As an extension to reading To Kill a Mockingbird, English I students have engaged deeply with human and civil rights issues to have a more in depth understanding of the historical and social context of the novel. The young Crusaders have taken part in a class project which relates to the ongoing fight for the justice and the equality of all. After conducting their research, students composed 1st person perspective accounts in the form of either a letter or a journal entry discussing a riveting moment or event collected from the research. Using carefully selected images that provide a visual representation of their research, Crusaders used pod-casting software to record, edit, and post audio files of the letter or journal entry. Students then inserted the image into the audio podcast.
Furthermore, the dramatic process of creating a 1st person account and audio recording provides students with an authentic sense of compassion.
