8th grade will be starting To Kill A Mockingbird in February when I go on maternity leave.To prepare for this book study, we will be looking at the context, themes, setting, and vocabulary needed to understand this book. For starters, here are some links to read:
Sparknotes Context: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/mocking/context.html
Wikipedia's entry on the book (keep in mind this is for general info and should be compared to the information found at more reliable sources): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Kill_a_Mockingbird
Sparknotes Themes, Motifs, and Symbols: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/mocking/themes.html
What is the genre "southern gothic?"
Wikipedia: (pay particular attention to the middle paragraph under "features")
Wisegeek
Sparknotes (stop reading after "twisted psyches" when they start talking about Faulkner)
1930's photos and art slideshow
