Emma Deutsch

Differentiated Instruction
Dr. Welsh
Unit Plan
Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
Spring 2019 (3 weeks)
English/Language Arts
9th Grade

Essential Questions:
- What is true friendship?
- What is the American Dream?
- Can the American Dream be achieved by everyone?

Unit Objectives:
- Students will be able to define the “American Dream” in their own words.
- Students will be able to identify the obstacles that many people face in achieving the
American Dream.
- Students will be able to recognize how historical context enhances the reading of John
Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.
- Students will be able to define the quality of George and Lenny’s friendship through the
use of textual examples.

Assessments:
- Students will create a poster of their “American Dream”.
- Students will write a poem that makes connections to their own lives/explores the many
injustices that people face.
- Students will create a presentation of the historical background of the novel.
- Students will write an argumentative essay of whether or not they think George and
Lenny had a true friendship and why.
Classroom Description:

My class is a group of 25 students, consisting of fifteen males and ten females, who are

currently in the 9th grade and come from an array of ethnically diverse backgrounds. For

instance, four students are Latino, seven are African-American, and the other fourteen are

Caucasian with a diverse European-American ancestry. Along with their differing ethnicities,

two of my students are members of the LGBTQ+ community and many are affiliated with

various religious institutions such as Catholicism and Evangelicalism. Two of my students have

Individual Education Plans; a girl who has dyslexia and a boy who has high-functioning autism.

The majority of my students read at their grade level, with the exception of four students who

read above grade level; one of these students who reads above their grade level is the boy with

autism, however, although he reads exceptionally well, he struggles with comprehension. Six

students read below their grade level. While a major strength that my students have is their

ability and eagerness to write, some instruction of grammar would be beneficial to them.

Our school is in a small, rural town where all of the students know their classmates and

each other’s families, so they all get along fairly well, for the most part; seating arrangements

and group activities are easy to partner, but sometimes the students can get off topic, so I have to

circle around the room in order for them to maintain focus and stay on task. The class schedule

consists of five 90-minute blocks which rotate on a weekly basis of odd and even days. Each

student is issued their own individual chrome book that they are able to use throughout the

school year, however, there is also a computer lab in the library that the students have access to if

their laptop is not functioning properly when we need to use them during class time. I do not

have a teacher’s aide or a co-teacher.

 Lesson Plan #1
Class: English/Language Arts
Grade Level: 9th Grade
Unit: Of Mice and Men
Teacher: Ms. Deutsch
Time Required: 90-minute class period
Iowa Core Standards
RL.9–10.9
Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work.

W.9–10.9

Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

21st Century Skills

21.9–12.ES.1

Communicate and work productively with others, incorporating different perspectives and cross
cultural understanding, to increase innovation and the quality of work.

 Work appropriately and productively with others

o Effectively communicate with group and stakeholders

o Collaborate effectively with other teams/team members toward a common goal
o Recognize own and other’s good efforts

National Standards

Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for
learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Essential Questions

- What is the American Dream?

- Can the American Dream be achieved by everyone?

Objectives
  Students will be able to understand the socio-historical context of ranch life in the 1930’s,
the migrant experience, the great depression, and background information on John
Steinbeck.
o Assessment: Students will make a presentation of one of the four topics, listed
above, in small groups and present their information to the rest of the class.
 Students will be able to apply the concepts gained from the historical context
presentations to the first chapter of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.
o Assessment: Students will write a journal reflection of how the information they
gained in their classmates’ presentations present themselves/affect the characters
in Chapter 1.

“I Can” Statement

 I can research and present important historical information to my classmates about John
Steinbeck’s life, the great depression, ranch life, and the migrant experience in the
1930’s.
 I can identify potential setbacks that George, Lennie, and other Americans may face in
achieving their own versions of the American Dream.

