Mice of Men

Of Mice and Men – Context and

Background
Success Criteria
LO: Begin to develop an Level 3
understanding of the historical • Demonstrate an
and social context of ‘Of Mice understanding of context and
and Men’. background.
• Consider how people would
Outcomes: have felt during the Great
Depression.
1. Compare modern day
California to the California of
Level 4
the 1930s.
• Make links between the context
2. Respond to video clips and and possible themes and events in
texts about 1930s America. the story.
What do you know about America?

Write down three facts.

 What sort of place would it be like to live in?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIs7-K_5EV
s
 Watch this short clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_FFwbcAaI4

1. Describe the faces of the people in the film?

2. Why were so many of them queuing?
3. What kind of work do you think the men
were looking for?
4. How would you describe their lives?
 1930S: MASS UNEMPLOYMENT

What words does this newspaper use to show how

bad the situation was?
WHAT HAPPENED?

1932 :OVER 30,000 COMPANIES

GO OUT OF BUSINESS.
THOSE WHO KEPT THEIR JOBS
TOOK PAY CUT UP TO 60 %

UNEMPLOYED
WAS 12 MILLION IN 1933
What
effect
would this
have had
on
people’s
lives?
During the 1920s and 1930s farmers ploughed
up grassland on the Southern Great Plains to
plant wheat. In 1934 and 1935 a severe
drought killed the wheat plants. High winds
blew the topsoil off the land and into huge
dunes. Violent dust storms turned the sky
black and people had to breathe through
handkerchiefs to keep from choking. About
150,000 square miles of land came to be
called the Dust Bowl.
Heard the storm coming. "Hurry Dad, hurry!" I screamed.
Was feeling scared, very scared, in the summer of 1935.
Turned around and saw the dust approaching at a rapid speed.
Had been wondering if I would ever see blue sky again.
My legs were shivering so I firmly grasped them with my hands.
"Jack," my father yelled, "Put your head down."
Smelled the dust filling my nostrils and clogging them up.
Thought as soon as we get to California life will be better and
Dad would get a permanent job.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbb6y8Nqc28
 What do
these
songs
suggest
about life
for a
migrant
worker?

What
might you
expect to
be some
key
themes of
the novel?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8
Z6OEqc0uS0
 John Steinbeck
LO:
• Develop knowledge about
Steinbeck life and times.
• Locate information in a
text.
• Select interesting facts.
Outcomes:
Fact file about John Steinbeck
Success Criteria.
Level 3
• Select key information.
• Remember 5 facts about John
Steinbeck and the 1930s.
Level 4
• Use skimming and scanning skills
to find information quickly.
• Consider why Steinbeck wanted
to write about the 1930s.
• Link relevant points together.
John Steinbeck Fact File
Full Name:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Parents:
Jobs:
Books:
Date ‘Of Mice and Men’ was
released:
Prizes:
Interesting Facts:
Date of Death:
 The Great Depression
LO:
To show empathy with those
who lived in the time of
the Great Depression.
Outcomes:
1. Secure knowledge of
key terms and events.
2. Interpret picture
sources.
Success Criteria.
Level 3
• Use key words in your answers.
• Identify a persons thoughts and
feelings.
Level 4
• Interpret a persons thoughts and
feelings.
• Add more detail to your answers
to make them clearer to the
reader.
 Match the key words to the descriptions.
• Migrant worker • the circumstances
surrounding an event/text
• a serious global economic
• Dust Bowl depression in the 1930s
• severe wind storms that
caused major damage to
• Context areas of America
• men who travelled the
country looking for work
• California • state located on the West
Coast of America where
many men went looking for
• Great Depression work
 Picture questions
• What do you think is happening in the
picture?
• How does it make you feel? What are your
reactions?

Use key terms in your explanations – The Great

Depression, The Dust Bowl, Migrant Workers,
California.
• Choose a person in one of the photographs
and use what you know to create a though
bubble for that person.

• What is their day to day life like?

• How do they feel about their situation?
Read the fact file about John Steinbeck
• Select 5 key points.
 Use the internet to find some more
information about Steinbeck
• Select information that is interesting, relevant
and adds to your diagram.
 Establishing Character
LO: Success Criteria:
• Select information form the
• Include key details on
text.
• Use quotations to support
drawings.
points made about • Label drawing with
characters. quotations form the
text.
Outcome: • Comment on what
Shared reading of opening
clues in the text are
section.
Labelled drawings of George
showing you.
and Lennie
• What are your dreams for the future?

