(2015) OMAM Unit Overview · Microsoft Word - (2015) OMAM Unit Overview.docx Created Date:...
Transcript of (2015) OMAM Unit Overview · Microsoft Word - (2015) OMAM Unit Overview.docx Created Date:...
English 12 Mr. Wallace
Of Mice and Men English 11/12 – Book Club
Introduction: John Steinbeck’s famous novella, Of Mice and Men, will be read in class in place of short stories. The unit is designed to create a framework and foundation from which we can discuss literature as a group throughout the semester. Length: 3 weeks The Goal: To have discussions about this novel that are student-‐driven, rather than teacher-‐driven. This means you will guide our discussions by posing questions and raising points of interest. Expectations:
• You will keep up with all assigned readings. o I encourage you to NOT read ahead during this unit so that you can better
engage in conversation and debate without knowing the final outcome of the novel.
• You will attend all classes and engage in class discussions. This means both contributing to class discussion and listening to your classmate’s contributions.
o Class discussions will occur in an organized fashion to ensure all students have an opportunity to speak.
§ Your contributions will form the basis for a speaking and listening mark for this unit.
o If you miss a class, you will be required to answer a series of teacher-‐produced questions to make up for what you missed in class.
Workshops:
• We will use Of Mice and Men as the content for several workshops designed to reinforce key terms or ideas, as well as to build our writing skills.
Reading Dates:
• Chapter 1 – Monday, February 23 • Chapter 2 – Wednesday, February 25 • Chapter 3 – Friday, February 27 • Chapter 4 – Monday, March 2 • Chapter 5&6 – Wednesday, March 4
Assessment Pieces:
• Literary Paragraph Due: Wednesday, March 4 • Literary Device Tracking Due: Friday March 6 • Photographic Theme Due: Friday, March 6 • Grade 11 Literary Essay Due: Thursday, March 26 • Grade 12 -‐ Synthesis Essay Due: Thursday, March 26 • Class Discussion Due: Ongoing
* To keep up with the readings, you will need to read an average of 10 pages per day. Some time may be given in class, but you will probably have to read at home as well.
Preparation for class discussion: On the day a chapter is due to be discussed, you must come to class with the following:
1. THREE questions or topics for class discussion 2. Literary device tracking completed 3. TWO quotes or passages you connected to in some way or you believe are
important. Be prepared to explain their importance or significance.
1. Student Questioning
While you are reading, you should be making note of: • Recurring themes, ideas or topics • The use of literary devices (ie. metaphor, imagery, symbolism, foreshadowing, etc.) • Events or descriptions in the novel that captured your interest • Events or actions that you wish to discuss further as a group • Aspects of the story that are confusing or unclear • Characters or actions of characters that you find intriguing or you believe to be
important • etc.
Once you have a list of ideas or topics that are of interest to you, or you believe are important, you can begin the process of formulating questions or guided-‐actions. For example: In chapter one, we are introduced to our two main characters and their friendship.
This relationship seems important, so I could ask the following question:
• How do the characters of George and Lennie contrast with one another?
Or I could frame a guide-‐action such as:
• Discuss how George and Lennie act as character foils. * Note: As much as possible, we are trying to avoid basic comprehension questions such as:
• Where are George and Lennie going? • Where does this story take place? • What does Lennie have in his pocket? • Etc.
2. Literary Device Tracking Instructions: As you read Of Mice and Men, keep a list of examples of the literary devices below. Record examples by chapter and provide page numbers for each example. You need to provide enough of the quote so that it makes sense when sharing it with the class. You will be asked to share your examples throughout the unit. Your responses when called upon will be used as part of you speaking and listening mark. Example:
Chapter 1
• Alliteration (p. 1) – “… tracks of deer that come drink in the dark” • Personification (p. 1) “The shade climbed up the hills toward the top.” • Simile (p. 1) “His huge companion … drank with long gulps, snorting into the water
like a horse. Literary Devices: Flashback Foreshadowing Suspense Dilemma Personification
Metaphor Simile Situational Irony Verbal Irony Dramatic Irony
Symbolism Archaic Language Colloquial Language Jargon Alliteration
3. Significant Passages
p .7 – “He (George) looked across the fire at Lennie’s anguished faced, and the he looked ashamedly at the flames.”
• This quote provides some insight into George’s character. We see that despite his frustration and anger, he does care about Lennie and his feelings.
p. 8 – “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. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us.”
• Although we haven’t met any other characters, this quote provides us with a sense that George and Lennie are going to be different from those characters we do meet.
Theme Tracking: Throughout the novel we will track ideas and events connected to each of the following theme topics.
• Dreams, Hopes, Plans • Power vs. Powerlessness / Powerful vs. Powerless • Loneliness • Friendship
The ideas from these brainstorming sessions will provide the foundation for your essays.
Essay
English 11
• Discuss the themes found in Of Mice and Men. English 12
• Compare and/or contrast the themes found in Steinbeck’s short story Johnny Bear with those found in his novel Of Mice and Men.
o Be sure to reference both stories in your essay, but you may focus more heavily on one over the other.
Formatting:
• Follow the essay structure we have discussed in class. • Please complete using a word processor.
o Double-‐Space o Use Times New Roman, Cambria, Arial, or Calibri – 12pt font
• Your essay should be 400-‐500 words (roughly two pages, doubled space). • Your writing must be your own.
Photographic Theme Assignment
Introduction: You will look for inspiration in the world around you and take a photo that you feel represents a key theme or idea in Of Mice and Men. You will add a voice caption to the photo that clearly identifies the theme you chose and explains how the photo represents and connects to that theme or idea. Example:
Presentation:
You will be using a web-‐based program called VoiceThread to present this assignment. I will provide you with further instructions in the coming days. Commenting: In addition to your own assignment, you must leave a brief voice comment on two of your classmates’ assignments. VoiceThread offers an opportunity to do this online. Your comment may add further insight, raise an important question, or provide specific feedback. Assessment: • Quality and Depth of Connection /5
o Demonstrates high level of engagement and understanding.
• Clarity in expression /5 o Written/verbal expression. o Connection between explanation, photo and theme.
• Creativity /5 o Quality of photo. o Uniqueness of subject matter. o Uniqueness of connection.
• Comments /5 o Thoughtful and respectful. o Demonstrate high level of engagement.
The grey lockers in this photograph represent the men on the ranch. Although they live and work closely together, they are separated by distrust. In a similar fashion, these lockers reside side by side but are separated by metal walls and locks preventing others from entering their personal space. The lone, blue locker amongst the sea of grey, represents Curley’s wife’s existence on the farm. As the only female character, she does not fit in with the other ranch hands. As much as she tries to make connections with the men, her “rouged lips” and “heavily made up” eyes distinguish her from the men. Like the blue locker, there is no way for her to fit in.