Mr. Del Muro’s Classes

View the slideshow here.

Outline Due: April 22

Topics:

1. Examine the relationship between Lennie and George. Be sure to focus on both the negative and positive aspects of the relationship.

2. Using any pairing of characters in the novel, explain how Steinbeck explores a person’s responsibility to another person.

3. Compare and contrast the instance where Carlson takes Candy’s dog away to kill it, and George shoots Lennie. What does each of the instances add to the novel’s theme of people’s responsibility to one another and the importance of friendship?

4. “Soledad” means loneliness. Using specific references from the novel, explain how this concept is related throughout the novel.

5. Explain how the theme of power is explored throughout the novel.

Here is a sample outline:

I.    Introduction
a.    Attention getter
b.    Story Summary
c.    Thesis

II.    Body

A. Topic 1
a.    Topic Sentence
b.    Concrete Detail
c.    Commentary
d.    Commentary
e.    Concluding Sentence
B. Topic 2
a.    Topic Sentence
b.    Concrete Detail
c.    Commentary
d.    Commentary
e.    Concluding Sentence
C. Topic 3
a.    Topic Sentence
b.    Concrete Detail
c.    Commentary
d.    Commentary
e.    Concluding Sentence
III.    Conclusion
a.    Restate Thesis
b.    Leave reader with provoking thought

Visit Quizlet.com to create your own flashcards.

Play games and share with friends on Facebook and Myspace.

Thanks to the Internet, there are troves of information about Steinbeck and the Dust Bowl. For greater understanding of the events that take place in the book, visit these.

John Steinbeck

• National Steinbeck Center
• Nobel Prize Biography
• The Steinbeck Timeline

The Dust Bowl

• PBS Site for the movie Surviving the Dust Bowl
• University of South Dakota site explaining the Dust Bowl
• Voices from the Dust Bowl

Of Mice and Men in popular culture

1. Find a topic for your letter to President Barack Obama

Remember, receive 5 points extra credit for answering one of the following student-generated questions. The answer must be correct and well-researched.

Questions (Per. 6):

Since Auschwitz was a concentration camp, why is it so neat and tidy?

What does SS stand for?

Why did the Jews keep only their belts and shoes?

Why were the Jews given such little food?

How long did it take them to get to Auschwitz?

How did Mrs. Schacter know that there would be a fire?

Where did the rest of Elie’s family go? What happened to them?

Why didn’t the prisoners try to run away?

What does the “angel of death” mean?

Why did the inmates have Elie and his father lie about his age?

Why did they have numbers tattooed on their arms?

Per. 7

What does SS stand for?

What happened to Moshe the Beadle?

Why was Mrs. Schacter screaming?

What happened to the stuff the Jews left behind?

Why didn’t they kill Elie and his father?

What is Yiddish?

What/who is the angel of death?

What happened to his mom and sister?

What happened to Madame Schacter?

Why were the Jews saying the prayer of death?

Why did the guy have Elie lie about his proper age?

1. Insert a new page (Use page break, or create a new document)

2. Open your book to the title and publication information pages.

3. Visit the Son of Citation Machine Web site.

4. On the left-hand side, click “MLA”

5. Again, on the left-hand side, choose book, journal article, newspaper article, or whatever type your document is.

6. Enter the appropriate information in the boxes.

7. Copy and paste the citation created onto your document.

Here’s a sample.

It’s never too early to prepare for college. Find out what you need to get into UCLA or Loyola Marymount at College Night tonight in the Carroll Student Activity Center.

College Night starts at 7 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m.

On this blog, post the following:

Colleges you visited

Requirements for getting in

Advice given by recruiter (person sitting at the table)

Remember, your assignment is simple. Write at least five vignettes, and have at least five photos, illustrations, or a combination, and construct it into a book. You will be graded on the following:

• Vignettes – 50%
• Illustrations – 25%
• Creativity in design – 25%

Here are the due dates:

• Five vignettes due in class: Per. 6 – Oct. 30, Per. 7 – Oct. 31
• Completed books due: Both classes: Nov. 5

Here’s an example of a short vignette:

My Best Friend

The first time I saw him, he dripped with water. His hair stuck to his body as he ran down the flooded street with a pack of barking dogs.

I didn’t pay much attention at the time, but found myself thinking about him when I should have been listening to Mrs. Burke teach about math, science, English, or some of that boring crap she always spewed from her mouth.

It still rained when the final school bell rang. And I walked home sad that I wouldn’t see the dog again.

But it’s as if there was some invisible connection. It’s as if the dog knew I wanted to see him.

When I arrived in front of my house, on the porch, hiding from the constant storm, was the little gray mutt.

I pet him, went into the house and brought out a piece of bread.

I could hear my mom tell me, “Never feed a stray.”
But I didn’t care.

I went into the house, but didn’t dare let the dog in. However, I sat on the cold wooden floor in front of the screen door and stuck my hand beneath the door so that the mutt could lick my fingers.

He did.

“I know you didn’t feed that ugly dog,” my sister said while she lay on the couch watching MTV.

I didn’t say anything in return.

“If you feed the dog, he’ll never leave,” she said.

“Good,” I wanted to say. I wanted the dog and would do everything in my ability to keep it. But I stayed silent letting the dog continue to lick my fingers.

I’ll admit, he was an ugly dog. He had too much fur, a floppy tail, and his ears poked straight up. But I didn’t care. I knew that this dog, more than any of my friends, would be loyal to me.

And for 14 years, he was the most loyal friend I had.