Dead Man Walking is a powerful memoir by Sister Helen Prejean, detailing her journey as a spiritual advisor to death row inmates, bringing to light the complexities of justice, mercy, and redemption in a controversial legal system.
Reading & Writing Workshop
Central Theme
Justice, mercy, and morality in the debate over capital punishment.
Essential Questions
• What is justice?
• Can the death penalty ever be morally justified?
• What responsibilities does society have toward victims, criminals, and the condemned?
• How do personal narratives influence public policy debates?
Skills Developed
• Close reading of nonfiction narrative
• Ethical reasoning
• Evidence-based argumentation
• AP Language synthesis writing
• Socratic discussion and debate
• Perspective-taking
Workshop Structure
Session 1 — Entering the Debate
Session 2 — Understanding the Crime and Victims
Session 3 — The Prison System and Capital Punishment
Session 4 — Moral Perspectives on the Death Penalty
Session 5 — Mercy, Justice, and Responsibility
Session 6 — Preparing for the Execution
Session 7 — Aftermath and Reflection
Session 8 — AP Language Synthesis Essay Workshop
Session 9 — Culminating Justice Project
Session 1
Entering the Debate
Objective
Students explore their initial beliefs about capital punishment and begin reading the narrative.
Opening Activity
Human Barometer (Experiential)
Teacher places signs around the room:
Strongly Support
Somewhat Support
Unsure
Somewhat Oppose
Strongly Oppose
Prompt:
“Should the death penalty exist in the United States?”
Students move to positions in the room.
Teacher Script
“Today we begin reading Dead Man Walking, a true story about a spiritual advisor who becomes involved with a death row inmate. The book challenges readers to confront difficult questions about justice, punishment, and forgiveness.”
“Before we begin, we need to acknowledge something important: discussions about crime and punishment often involve strong emotions and deeply held beliefs.”
“Our goal is not to convince everyone to agree. Our goal is to examine evidence, understand different perspectives, and think critically.”
Reading Assignment
Read:
Introduction
Chapters 1–2
Close Reading Questions
Writing Reflection
Prompt
What assumptions do you currently have about people on death row?
Write a one-page reflection.
Session 2
Understanding the Crime and Victims
Objective
Students examine the crime and consider the perspectives of victims and families.
Experiential Activity
The Case File
Students receive a simulated case file including:
• crime summary
• timeline
• victim information
• suspect information
Groups analyze:
What happened?
Who was harmed?
What should justice look like?
Teacher Script
“When crimes occur, they create ripples of suffering. Victims, families, communities, and even perpetrators are affected.”
“Today we examine the crime that led to the death sentence in this case. Our goal is to understand the human impact.”
Reading Assignment
Chapters 3–4
Discussion Questions
Writing Task
Write a short narrative from the perspective of one of the victims’ family members.
Session 3
The Prison System and Capital Punishment
Objective
Students explore how death row operates.
Experiential Activity
Death Row Simulation
The classroom is arranged to represent prison spaces.
Stations:
Cell
Visitation room
Execution chamber
Warden’s office
Students rotate through stations reading descriptions of each environment.
Reflection questions:
What psychological effects might long-term death row confinement have?
Teacher Script
“Death row is not simply a place where prisoners wait to die. It is a system with routines, rules, and emotional consequences.”
“As we move through these stations, think about how confinement shapes human behavior.”
Reading Assignment
Chapters 5–7
Close Reading Questions
Session 4
Moral Perspectives on Capital Punishment
Objective
Students analyze ethical arguments surrounding the death penalty.
Experiential Activity
Ethical Corners
Four ethical frameworks:
Retributive justice
Deterrence
Human rights
Religious forgiveness
Students rotate through stations reading short excerpts and discussing.
Teacher Script
“Societies justify punishment in different ways. Some believe punishment should repay harm. Others believe punishment should prevent future crimes.”
“Understanding these frameworks helps us evaluate arguments about the death penalty.”
Reading Assignment
Chapters 8–9
Writing Exercise
Students write a brief argument defending or opposing capital punishment using one ethical framework.
Session 5
Mercy, Justice, and Responsibility
Objective
Students examine questions of guilt, redemption, and responsibility.
Experiential Activity
Moral Courtroom
Roles:
Prosecutor
Defense attorney
Victim family
Religious advisor
Judge
Students conduct a moral trial debating whether the execution should occur.
Teacher Script
“Legal justice and moral justice are not always the same. Courts decide based on laws. Individuals often evaluate based on values.”
“Today we explore the tension between these two ideas.”
Reading Assignment
Chapters 10–11
Discussion Questions
Preparing for the Execution
Objective
Students examine the emotional and moral gravity of execution.
