Students research theSouth Carolina setting, explore the influence of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, evaluate characters’ behavior and motivation, trace a recurring motif, and recognize the use of imagery and figurative language. They also keep a reader-response journal, support opinions with textual evidence, make predictions, and create a soundtrack that reflects the plot, setting, and theme of the novel.

Supplementary materials feature a content quiz with answer key and suggestions for additional research, writing, and art projects. This unit includes 10 Lesson Plans / 40 Handouts / 81 Pages, aligned to Common Core standards, grades 9-12, high school.

Literary Form

American Novel

21st-Century Skills

• Collaboration
• Critical thinking
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Social and cross-cultural skills

Overview

As the Civil Rights Act of 1964 restructures society, the characters in The Secret Life of Bees restructure a family. Thirteen-year-old Lily Owens has lost her mother and never felt the love of her father. The story tells of her search for answers about her mother’s death and her search for unconditional love. In this story, bees provide an analogy for human relations, and the human spirit provides strength as characters struggle with despair and anger. The quest for love and dignity in a harsh environment is central to Sue Monk Kidd’s novel.