Strategic Reading SAMPLE LESSON PLAN: Of Mice and Men
Name: SAMPLE
Date/Week:
Subject: Strategic Reading
Periods: ALL
Lesson: Of Mice and Men, Partner Discussion Guide #1, Part A
SWBAT annotate a text to identify details that describe a setting. SWBAT describe the
Student Objectives: setting of a text.
SWBAT compare the setting of Chapter 1 with the setting of Chapter 2 in Of Mice and Men.
Robert Burns’ poem “To A Mouse, On Turning Her Up In Her Nest With The Plough,”
Materials:
Of Mice and Men books, student partner discussion guides
General Instruction: There should be a minimum of four activities during a 90 minute block. These activities should be varied and
Instructional
encourage active student learning and participation.
Activities:
Reading Showcase (15 – 20 min)
The teacher will read aloud Robert Burns’ poem “To A Mouse,
Teacher reads aloud to class modeling reading strategies. Reading selection
On Turning Her Up In Her Nest With The Plough.” Students
connects thematically or skill-wise.
will listen as the teacher models strategies that a good reader
Menu of Reading Strategies:
may use to comprehend the text. The teacher will pause at pre Make Predictions
determined points in the poem to stop and model his or her
 Ask & Elicit Questions
 Create Mind Movies
thinking.
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Summarize
Elaborate
Make Connections
Make Inferences
Identify Literary Elements & Devices
Examine Vocabulary (in context)
Self-check Comprehension
Discuss Text Features
Focus Lesson (20 min)
Mini-lesson on the most important points of instruction.
1.
Teacher presents (front loads) skills/ concept. I Do…
2.
Teacher models application of skills/concepts. I Do…
3.
Class participates in guided practice of skills/concepts. We Do…
4.
Class independently applies skills/concept. You Do…
The teacher will explain that the title of Steinbeck’s novel Of
Mice and Men is based upon the poem. The students will predict
what they think the novel will be about based upon the line in
the poem: “the best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men [gang aft
agley] go awry.”
I Do: The teacher will present information on setting. The
teacher will define setting. Then, the teacher will model
describing setting by underlining details in the poem that
describe the setting. The teacher will use the details to
summarize the poem’s setting.
We Do: The teacher will read aloud from the first paragraph of
Chapter 1 in Of Mice and Men. The teacher and the students will
annotate the text to identify details of the setting. Then,
students will work in pairs to summarize the setting in their own
words.
You Do: Students will work independently to identify details
about the setting as given in the first paragraph of Chapter 2.
Students will summarize the setting. (NOTE: students may use
their work on setting to answer discussion question #2).
The teacher and students will review the vocabulary from
Partner Discussion Guide #1. (The teacher has already
introduced the vocabulary during a previous lesson on building
background for the story.)
Student Team Literature (30 min)
In groups, students read and respond to literature.
Options for group reading:
 Partner reading
 Team reading
 Silent reading
Avoid full class round robin reading!
Students respond to literature through discussing and answering PDG
questions and other extension activities.
Students will read Chapter 1 of the book silently or in pairs.
Students who work in pairs must partner-read.
Students will work in their groups to discuss the answers to
discussion questions #1 and #2 from their partner discussion
guides.
Questions:
1. Describe George and Lennie and their relationship. Why do
they travel together? Why is this unusual?
2. Reread the first paragraphs in chapters 1 and 2. Contrast
these two settings. How do these contrasting settings affect
the mood or feeling that you have while reading the text?
Students will write their answers to discussion questions #1 and
#2 independently.
The teacher will lead a class discussion of questions #1 and #2.
Centers (20 min)
Self-Selected Reading (silent sustained independent reading)
Writing Center (writing about the literature)
Data Central (extension activities about the literature incorporating graphs,
internet, & charts etc.)
Word Play (vocabulary and word games such as crosswords, word searches
etc.)
Students will participate in one of the stations given below.
Students will rotate to another station during center time
tomorrow.
Self-Selected Reading - Read silently from their independent
reading book. They must complete a reading log.
Writing Center - Respond to the writing prompt:

Reread Steinbeck’s description of the grassy area by the river
on p. 1 of the novel. Write a descriptive paragraph of a
landscape of your own. Give as many details as possible. The
landscape does not have to be your own.
Data Central - Read the excerpt on the Great Depression
from A History of US. Complete a reading log.
Word Play - Write meaningful sentences for each of the starred
vocabulary words.
Assessment:
Students will turn in their answers to discussion questions #1 and #2 for assessment.
Homework:
Students will pre-read Chapter 2 for homework.