• If you do any job in the world what would you

like to do?
 What have we learnt so far about the two
main characters?
• Start a double page spread in your books

George Lennie
Outcome:
Labelled drawing of George and Lennie.

Success Criteria:
• Select information about George and Lennie.
• Include key details on drawings.
• Label drawing with quotations form the text.
• Comment on what clues in the text are showing
you.
George
Lennie
 Context
LO:
• Develop knowledge of the
context of ‘Of Mice and Men’ –
become expert in certain area.
• Present information so it is clear
for the reader to understand.
Outcome:
Work in pairs to produce
information poster about the
context – Great Depression, John
Steinbeck, Racism, Dust Bowl,
California
Success Criteria:
• Read the text and select
key information.
• Plan and discuss how to
present your
information.
• Use presentational
features to make the
information clearer –
e.g. bold writing, text
boxes, underlining.
 Match the key words to the descriptions.
• Migrant worker • the circumstances
surrounding an event/text
• a serious global economic
• Dust Bowl depression in the 1930s
• severe wind storms that
caused major damage to
• Context areas of America
• men who travelled the
country looking for work
• California • state located on the West
Coast of America where
many men went looking for
• Great Depression work
The best way to learn is to teach!

You remember
more if you
teach it to others
 Paired Task – Make an information poster
about the topic you have been given.
• Before you begin read the information sheet
and highlight the words don’t understand.
• List the 6 points you think are most important.
• In your pairs decide how you are going to
present you information.
• Create an information poster to teach others
about your topic.
 First Impressions
LO:
• Understand, describe
and select information,
events and ideas from
the text.
Outcome:
P.E.E paragraphs about
initial impressions of George
and Lennie.
Success Criteria:
• Identify features of George
and Lennie’s personality.
• Begin to read between the
lines of the text.
• Select relevant quotations
to back up each point made.
• Comment on what clues in
the text are showing me.
• Develop explanations in
detail.
 What is the reader’s first impression of
George?
Point: The reader’s first impression of George is
………….
Evidence: The quotation that shows this is
‘________’.
Explanation:
This shows that ……. Extension – see how
many P.E.E chains
you can make in
answer to this
question.
 What is the reader’s first impression of
Lennie?
Point: The reader’s first impression of Lennie is
………….
Evidence: The quotation that shows this is
‘________’.
Explanation:
This shows that ……. Extension – see how
many P.E.E chains
you can make in
answer to this
question.
 Tracking
LO:
• Understand, describe and
select information, events
and ideas from the text.
Outcome:
• Shared reading of rest of
section 1.
• Complete cloze exercise
and grid after reading
section 1.
Success Criteria:
• Main points remembered
from the text.
• Select the information I
need from a text.
• Skim and scan to find
information quickly.
• Comment on what clues
in the text are showing
me.
 The American Dream
LO: Success Criteria:
• Explain what the • Main basic comments about
American Dream is. the text (3b).
• Make links between this • Explain in your own words
why the dream is important
ideal and the story. (3a).
• Make predictions about
Outcome: what will happen using clues
from the text (4c).
• Close reading and
• Find quotations from the
analysis of George’s first text back up your answers
telling of the dream. (4b).
 What are your dreams? On a post-it...
• If you could live anywhere in the world where
would you want to live? Why?

• If you were given £1,000,000 what would

you do with the money? Why?

• What would be your dream job? Why?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC7T-079i-4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QL64pNdzL
k
 The American Dream
• all people can succeed through hard work
• all people have the potential to live happy, successful
lives

United States Declaration of Independence:

• All men are created equal
• Everyone has certain rights
• Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
 Answer the question in full sentences.
1. What is George and Lennie’s dream? Describe what it
will be like (3b).
2. How do you think this dream helps them? (3a)
3. Do you think they will achieve their dream? Why/ why
not? (4c)
4. It is clear that this conversation has happened many
times before. Find three quotations that show this. (4b).

Key question: How does George and Lennie’s dream link to

the American dream?
 The Bunk House
LO: Success Criteria:
• Select and retrieve • Most items included in
information from the diagram.
text. • Quotations used to
label diagram.
Outcome: • All items included in
• Labelled diagram of the diagram, with close
Bunk House. attention to detail.
 Sketch the bunk house
• Using the details in the description, sketch a diagram of the
layout of the bunk house.
• Birds eye view.
• Label your drawing with relevant quotations from the text.

