Of Mice and Men WebQuest - Springfield Public Schools



Of Mice and Men Web Quest

An Internet Web Quest on Of Mice and Men

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Introduction

You are about to embark on a journey of understanding of what it was like to be a migrant worker in the Salinas Valley of California during the 1930's, during the Great Depression. John Steinbeck wrote OF MICE AND MEN as a vehicle to express his social conscience about the period. OF MICE AND MEN is a novel about poverty and dreams, friendship and loneliness, and despair and hope. Through the memorable characters of George and Lennie, Steinbeck paints a portrait of enduring friendship that you won't soon forget. In order to help you to understand the context of the novel and how it still resonates today, you are about to embark on a Web Quest that will lay the ground work for a deeper understanding of this simple, yet profound story.

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The Quest

What are the background issues that led to Steinbeck's writing of this novella about profound friendship and social issues?

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The Process and Resources

In this Web Quest you will be working together with a group of students in class. Each group will answer the Task or Questions. As a member of the group you will explore WebPages from people all over the world who care about Of Mice and Men. Because these are real WebPages we're tapping into, not things made just for schools, the reading level might challenge you. Be sure to assign specific tasks to each member of the group. The final product will be a presentation to the class which will include answers to the assigned questions and a visual representation of what you have learned.

Phase 1 - Background: Something for Everyone

Steinbeck was influenced by a variety of geographical, human, and social issues to write Of Mice and Men. Your job will be to explore some of these issues.

Phase 2 - Looking Deeper from Different Perspectives

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Individuals or pairs from your larger Web Quest team will explore one of the roles below.

2. Read through the files linked to your group. If you print out the files, underline the passages that you feel are the most important. If you look at the files on the computer, copy sections you feel are important by dragging the mouse across the passage and copying / pasting it into a word processor or other writing software.

3. Note: Remember to write down or copy/paste the URL of the file you take the passage from so you can quickly go back to it if you need to prove your point. This will also aid in documenting your sources and preparing your bibliography page.

4. Be prepared to focus what you've learned into one main opinion that answers the Big Quest(ion) or Task based on what you have learned from the links for your role.

Geographers

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Geographers:

1. What are the geographical features of the Salinas Valley in California?

2. What kinds of jobs are available here?

3. What was John Steinbeck's relationship to the Salinas Valley?

4. For the visual component, create a map of the area with significant locations identified.

• The Geography of Of Mice and Men - Background on the Salinas Valley-the setting

• Setting and Significance - Outline of farmland

• Salinas facts - Overview of the area

• Steinbeck and Salinas - Relationship between Steinbeck and Salinas

Sociologists

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Sociologists:

1. What was the Great Depression?

2. What were some of the causes?

3. Who were the migrant workers and how were they affected by the Great Depression?

4. Do migrant workers exist today? Where? what kinds of jobs do they have?

5. For the visual portion of your presentation, develop a collage of photos of migrant workers of the 1930's.

• The Great Depression - Facts

• Causes of the Great Depression

• The Migrant Experience - Overview

• Photos of the Great Depression

• The Dust Bowl

• Migrant Workers today

Psychiatrists

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Psychiatrists:

1. What is a mental disability and how does it affect a person's everyday life?

2. What are some of the difficulties in caring for a mentally disabled person?

3. What kinds of support are available for caregivers?

4. What is the role of friendship in caring for the mentally disabled?

5. For the visual portion of your presentation, create a collage of literature and films about the mentally disabled.

• Mental Disability

• Caring for a Mentally Disabled Person

• Friendship and the mentally disabled

• Novels About Disabilities

• Flowers for Algernon

• Book List

• Literature about the Hearing Impaired

• Films with Mentally Disabled characters

• Domick and Eugene film

• Charlie

• Being There

• Book List

• Literature about the Hearing Impaired

• Films with Mentally Disabled characters

Biographers

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Biographers:

1. Present the major facts about Steinbeck's life.

2. What philosophy of life is revealed in Steinbeck's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech?

3. What influenced Steinbeck to write Of Mice and Men?

4. For the visual portion of your presentation, create a collage of Steinbeck’s life and work.

• John Steinbeck

• Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech

• Steinbeck Biography

• Steinbeck's Works

Phase 3 - Debating, Discussing, and Reaching Consensus

You have all learned about different influences on the writing of Of Mice and Men. If you had to choose the one most important feature of what you have explored, what would it be? How would this aspect influence a writer?

Phase 4 - Real World Feedback

You and your teammates have learned a lot by dividing up into different roles. You have learned a great deal about Steinbeck and the world in which he lived. Imagine that you are a writer and that you want to write a novel about the most important social issue of the day. Write an essay in which you identify the issue and discuss the kind of story you would write to bring that issue to the attention of the world.

Your Contact is: the designated contact

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Conclusion

Your journey into the background and issues that influenced the writing of Of Mice and Men has come to an end, but the trip is far from over! You are now ready to embark on a literary journey into the world of George and Lennie, the Salinas Valley, migrant farm workers, loneliness and friendship, poverty and dreams, and despair and hope.

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