Of Mice and Men

1. Of Mice and Men English 10

2. OMAM Day 1: Sit in your Sticker Groups • SWBAT: understand the experience of a migrant worker in the Salinas Valley of California during the 1930s. • Turn in narratives • Get NBs set up for grading • LS/RS setup • Explain Web Quest • Assign duties • Go to lab and work

3. LS RS Notes: Group Members/Duties (*Leader*) Type of presentation Summary of work: • Reflection: What was the most significant thing that you learned about your part of the webquest?

4. OMAM Day 2: • SWBAT: understand the experience of a migrant worker in the Salinas Valley of California during the 1930s. • LS/RS Setup • Goals • Work time • Presentations due to be shared (or dropped off) by 3:00 next class day. • Staple web quest handout onto RS at the end of class (make sure that you have notes for all four jobs)

5. LS RS Notes: Changes Summary of work • Reflection: What was the best/worst part about having a collaborative presentation?

6. Day 3: Sit with your Color Groups • SWBAT: understand the role of a modern day migrant worker. • Vocabulary (Can be LS/RS) • AoW (Summary on RS/Reflection on LS)

7. Vocab List 1 • Juncture • Debris • Mottled • Recumbent • Pugnacious • Cower • Aloof • Fawning • Writhe • Jeer

8. Day 6: Sit with your Number Groups • SWBAT: Interpret and understand “To A Mouse” and make predictions about its connection to OMAM • LS/RS Setup • “To A Mouse” Reading and interpretation • Discussion • Check out OMAM • Notes topics • Don’t forget to staple your poem on the RS

9. LS RS Poem Stapled when complete Summary Questions about poem 1. 2. 3. Reflection: What connections did you make to the mouse/farmer? Do you often feel like you hold onto things more than other people do? Or are you someone that doesn’t stew about events?

10. Notes Topics Chapter 1—leave space between each one—start on left and continue on right • River (symbolism and area description) • Man #1 • Man #2 • What they do for a living • Lennie’s obsession with mice • Getting into trouble like they did in Weed • Mice and Aunt Clara • Why George and Lennie lost their jobs • The puppy • How they are different than other migrant ranch hands • Rabbits • Back to the river

11. OMAM Day 7: Sit with your Sticker Groups SWBAT: understand the significance of naturalism in the first chapter of the novella. • LS/RS Setup • Journal • Naturalism • Ch 1 Discussion • Notes Topics Chapter 2

12. LS RS Naturalism in OMAM notes Summary • Journal #1 • Reflection: Where did you see naturalism or indirect characterization in OMAM? What parts of the storyline are you excited to learn more about?

13. Journal #1 • Think of your favorite outdoor retreat. Why do you like this particular natural setting? How does it change, depending on the time of day or time of year you go there? When do you go to this place?

14. Naturalism • Presents human behavior as a scientist would—just the facts with no moral judgment at all. • Human beings presented as “animals”—products of their heredity and environment—fate is predetermined by the circumstances of life. • People are beaten down and generally defeated by natural and/or hostile economic forces they cannot possibly overcome.

15. Common settings, lower class, unremarkable people who somehow become involved in intense dramatic incidents, usually ending in violent death. • While all this seems negative and contrary to a person’s life meaning much of anything, the 20th century naturalist almost always builds in a sense of importance of the individual—a significance to their lives.

16. Point of View-3rd person limited • Because of this, the characters are revealed indirectly—we do not know what they are thinking or feeling---actions, reactions and words (dialect) only. • The reader must determine motivations. (Like a play).

17. Tragedy • Great tragedy is meant to hurt. • The function of literature is to help us deal with the pain of real life by practicing vicariously through the pain of tragic art. • Horror + Nobility = Tragedy

18. Ch 1 Discussion in table groups • Look back at your notes/book for Chapter 1 • Find three examples of naturalism and three examples of indirect characterization • Quotes and pg. numbers • How do these examples fit into the definition of naturalism or indirect characterization? • Whole group share

19. Notes Topics Ch 2 • Bunkhouse description • The Boss • Whitey • Crooks • Smitty • Candy • Lies George told • Candy’s dog • Curley • Curley’s wife • Slim • Carlson ***Skinner: a person who drives a team of mules ***Head Skinner: leads the teams ***Swamper: handyman or janitor

20. OMAM Day 8: Sit with your Color Groups Students will understand the significance of indirect character development. • LS/RS setup • Journal • Character traits foldable • Notes topics ch. 3

21. LS RS Foldable Summary: Journal #2 Reflection: How did you feel about the character that you were given? Do you think that they are being given a fair shot or do you think that other people’s perceptions are holding them back?