Success Criteria:
• Most items included in diagram.
• Quotations used to label diagram.
• All items included in diagram, with close attention to
detail.
 Characterisation.
LO:
• Select quotations from
the text to back up ideas.
• Share ideas in a small
group.
Outcome:
• Character profiles on
individual characters.
Success Criteria:
• Listen to other people’s
ideas and make helpful
suggestions and
contributions.
• Listen carefully to what
other people are saying and
ask questions and make
contributions to further
their ideas.
• Play a key role in keeping
the discussion going.
• Look back at the spider diagrams you started
last week on George and Lennie.

• Try and add five points to each.

• What else have we learnt about their
personalities?
• How have other characters reacted to them?
• Can you find any important quotes?
 Presentations
LO:
• Revise the events of the
first two sections.
• Deliver a presentation to
the class.
Outcome:
• Pictionary game.
• Present work on either
Curley, Curley’s wife or
Slim.
Success Criteria:
• Make sure people can
understand my ideas by
explaining in a clear
order.
• Begin to talk for longer
when explaining my
ideas.
• Talk in more detail and
respond to questions
about my work.
 Curley’s wife
LO:
• Recognise the significance of Curley’s wife
• Use P.E.E to answer questions
How does the Boss react to George and
Lennie?
The boss is suspicious of
George because he is doing
all the talking. He asks
George, ‘What stake you got
in this guy? You takin’ his
pay away from him?’ He
thinks that George is taking
advantage of Lennie so that
he can earn more money.
However we know that
George has told Lennie not
to say anything so that he
does not mess up their
chance of work.
How does Curley react to George and
Lennie? – p.46 or p.26
Curley is disrespectful to
George and Lennie.
I know this because his
“arms gradually bent at
the elbows and closed
in to fists.”
This shows us that he is
trying to warn them and
scare them. He wants
them to know that he is
the boss. He is a bully.
 What is the significance of the colour red?
Why might it be associated with Curley’s wife?
 What is the reader’s first impression of
Curley’s wife?
Point: The reader’s first impression of Curley’s
wife is ………….
Evidence: Find a quotation to support your point
This is shown when…..
The quotation ‘……..’ shows this. Extension – see how
many P.E.E chains
When Candy says….. you can make in
answer to this
Explanation: question.

This shows that …….

This makes the reader think …….
 What happened in Weed?
• Briefly describe in you own words what
happened in Weed.

• Why might the events in Weed be significant?

 Atmosphere
LO: Success Criteria:
• Identify how Steinbeck • Describe what is happening
creates a tense in this section (3a).
atmosphere in this • Pick out key words and
comment on how the
episode of the novel.
characters are behaving
Outcome: (4c).
• Close analysis of short • Comment on the effect of
section of the text. the language used and how
it is contributing to the
atmosphere (4b+).
 Remind yourself about Candy
• Look through the novel.
• Who is he? What is he like?

• Go for 5!
LO: Identify how Steinbeck creates a tense atmosphere in this
episode of the novel

George followed to the door and shut the door and set the
latch gently in its place. Candy lay rigidly on his bed staring at the
ceiling.
Slim said loudly: ‘One of my lead mules got a bad hoof. Got
to get some tar on it.’ His voice trailed off. It was silent outside.
Carlson’s footsteps died away. The silence came into the room. And
the silence lasted.
George chuckled: ‘I bet Lennie’s right out there in the barn
with his pup. He won’t want to come in here no more now he’s got a
pup.’
Slim said: ‘Candy, you can have any one of them pups you
want.’
Candy did not answer. The silence fell on the room again. It
came out of the night and invaded the room. George said: ‘Anybody
like to play a little euchre?’
‘I’ll play out a few with you,’ said Whit.
 They took places opposite each other at the table under the light,
but George did not shuffle the cards. He rippled the edge of the deck
nervously, and the little snapping noise drew the eyes of all the men in
the room, so that he stopped doing it. The silence fell on the room
again. A minute passed and another minute. Candy lay still, staring at
the ceiling. Slim gazed at him for a moment and then looked down at his
hands; he subdued one hand with the other, and held it down. There
came a gnawing sound from under the floor and all the men looked down
towards it gratefully. Only Candy continued to stare at the ceiling.
‘Sounds like there was a rat under there,’ said George. ‘We ought
to get a trap down there.’
Whit broke out: ‘What the hell’s takin’ him so long? Lay out some
cards, why don’t you? We ain’t going to get no euchre played this way.’
George brought the cards together tightly and studied the backs
of them.
A shot sounded in the distance. The men looked quickly at the old
man. Every head turned towards him.
For a moment he continued to stare at the ceiling. Then he rolled
slowly over and faced the wall and lay silent.
 3 colour analysis
• First colour -highlight anything that characters
do that contribute to a tense atmosphere.
• Second colour – anything the character’s say
that add to the atmosphere.
• Third colour – Any words that describe the
room and add to the atmosphere.
• Identify how Steinbeck creates a tense
atmosphere in this episode of the novel

