Of Mice & Men

Statement of Inquiry: Understanding historical context using multiple points of view and perspectives uncovers the role of power and privilege in defining themes.

Lines of Inquiry:

Factual: What is point of view? What are the differences between different points of view?

Conceptual: What is the relationship bewteen power and privilege?

Debatable: Do we all have the same abilities and opportunities to pursue stability, passions, and desires in our lives?

To A Mouse

Why the title Of Mice and Men?

It comes from a poem by Robert Burns. In the poem, Burns sees a mouse making its nest in straw. The mouse is making a lot of effort, but it can't see the harvester approaching. Burns writes: "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry."

Close Reading Notes:

Students will take notes while reading
In lieu of bullet points, students will indicate a "close reading mark"
- C - connection (to self, to text, to world)
- Ch - character (new characters are introduced, traits, etc.)
- V - vocabulary (write the word and its definition)
- ! - exciting/interesting
- ? - confusing/weird
Additionally, students will include the page number from the text

Of Mice and Men: free PDF

About John Steinbeck

OM&M Characters

OM&M Vocabulary

OM&M context

3 Critical Lenses

OM&M Vocabulary

Critical Lens Guiding Questions

OM&M idioms

Audiobook

Chapter One Audio

Chapter Three Audio

Chapter Five Audio

Chapter Two Audio

Chapter Four Audio

Chapter Six Audio

Socratic Seminars:

There will be three during our Of Mice and Men unit
Socratic Seminars will take place during class
Make-ups will be offered on a limited basis
- before school
- after school
- advisory

Untitled document

Gender Lens SS

The American Dream in pop music

"The Great American Dream" by David Massengill
"Rusty Old American Dream" by David Wilcox
"Young Americans" by David Bowie
"America" by Simon and Garfunkel
"American Dream" by Bad Religion
"Things That Scare Me" by Neko Case
"American Tune” by Simon and Garfunkel
"American Oxygen" by Rihanna
"One Time One Night" by Los Lobos
"American Dreams" by Papa Roach
"The Boxer” by Simon and Garfunkel
"American Dream" by J.S. Ondara
"This is America" by Childish Gambino
"Pink Houses" by John Mellencamp
"American Dream” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
"American Dream" by MKTO
"Castles Made of Sand" by Jimi Hendrix
"American Dream" by Jeezy feat. J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar
"American Land" by Bruce Springsteen

*Note: many of the above lyrics contain explicit terms as artists explore frustrations with the idea of the American Dream; listen/read with parental/guardian consent, as needed.

StoryCorps - Ghetto Life 101

Additional Resources

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Through the Lens of Disability

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How 'This Land Is Your Land' Roamed And Rambled Into American Life | WAMUWoody Guthrie was born into the Dust Bowl's devastation and displacement. His signature song, taught in classrooms and sung at protests, offers an expansive, inclusive idea of what home can be.

Let America Be America Again by Langston Hughes | Poetry FoundationLet America be America again.

The American Dream Is Out Of The Reach For Scores Of People, New Survey FindsAmericans are struggling to achieve the American Dream even as the economy hums along, a new survey finds.

Transcript of "We should all be feminists"TED Talk Subtitles and Transcript: We teach girls that they can have ambition, but not too much ... to be successful, but not too successful, or they'll threaten men, says author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. In this classic talk that started a worldwide conversation about feminism, Adichie asks that we begin to dream about and plan for a different, fairer world -- of happier men and women who are truer to themselves.

The Transformation of the ‘American Dream’It wasn’t originally about owning a beautiful home and a roaring business. It meant freedom, mutual respect and equality of opportunity.

Rethinking the American DreamDavid Kamp asks, How did the pursuit of fame and fortune replace the promise that shaped a nation?

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