Use 5 words to describe what you see.

Lennie George

List their characteristics

Annotate in pairs

• They had walked in single file down the path, and even in the open one stayed behind the other. Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung over their shoulders. The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose. Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, and wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely.

What impression do you get of the two men?

What impact do they

have on their

surroundings?

What are your dreams?

Everyone has hopes and

dreams. Many people argue that without

dreams humans would struggle

to exist.

Write down your hopes and dreams for the future on the

post-it.

My Dreams

What dreams do you associate with these images?

What characteristics or attributes do you associate with America and

Americans?

Write down any

wordsthat you associate

with America.

What do you know about America?

What was the American Dream?

What was the Great Depression?

What was the Dust Bowl?

You can use the bottom of page 9-10 to assist you.

The context of ‘Of Mice and Men’

When a writer is writing they will be shaped by what is happening around them or happened

previously. Context can be social or historical.

For example the social context today is very different to the early 1900’s. Why? (Hint:

women, religion)

Social context: the way people live, religion, food, music, cultures, literature

Historical context: what wars, what monarch, what politics

Get ready for some really old TV clips!

As we watch the clip make notes. These notes will be very valuable when we begin reading ‘Of Mice

and Men’.

Clip 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5063FCAH8mM&feature=fvw

How has America changed?

Has it really changed?

The Great DepressionThe Global Recession in 2009

The American Dream

• What was the American Dream in the early 1900’s?

• What is the American Dream now?

• How has it changed? Have our dreams really changed or do we hope for what people in the 1920’s and 30’s hoped for?

Using our new-found knowledge

You should now have lots of notes about the social and historical context of America in

the 1930’s.

Using this knowledge create a poster that charts the life and times of America in the

1930’s. Make it factual but lovely to look at too!

You should make reference to lots of the notes you made as we watched the clips.