• How does Steinbeck create atmosphere in this

section?

• Think  Pair  Share

 Fight
LO: Success Criteria:
• Interpret events from • Describe what is
the text. happening in this section.
• Select relevant • Pick out key words and
quotations. comment on how the
characters are behaving.
Outcome:
• Comment on the effect of
• Shared reading of the the language used and
end of section 3. how it is contributing to
• Complete questions the atmosphere.
about the fight scene.
Curley Lennie
1. Why does Curley pick a fight with Lennie? Curley picks
a fight with Lennie because…
2. Who do you feel most sorry for? Back your answer up
with a quotation.
I feel most sorry for ______ because he is described as
“…”
3. Do you think George was right to shout “Get im
Lennie!”
I think George was right/wrong to shout “Get im
Lennie,” because …
4. Why do you think Curley agreed not to tell the truth
about what happened?
I think Curley agreed not to tell the truth because …
 Dream Farm
LO:
• Find information from the
text.
• Use effective language to
persuade the reader.
Outcome:
• Spider diagram about
George and Lennie’s dream
farm.
• Write the estate agents
description of the property.
Success Criteria:
• Include all the key details
and contribute ideas to
group discussion.
• Use some effective
vocabulary to describe the
farm. Listen carefully to the
ideas of your group.
• Use a range of persuasive
techniques. Lead the
discussion and make sure all
of the group are involved.
Dream Farm
 In groups re-read pg.60-61
• Gather information on a spider diagram about
the features of the farm that are already their.
• In a different colour write down what George
and Lennie are going to add.
• In a third colour think about what the benefit
is of each feature e.g. A river running through
– Provides the farm with a fresh supply of
water.
 Imagine you are an Estate Agent trying to
sell this property.
Your aim is to persuade the prospective
purchaser it’s a fantastic buy.
Words to describe the location: Secluded, quiet, ideal, magnificent,
overlooking, pleasant, sunny, rich,
countryside, delightful, splendid
Words to describe the property: Accommodation, facilities, unusual,
interesting features, basic,
traditional, delightful
Sentence starters: •Situated near the banks of…
•The property consists of …
•The farm benefits from …
•There is plenty of …
•It boasts a number of outbuildings
including …
•The property would suit …
 Crooks
LO: develop a greater understanding of Crooks
and read beneath the surface of the text.
Success Criteria
• Describe what Crooks is saying in your own
words.
• Comment on the subtext – what Crooks really
means.
• Consider more than one interpretation.
 Time to reflect.
• What do you know about what life was like for
black people during this period?

• Go for 5!
• ‘You got no right to come in my room. This
here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here
but me.’
‘I ain’t wanted in the bunk house, and you ain’t
wanted in my room’.
‘They play cards in there, but I can’t because I’m
black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all
of you stink to me.’
• ‘This is just a nigger talkin’ an a busted-back nigger.
So it don’t mean nothing, see? You couldn’t
remember it anyways. I seen it over an’ over – a
guy talkin’ to another guy and it don’t make no
difference if he don’t hear or understand. The thing
is, they’re talkin’, or they’re settin’ and talkin’. It
don’t make no difference (...) George can tell you
screwy things, and it don’t matter. It’s just the
talking. It’s just being with another guy. That’s all.’
• ‘S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go
into the bunk house and play rummy ‘cause you was
black. How’d you like that? S’pose you had to sit out
here an’ read books. Sure you could play horseshoes till
it got dark, but then you got to read books. Books ain’t
no good. A guys needs somebody – to be near him (...)
A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no
difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya
(...) I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.’
Why does Crooks let Lennie into his room?