Experiential Activity
Timeline of the Final Day
Students reconstruct the timeline leading to the execution.
Groups analyze:
What emotions might each participant feel?
Participants include:
warden
prison guards
spiritual advisor
inmate
victim family
Reading Assignment
Chapters 12–14
Writing Task
Write a journal entry from the perspective of:
• the condemned inmate
or
• the spiritual advisor
Session 7
Aftermath and Reflection
Objective
Students reflect on justice and societal responsibility.
Discussion Questions
Reflection Essay
Prompt:
Has your view of the death penalty changed after reading this book?
Explain using evidence from the text.
Session 8
Synthesis Essay Workshop
Topic
Capital Punishment
Prompt (AP Style)
Carefully read the following sources about capital punishment.
Write an essay that synthesizes at least three sources to develop a position on whether the death penalty should be abolished in the United States.
Sources Packet Linked Here
Source A
U.S. Supreme Court decision
Furman v. Georgia
Source B
Amnesty International report on death penalty
Source C
Death Penalty Information Center statistics
Source D
Speech by Helen Prejean
Source E
Editorial supporting capital punishment
Teacher Script
“The synthesis essay requires you to combine multiple perspectives to create a nuanced argument.”
“You are not summarizing the sources. You are using them as evidence to build your own argument.”
Synthesis Planning Organizer
Students complete:
Thesis
Arguments
Evidence from sources
Counterargument
Conclusion
Writing Time
Students write a full AP-style synthesis essay (40 minutes).
Session 9
Culminating Project
Justice Symposium
Students create a project answering:
Should the United States continue using the death penalty?
Project Options
Students choose one:
Required Components
• historical background
• ethical arguments
• evidence and statistics
• personal reflection
Presentation
Students present their projects in a Justice Symposium where classmates evaluate arguments.
Final Reflection Essay
Prompt
What responsibilities do societies have when deciding whether to take a human life as punishment?
Assessment Rubric
Criteria
Reading comprehension
Use of textual evidence
Quality of argument
Participation in experiential activities
Synthesis essay performance
Final project depth
Central Theme
Justice, mercy, and morality in the debate over capital punishment.
Essential Questions
• What is justice?
• Can the death penalty ever be morally justified?
• What responsibilities does society have toward victims, criminals, and the condemned?
• How do personal narratives influence public policy debates?
Skills Developed
• Close reading of nonfiction narrative
• Ethical reasoning
• Evidence-based argumentation
• AP Language synthesis writing
• Socratic discussion and debate
• Perspective-taking
Workshop Structure
Session 1 — Entering the Debate
Session 2 — Understanding the Crime and Victims
Session 3 — The Prison System and Capital Punishment
Session 4 — Moral Perspectives on the Death Penalty
Session 5 — Mercy, Justice, and Responsibility
Session 6 — Preparing for the Execution
Session 7 — Aftermath and Reflection
Session 8 — AP Language Synthesis Essay Workshop
Session 9 — Culminating Justice Project
Session 1
Entering the Debate
Objective
Students explore their initial beliefs about capital punishment and begin reading the narrative.
Opening Activity
Human Barometer (Experiential)
Teacher places signs around the room:
Strongly Support
Somewhat Support
Unsure
Somewhat Oppose
Strongly Oppose
Prompt:
“Should the death penalty exist in the United States?”
Students move to positions in the room.
Teacher Script
“Today we begin reading Dead Man Walking, a true story about a spiritual advisor who becomes involved with a death row inmate. The book challenges readers to confront difficult questions about justice, punishment, and forgiveness.”
“Before we begin, we need to acknowledge something important: discussions about crime and punishment often involve strong emotions and deeply held beliefs.”
“Our goal is not to convince everyone to agree. Our goal is to examine evidence, understand different perspectives, and think critically.”
Reading Assignment
Read:
Introduction
Chapters 1–2
Close Reading Questions
- Who is Helen Prejean and why does she begin writing to death row inmates?
- What is your first impression of Patrick Sonnier?
- How does Prejean describe the prison environment?
- What tone does the author establish in the opening chapters?
Writing Reflection
Prompt
What assumptions do you currently have about people on death row?
Write a one-page reflection.
Session 2
Understanding the Crime and Victims
Objective
Students examine the crime and consider the perspectives of victims and families.
Experiential Activity
The Case File
Students receive a simulated case file including:
• crime summary
• timeline
• victim information
• suspect information
Groups analyze:
What happened?
Who was harmed?
What should justice look like?
Teacher Script
“When crimes occur, they create ripples of suffering. Victims, families, communities, and even perpetrators are affected.”
“Today we examine the crime that led to the death sentence in this case. Our goal is to understand the human impact.”
Reading Assignment
Chapters 3–4
Discussion Questions
- How do the victims’ families react to the crime?
