Modern Themes in Of Mice and Men
Created byNancy Whitted
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Modern Themes in Of Mice and Men

Grade 11English15 days
★★★★★
5.0 (1 rating)
This project, aimed at 11th-grade English students, encourages a deep exploration of John Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men' by reimagining its central themes—friendship, dreams, and loneliness—within modern societal contexts. Students engage in activities like creating social media profiles for characters, producing vlogs, and writing short stories, which foster an understanding of how these themes resonate today. By analyzing the original novel's themes and contexts, students develop critical thinking and communication skills, as well as creativity and collaboration, to connect literature to current societal issues.
ThemesContemporaryReimaginationSocial MediaCharacter AnalysisCritical ThinkingCreative Writing
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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we reimagine and reinterpret the themes of friendship, dreams, and loneliness from 'Of Mice and Men' in the context of today's societal challenges and settings?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • How do the themes of friendship, dreams, and loneliness in 'Of Mice and Men' resonate in today's world?
  • What would be the challenges and dynamics of George and Lennie's relationship if they were living in today’s society?
  • How can the setting impact the understanding and interpretation of a story’s theme, particularly in 'Of Mice and Men'?
  • In what ways do contemporary issues reflect the struggles faced by characters in 'Of Mice and Men'?
  • How can we draw parallels between the themes in 'Of Mice and Men' and current societal challenges?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • Analyze and interpret the central themes of friendship, dreams, and loneliness in 'Of Mice and Men' and explore their relevance in modern society.
  • Develop critical thinking skills by comparing and contrasting the original themes with their reimagined counterparts in today's context.
  • Enhance collaborative skills through group discussions and projects that explore the reinterpretation of the novel's themes.
  • Improve written and oral communication abilities by composing essays or presentations that articulate the modern-day relevance of these themes.
  • Foster an understanding of how setting and context can impact the themes and characters in literature.

Common Core Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.1
Primary
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.Reason: This standard is directly aligned as students will need to analyze themes from 'Of Mice and Men' and support their interpretations with evidence from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.2
Primary
Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.Reason: This standard supports the project's goal of examining multiple themes in the novel and their modern reinterpretations.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1
Secondary
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.Reason: The project involves group discussions to explore themes, making this standard highly relevant.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.9
Secondary
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.Reason: Students will need to gather evidence from the text and possibly other sources to support their analyses and reinterpretations.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.4
Supporting
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.Reason: Students will be writing essays or creating presentations, making this standard applicable.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.3
Supporting
Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama.Reason: This standard supports the analysis of setting and its impact on themes, a key component of the project.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

Social Media Character Profiles

Have students create social media profiles for the characters from Of Mice and Men as if they were living in today’s world. This will encourage students to explore character motivations and themes in a modern framework while leveraging platforms they are familiar with.
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Portfolio Activities

Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.
Activity 1

Character Deep Dive Diaries

Students create in-depth character diaries for Of Mice and Men's characters as if they are living today. This activity allows them to explore characters' motivations and how themes of friendship, dreams, and loneliness manifest in a modern context.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Select a character from 'Of Mice and Men' and research their traits, motivations, and themes they represent.
2. Create a modern-day persona for this character, considering their hobbies, job, social media presence, and lifestyle.
3. Write diary entries from the character's perspective, highlighting how they navigate today's societal challenges related to friendship, dreams, and loneliness.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed character diary that shows a deep understanding of the character's role and themes they embody, reimagined in a modern setting.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsThis aligns with CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.1 and RL.11-12.2 as students analyze and pull textual evidence while determining themes of the novel and their modern interpretation.
Activity 2

Theme Connection Vlogs

Students create video blogs (vlogs) discussing how the themes of the novel are still relevant today, comparing characters' struggles to similar challenges faced in contemporary society.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Identify key themes in the novel, such as friendship, dreams, and loneliness, and find correlating modern issues.
2. Script a short video presentation to discuss these themes and provide concrete examples that illustrate their relevance today.
3. Record and edit the vlog with visuals or examples and prepare to present it to the class.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA vlog entry providing an in-depth analysis of how Of Mice and Men's themes resonate with contemporary issues.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1 and W.11-12.9 as students engage in discussion and present ideas grounded in text-based research.
Activity 3

Social Media Campaign Simulation

Students design and execute a mock social media campaign to raise awareness about one of the themes explored from Of Mice and Men, reflecting its presence in modern-day society.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Select one theme from the novel and research current events or issues reflecting this theme.
2. Design a series of engaging social media posts that use images, hashtags, and text to convey the theme's importance and modern relevance.
3. Plan a strategy and timeline for how this campaign would roll out, including target audience and platforms.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA collection of social media posts and a campaign strategy document for effectively communicating the selected theme's relevance today.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsSupports CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.4 and SL.11-12.1 through written and oral communication, supported by collaborative planning.
Activity 4

