Each year, Grade 8 students at St. Johns Country Day School study Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird in English class. To help them more deeply engage with the text and its themes, they conclude the unit with a reader’s theater production of the trial scene, presented this morning in the Performing Arts Center. This activity reinforces the novel’s central lessons: the importance of empathy, the courage to stand up for what is right, and the harm caused by prejudice.
The production also supports the School’s mission of cultivating students who seek solutions, accept responsibility, and work collaboratively. By stepping into the roles of characters facing moral challenges, students gain a deeper understanding of empathy, justice, and the power of working together to explore complex ideas.
“Through our careful reading, thoughtful reflection, writing activities, and class discussions, we have developed an appreciation for the depth and gravity of this thought-provoking novel,” said Grade 8 English teacher Mrs. Thea Burke. “Many of the issues addressed in this novel resonate with readers and audiences today just as they did when it was first published in 1960. However, I think what still makes it such an influential work of literature are the uniquely memorable characters who bring the story to life.”
- Middle School