Materials

 Of Mice and Men novel by John Steinbeck

 Student chrome books/laptops
o Historical Context Websites
 John Steinbeck Background Information
 The Great Depression
 Ranch Life in 1930
 The Migrant Experience
 Historical Context Presentation Graphic Organizer

Anticipatory Set

 Mindfulness Exercise (5 minutes)

o Students will close their eyes and relax while instrumental music is played and the
lights are turned off.
 This gives students a time to slow down/calm down, gather themselves,
and prepare for their next class period.
 Anticipatory Statement Reflection & Discussion (15 minutes)
o Students will reflect on/respond to five anticipatory statements prior to the
reading of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men:
 It is more acceptable for women to love their female friends than it is for
men to love their male friends.
 Of the many feelings that hurt – grief, anger, resentment, jealousy,
loneliness – loneliness hurts the most.
 Society cannot defeat us; a flaw within our own personality can.
  Real men do not let their friends become burdens.
 Believing that an unhappy situation is only temporary makes it more
bearable.
o Students will state whether they agree or disagree with each of these statements
along with an explanation of why.
 This will be done by getting into their desk pods for a small group
discussion and then we will come together as a class in order to discuss the
statements on a deeper level.
o Students will then get out their journals to reflect on a few questions:
 What is the importance of having knowledge about the historical context
of a book/author before reading the novel?
 Understanding the historical context of a novel prior to reading it
enhances the quality of the book because the reader gains
knowledge on important occurrences and lifestyles of this time in
order to better grasp the characters and events as they unfold.
 What is the American Dream? What does it look like to you?
o After students have taken time to write their responses and gather their thoughts, I
will open the floor for students to share their responses with the rest of the class.

Teaching Activities

 Historical Context Group Research (25 minutes)

o Students’ names will be drawn at random in order to get the students into four
groups of six students, with one group of seven (the number of students per group
is dependent upon the number present in class on this specific day).
 Each group will be assigned one of the following topics:
 John Steinbeck Background Information
 The Great Depression
 Ranch Life in the 1930s
 The Migrant Experience
o Once in their groups, students will go to the google classroom page and click on
the links that match the topic that they were assigned (links provided above).
 Students will read through the article in order to research their topic and
then select a form of presentation, which will be 3-4 minutes long:
 PowerPoint
 Skit
 Drawing (must be detailed and inclusive)
o As a group, the students will turn the information that they have gained into
presentations.
 These must incorporate multiple aspects from their readings, and not focus
in on one specific thing.
o Students will have the option to take a brief stretch/bathroom break once they
have prepared their presentation.
 Historical Context Presentations (15 minutes)
o Students will present their findings to the rest of their class in a creative way.
  Students in the audience will fill out a graphic organizer with the
information that they have learned throughout all of the presentations,
including their own.
 This will be turned in for a participation grade, at the end of class,
but will be returned the next day of class so that students can return
to this information as they continue to read the novel.
 Of Mice and Men: Chapter 1 Read Aloud (25 minutes)
o Students will be able to get into a comfortable place/position, whether that be
sitting in a bean bag chair, staying at their desks, or laying on the floor, with their
Of Mice and Men novels.
o I will read aloud Chapter 1 to the class while students follow along in their books.
 Along the way, I will pause and ask questions to check students’ reading
comprehension and predictions:
 Where does the novel take place? What do we know about this
time period?
 How are George and Lennie described?
 Why does Steinbeck emphasize/take the time to describe the
actions of Lennie’s hands?
 What are some of George’s dreams?
 What suggests that the dream of the farm is unrealistic?
 Where does George tell Lennie to hide if he gets in trouble?
 Journal Reflection (5 minutes)
o Students will reflect in their journals on how they see the information gained
throughout their classmates’ historical context presentations applied throughout
the first chapter of the novel.
 How have the current events affected the characters in the novel thus far?
 What obstacles stand in the way of George and Lennie achieving their
dream?

Closure

 Students will turn in their graphic organizers

 Students will be assigned homework:
o Read Chapter 2 and answer reading guide questions posted on the google
classroom page.

Assessment

 Students will be formally assessed through:

o Presentations on historical context to share their research
o Graphic Organizers for historical context information
o Class discussion/student response during read aloud for comprehension check
o Journal Reflections for connections made between presentations and the novel.
 Lesson Plan #2
Class: English/Language Arts
Grade Level: 9th Grade
Unit: Of Mice and Men
Teacher: Ms. Deutsch
Time Required: 90-minute class period
Iowa Core Standards
RL.9–10.2

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.

RL.9–10.3

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.

21st Century Skills

21.9–12.ES.1

Communicate and work productively with others, incorporating different perspectives and cross
cultural understanding, to increase innovation and the quality of work.

 Use all the appropriate principles of communication effectively

o Listen to understand the points of view of others

o Listen for comprehension

o Process information in order to make an informed decision

o Ask appropriate questions in seeking clarification

o Express thoughts and ideas clearly and succinctly

National Standards

Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate
texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their
knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their
understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context,
graphics).

