This activity will introduce you to the varied characters in To Kill a Mockingbird and help you understand their relationships to other characters. In addition, you may gain insight into the main events of the plot, the themes, and symbols.
First, get a character relationship chart (do not print this unless you lose it) and your randomly assigned character. On your own, search the following websites for information about your character and those people connected with him/her. Make your chart as detailed as possible, and write neatly. You’ll be handing in your chart. You may have to read about other characters to see how they are related to yours. Skim the sites for your character’s name to easily find a lot of detail. Here is an example of how to fill out the chart. You will have 15 minutes for this part.
Next, in a “meet and greet,” wander about and “meet” other characters from your chart. So, for example, if you are Scout and you put Jem as your brother on your chart, find Jem. See if your details match. Who does Jem know that you should know? Repeat this process until you have meet at least three of the other characters from your chart. If you learn something new about any character, add that detail to your chart. Talk to only one other student at a time.
You can only meet one person from any other student’s chart. Keep moving. Also, try to meet characters that you’re not sure about, that maybe you don’t understand. The whole point is to become familiar with the novel’s characters before we begin reading. This activity should take about 7 minutes.
Lastly, we’ll come together again to answer the question, “What is this book about.”
Websites for learning about characters: (use more than one)
