(Lesson submitted by Lorne Warwick lorne.warwick@freenet.hamilton.on.ca.)

CONTRACT UNIT FOR IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT

You will have twelve classes to work on this unit, until the following date:

Please read this first:

1.  If you wish to get only a mark of 10% for this unit, do only level one.
If you wish to get 40%, do only the first four levels.  If you wish 
to get 70%, complete up to level 7.  If you want to achieve 100%, do 
the questions for each of the levels..

2.  Levels must be completed in order.  Assignments from each level may be
handed in only after finishing all required work on the previous level.  
No level may be skipped.

3.  Do not plan to finish the book and hand in all assignments at once.  
Because each one only counts after it is corrected, you must allow time 
for each one to be seen by the teacher, handed back to you for fixing, and 
finally kept by the teacher when it is accepted.

4.  Each assignment must be written in ink, on every other line, reasonably
organized and reflect a careful reading of the novel.  It must be a minimum of
one page or, if you write large, two pages.  Marks will not be given until the
writing has been check-ed, revised, and brought up to a minimum standard of
correct English, free of spelling and grammar errors.      

5.  Since each student will be proceeding at his/her own pace, I will not be
teaching the class as a whole, so there will be plenty of opportunity for
remedial help with the writing of these assignments.

6.  This contract is valid only until the following date:
No assignments will be accepted after that date.

7.  If you are absent from class, make certain that you do some of the work at
home.

LEVEL ONE (the first 10%):  Do this after you have finished Chapter 2.

Find two adjectives to describe the character of Sam Woods and two to
describe that of Chief Gillespie.  Write a paragraph for each in which you
announce the two characteristics in the topic sentence, give at least two pieces
of evidence from the novel for each quality mentioned, and conclude by
predicting how that person will treat Virgil Tibbs.

LEVEL 2 (the next 10%):  Do this after Chapters 3 & 4.

A.  Explain how Virgil shows that Harvey Oberst is innocent.
B.  Describe two ways in which the author makes us like Sam Woods more in
these two chapters.
LEVEL 3 (the next 10%):  Do this after Chapter 7.

For each of the following characters, pick an incident in these three chapters
(5, 6, & 7) and explain how it has caused you to see this person in either a
better or a worse light:  Sam Woods, Bill Gillespie, and Virgil Tibbs.

LEVEL 4 (the next 10%):  Do this after Chapter 9.

Write in script format the interview between Chief Gillespie and Sam Woods
in which the chief arrests him for the murder.

LEVEL 5 (the next 10%):  Do this after Chapter 12.

Explain how any five of the following are important in the story:  Dolores' age,
Andy, Takahashi, Delores' pregnancy test, Gillespie's salary, the dust on Sam's
car, a hoard of coins.

LEVEL 6:  (Do this and the following levels after finishing the book.)

Discuss with at least one other student what you liked and disliked about the
novel.  Summarize the results of your conversation AND explain why you
think this story caused such different or such similar reactions between the two
of you.

LEVEL 7

There are subplots about romance and racial prejudice in this novel.  For each
one, describe how the subplot is connected to the main murder story, how each
subplot finishes, and how each adds to the novel.  For this last aspect, ask
yourself what would be missing if this subplot did not exist. 

LEVEL 8

Rewrite a part of the story near the end of the book from the point of view of
a minor character.  Don't change the action, but do change the reaction.

LEVEL 9

Describe an inner change that has taken place in a main character.  What
caused it?  Have you ever experienced this kind of change in yourself or seen
it in someone else?  Tell about it.

LEVEL 10

Imagine that this novel is the basis for a three-part miniseries on TV.  For each
evening's presentation:
a) What scene would be good to use as a preview to temp viewers to watch the
next segment of the story?  What questions would this preview set up in the
audience's mind?
b) Select a scene which would be the highlight of that part of the story and
explain why it would hold a viewer's attention.
c) Exactly where would you stop to ensure that people would turn on their sets
the following evening?  Explain your choice.