1. English /26/17
Mr. Verutes
Aim: How do we prepare to read a novel? What elements of fiction and background information affect our understanding of Of Mice and Men? Do Now: Begin reading page one of the Of Mice and Men packet. Pay attention to the “Literary Elements,” “Background,” and “About the Author” sections on the first page. Underline/highlight any key terms or important ideas mentioned in the reading. Then, summarize the main idea of each paragraph of the “About the Author” and “Background” sections in the margins of the handout.

2. Do Now Share
What did we learn about the author or the novel from the “Background” and “About the Author” sections of the handout?

3. Literary Elements
Atmosphere/Mood – the feeling that the author communicates through description of the setting or action in the text. As you begin reading, consider the mood Steinbeck achieves through the description that we get of the clearing near the pool in the opening of the novel.
Foreshadowing – the clues that the author incorporates to hint at later plot events. As you read, consider what earlier plot events foreshadow later in the text. Consider the incidents involving Candy’s dog and Lennie’s puppy.

4. Literary Elements
Conflict – the problem or struggle experienced by a main character in a literary work. As you read, consider the different conflicts that the main characters Lennie and George face.
Symbol – a person, place, or thing in a literary work that stands for a larger idea. As you are reading, consider:
What does Candy’s dog symbolize?
What do the rabbits (in Lennie’s vision of the future) symbolize?

5. Classwork Activity
Begin completing the Approaching the Text row of the Questioning Texts worksheet with the information you gained from reading page one of the OMAM packet. Complete the Reading Purpose row of the Questioning Texts Worksheet by writing our purpose for reading: To consider how an author uses details to communicate larger ideas. Answer “What do I already understand about the text?” based on the publication information of the novel as well as your reading of the “Background,” and “About the Author” sections on the first page of the OMAM packet.
Next, add the following guiding questions to the Questioning the Text row:
What do I think the text is mainly about?
What is the author’s stance or attitude about the topic or theme?
Complete the Text-Specific Question row of the Guiding Questions Worksheet by adding the questions:
“According to Steinbeck, what are the benefits and costs of brotherhood? What does it mean to belong to a fraternity?”
“According to Steinbeck, why and how do human beings act as predators of one another?
“What theme does Steinbeck communicate about the American Dream?”

6. Ongoing Assignment (DEAR)
As you re-read the text to complete your note-taking entries during DEAR, identify quotations that communicate details to help us answer our text-specific questions for OMAM:
“According to Steinbeck, what are the benefits and costs of brotherhood? What does it mean to belong to a fraternity?”
“According to Steinbeck, why and how do human beings act as predators of one another?”
“What theme does Steinbeck communicate about the American dream?”

7. Pages 1-16 Vocabulary Words
Classwork Share
How did you answer the question “What do I already understand about the text based on this information”?
Whole Class Review
Pages 1-16 Vocabulary Words

8. Classwork
As we begin reading the text in class, complete the following chart by recording the page number of and briefly summarizing any details that tell us about the main characters and their friendship with one another.
Page Number
Summary

9. Page Number
Summary

10. Classwork Activity
Complete the Of Mice and Men Pages 1-16 Discussion Questions 2, 3, & 4 in 4-7 complete sentences per answer. Include quotes with citations to support your responses.

11. Pages 1-16 Discussion Question Responses

12. Classwork Share
How did you respond to the three discussion questions for the first section of the novel?

13. Whole Class Activity Classwork Activity
Pages 1-17 Writing Activity Brainstorm
Topic Sentence & Supporting Points
Classwork Activity
Begin working on the Of Mice and Men Pages 1-16 Writing Activity. Make sure to respond in a well-constructed paragraph and include quotes with citations to support your response.

14. Pages 1-16 Writing Activity Response

15. Homework
Complete working on the Of Mice and Men Pages 1-16 Writing Activity that you started for classwork. Make sure to respond in a well-constructed paragraph and include quotes with citations to support your response.
Complete your first reading of the second section (pages 17-37) of Of Mice and Men.