Days

Lesson: African American Vernacular English and Dialects Grade Level: 10th Grade

PA Common Core Standards:

1.​ ​CC.1.4.9-10.S:​ Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,

reflection, and research, applying grade level reading standards for literature and literary

non-fiction.

2.​ ​CC.1.5.9-10.A:​ Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions on

grades level topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly

and persuasively.

3.​ ​CC.1.5.9-10.E:​ Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks.

Unit Essential Question: Literary elements and devices, structure and format are used to

advocate for the reflect on change.

Lesson Essential Question:​ What are the factors of dialect, and how does African American

Vernacular English add to the narrative of TKAM?

Motivational Device:​ Students will listen to various recordings from the International Dialects of

English Archives (IDEA) database that explore different dialects (factors include location, age,

and gender) in an attempt to identify and understand various US dialects and the image they

present of the speaker. Students will relate their own experiences or understanding of dialect

through a bell ringer exercise.

Instructional Objectives:

1.​ What factors influence dialect and language?

2.​ How does your language and dialect represent your character?

3.​ What are the effects of segregation on a specific person and in a community?

Materials Needed:​ http://www.dialectsarchive.com; Lola Hendricks Interview; To Kill A

Mockingbird text; http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/29/specials/baldwin-english.html

Technology Needed:​ Computer, IPad, TKAM novel.

Resources Used:​ http://www.dialectsarchive.com; Lola Hendrick’s Interview; To Kill A

Mockingbird text.; http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/29/specials/baldwin-english.html

Lesson Type (Pedagogy):​ Discovery learning, direct instruction, discussion.

Lesson Outline:

I. Introduction/Motivational Device

A. Listen to dialect clips from IDEA database.

B. Attempt to pinpoint where these speakers are from, their gender, age, and race based

on their dialect.

C. Students will relate their own experiences or understanding of dialect.

II. Think-Pair-Share

A. Students will Think-Pair-Share in small groups the factors that influence dialect.

B. Students will think of their own speech and the speech of the community and try to

underline the commonalities that define their speech (Focus on Central Columbia /

Northeastern PA).

III. Text Analysis

A. Analyzing Calpurnia’s speech around the Finche’s (white community) and around her

family / peers (African-American community).

 B. Explain that Calpurnia switching between these two atmospheres is called code

switching. Give a brief definition of code switching and provide examples. Students will

then look for examples in the TKAM text of Calpurnia code switching.

1. “They’s my comp’ny” – Calpurnia, Chapter 12, Page 159

2. “…when she was furious, Calpurnia’s speech became erratic. When in tranquility,

her grammar was as good as anybody’s in Maycomb.” Scout, Chapter 3, Page

38

C. students will discuss the influence of language and dialect on a person's acceptance or

seclusion from mainstream society.

IV. Real Life Perspective

A. Students will review characters in TKAM and reflect on the segregation they’ve faced

and how it’s affected their standard of living. (Calpurnia, Zeebo, The Ewell’s, and, in a

positive way, The Finch’s)

B. Students will read the article “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?”

by James Baldwin.

(http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/29/specials/baldwin-english.html)

C. After reading the article students will work in pairs to underline/highlight important or

relevant points Baldwin makes.

D. As a class, we will discuss the article in contexts of TKAM and the time period it takes

place in (Alabama, 1933-1935)

E. Students will listen to audio recordings of Lola Hendricks, an African American woman

who was born and raised in the deep south during the depression era.
V. Summary/Closure

A. Ticket out the door: We explored how Calpurnia code switches in her speech depending

on if she’s with the Finch’s (white community) and when she’s around her family and

peers (African American community). Write down how you use code switching in your

everyday life (while with teachers, friends, coaches, parents, grandparents, etc.)

Key Questions:

1. Language and dialect are influenced by what factors?

2. In what ways does your language and dialect represent you as a person?

3. A specific person or community that is exposed to segregation is affected in what ways?

Closure: Ticket out the door activity.

Differentiated Learning Activities: ​Students will be working in heterogeneous groups for their

Think-Pair-Share.

Tier 1:​ Basic students will be expected to share one example from the text that show either

AAVE or examples of Calpurnia code switching.

Tier 2:​ On-level students will be expected to share two examples from the text that show either

AAVE or examples of Calpurnia code switching.

Tier 3:​ Advanced students will be expected to share three examples from the text that show

either AAVE or examples of Calpurnia code switching.

Formative Assessment:​ In class discussion, think-pair-share activity, ticket out the door.

Homework:​ Continue reading TKAM

Reflection:

1. Did I effectively observe the students understanding of why dialect is an important aspect of

TKAM?

2. Did the students understand the concept of code switching and were they able to identify it in

the text using Calpurnia as an example?

3. Did the students understand why dialects as a whole are important to recognize, and in what

ways AAVE advanced the plot of the story?