Point: Crooks lets Lennie

into his room because …….

Evidence: I know this

because he says “….”

Explanation: This suggests

…
 Loneliness
LO: Make links between different characters.
Find quotations to back up your answers.
Success Criteria
• Describe why different characters are lonely.
• Find quotations to back up your answers.
• Make comparisons and cross-references
between different characters.
 Time to reflect
• Name four characters in the novel who could
be said to be outsiders.
• Why are they an outsider?
1. a)What is Curley’s wife threatening Crooks
with? Find a quotation to back up your
answer?
b) Why do you think she does this?

2. a)What is Crooks’ reaction? Find a quotation?

b)Why does he react like this?
What are the links between these four
characters?

Lennie Candy

Crooks Curley’s wife

 Curley’s wife
LO: cross reference between different parts of
the text and make comparisons between
characters

Success Criteria
• Make simple comparisons and cross references
across the text.
• Probe the text and successfully compare and
cross reference aspects of the text.
• Have your opinions of Curley’s wife changed at
all after reading that last section? Why? How?
• Foreshadowing – when an author suggests or
hints at certain plot developments that might
come later in the story.

• How has Steinbeck foreshadowed the death of

Curley’s wife?
 Plot Recap
• For each section write the setting and the
important events.
• Use the section summaries to remind you of
what happens.
 The Ending
LO: Success Criteria
•make a personal response to • Describe main events
the ending • Begin to read between the
•demonstrate an lines of the text.
understanding of the text as • Select relevant quotations
a whole to back up each point
Outcomes. made.
P.E.E paragraph about why • Comment on what clues in
George killed Lennie. the text are showing me.
Select main events to use for • Develop explanations in
a storyboard. detail.
• Why did George kill Lennie?

Explain in your own words why you think George

killed Lennie.
 Why do you think George made the
decision to kill Lennie?
Point – George killed Lennie because ….

Evidence: Find a supporting quotation.

George says…
The writer says…

Explanation: Why does this quotation prove your

point.
This shows…
 Task - Storyboard
• You are going to storyboard the story of ‘Of
Mice and Men’.
• Decide on 6 to 8 events and list them
chronologically in your books.
• Draw a picture to represent each event.
• Add colour to your pictures.
• Check spelling and punctuation.
 Power

• Make a list of people who have power over

others anywhere in the world today.
 Power
Learning Objective Success criteria:
• Make basic points about a
• Explore the key themes character (3b).
of power and loneliness
• Back up opinions with
in the novel.
examples of events in the
• Explain and justify
text(3a).
opinions.
• Explain how the event you
have chosen backs up your
Learning Outcome point(4c).
Diamond ranking exercise. • Use more than one example
Two P.E.E paragraphs.
to support your
opinion(4b+).
• What is power?
• What does it mean if someone has power?
 Dictionary Definition
Power
1. Strength or energy
2. The ability to do something
3. Political authority or control
Diamond ranking – Which character is the
most powerful?
 P.E.E Paragraphs
Point: I think the most Point: I think the least
powerful character is ___ powerful character is _____
because …. because …

Evidence: You see this Evidence: You see this

when … when …

Explanation: This shows Explanation: This shows

they are powerful because they are not powerful
… because …
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16
 The Next Chapter
LO:
•Write interesting,
thoughtful and imaginative
texts.
Outcomes.
A piece of creative writing
following on from the events
at the end of the novel.
Success Criteria
• Write with a clear beginning
and ending.
• Include ideas that fit with the
task.
• Include more details in my
writing to make my ideas clear
to the reader.
• Begin with a detailed and vivid
description of the setting.
• Use direct speech and
punctuate it correctly.
 Direct Speech
Remember the key rules:

• 66
• Capital letter
• One of 4
• 99
Words to use instead of said
 What happens next?
You are going to write the next chapter of the
story.

What will happen to George next? You decide…

Mind map your ideas.

 How would
What do you think? you rate your
effort levels
Self –reflection out of 5?

Think about all the work you have just done about ‘Of Mice
and Men’. Look back through your books to remind you.

WWW
1. What have you
2.What have you
learnt?
enjoyed?
3.What are you
What went well? proud of?

EBI
4.What can you
do to improve? 5.What would
you change?
Even better if...
6What would
improve this topic?