Parallel Universe Creative Writing

Students write a short story placing Of Mice and Men's characters in a modern-day setting, emphasizing how changes in time and setting can alter themes and character development.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Identify the original settings and themes of 'Of Mice and Men'.
2. Create an outline for a new short story set in the present day, capturing the characters' voices while altering their context.
3. Write the short story, ensuring that the new setting brings new light to the established themes.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA creative short story set in today's world, adapting original themes and character arcs to a contemporary context.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.3 and RL.11-12.2, exploring setting impact and theme development through creative interpretation.
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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Modern Day Of Mice and Men: Thematic Exploration Rubric

Category 1

Theme Analysis and Interpretation

Evaluates the depth of analysis and understanding of the themes of friendship, dreams, and loneliness in both the original and modern contexts.
Criterion 1

Thematic Understanding

Measures how well the student identifies and understands the key themes of 'Of Mice and Men' and relates them to today's societal challenges.

Exemplary
4 Points

Demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of themes, offering insightful connections to modern societal challenges with comprehensive evidence.

Proficient
3 Points

Shows a thorough understanding of themes, making appropriate connections to modern contexts with clear evidence.

Developing
2 Points

Shows an emerging understanding of themes, with some connections to modern settings but limited evidence.

Beginning
1 Points

Shows initial recognition of themes with few or unclear connections to modern society and minimal evidence.

Criterion 2

Modern Contextualization

Assesses the student's ability to reimagine characters or settings from 'Of Mice and Men' in a believable and relevant modern context.

Exemplary
4 Points

Creates an innovative and plausible modern context that enriches the original themes, showing advanced creativity and insight.

Proficient
3 Points

Develops a clear and relevant modern context that appropriately reflects original themes.

Developing
2 Points

Attempts to create a modern context but with limited creativity or relevance to the original themes.

Beginning
1 Points

Creates a modern context with minimal relevance to the original themes and lacks creativity.

Category 2

Communication and Presentation

Evaluates the clarity, coherence, and creativity of student communications, whether in written, oral, or visual formats.
Criterion 1

Clarity and Coherence

Measures the fluency and comprehensibility of the student's written, oral, or visual communication.

Exemplary
4 Points

Communicates ideas with exceptional clarity and coherence, maintaining audience engagement throughout.

Proficient
3 Points

Presents ideas clearly, maintaining coherence and audience interest effectively.

Developing
2 Points

Communicates ideas with partial clarity, occasionally losing coherence or audience engagement.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to communicate ideas clearly; lacks coherence and audience engagement.

Criterion 2

Creativity and Innovation

Assesses how creatively and innovatively the student presents their ideas.

Exemplary
4 Points

Displays exceptional creativity and innovative thinking in the presentation of ideas.

Proficient
3 Points

Displays clear creativity and innovation in presenting ideas.

Developing
2 Points

Displays limited creativity or innovation in presentation.

Beginning
1 Points

Displays minimal creativity or innovation, with conventional presentation.

Category 3

Collaborative Skills

Assesses the student's ability to work effectively in group settings, contributing to discussions and collective projects.
Criterion 1

Participation and Contribution

Measures the student's engagement and contribution to collaborative activities and discussions.

Exemplary
4 Points

Actively leads and contributes to discussions, enhancing group dynamics and outcomes.

Proficient
3 Points

Contributes effectively to discussions, supporting group cohesion and success.

Developing
2 Points

Participates in discussions with inconsistent contribution or impact on group outcomes.

Beginning
1 Points

Rarely contributes to discussions, with minimal impact on group dynamics.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning
Question 1

Reflect on how analyzing the themes of 'Of Mice and Men' helped you understand their relevance in today's society.

Text
Required
Question 2

How effective were the social media activities in helping you relate the novel's characters to modern-day personalities?

Scale
Required
Question 3

Which activity did you find most challenging and why?

Text
Optional
Question 4

In your opinion, how can the themes from 'Of Mice and Men' inspire change in today's societal challenges?

Multiple choice
Required
Options
By fostering understanding and empathy among people
By highlighting ongoing social issues
By inspiring personal reflection and action
By encouraging creative reimagination of traditional narratives
Question 5

How confident do you feel in your ability to analyze and reinterpret literary themes in a modern context after this project?

Scale
Required