Of Mice and Men Created by Monico Yadao
by John Steinbeck Regular English I: Survey of Literature
Cross-Curricular Unit
Common Core Content Standards:
CC.9-10.R.L.1 Key Ideas and Details: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CC.9-10.R.L.2 Key Ideas and Details: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
CC.9-10.R.L.3 Key Ideas and Details: Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
CC.9-10.R.L.4 Craft and Structure: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).
CC.9-10.R.I.1 Key Ideas and Details: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CC.9-10.R.I.4 Craft and Structure: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper).
CC.9-10.R.I.5 Craft and Structure: Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas or claims are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text (e.g., a section or chapter).
CC.9-10.W.1 Text Types and Purposes: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
CC.9-10.W.1.a Text Types and Purposes: Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
CC.9-10.W.1.d Text Types and Purposes: Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
CC.9-10.W.3.d Text Types and Purposes: Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.
CC.9-10.W.5 Production and Distribution of Writing: Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 on up to and including grades 9-10 page 55.)
CC.9-10.W.6 Production and Distribution of Writing: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
CC.9-10.W.8 Research to Build and Present Knowledge: Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
CC.9-10.W.9 Research to Build and Present Knowledge: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
CC.9-10.SL.1.a Comprehension and Collaboration: Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
CC.9-10.SL.1.c Comprehension and Collaboration: Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.
CC.9-10.SL.1.d Comprehension and Collaboration: Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented.
CC.9-10.R.H.9 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.).
Instructional Outcomes:
Students will be able to analyze literature effectively and more deeply by examining the development of universal themes (CC.9-10.R.L.2), its application to real-world issues, their own personal experiences (CC.9-10.R.L.2), and the transformation of characters over time (CC.9-10.R.L.3).
Students will be able to analyze various authors’ purpose and perspective in a given text by examining elements in their writing, e.g. diction, audience, tone, connotation, occasion, and subject (CC.9-10.R.L.4; CC.9-10.R.I.4; CC.9-10.R.I.5).
Students will be able to support their claims, citing evidence from a given text both in print and non-print form (CC.9-10.R.L.1; CC.9-10.R.I.1).
! Students will be able to sequence a series of personal events using sensory imagery and diction (CC.9-10.W.3.d) so as to personalize their understanding of universal themes from the literature.
! Students will be able to publicize and present their writing creatively, professionally, and meaningfully (CC.9-10.W.6).
! Students will be able to write formally (CC.9-10.W.1.d), analytically, and persuasively (CC.9-10.W.1.a by utilizing proper writing strategies, grammar conventions, and textual support from reliable sources CC.9-10.W.1; CC.9-10.W.8; CC.9-10.W.9).
! Students will be able to revise and refine work through drafting, peer-editing, and teacher feedback (CC.9-10.W.5).
I Students will be able to listen actively and engage professionally in an academic discussion (CC.9-10.SL.1.d), supporting claims with evidence and textual support (CC.9-10.SL.1.a) and referring to relevant topics and universal themes from primary and secondary sources (CC.9-10.SL.1.c; CC.9-10.R.H.9).
Cross-Curricular Focus:
14.F.4a Determine the historical events and processes that brought about changes in United States political ideas and traditions (e.g., the New Deal, Civil War).
Students will be able to examine how the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl affected the American Dream, putting into context the novel Of Mice and Men (14.F.4a).
Big Ideas / Universal Themes:
Ø The Great Depression and its effect on the American Dream for individuals
Ø Loneliness and the need for companionship
Ø The predatory nature of humans
Ø The dependence or codependence of individuals, e.g. euthanasia, the elderly, special needs, marriage
Ø Identity shaped or reinforced by one’s surrounding community
Essential Questions:
Ø How has the definition of the American Dream changed since the Great Depression?
Ø What ties individuals together, and is it necessary to be a part of a community?
Ø How necessary is camaraderie or companionship?
Ø Why do people bully?
Ø Do you believe that humans are out get one another?
Ø How are people thrust into responsibility?
Ø Do we have obligations to care for individuals?
Ø How is our identity shaped or reinforced by the community or communities that surround us?
Assessments:
Diagnostic: Discussion Board using essential questions
Formative: Quiz on Of Mice and Men, Student Polls, Student-Led Discussions, Small Group, and Whole Group Discussions
Summative: Expository Essay, Poetry, and Personal Memoirs; Artistic Component; First Semester Final Exam
Planned Instructional Activities:
Ø Student-Led Discussions
Ø Photograph and Art for creative writing and historical background information
Ø Sharing of poetry and personal memoirs
Ø Peer-Editing for 1st and 2nd Drafts
Ø Teacher-Student conferences
Ø Independent Writing and Research
Ø Teaching effective reading, writing, and speaking skills
Ø Grammar bell ringers
Ø Note-taking from Power Point Presentations
Ø Students will create their own website to design an action plan to help accommodate the needs of Lennie, one of the main characters in Of Mice and Men. In order to research reliable sources and technology, students will perform a Webquest. “A webquest is an inquiry-based teaching tool, in which students of all ages and levels participate in an authentic task that use pre-designed…internet resources” (Yang, 2011,pg.22).
