Lesson 22 | Power, Justice, and Culpability: Of Mice and Men and The Central Park Five | 9th Grade English

Lesson Map

Analyze depictions of migrant workers in an article by John Steinbeck and various photographs by Dorothea Lange, noting the similarities in their representation.

Materials

“Excerpt from John Steinbeck's The Harvest Gypsies”
Migrant worker on California Highway (1935)
Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California (1936)
Dorothea Lange: Drought refugees from Texas encamped in California near Exeter. Seven in Family (1936)

Standards

RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.4

Lesson

Explain how Steinbeck establishes the setting and introduces his main characters in Of Mice and Men.

Materials

Of Mice and Men pp. 1 – 3

Standards

RL.9-10.4

Lesson

Analyze how Steinbeck develops the reader's understanding of the relationship between Lennie and George.

Materials

Of Mice and Men pp. 4 – 16

Standards

RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4

Lesson

Analyze how Steinbeck develops social hierarchies on the ranch and introduces tension into the story.

Materials

Of Mice and Men pp. 17 – 37 — Chapter 2

Standards

RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.5

Lesson

Writing

Write a strong topic sentence and select relevant textual evidence to support that claim.

Materials

Of Mice and Men — Chapters 1 and 2
Argumentative Writing: Literary Analysis Paragraph Rubric

Standards

RL.9-10.1RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4W.9-10.1.aW.9-10.1.bW.9-10.4W.9-10.5

Lesson

Writing

Outline an analytical paragraph using the acronym T-E-A-L, and write a first draft.

Materials

Of Mice and Men — Chapters 1 and 2
Argumentative Writing: Literary Analysis Paragraph Rubric

Standards

W.9-10.1.aW.9-10.1.bW.9-10.1.cW.9-10.1.dW.9-10.1.e

Lesson

Writing

Write a strong analytical paragraph that effectively integrates textual evidence and argues for which person at the ranch poses the greatest threat to Lennie and George.

Materials

Of Mice and Men — Chapters 1 and 2
Argumentative Writing: Literary Analysis Paragraph Rubric

Standards

W.9-10.1.aW.9-10.1.bW.9-10.1.cW.9-10.1.dW.9-10.1.eW.9-10.4W.9-10.5W.9-10.5

Lesson

Analyze how Steinbeck develops characters and explain what characters' actions and beliefs can reveal about human nature.

Materials

Of Mice and Men pp. 38 – 65

Standards

RL.9-10.3

Lesson

Analyze the character of Crooks through the lenses of racism, loneliness, and power.

Materials

Of Mice and Men pp. 66 – 76

Standards

RL.9-10.3

Lesson

Analyze the character of Curley's wife through the lenses of sexism, loneliness, and power.

Materials

Of Mice and Men pp. 77 – 83
“John Steinbeck’s Letter to Claire Luce”

Standards

RL.9-10.3

Lesson

Analyze how Steinbeck has used foreshadowing to develop tension leading up to the story's climax.

Materials

Of Mice and Men pp. 84 – 93 — end after "much, much more than a moment."

Standards

RL.9-10.5

Lesson

Analyze the structural choices Steinbeck has made in the final chapter of Of Mice and Men and how he works to shape the reader's perception of Lennie's murder.

Materials

Of Mice and Men — pp. 93–end

Standards

RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.5

Lesson

Analyze the Robert Burns poem, "To a Mouse" and draw conclusions about why Steinbeck chose a line from this poem for the title of his novel.

Materials

Of Mice and Men — full text
“To a Mouse”

Standards

RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.3

Lesson

Assessment

Socratic Seminar

Take a position on one of three analytical prompts and gather textual evidence in preparation for a Socratic seminar.

Materials

Of Mice and Men — full text

Standards

RL.9-10.1RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.3W.9-10.1

Lesson

Assessment

Socratic Seminar

Engage in a Socratic seminar in preparation for crafting a literary analysis for Of Mice and Men.

Materials

Of Mice and Men — full text

Standards

RL.9-10.1RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.3SL.9-10.1.a

Lesson

Argumentative Writing

Write a strong thesis statement in response to an analytical essay prompt, and outline body paragraphs needed to support that thesis statement.

Materials

Of Mice and Men — full text
Argumentative Writing: Literary Analysis Rubric 9-12

Standards

W.9-10.1.aW.9-10.1.bW.9-10.4W.9-10.5

Lesson

Argumentative Writing

Write the body paragraphs of an analytical essay in the literary present tense, using strong transitions within and between paragraphs.

Materials

Of Mice and Men — full text
Argumentative Writing: Literary Analysis Rubric 9-12

Standards

W.9-10.1.aW.9-10.1.bW.9-10.1.cW.9-10.1.dW.9-10.1.eW.9-10.4W.9-10.5

Lesson

Argumentative Writing

Review the parts of an introduction, and write a strong introduction to an analytical essay using the acronym H-I-T (hook, introductory information, thesis statement).