22. Journal #2 • Write about a situation in which you were powerless, when you had no control and had to obey someone else’s orders. How did this situation make you feel at the time? What do you think the person “in power” in that situation was feeling or thinking?

23. Foldable • Cut out and work with your group on your assigned character. We will be sharing our character analyses during the last 15 minutes of class.

24. Notes topics ch 3 • Lennie and George • Weed’s details • George’s warning about the puppy • Candy and his dog • Carlson and the dog • Susy’s • Curley’s suspicions about his wife • American Dream • Candy’s fear • Lennie and Curley

25. OMAM day 9: Sit with your Number Groups • SWBAT: debate Steinbeck’s position on euthanasia. • LS/RS setup LS: Journal/Reflection RS: Notes/Summary • Journal • Discussion • Ch 4 Notes Topics Reflection: How did you feel when we were discussing euthanasia? Do you agree with the characters’ views? What would you say to them if you could?

26. Journal #3 Agree or disagree with one of the following statements, and give reasons for your opinions: 1. If one has an animal, one has a responsibility to put it out of its misery if it becomes too old or sick to be any good. 2. Mercy-killing (euthanasia) should be legalized for human beings. 3. People who are no good to society, but rather, who are a burden to society, should be euthanized to spare both them and society a waste of time and tax dollars.

27. Debate Question: Does Steinbeck support or oppose euthanasia? • With your groups, re-read pages 44 beginning with “Damn right he is…” and ending on page 49 with “Then he rolled slowly over and faced the wall and lay silent.” • Jot down quotes that indicate whether Steinbeck supports or opposes euthanasia. • Reread the second paragraph at the top of page 36. Why do you think George stares so intently at Slim? And what do you think that slow ringing of a triangle in the background – a ringing that grows louder and louder and then stops – is really symbolizing?

28. Notes Topics Ch 4 • Crooks’s room • Why Crooks doesn’t like visitors • Crooks’s history • Listening and doing • Lonely people • Candy’s arrival • Curley’s wife and where her husband is • The “machine” • Threats at Crooks • What Candy understands about Crooks

29. OMAM Day 10: Sit with your Sticker Groups • SWBAT: understand the role that loneliness has on a person • LS (Journal/Reflection) • RS (Loneliness chart/summary) • Reflection: Do you think that it’s right that the men believe that Curly’s wife is a tart? If you could be friends with any of the characters in the book, who would you want to and why?

30. Journal #4 • Respond to the following quote: “The biggest disease today is not leprosy or cancer. It’s the feeling of being uncared for, unwanted – of being deserted and alone” (Mother Teresa).

31. Loneliness Chart: Draw a diagram in which you depict the characters who suffer from loneliness in this book. Add a quote and explanation about why they are lonely.

32. Notes Topics Ch 5 • Where men were at the beginning of the chapter • Lennie and his puppy • Curley’s wife • Her marriage • Curley’s wife’s dreams • Curley’s wife’s reality • Reason Lennie loves the rabbits • Curley’s wife v. Lennie • Nature’s reaction • Discovery • Candy’s dream/reality • Blame game • Curley’s reaction • Slim’s reaction • George’s protection??

33. OMAM day 11: Sit with your Color Groups • SWBAT understand the various forms of discrimination in OMAM. • Racism, ageism, sexism, and ableism group work (both sides of notebook). • Draw a line three lines from the bottom of each square. You will use this space as reflection…do not write in it yet. • Notes topics Ch 5

34. Discrimination activity • Divide your paper into four squares (two on LS/two on RS), and label them: racism, ageism, sexism, and ableism • Divide up the responsibility between your groups so that each person is responsible for one of the –isms. • Include quotes, illustrations, etc. to make your square powerful and visually appealing. • We will be jigsawing, so you need to be specific and detailed so that all students understand the four –isms in the story • Closing: Instead of a summary, you will be reflecting on how/where you have seen each of these –isms in your own life. Two-three sentences per box.