Essential Questions

 Can the American Dream be achieved by everyone?

 What is true friendship?

Objective

 Students will be able to identify and discuss major concepts, themes, and characters in
Chapter 3 of John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men
o Assessment: Students will complete a reading guide in their literature circle
groups.

“I Can” Statement

 I can identify major concepts, themes, and characters in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and
Men.
 I can make connections and predictions between previous chapters in the novel.

Materials

 Of Mice and Men novel by John Steinbeck

 Reading Guide: Chapter 3
 Of Mice and Men Chapter 3 Audio

Anticipatory Set

 Mindfulness Exercise (5 minutes)

o Students will close their eyes and relax while instrumental music is played and the
lights are turned off.
 This gives students a time to slow down/calm down, gather themselves,
and prepare for their next class period.
 Prediction Entry Slip (5 minutes)
o Students will use a half sheet of paper to indicate a prediction that they have for
Chapter 3 of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.
 Predictions enable students to become more invested and engaged in their
reading assignments, therefore, this simple exercise is proven very
effective for a successful lesson that incorporates a great deal of reading.
  Not only this, but it also forces students to reflect upon what they have
already read and make connections within the text.
Teaching Activities
 Chapter 2 Review (25 minutes)
o Students will get into their pre-assigned literature groups (5 groups of 5) to
discuss and reflect on their homework assignment, which was to read Chapter 2.
 They should have filled out/answered their reading guide questions the
night before, so discussion should flow easier because students will
already have had time to ponder the questions.
o Students will discuss the following questions among themselves in small groups
before we delve deeper into a large, class discussion where we will be able to
apply and make connections in regards to the essential questions and modern
society:
 What does George answer when the boss asks what he is trying to put
over?
 He lies and says he and Lennie and cousins and they left their last
job because it was done
 Who are all the characters we meet in chapter Two, and describe them?
 Curley: the boss's son, aggressive, wears high heeled boots
Candy: ranch hand with only 1 hand 
The boss: stocky, well dressed
Curleys wife: described as a tramp
Crooks: proud, bitter
Slim: prince of the ranch, jerkine skinner
Carlson: ranch hand, complains about candy's dog
Whitey: left the ranch, over cleans
 What is George's advice to Lennie about Curley?
 Stay away from Curley. Unless Curley touches him, then he can
fight.
 What is wrong with Candy?
 He is missing a hand and his dog is old and smelly.
 Why does George speak for Lennie and what does he tell the Boss as an
excuse?
 He says Lennie was kicked in the head by a horse so he is slow. he
tells Lennie not to speak because he fears it will get them in
trouble.
 What is Lennie’s request to George?
 He wants a dog.
 What is the theme of this chapter?
 This chapter establishes the cruel and predatory nature of the
world.
 Why does Steinbeck dismiss women in this book, and how does he do
this?
  The only female character is Curley's wife, who is not even give a
name / Steinbeck assigns female characters as only caretakers of
men
 What does Slim think of George and Lennie’s relationship?
 He is impressed by how they look after one another.
 Stretch Break/Transition (5 minutes)
o Students will be able to use this time to go to the bathroom, get a drink, and make
their way outside of the school.
 They will bring their Of Mice and Men novel, the Chapter 3 Guided
Reading sheet, and Chromebook (optional).
 Chapter 3 Group Reading & Discussion (50 minutes)
o Students will get into their literature circle groups and find a spot in nature that is
comfortable and relaxing for them.
 This outside reading time gives students a change of scenery and some
fresh air to really absorb and delve into the story.
o Students have the option to split up the readings amongst themselves or listen to
the audio recording (hyperlink provided in Materials section).
 They will take turns answering the questions on the guided reading sheet,
where they will write their initials next to the questions that they wrote the
answer to.
 This assignment is designed to be low-stakes, yet encourage
student engagement and participation.
 While students are reading and discussing, I will be going from group to
group to keep them on task and formatively assess their reading
comprehension.
Closure
 Students will turn in their group’s completed Chapter 3 Guided Reading sheet.
Assessment
 Students will be formally assessed through:
o Prediction entry slip for making connections from prior chapter readings
o Chapter 2 discussion review for reading comprehension
o Teacher observation for student participation and understanding
o Chapter 3 Guided Reading for comprehension and interpretation of the novel
 Lesson Plan #3
Class: English/Language Arts
Grade Level: 9th Grade
Unit: Of Mice and Men
Teacher: Ms. Deutsch
Time Required: 90-minute class period
Iowa Core Standards
W.9–10.3

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique,
well–chosen details, and well–structured event sequences.

 Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid
picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.

21st Century Skills

9-12.20

 Apply civic virtues and democratic principles

o Explain the significance of civic values to a well-functioning democracy
including concepts such as conviction v. compromise, majority rule v. minority
rights, state interests v. individual interests, rights v. responsibilities, and other
related topics.

National Standards

Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process
elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
Essential Questions

 What is the American Dream?

 Can the American Dream be achieved by everyone?

Objectives

 Students will be able to identify important features of a poem, such as imagery, rhyme,
and metaphor.
o Assessment: Students will annotate two model poems.
 Students will be able to make connections between the characters and situations in the
John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men and of those in modern society by creating their own
poem.
o Assessment: Students will write a poem about a time when they
experienced/witnessed an injustice OR write from one of the character’s points of
view.

“I Can” Statement

 I can identify the various important features of a poem.

 I can make connections between fictional characters/scenarios and real life situations.
 I can write my own poem about a time when I experienced/witnessed injustice.

Materials

 Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

 I Am the Child – Unknown
 Let America Be America Again – Langston Hughes
 Caged Bird – Maya Angelou
 Poetry Graphic Organizer

Anticipatory Set

 Mindfulness Exercise (5 minutes)

o Students will close their eyes and relax while instrumental music is played and the
lights are turned off.
 This gives students a time to slow down/calm down, gather themselves,
and prepare for their next class period.
 Journal Reflection Questions & Discussion (15 minutes)
o Students will get out their journals and reflect on the following
statements/questions:
 Describe a time when you have experienced/witnessed an injustice.
 Can the American Dream be achieved by everyone?
 What types of injustices have we seen throughout the novel thus far?
Which characters are the objects of these injustices?
  Do you think that George and Lennie will ever be able to achieve their
own version of the American Dream?
o After students have had time to write down their responses, we will come together
as a class to address the majority of the questions (if students feel like sharing
aloud for number 1).
Teaching Activities
 Poetry Review (5 minutes)
o Prior to the commencement of the first poetry activity, the class will briefly
discuss the various elements/important features of poetry that they learned about
during their poetry unit.
 Let America Be America Again Poetry Reading & Annotation (15 minutes)
o Students will be given a handout of Langston Hughes’s poem, Let American Be
America Again, which will be read aloud to the class as a whole.
 During the reading, students will take the time to identify various poetic
components/elements through making annotations.
 After the entire poem has been read, we will, collectively, discuss the
value and importance of the poem’s message.
 The main theme that Hughes is writing about is that America is
supposed to be the land of freedom and opportunity, but he and
many others have not experienced this "America". Hughes shows
optimism throughout the poem that the people of America will rise
up against injustice and make America into what it once was
claimed to be.
o Students will then be presented with the task of identifying/making connections
between Hughes’s poem and the characters/situations in Steinbeck’s novel.
 This activity will be performed in small groups first, then discussed as a
class.
 I Am the Child / Caged Bird Annotation & Reflection (15 minutes)
o Students will select one of the following poems to read, annotate, and reflect
upon, INDIVIDUALLY: I Am the Child by Unknown Author or Caged Bird by
Maya Angelou.
 Both of these poems deal with varying types of injustice and longing for a
change/freedom from current circumstances.
 I Am the Child: this poem presents various types of children with
disabilities as they share their value and gifts to the world, thus
changing the readers’ initial perception of them, enabling a more
positive outlook on life [Crooks, Lennie, Candy].
 Caged Bird: Angelou deals with a sense of limitation, separation
and marginalization through the metaphor of the bird in a cage.
Importantly, her poem suggests that the desire to be free will
always be expressed, despite circumstances that might quell the
spirit [George].
o After students have finished their annotations and reflections of how the poem
that they chose relates to Steinbeck’s novel, they will find another classmate who
 chose a different poem than they did and share their findings, insights, and
discoveries.
 If there are too many students that read one of the poems, they will still
share their findings with their partner, even if they have read the same
poem.
 Injustice Poem Assignment (35 minutes)
o Students will write their own poem about a time when they experienced/witnessed
an injustice OR they have the option to write a poem from one of the Of Mice and
Men character’s perspectives and an injustice that they have faced throughout the
novel.
 The poem should include at least 3 lines per stanza and be at least 5
stanzas long.
 Students must incorporate at least 3 poetic elements into their poems.
o Students will be given a graphic organizer that they will have the option to use
prior to/throughout their poem-writing process.
 The graphic organizer provides an extra helping hand for students who
need the space to organize their thoughts onto paper and help formulate
ideas.
Closure
 Students will turn in their annotated poem handouts.
 Students will turn in their completed injustice poems.
o If students need more time to finish their poems, they will have the option to
complete them as homework and turn them in next class.
Assessment
 Students will be formally assessed through:
o Journal reflection questions and discussion for review and real world connections.
o Teacher observation for poetry review.
o Poetry annotations for poetic elements.
o Teacher observation of class discussion for connections between poems and novel
o Injustice Poetry Assignment for link between real life and Steinbeck’s novel.
 Lesson Plan #4
Class: English/Language Arts
Grade Level: 9th Grade
Unit: Of Mice and Men
Teacher: Ms. Deutsch
Time Required: 90-minute class period
Iowa Core Standards
RL.9–10.1

Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.9–10.2

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.

RL.9–10.3

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.

21st Century Skills

21.9–12.ES.4

Demonstrate initiative and self–direction through high achievement and lifelong learning while
exploring the ways individual talents and skills can be used for productive outcomes in personal
and professional life.

 Assess one’s own mastery of skills

 o Understand the task
o Identify the depth and breadth of knowledge to be successful at a task
o Identify and utilize appropriate measure of knowledge

National Standards

Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process
elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

Essential Question
 What is true friendship?
Objectives
 Students will be able find textual examples within Steinbeck’s novel in order to support a
specific theme.
o Assessment: Students will complete a textual example worksheet where they have
to find quotes that exemplify George and Lennie’s friendship.
 Students will be able to explore the theme of friendship through a variety of writing
formats.
o Assessment: Students will complete a RAFT that focusses on the theme of
friendship throughout Of Mice and Men.
“I Can” Statements
 I can find textual examples within a piece of literature in order to support a specific
theme.
 I can use a variety of writing forms in order to convey a specific.
Materials
 Of Mice and Men novel by John Steinbeck
 Textual Example Worksheet
 Of Mice and Men RAFT
Anticipatory Set
 Mindfulness Exercise (5 minutes)
o Students will close their eyes and relax while instrumental music is played and the
lights are turned off.
 This gives students a time to slow down/calm down, gather themselves,
and prepare for their next class period.
 Friendship Attribute Drawing (10 minutes)
o Students will draw a picture of what they think a true friend would look like.
 For example, a big heart, a helping hand, a smile that brightens your day,
etc.
 o On the back of their drawing, students will write the attributes they have chosen
along with an explanation for why these attributes are important for a friend to
have.
 They will have the opportunity to share in small and large group settings
after their drawings have been completed.
Teaching Activities
 Discussion of George & Lennie’s friendship (15 minutes)
o Students will discuss a variety of questions in their desk pods that pertains to
societal expectations of male friendships and the quality of George and Lennie’s
friendship throughout the novel.
 Is it more acceptable for women to love their female friends than it is for
men to love their male friends?
 Would “real men” ever let themselves become burdens to their friends?
 Why is George and Lennie’s relationship so unique compared to all the
other ranch hands?
 Do you think George and Lennie are better off because they have one
another?
 How do you predict George and Lennie’s friendship will evolve as the
novel comes to an end?
o After discussing in their desk pods, students will come together as a class to share
responses, thoughts, and predictions.
 Textual Examples/Evidence Worksheet (25 minutes)
o Students will receive a textual examples worksheet in which they will have to
provide 3 examples/quotes from the chapters they have read thus far in order to
support the theme of friendship between George and Lennie throughout the novel.
o This task will be completed INDIVIDUALLY.
o Some examples will be offered as a model for what is expected of the students:
 “Whatever we ain’t got, that’s what you want. God a’mighty, if I was
alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an’ work, an no trouble…
An’ whatta I got’, George went on furiously. ‘I got you! You can’t keep a
job and you lose me ever’ job I get. Jus’ keep me shovin’ all over the
country all the time. An’ that ain’t the worst. You get in trouble. You do
bad things and I got to get you out’.
 “Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world.
They got no family. They don’t belong no place… With us it ain’t like
that. We got a future… An’ why? Because… because I got you to look
after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why”.
 “I ought of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no
stranger shoot my dog”.
 “‘A guys needs somebody-to be near him’. He whined, ‘A guys goes nuts
if he ain’t got nobody”.
 “Ain’t many guys travel around together”, he mused. “I don’t know why.
Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other”.
 o Students will select a quote from the novel that deals, on some level, to the theme
of friendship. Once they have copied the quote down, they will write the meaning
behind the relevance of the quote and why is supports the theme of friendship.
 Around this time, I will be circling around the room in order to answer any
questions students may have, monitor progress, and make sure everyone is
staying on task.
 Stretch Break (5 minutes)
o Students will use this time to go to the bathroom, get up, and walk around.
 This also provides a little mental break from the work that they have been
focused on for the past sixty minutes.
 Of Mice and Men RAFT (30 minutes)
o Students will get into groups of two or three in order to complete the RAFT (Role,
Audience, Format, Topic) assignment handout.
 Students have the option to select one of four character roles:
 George / Diary / Diary Entry / Friendship
 Lennie / George / Letter / Friendship
 Crooks / Ranch Hands / Poem / Loneliness
 Curley’s Wife / Community / Newspaper Article / Loneliness
o Each assignment must be at least one-page long and students will have the
remainder of the class period to finish it.
 Not only does this fun activity allow students to have a choice, but it also
forces them to use occurrences within the text to produce the theme/topic
they have selected, thus practicing the skill that they were just building
throughout their textual example worksheets.
Closure
 Students will turn in their textual example worksheets.
 Students will turn in their Of Mice and Men RAFTS.
 For Homework, students will read Chapter 4 and fill out the reading guide questions
posted on their google classroom page.
Assessments
 Students will be formally assessed through:
o Friendship Drawings for attributes of a true friend
o Teacher observation of George and Lennie friendship small group discussion
o Textual Example Worksheet for finding evidence that supports a theme
o RAFT for exploring the theme of friendship through various forms of writing
 Lesson Plan #5
Class: English/Language Arts
Grade Level: 9th Grade
Unit: Of Mice and Men
Teacher: Ms. Deutsch
Time Required: 90-minute class period
Iowa Core Standards
W.9–10.9

Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

RI.9–10.1

Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text.

21st Century Skills

21.9–12.ES.4

Demonstrate initiative and self–direction through high achievement and lifelong learning while
exploring the ways individual talents and skills can be used for productive outcomes in personal
and professional life.

 Use time efficiently to manage workload

o Segment task into logical steps with appropriate estimates of time
o Build a timeline to facilitate completion of the task
 o Prioritize steps in proper order
 Assess one’s own mastery of skills
o Understand the task
o Identify the depth and breadth of knowledge to be successful at a task
o Identify and utilize appropriate measure of knowledge

National Standards

Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate
texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their
knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their
understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context,
graphics).

Essential Questions

 What is true friendship?

 What is the American Dream?
 Can the American Dream be achieved by everyone?

Objectives

 Students will be able to define what the American Dream means to them.
o Assessment: Students will create a poster of their own American Dream using
photographs, magazine/newspaper clippings, drawing, quotes, etc.
 Students will be able to use textual examples in order to write a cohesive argumentative
essay about the nature of George and Lennie’s friendship through John Steinbeck’s
novel, Of Mice and Men.
o Assessment: Students will write an argumentative essay about whether or not
George and Lennie shared a true friendship.

“I Can” Statements

 I can creatively define what the American Dream means to me.

 I can use textual examples in order to support a theme in an argumentative essay.

Materials

 Of Mice and Men novel by John Steinbeck

 American Dream Poster Rubric
 Of Mice and Men Essay Rubric
 Of Mice and Men Friendship Essay Assignment Description

Anticipatory Set
 Mindfulness Exercise (5 minutes)
o Students will close their eyes and relax while instrumental music is played and the
lights are turned off.
 This gives students a time to slow down/calm down, gather themselves,
and prepare for their next class period.
 Chapter 6 Review (15 minutes)
o Students’ homework the previous night was to finish reading chapter 6, the final
chapter of the novel.
 Therefore, they should have come to class with their reading guide
questions filled out for chapter six.
o We will have a large class discussion of these questions in order to wrap up the
major concepts of the novel.
 If students are very hesitant to share answers, they will discuss them in
their desk pods before coming back to a large group discussion.
 What is the significance of the rabbit appearing at the end of the
book?
o Bunnies bring Lennie comfort and the rabbit also tells him
in his own voice that he is NOT fit to take care of him.
o It is a product of his guilty conscience –he knows George
can get in trouble for his actions
 Why did George kill Lennie and was he justified in doing that?
o George kills Lennie because he knows the other men will
torture him if they find him/ He puts him out of his
misery/Because he loves him.
 Explain what happens to the dream at the end of the novel for both
Lennie and George.

