Lesson One:

Pre Reading and Character Introductions – Viewing – different covers

Penguin Versions PP3-4 Until Cs enter – Discussion – effect of entry on scene, tramps/jungle Up

PP Reading 4 – 10 Qs – Character overview, style – animal imagery

T-Chart / Mind-map detailing character contrast

Lesson Two:

PP 10 -11 Lennie’s obsession with petting soft things – why? Point out progression, series of killings / deaths

PP 12 – 13 Weed – what and why

13 – 16 The Dream Farm – introduce Themes – Dreams and Loneliness – S.E.X.Y paragraphs – Explain the importance of the Dream Farm to either George or Lennie (Give skeleton if needed)

17 – 19 End of Chapter – Prediction – drawing from details that have happened thus far, explain what do you think is going to happen when G & L reach the farm.

Lesson Three: PP 20 - 29

Chapter Two: Parallels – How does similarities to start of chapter one?

The Boss – what’s he like? The authority figure of the novel – what sort of authority does he wield?

Quotation: ‘A guy on a ranch don’t never listen nor don’t ask no questions.’ Discussion – what sort of an existence is this?

Curly – What’s his problem?

Introductions of minor characters

Create either a mind – map or series of subheadings with bullet points for each of the following Candy, The Boss, Crooks, Curley, Curley’s Wife, Slim,

Lesson Four: PP30 – Curley’s Wife – What is Steinbeck’s attitude towards women?

Foreshadowing – ‘I don’t like this place George.’ This ain’t no good place. I wanna get outta here.’

PP 30 – 33 Comprehension Questions – Curley’s wife

Read to end of chapter (P38)

Explore Slim’s entrance. PP 34 – 36 Two SEXY Paragraphs – How does Steinbeck Manipulate the readers’ attitude to Slim and Curley’s Wife?

Lesson Five:

PP 39 – 44 Getting into Slim’s character

Task Choice either a Diary Entry from Slim’s perspective or Challenging Task Re-write Chapter in 1st Person, from Slim’s perspective, getting into his brain.

PP 45 – 50 Candy’s Dog

Foreshadowing – what does the incident suggest about the empathy or lack thereof of various characters. How does it further the theme of loneliness?

Add to mind-map / minor character map

Lesson Six: PP 50 - 61

‘Livin’ off the Fatta the Lan’

Reading of whole chapter: Is the dream possible? Straw poll and half and half debate.

S.E.X.Y Paragraphs What is it that appeals so much to the men about the farm?

Lesson Seven: PP 62 End of chapter

‘I ought to of shot that myself, George. I shouldn’t Ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog.’

The fight: Comprehension Questions Including animal imagery, to what extent is it George’s fault?

Four S.E.X.Y paragraphs ‘What does this turning point reveal about the characters present?’

Lesson Eight: Crooks

Changing narrative viewpoint

Read through chapter – discuss and record reasons for Crook’s behaviour, and his beliefs.

Re-write chapter in first person from Crook’s viewpoint.

Crooks