Unit 2: Of Mice and Men

What I Already Know, and What I Learned

Introduction

We have finished reading Of Mice and Men, and while we have studied many aspects of the novella, we certainly haven’t covered everything. Today we are going to be reviewing what we already know, and we are going to be visiting some different websites to garner some new information.

Task 1

1. View the chart below.

2. On the “Topic” line write Of Mice and Men.

3. On the tops of the first two columns, write “What I Already Know.”

4. Using your notes and study guides, fill in the two columns with information you already know about the novella.

5. Label the tops of the second two columns “What I Learned.”

6. Then, visit this website: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/micemen/history.html

7. Scroll through the website and search out new information about the novella.

8. Write down your new information in the columns under “What I Learned.”

RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!

Based on what you learned while we read the book, and based on what you learned through the website above, what do you believe is the MOST profound and important idea in Of Mice and Men? Why do you think so? Explain.

Task 2

1. Complete the following webquest.

a. From (www.hse.k12.in.us/staff/jjacobs/Of% 20Mice%20and% 20Men% 20WebQuest.doc)

Of Mice and Men WebQuest

You are about to embark on a journey of understanding of what it was like to be a migrant worker in the Salinas valley of California during the 1930's, during the great depression. John Steinbeck wrote Of Mice and Men as a vehicle to express his social conscience about the period. Of Mice and Men is a novel about poverty and dreams, friendship and loneliness, and despair and hope. Through the memorable characters of George and Lennie, Steinbeck paints a portrait of enduring friendship that you won't soon forget. In order to help you to understand the context of the novel and how it still resonates today, you are about to embark on a Webquest that will lay the ground work for a deeper understanding of this simple, yet profound story.

With a partner, answer the following questions by clicking on the links below. Answer questions on a Word document- print off two copies, one for me and one for you and your partner to use for class discussion.

1. What are the geographical features of the Salinas valley in California?
2. What kinds of jobs are available here?
3. What was John Steinbeck’s relationship to the Salinas Valley?
4. What was the Great Depression?
5. What were some of the causes?
6. Who were the migrant workers and how were they affected by the Great Depression?
7. Do migrant workers exist today? Where? What kinds of jobs do they have?
8. Describe FDR’s New Deal.
9. What were Hoovervilles?
10. What is a mental disability and how does it affect a person's everyday life?
11. What are some of the difficulties in caring for a mentally disabled person?
12. What is the role of friendship in caring for the mentally disabled?
13. What is a mental disability and how does it affect a person's everyday life?
14. What are some of the difficulties in caring for a mentally disabled person?
15. A visual representation (picture, collage…etc…) of Steinbeck’s 1930’s.

Links:

http://kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/decade30.html

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/afctshtml/tsme.html

http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/migrants.html

http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/birth_defect/mental_retardation.html

http://www.mental-health-matters.com/articles/article.php?artID=725

http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/Steinbeck/nobel.html

http://www.steinbeck.org/MainFrame.html

http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/johnstei.htm

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/lange/index.html

http://www.salinas.com/

Task 3

1. Now that you have completed the webquest, has your answer to this question changed? Why or why not? Explain.

a. What do you believe is the MOST profound and important idea in Of Mice and Men?