Materials

Of Mice and Men — full text
Argumentative Writing: Literary Analysis Rubric 9-12

Standards

W.9-10.1W.9-10.4W.9-10.5

Lesson

Argumentative Writing

Review the parts of a conclusion, and write a strong conclusion to an analytical essay using the acronym B-A-M (refer back to thesis, analyze its significance, make it universal).

Materials

Of Mice and Men — full text
Argumentative Writing: Literary Analysis Rubric 9-12

Standards

W.9-10.1W.9-10.4W.9-10.5

Lesson

Argumentative Writing

Revise and edit essay drafts either independently or using a peer review structure.

Materials

Of Mice and Men — full text
Argumentative Writing: Literary Analysis Rubric 9-12

Standards

W.9-10.1W.9-10.4W.9-10.5

Lesson

Explain what the Atkins v. Virginia decision and the case of Marvin Wilson reveal about perceptions of culpability in the criminal justice system.

Materials

“Supreme Court Bars Executing Mentally Retarded”
“Supreme Court Denies Stay of Execution for Marvin Williams”
“Family of John Steinbeck 'deeply troubled' by Scheduled Execution of Marvin Williams”

Standards

RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.3RI.9-10.4

Lesson

Analyze how characters in Of Mice and Men view Lennie's culpability in different situations throughout the text.

Materials

Of Mice and Men — pp. 41–42, 62–65, 94–107

Standards

RL.9-10.3

Lesson

Identify claims made about the relationship between racial bias and wrongful convictions, and analyze how structural choices help develop an author's ideas.

Materials

“What is Cognitive Bias and How Does it Contribute to Wrongful Convictions”
“Black People are Wrongly Convicted More Than Any Other Group”

Standards

RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.5

Lesson

Identify Sarah Burns' purpose in The Central Park Five, and explain how an author's tone develops the reader's understanding of their perspective.

Materials

The Central Park Five — Preface

Standards

RI.9-10.1RI.9-10.4RI.9-10.6

Lesson

Analyze the structure of the first chapter of The Central Park Five and explain the purpose and impact of specific sections of the text.

Materials

The Central Park Five — Chapter 1

Standards

RI.9-10.3RI.9-10.5

Lesson

Analyze how Burns uses descriptive language and specific details to communicate her perspective.

Materials

The Central Park Five pp. 37 – 51

Standards

RI.9-10.1RI.9-10.4RI.9-10.6W.9-10.10W.9-10.9

Lesson

Analyze the choices director Ava DuVernay made in When They See Us and compare her portrayal of characters and events with Sarah Burns' text, The Central Park Five.

Materials

The Central Park Five — pp. 3–7, 21–27, 38–43
When They See Us — 00:00–07:32; 23:25–30:25

Standards

RI.9-10.1RI.9-10.7W.9-10.1

Lesson

Analyze how racism shaped media coverage of the Central Park Five, and explain the debate around blame and culpability in this case.

Materials

Of Mice and Men pp. 2 – 3
The Central Park Five — Chapter 3

Standards

RI.9-10.3RI.9-10.4RL.9-10.4

Lesson

Analyze the choices director Ava DuVerney made in When They See Us and compare her portrayal of characters and events with Sarah Burns's text, The Central Park Five.

Materials

The Central Park Five pp. 188 – 206
When They See Us — Episode 4, 1:01:00–1:12:50

Standards

RI.9-10.3RI.9-10.4

Lesson

Assessment

Performance Task

Brainstorm, outline, and record a podcast episode that analyzes the power of language to construct meaning about a person's identity in both Of Mice and Men and Central Park Five.

Materials

Of Mice and Men — full text
The Central Park Five — excerpts

Standards

RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.4RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.4SL.9-10.4SL.9-10.5W.9-10.4W.9-10.6

Power, Justice, and Culpability: Of Mice and Men and The Central Park Five

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Standards

Reading Standards for Literature

Supporting Standards

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Speaking and Listening Standards

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Power, Justice, and Culpability: Of Mice and Men and The Central Park Five

Objective

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Readings and Materials

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Target Task

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Writing Prompt

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Sample Response

Key Questions

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Close Read Questions

Homework

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Are You Sure?

Enhanced Lesson Plan

Standards

Reading Standards for Literature

Supporting Standards

Language Standards

Language Standards

Reading Standards for Literature

Reading Standards for Literature

Reading Standards for Literature

Reading Standards for Literature

Speaking and Listening Standards

Speaking and Listening Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Request a Demo

Contact Information

School Information

What courses are you interested in?

ELA

Math

Are you interested in onboarding professional learning for your teachers and instructional leaders?

Any other information you would like to provide about your school?

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students