o Lennie: The dream dies with him(he thinks that he will get
to tend to the rabbits and have his own farm)
o George: Realizes the dream was never attainable like
Crooks tells Lennie in the barn (most men waste their
money on alcohol and cat houses).
 In what way does Slim show understanding for George's decision?
Why does Carlson ask the last question?
o Slim came directly to George and sat down beside him, sat
very close to him. "Never you mind," said Slim. "A guy got
to sometimes."
 He understands why George killed Lennie. He did it
out of love (like Candy should have done for his
dog); not to be mean. He did this to protect Lennie.
o Curley and Carlson looked after them. And Carlson said,
"Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys?"
 Carlson does NOT get Lennie and George’s
friendship—he and the rest of the men (beside Slim)
thinks George killed Lennie out of self-defense.
Teaching Activities
 Essential Questions Journal Reflection (15 minutes)
o Students will revisit the three main essential questions that have been discussed
and explored throughout this entire unit, and they will share their final thoughts
on them in a journal reflection, along with an explanation for as to why they
responded the way they did:
 What is true friendship?
 What is the American Dream?
 Can the American Dream be achieved by everyone?
o After students have taken the time to think and respond, they can share their
thoughts with their desk pods.
 I will be walking around the room, listening to discussion, adding in
necessary comments, keeping students on task, and making observations.
 Of Mice and Men Essay Rubric Explanation (5 minutes)
o Students will be given the handout of the Of Mice and Men Essay Rubric and
Assignment Description, which states the expectations and requirements for the
argumentative friendship essay, which serves as part of the students’ summative
assessment.
 For this essay, students are expected to write on the theme of friendship
between George and Lennie and argue whether it is, in fact, true friendship
or not.
 Students will be able to use their textual example worksheets in order to
help them formulate ideas, find quotes/evidence, and implement them into
their paper.
 The essay should be at least 3 pages long and in MLA format.
 The essay is due on the final day of the unit.
o Students will give a thumbs up/thumbs down for their
understanding/comprehension in regards to what is expected of them from the
Essay Rubric.
 I would then answer any questions or clarifications needed.
 The American Dream Poster Rubric Explanation (5 minutes)
o Students will be given the handout of the American Dream Poster Rubric, which
states the expectations and requirements for the students’ creative posters of their
own, individual interpretation of the American Dream.
 For this poster, students have the ability to show their creativity and
uniqueness by making a collage of pictures, graphics, cutouts from
magazines and newspaper clippings, quotes, sayings, phrases, etc. on a
poster board.
 This poster collage, although it might, visually, be sporadic and crazy,
should be unified in conveying a specific, singular theme.
 Students’ creations should tell the story of their own American
Dream/hopes for their futures.
 The poster should be colorful, vibrant, and visually attractive.
  On the back of the poster, students must write a one paragraph
explanation of what their American Dream is/what the poster is
portraying to the audience.
 This serves as the other portion of the students’ summative assessment.
 Stretch Break (5 minutes)
o Students will be able to use this time to get up, stretch, move around and use the
bathroom before moving on to the next activity.
 In-Class Work Time for Posters (40 minutes)
o For the remainder of class, students will have the opportunity to work on their
American Dream posters.
 Magazines, newspapers, construction paper, scissors, tape, glue, and other
supplies will be provided in the classroom.
 Students are highly recommended to write out a plan/general idea for their
poster board prior to getting started.
 They are allowed to sit anywhere in the classroom that they may
like, as long as it is comfortable for them and they are able to be
productive and refrain from distractions.
o I will be walking around the room, observing student work, asking questions,
making inferences, and answering any questions students may have on either the
poster or the essay rubrics.
Closure
 Students will finish working on their posters for homework and turn them in for
homework the next time we meet for class.
 Students will fill out an exit slip on whether or not they believe that George and Lennie
shared true friendship for their essay thesis.
Assessment
 Students will be formally assessed through:
o Large group discussion for chapter 6 review
o Journal reflections for the three main essential questions
o Thumbs up/Thumbs down for comprehension of the essay rubric
o Teacher observation for student progress on the American Dream poster project