Ø Students will evaluate several solutions to a problem and choose the most effective one using evidence on an online discussion board. “Students voluntarily used discussion boards to demonstrate progress to their peers and tutors, or to reflect on previous postings/discussions…. Students considered a discussion board the most convenient way of communicating with other group members” (Robinson, 2011,pg. 15-19).
Accommodations/Modifications:
§ Limit amount of text on Power Point slides during note-taking sessions.
§ Provide students with a copy of a scoring rubric and a list of questions prior to student-led discussions.
§ Check for understanding with students who are disorganized; check assignment notebooks
§ Write agenda on the board
§ Post important announcements and future due dates on the website frequently
§ Provide graphic organizers for outlines and student-led discussions
Writing Assignments (In Detail):
Choose one to three topics that connect to “identity and community” for each of the three pieces.
I. Poetry:
- artistic component: painting, video, photography, live performance, sculpture, mosaic
- rhyme or free verse
- at least 12
- typed
II. Personal Memior:
- artistic component: painting, video, photography, live performance, sculpture, mosaic
- typed 1 ½ - 3 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font, Times New Roman
III. Expository Essay:
- Two drafts
- Outline
- Connection among themes in Literature and real world issues.
- 4-5 paragraphs
- typed 1 ½ - 3 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font, Times New Roman
Poetry Writing
Strong100 / Maturing
90 / Emerging
80 / Developing
70 / Beginning
60
Creativity
The student demonstrates insurmountable effort and creativity in poetry writing, utilizing diction and other poetic devices strategically.
Thematic Connection
The student clearly communicates a connection to the theme of Identity and Community throughout their piece. / Creativity
The student mostly demonstrates effort and creativity in poetry writing, utilizing diction and other poetic devices strategically for most of their poem.
Thematic Connection
The student communicates a connection to the theme of Identity and Community throughout most of their piece. / Creativity
The student adequately demonstrates effort and creativity in poetry writing, utilizing diction and other poetic devices strategically for some of their poem.
Thematic Connection
The student somewhat communicates a connection to the theme of Identity and Community throughout some of their piece. / Creativity
The student barely demonstrates effort and creativity in poetry writing, hardly utilizing diction and other poetic devices in their poem.
Thematic Connection
The student hardly communicates a connection to the theme of Identity and Community throughout their piece. / Creativity
The student fails to demonstrate effort and creativity in poetry writing, failing to utilize diction and other poetic devices in their poem.
Thematic Connection
The student does not communicate a connection to the theme of Identity and Community throughout their piece.
Total: ______/100
Personal Narrative / Memoir Writing
Strong150 / Maturing
140 / Emerging
130 / Developing
115 / Beginning
100
Basic Requirements:
The essay follows all of the basic requirements, e.g. page amount, font size, spacing, and typed.
Creativity
The student demonstrates insurmountable effort and creativity in their writing, utilizing diction and other imagery strategically.
Thematic Connection
The student clearly communicates a connection to the theme of Identity and Community throughout their piece. / Basic Requirements:
The essay mostly follows the basic requirements, e.g. page amount, font size, spacing, and typed.
Creativity
The student demonstrates effort and creativity in their writing, utilizing diction and other imagery strategically throughout most of their piece.
Thematic Connection
The student communicates a connection to the theme of Identity and Community throughout most of their piece. / Basic Requirements:
The essay adequately follows the basic requirements, e.g. page amount, font size, spacing, and typed.
Creativity
The student demonstrates some effort and creativity in their writing, utilizing some diction and other imagery strategically throughout their piece.
Thematic Connection
The student somewhat communicates a connection to the theme of Identity and Community throughout some of their piece. / Basic Requirements:
The essay barely follows the basic requirements, e.g. page amount, font size, spacing, and typed.
Creativity
The student demonstrates little effort and creativity in their writing, utilizing little diction and other imagery throughout their piece.
Thematic Connection
The student hardly communicates a connection to the theme of Identity and Community throughout their piece. / Basic Requirements:
The essay fails to follow any of the basic requirements, e.g. page amount, font size, spacing, and typed.
Creativity
The student demonstrates no effort and creativity in their writing, utilizing no diction or imagery throughout their piece.
Thematic Connection
The student does not communicate a connection to the theme of Identity and Community throughout their piece.
Total: ______/150
Artistic Component for either the poem or personal narrative/memoir
Strong50 / Maturing
45 / Emerging
40 / Developing
35 / Beginning
30
Artistic Component
The student creates something that contains great effort, skill, creativity, and thought, and captures the meaning of their poem and theme. / Artistic Component
The student creates something that mostly contains effort, skill, creativity, and thought, and mostly captures the meaning of their poem and theme. / Artistic Component
The student creates something that contains some effort, skill, creativity, and thought, and slightly captures the meaning of their poem and theme. / Artistic Component
The student creates something that contains little effort, skill, creativity, and thought, and hardly captures the meaning of their poem and theme. / Artistic Component
The student creates something that is absent of effort, skill, creativity, and thought, and fails to capture the meaning of their poem and theme.
Total: ______/50
Expository Essay
“The expository essay is a genre of essay that requires the student to investigate an idea, evaluate evidence, expound on the idea, and set forth an argument concerning that idea in a clear and concise manner. This can be accomplished through comparison and contrast, definition, example, the analysis of cause and effect, etc.” (OWL Purdue Online Writing Lab, 1995).
Directions: