Of Mice and Men worksheet packet

Great for summer assignments and easy reading and comprehension workouts.

1. OF MICE AND MEN 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS: 
Page 2: KWL - Great Depression 
Page 4: Vocabulary 
Page 8: Characterization 
Page 10: Reading Questions 
Page 14: Dreams and Desires 
Page 16: Powerful or Powerless 
Page 17: Reading Journal  
 
 
 
 
John Steinbeck 

COMP & LIT 2014 
UNIT 2  

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: 
1) What role do dreams play in our lives? 
2) What is the definition of true friendship? 
3) Is it ever truly possible for there to be a society where everyone is treated as an equal? 
4) To what extent should a society provide a safety net for people living on the fringes of society? What are the 
components of a good, healthy society? 
 
 
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2.  
 
TITLE  DESCRIPTOR  SUMMATIVE 
ASSESSMENTS 
FORMATIVE 
ASSESSMENTS 
Objective 2 Writing 
Process 
Engage in a writing process that 
includes drafting, editing, revising, 
and giving/responding to feedback 
Writing Process for 
Persuasive Essay 
-Meeting deadlines (OMAM 
Essay) 
-Feedback forms 
Objective 3 Reading 
Strategies 
Comprehend specific language use 
and major literary elements / devices 
to understand, analyze and draw 
conclusions about a work of 
literature. 
OMAM Vocabulary 
Test 
OMAM Persuasive 
Essay 
-Vocab HW 
-Vocab Pre-Test 
-OMAM Journal Entries 
-STEAL worksheets 
-7 Conflict Types 
Objective 4 Analytical 
Writing 
Write a well-organized analytical 
essay using textual evidence to 
discuss the major themes, concepts, 
ideas, and/or craft and structure of a 
novel. 
OMAM Persuasive 
Essay 
-Drafts of OMAM Essay 
Objective 5 Learning 
Habits 
Demonstrate commitment, 
accountability, integrity, and 
dependability 
Self-Assessment -Ongoing homework 
completion and class 
participation 
Objective 9 On-Demand 
Thinking and 
Writing 
Write independently in shorter time 
frames to demonstrate ability to 
swiftly develop and effectively 
communicate ideas. 
In-Class Timed 
Writing (dreams) 
-Timed writing 
pre-assessment (friendship) 
-Journal Entries 
 
KWL - Know, Want to Know, Learned  
The Great Depression 
 
Know  Want to Know  Learned 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
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3.  
Migrant Workers  
 
Know  Want to Know  Learned 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
ADDITIONAL NOTES ON JOHN STEINBECK AND ​OF MICE AND MEN 
 
 
 
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4. Of Mice and Men​ Vocabulary Name:  
1. ​Juncture​ (​noun​)  
Definition:  
 
 
Book Sentence: (page 1) 
 
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Original Sentence:  
 
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2. ​Morose​ (​adj.​)  
Definition:  
 
 
Book Sentence: (page 4 & 23) 
 
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Original Sentence:  
 
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3. ​Pantomime​ (​noun​)  
Definition:  
 
 
Book Sentence: (page 8) 
 
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5. _____________________________________________________________________ 
 
Original Sentence:  
 
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4. ​Imperious​ (​adj.​)  
Definition:  
 
 
Book Sentence: (page 9) 
 
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Original Sentence:  
 
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5. ​Pugnacious​ (​adj.​)  
Definition:  
 
 
Book Sentence: (page 25) 
 
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Original Sentence:  
 
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6. ​Ominous​ (​adj.​)  
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6. Definition:  
 
 
Book Sentence: (page 27) 
 
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Original Sentence:  
 
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7. ​Quiver​ (​verb​)  
Definition:  
 
 
Book Sentence: (page 45) 
 
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Original Sentence:  
 
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8. ​Subdued​ (​adj.​)  
Definition:  
 
 
Book Sentence: (page 49) 
 
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7. 9. ​Reprehensible​ (​adj.​)  
Definition:  
 
 
Book Sentence: (page 59) 
 
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Original Sentence:  
 
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10. ​Fawning​ (​verb​)  
Definition:  
 
 
Book Sentence: (page 68) 
 
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Original Sentence:  
 
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11. ​Indignation​ (​noun​)  
Definition:  
 
 
Book Sentence: (page 78) 
 
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8.  

Original Sentence:  
 
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12. Sullen​ (​adj.​)  
Definition:  
 
 
Book Sentence: (page 86) 
 
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Original Sentence:  
 
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13. Bewilder​ (​verb​)  
Definition:  
 
 
Book Sentence: (page 91) 
 
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Original Sentence:  
 
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14. Monotonous​ (​adj.​)  
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9. Definition:  
 
 
Book Sentence: (page 103) 
 
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Original Sentence:  
 
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Name:__________________________ Class:_______ 
Characterization  
 
Essential Questions: ​What is ​characterization​? What is ​direct characterization​? What is ​indirect characterization?  
 
NOTES 
1.Characterization​ is the process by which the writer reveals the _____________________________ of a 
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10. character. Characterization is revealed through __________________ characterization and 
_________________ characterization.  
 
2.Direct characterization​ ______________ the audience what the personality of the character is.  
Example​: “The patient boy and quiet girl were well mannered and did not disobey their mother.” 
​Explanation​: The author is directly telling the audience the personality of these two children. The boy 
is “______________” and the girl is “_____________________.” 
 
 
3.Indirect characterization​ ___________________ things that reveal the personality of a character. There are 
______ different methods of indirect characterization:  
 
S​________________ 
●What does the character say? 
●How does the character speak?  
 
T​_______________ 
●What is revealed through the character’s private 
thoughts and feelings?  
 
E​________________ 
●What is revealed through the character’s effect 
on other people?  
●How do other characters feel and behave in 
reaction to the character?  
 
A​________________ 
●What does the character do? How does the 
character behave? 
 
L​________________ 
●What does the character look like? 
●How does the character dress?  
 
 
Characterization of ______________________ in ​Of Mice and Men  
Types of ​indirect 
characterization 
Textual Evidence with Page #  Explanation 
Speech 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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11.  
 
 
 
Thoughts 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Actions 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
Effects on others 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
Looks 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
   
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12. SOME READING QUESTIONS 
 
Pages 38-65 Reading Questions 
  
1. What is Slim's attitude toward George and Lennie's relationship? Why does he feel this way? 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. Why does Carlson want to shoot Candy's dog? 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
3. How is Curley's wife characterized? Give one quote to support your answer. 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
4. Why does Curley try to fight Lennie? Then, explain what happens. And explain how Slim saves them from being 
fired. 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
5. Why does Candy want to become part of George and Lennie's dream? Why does George let him? 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
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13. Pages 66-83 Reading Questions  
  
1. Why does Crooks strongly defend his territory?  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. Why does Crooks force Lennie to imagine life without George? 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. What problem do Crooks and Curley's wife share? 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. What does Curley's wife threaten Crooks with? How effective is this threat? 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. Why does Crooks pretend that he doesn't want to live on the ranch with Candy, George, and Lennie? 
  
  
  
 
 
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14. Pages 84-98 Reading Questions 
  
1.  How does Lennie try to justify the puppy’s death? What do you think he should do at this time? 
 
 
 
 
2.  Curley’s wife tells Lennie that he can always get another puppy because there are so many of  
them. This implies their lack of value. Tie this in with how Curley’s wife views men and  
connect the puppies to the farm workers. 
 
 
 
 
 
3.  What do you learn about Curley’s wife? What career could she have had? Who does she  
blame for not getting to Hollywood?  
 
 
 
 
 
4. What clues have there been throughout the book to foreshadow the fate of Curley’s wife? 
 
 
 
 
 
5.  Explain the attitudes of each of these character's towards what happens to Curley's wife and what should  
be done about Lennie: Candy, Curley, Slim, George. 
 
 
 
 
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15. Pages 99-107 Reading Questions 
  
1.  Compare the beginning of chapter one with the beginning of chapter six. How are they  
similar? 
 
 
 
 
2.  Why does Lennie think of Aunt Clara now? What does the rabbit mean? 
 
 
 
 
 
3.  Why does George do what he does to Lennie? What gave him the idea? Do you think he was right? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. How is what happens between George and Lennie tied to Candy’s regret about what he does to his dog?  
 
 
 
 
5.  How does Slim act at the end of the novel-- and why?  
 
 
 
 
 
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16. MAJOR DESIRES AND DREAMS 
  
Instructions​: As you are reading ​Of Mice and Men​, keep a running list of each character’s major desires/dreams, 
interesting characterization, anything that has to do with the character’s power in the novel. Feel free to change your 
list as you learn more. Be sure to write the page number as a reference next to the description.  
  
  Each Character’s Major Desires/Dreams - Interesting Characterization - 
Powerful or Powerless? 
Lennie:   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
George:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Candy:  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
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17. Slim:   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Curley:   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Curley’s 
wife: 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Crooks:   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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18. POWERFUL OR POWERLESS? 
 
Now: Rank each of the characters in this chapter: George, Lennie, Curley, the Boss, Crooks, Curley’s wife, 
Slim, Candy 
 
Most Powerful Why do they rank here? 
 
1 
 
 
 
 
2 
 
 
 
 
3 
 
 
 
 
4 
 
 
 
 
 
5 
 
 
 
6 
 
 
 
 
7 
 
 
 
 
8 
 
 
 
Least Powerful 
 
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19. Name: Class: 
Of Mice and Men​ Journal 
 
Date:_______________ Reading Assignment:_____-_____ 
 
On-Demand Writing Prompt 1: ​_______________________________________________________ 
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Date:_______________ Reading Assignment:_____-_____ 
 
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