35. Notes Topics Ch 5 • Where men were at the beginning of the chapter • Lennie and his puppy • Curley’s wife • Her marriage • Curley’s wife’s dreams • Curley’s wife’s reality • Reason Lennie loves the rabbits • Curley’s wife v. Lennie • Nature’s reaction • Discovery • Candy’s dream/reality • Blame game • Curley’s reaction • Slim’s reaction • George’s protection??

36. OMAM Day 12: Sit with your Number Groups • SWBAT: Understand the purpose of Curley’s wife. • Journal LS • Strong Statement Discussion Activity RS • Reflection LS: What was your favorite part about today’s activity? • Summary RS • Notes topics Ch 6 • Hand out Elizabeth McMurray Article

37. Journal #5 Curley’s wife is a complicated and fascinating character. The men on the ranch constantly refer to her in a derogatory and sexual way. This is partly because she is the only woman, partly because they fear her as the boss’ wife and partly because this is the way she has learned to communicate. What do you think of her? Are the men right to think of her as they do?

38. Strong Statement Discussion For this activity, your table will be given various statements that could be argued with evidence from the story, as well as morals and values from each individual. You will be copying each statement into the right side of your notebook, and using evidence from the book to support/refute the statement. You will also be arguing your position with your group at the same time. Make sure that your arguments include support from the novella and/or your own experiences to back up your claims.

39. Strong Statements • Girls who dress in a “sexy” manner are sluts. • Girls who are in a relationship should not be allowed to flirt with other guys. • People who harm or kill animals are sociopaths. • You should be allowed to retaliate if someone kills a person you love. • Dreams are stupid and will never come true no matter how hard you try. • You should accept your place in society and not ever complain. • You should protect the ones you love at all costs, even if it means putting yourself at risk. • Loneliness is always an acceptable reason for seeking companionship.

40. Notes Topics Ch 6 • Naturalism • Lennie’s animalism • Imagination • George and Lennie’s dream—different tone • Family • George’s dilemma • Heaven • George’s decision • Slim’s forgiveness • Carlson and Curley’s questions—what does this say about their understanding of family

41. OMAM Day 13: Sit with your Sticker Groups • SWBAT: Decide if George was right. • Journal (LS) • Reflection (LS): What was your favorite part of this unit? How do you feel about the ending? If you were George would you have done the same thing? • Elizabeth McMurray article foldable (RS) • Discussion (RS) • Test Prep (LS)

42. Journal #6 In your opinion, was George a responsible human being and friend in the end, or did he take the easy way out?

43. Elizabeth McMurray Article Foldable • Change Slim to Outside Forces

44. Reflection “Man himself has become our greatest hazard and our only hope.” Write a response to this quote. What do you think the writer is saying here? How is this statement true or relevant to the major themes and concepts in Of Mice and Men?

45. Things to Study!! • Notes from Web Quest (all four jobs) • Notes from book (plot points) • The –isms (definitions and book examples) • Role of friendship • Steinbeck’s position regarding euthanasia • George and Lennie’s relationship from the beginning to the end • Curley’s wife • Prejudice and discrimination • Naturalism

46. Day 14 OMAM: Sit with your Color Groups • SWBAT: Understand the purpose of literary criticism and practice arguing their position while analyzing a critic’s view of a piece of literature. • Notes (RS) • “The Giving Tree” • Criticism • RAVE foldable (RS) • Reflection (LS)

47. Literary Criticism • What is it? • Refers to the various critical lenses used to analyze literature • Each lens is sensitive to point of view, symbol, tone, irony, and other literary elements, but also puts those elements into a special light • Each lens also raises different questions and issues, so each point of view will have different evidence to support it

48. Type 1: Formalist Criticism • Focus on the elements of the writing (language, structure, and tone) • EX: how metaphor, symbolism, plot, or characterization develop the meaning of a story • Only focus on the writing itself • Do not include what is happening in the world as a reason for what happens in the story

49. Type 2: Biographical Criticism • Uses the information from the author’s life experiences as a way to understand the story • Sometimes a story mirrors an author’s life and that is important to note and think about

50. Type 3: New Historian Criticism • Looks at the interaction between what happened in history and a modern reader’s understanding of historical events • Looks at all types of information outside of the text: political, social, economic, sociological, etc.