TOPIC: VOCABULARY (Language Arts, History):



TOPIC: VOCABULARY

Discipline

Language Arts, History

Grade Level

6-12

Type of Activity

Small Group, Entire Class, Individual, Ongoing, Performing Arts, Writing

Objectives

• Students will define new vocabulary words from Of Mice and Men and place them on a “Word Wall.”

• Students will be regularly tested on such words.

• Students will be expected to use these new words in sentences/short skits.

Overview

Students need to understand and define words from the novel with which they are not familiar. In small, pre-assigned pairs, students will be responsible for choosing and defining, for the class as a whole, vocabulary words.

Ultimately, vocabulary should be the students’ responsibility to make their own lists and define.

However, the following initial words are provided, because they are unfamiliar slang words used during the 1930s.

1. bindle: a bed roll and/or pack of personal belongings

2. jack: money

3. graybacks: lice

4. tick: mattress

5. buck: a man

6. bucker: those who move or load heavy objects (sacks of grain, for example)

7. skinner: a driver of a draft (team of animals)

8. tart: prostitute

9. mules: shoes or slippers

10. found: free food and lodgings in addition to wages

11. hoosegow: jail

12. hame: part of the collar for a draft animal

13. booby hatch: insane asylum

14. floozy: cheap, immoral woman

15. snooker: a variation of pool played with 15 red balls and 6 balls of assorted colors

16. bindle: a bed roll and/or pack of personal belongings

17. jack: money

18. graybacks: lice

19. tick: mattress

20. buck: a man

21. bucker: those who move or load heavy objects (sacks of grain, for example)

22. skinner: a driver of a draft (team of animals)

23. tart: prostitute

24. mules: shoes or slippers

25. found: free food and lodgings in addition to wages

26. hoosegow: jail

27. hame: part of the collar for a draft animal

28. booby hatch: insane asylum

29. floozy: cheap, immoral woman

30. snooker: a variation of pool played with 15 red balls and 6 balls of assorted colors

Materials Needed/Preparation

• Copies of Of Mice and Men

• Classroom dictionaries

• Of Mice and Men notebooks

• Butcher paper and markers

• Copies of slang terms organizer (blank or completed version). Optional.

Estimated Time

Ongoing—teachers should take time as needed/available (perhaps 5-10 minutes at the end of each class devoted to Of Mice and Men).

Procedures:

For vocabulary terms, students should become “vocabulary partners” with someone at the beginning of the unit. At the end of each Of Mice and Men class (5-10 minutes, time permitting), partners should meet and identify and define new vocabulary words. Eventually, all words defined in class will be shared by all on a “Word Wall.”

The Word Wall:

• All student-identified vocabulary words (or other key terms) and definitions should be written and posted on butcher paper in the classroom; this is essentially an ongoing “word wall,” which students have created and of which they can be proud.

• A word wall is a display area in the classroom devoted strictly to vocabulary/terms that will be used, or are being used, during the course of a particular unit of study.

• A word wall may be unfamiliar to secondary teachers (it is mostly associated with the elementary classroom).  Regardless, the word wall is wonderful for all ages and promotes vocabulary growth leading ultimately to improvement in literacy. It is a great device for all, but especially for those students who do not speak English as their first language.

• Use butcher paper to tape up (or place in “pockets,” etc.) words/definitions around the classroom. Then, as teachers or students introduce new vocabulary, add the words to the wall. Encourage students to add small drawings as well.

• All students will be expected to write in their notebooks the words and definitions.

• For ongoing homework, students will be expected to use all new words in original sentences.

• Ongoing, students (in small groups) may perform a short skit using all the words defined so far.

Standards Met

• Reading Standards for Literature 6-12

o Key Ideas and Details: 1

o Craft and Structure: 4

o Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: 10

• Writing Standards 6-12

o Text Types and Purposes: 1,3

o Production and Distribution of Writing: 4,5

• Speaking and Listening Standards 6-12

o Comprehension and Collaboration: 1

• Language Standards 6-12

o Conventions of Standard English: 1,2

o Knowledge of Language: 3

o Vocabulary Acquisition and Use: 4,5,6

• Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 6-12

o Key Ideas and Details: 1

o Craft and Structure: 4

o Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: 10

• Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 6-12

o Text Types and Purposes: 1

o Production and Distribution of Writing: 4,5

Post Activity/Takeaways/Follow-up

• Takeaways

o This is an ongoing activity, but student partners should be sure to maintain their list of words and definitions. After the unit, partners can switch and test each other on words/definitions for a final Of Mice and Men vocabulary examination.

• Follow-up

o Teachers will monitor and grade student-based tests.

Assessment

• Teachers can test students regularly on words and definitions. The frequency of such vocabulary quizzes (with the Word Wall covered, of course!) is up to the individual teachers. A final examination would also be recommended.

Slang Terms

The following are slang terms found in Of Mice and Men. Provide a definition for the slang term and the page number(s) where the term is found in Of Mice and Men.

|Term |Definition |

|Bindle | |

|Jack | |

|Graybacks | |

|Tick | |

|Buck | |

|Bucker | |

|Skinner | |

|Tart | |

|Mules | |

|Found | |

|Hoosegow | |

|Hame | |

|Booby hatch | |

|Floozy | |

|Snooker | |

Slang Terms

The following are slang terms found in Of Mice and Men.

|Term |Definition |

|Bindle |A bed roll and/or pack of personal belongings |

|Jack |Money |

|Graybacks |Lice |

|Tick |Mattress |

|Buck |A man |

|Bucker |Those who move or load heavy objects (sacks of grain, for example) |

|Skinner |A driver of a draft (team of animals). |

|Tart |Prostitute |

|Mules |Shoes or slippers |

|Found |Free food and lodgings in addition to wages. |

|Hoosegow |Jail |

|Hame |Part of the collar for a draft animal. |

|Booby hatch |Insane asylum |

|Floozy |Cheap, immoral woman |

|Snooker |A variation of pool played with 15 red balls and 6 balls of assorted colors. |

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