Of Mice and Men Group Research Project

In order to truly appreciate John Steinbeck’s classic novella, it is important to establish some general background regarding Steinbeck’s life and times.  In addition, it is also crucial to understand a few of the basic components of the story, such as the Dust Bowl years, the Great Depression, the life of the migrant workers, and mental impairments.

Through this project you will be able to have a better understanding and appreciation for the plight of the characters who lived in John Steinbeck’s Imperial Valley, California during the 1930s.

Group One:  The Great Depression:  History

*Your assignment is to create a power point containing all of the highlights of the Great Depression.

What were the causes of the Great Depression?

How did it affect the nation and the average American family?

How did the Great Depression affect people of different income groups and ethnic groups?

What was the New Deal and what were some of its programs?

Why is Franklin D. Roosevelt considered to be a great leader?

How did the Great Depression end?

The story takes place in California during the Great Depression.  Life was very harsh for most Americans during this time. Search for pictures that represent the Great Depression and the New Deal.

The Great Depression

PBS The Great Depression

Group Two:  Dust Bowl

* Your assignment is to create a power point containing all of the highlights of the Dust Bowl.

What and when was the Dust Bowl?

What were the causes of the Dust Bowl?

Who did it affect the most?

What part (s) of the country did it affect the most?

How did the U.S. Government respond to the problems created by it?

How and when did the Dust Bowl end?

The Dust Bow is also known as the Dirty Thirties, it was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the U.S. and Canadian prairies during the 1930. Search for pictures that represent the Dust Bowl.

The Dust Bowl

The Dust Bowl

Group Three:  John Steinbeck

*Your assignment is to research John Steinbeck’s life and his accomplishments and create a power point containing all the highlights.

His popular works

Major events of his life

Why Salinas and the Imperial Valley were important to his life?

How would you describe his life?

Focus on his biographical information (birth, childhood, education, adulthood, family, etc.)  Search for at least one picture of Steinbeck, his house, his family etc. for the power point.

John Steinbeck, author of the novella Of Mice and Men

John Steinbeck

Group Four:  Mental Impairments

* Your assignment is to research and create a power point documenting mentally impairments.

What are some different types of mental impairments?

How were mental impairments treated in the 1930s?

What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?

How were people with mental impairments treated, then vs now?

What roles in society did people with mental impairments play then vs now?

Lennie, one of the main characters in Of Mice and Men, is mentally impaired.  Search for at least one picture of mental institutions, patients, doctors, etc. in the 1930s.

History

Group Five:  Migrant Workers

* Your assignment is to create a timeline power point documenting the history of migrant workers in America.

Why was there a need for migrant works then?

What was the ethnic and/or racial make-up of the migrant workers then?

What places did they come from?

Where did they go for work?

Which crops did they pick then?

Is there a need for migrant workers now?   If so, answer the same questions as the above “then” questions.

Migrant workers travel around the country harvesting crops for large farms, never spending a lot of time in one place.  Lennie and George, the main characters in Of Mice and Men were migrant workers.  During the 1920s and 1930s, migrant farm work was a way of life for thousands of people.  Search for pictures of migrant workers, farm scenes, etc.

The Migrant Experience 1930s

Migrant Experience 1930s

Group Six:  Salinas Valley

* Your assignment is to make a map, on poster board, of this area.

Of Mice and Men is set in the Salinas Valley in California, where the soil and climate is especially good for growing all sorts of produce.  To better understand the travels of George and Lennie, a map of this region is needed. The map must include the following cities, rivers, and mountains:  Salinas River, Salinas Valley, Salinas, Fresno, San Francisco, Soledad, Monterey, Monterey Bay, San Jose, Gabilan Mountains, Sacramento, and American River near Sacramento, Sacramento River, Weed, Auburn, and Santa Lucia Mountains.  Mark important information about the state (state symbols for example).

Salinas Valley Migration

Or

Present information answering: What is the  American Dream

American Dream Explained

Group Seven:  Women in the 1930s

* Your assignment is to create a power point timeline for the decade of the 1930s, illustrating the challenges, struggles, and everyday life for a woman at this time in history.

What opportunities were available?

How were the lives of women changing and why?

Although the main characters in Of Mice and Men are men, a woman plays an important role in the story.  It is helpful to know what women in America were doing in the 1930s.  Search for pictures of women in the 1930s etc.

Women in the 1930s

Group Eight:  Nobel Prize

*Your assignment it to create a power point detailing the specifics of the Nobel Prize.

Your power point must include the following:

What is the Nobel Prize?

What kinds of Nobel Prizes are awarded?

How is an individual chosen for this award?

When did John Steinbeck receive the award?

For what, specifically, was Steinbeck honored?

During his lifetime, John Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize for Literature, the highest award possible for a writer, a distinction above all others.  Search for picture of the Nobel Prize, John Steinbeck, etc.

Speech

Group Nine:  California, Hollywood and the 1930s culture

* Your assignment is to create a power point detailing California, Hollywood and the 1930s culture.

What types of entertainment were popular?

What were some popular movies, plays, songs, dances, and radio shows?

Who were some popular singers, actors, dancers, composers, playwrights?

Who were popular athletes?

What were the popular sports?

Holly wood, in the 1930s was an exciting, glamorous place and many shared the dream of being “discovered” and becoming a movie star.  A woman, with dreams of a glamorous life in Hollywood, plays an important role in Of Mice and Men.  Search for pictures that represent the culture of California, past and present stars, Hollywood symbols, etc.

Hollywood's Golden Age 1929-1940s