- What emotions appear most strongly in their responses?
- Why might some families support the death penalty while others oppose it?
Writing Task
Write a short narrative from the perspective of one of the victims’ family members.
Session 3
The Prison System and Capital Punishment
Objective
Students explore how death row operates.
Experiential Activity
Death Row Simulation
The classroom is arranged to represent prison spaces.
Stations:
Cell
Visitation room
Execution chamber
Warden’s office
Students rotate through stations reading descriptions of each environment.
Reflection questions:
What psychological effects might long-term death row confinement have?
Teacher Script
“Death row is not simply a place where prisoners wait to die. It is a system with routines, rules, and emotional consequences.”
“As we move through these stations, think about how confinement shapes human behavior.”
Reading Assignment
Chapters 5–7
Close Reading Questions
- How does Prejean describe the daily life of death row inmates?
- How do guards view prisoners?
- What ethical tensions appear in prison administration?
Session 4
Moral Perspectives on Capital Punishment
Objective
Students analyze ethical arguments surrounding the death penalty.
Experiential Activity
Ethical Corners
Four ethical frameworks:
Retributive justice
Deterrence
Human rights
Religious forgiveness
Students rotate through stations reading short excerpts and discussing.
Teacher Script
“Societies justify punishment in different ways. Some believe punishment should repay harm. Others believe punishment should prevent future crimes.”
“Understanding these frameworks helps us evaluate arguments about the death penalty.”
Reading Assignment
Chapters 8–9
Writing Exercise
Students write a brief argument defending or opposing capital punishment using one ethical framework.
Session 5
Mercy, Justice, and Responsibility
Objective
Students examine questions of guilt, redemption, and responsibility.
Experiential Activity
Moral Courtroom
Roles:
Prosecutor
Defense attorney
Victim family
Religious advisor
Judge
Students conduct a moral trial debating whether the execution should occur.
Teacher Script
“Legal justice and moral justice are not always the same. Courts decide based on laws. Individuals often evaluate based on values.”
“Today we explore the tension between these two ideas.”
Reading Assignment
Chapters 10–11
Discussion Questions
- How does Prejean’s view of Sonnier change?
- What role does empathy play in her perspective?
Preparing for the Execution
Objective
Students examine the emotional and moral gravity of execution.
Experiential Activity
Timeline of the Final Day
Students reconstruct the timeline leading to the execution.
Groups analyze:
What emotions might each participant feel?
Participants include:
warden
prison guards
spiritual advisor
inmate
victim family
Reading Assignment
Chapters 12–14
Writing Task
Write a journal entry from the perspective of:
• the condemned inmate
or
• the spiritual advisor
Session 7
Aftermath and Reflection
Objective
Students reflect on justice and societal responsibility.
Discussion Questions
- What does the execution accomplish?
- Does it provide closure?
- What moral questions remain unresolved?
Reflection Essay
Prompt:
Has your view of the death penalty changed after reading this book?
Explain using evidence from the text.
Session 8
Synthesis Essay Workshop
Topic
Capital Punishment
Prompt (AP Style)
Carefully read the following sources about capital punishment.
Write an essay that synthesizes at least three sources to develop a position on whether the death penalty should be abolished in the United States.
Sources Packet Linked Here
Source A
U.S. Supreme Court decision
Furman v. Georgia
Source B
Amnesty International report on death penalty
Source C
Death Penalty Information Center statistics
Source D
Speech by Helen Prejean
Source E
Editorial supporting capital punishment
Teacher Script
“The synthesis essay requires you to combine multiple perspectives to create a nuanced argument.”
“You are not summarizing the sources. You are using them as evidence to build your own argument.”
Synthesis Planning Organizer
Students complete:
Thesis
Arguments
Evidence from sources
Counterargument
Conclusion
Writing Time
Students write a full AP-style synthesis essay (40 minutes).
Session 9
Culminating Project
Justice Symposium
Students create a project answering:
Should the United States continue using the death penalty?
Project Options
Students choose one:
- Mock Supreme Court Case
Students argue a constitutional challenge to capital punishment. - Documentary Project
Create a short documentary explaining the debate. - Policy Proposal
Write legislation proposing reform or abolition. - Museum Exhibit
Design a visual exhibit about the history of capital punishment.
Required Components
• historical background
• ethical arguments
• evidence and statistics
• personal reflection
Presentation
Students present their projects in a Justice Symposium where classmates evaluate arguments.
Final Reflection Essay
Prompt
What responsibilities do societies have when deciding whether to take a human life as punishment?
Assessment Rubric
Criteria
Reading comprehension
Use of textual evidence
Quality of argument
Participation in experiential activities
Synthesis essay performance
Final project depth