Stage 1: Unit Overview

Stage 1 – Desired Results

Established Goal(s)/Content Standard(s):

Common Core ELA Standards (9th Grade):

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3: Analyze how complex characters develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.6: Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States

California ELA Standards (9th Grade):

• CA RL.9-10.2: Determine a theme and analyze its development, including how it emerges and is shaped by specific details
• CA W.9-10.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasoning and relevant evidence
• CA SL.9-10.1: Initiate and participate effectively in collaborative discussions

California ELD Standards:

• ELD.PI.9-10.1 (Emerging/Expanding): Contribute to class, group, and partner discussions by following turn-taking rules, asking relevant questions, affirming others, and adding relevant information
• ELD.PI.9-10.6: Explain ideas using both concrete and abstract examples
• ELD.PII.9-10.1: Apply understanding of how different text types are organized to express ideas
• ELD.PII.9-10.2: Apply knowledge of familiar language resources for referring to make texts more cohesive

Enduring Understanding(s)/BIG IDEAS

Students will understand that: 

Primary Understanding(s): 

1. Dreams as Human Necessity: People need dreams and hopes to give their lives meaning and purpose, even when those dreams seem impossible to achieve. Dreams connect us to our identity, community, and vision of a better future.

Supporting Understanding(s):

2. Dreams and Social Context: Historical, economic, and social barriers can make some people's dreams harder to achieve than others' (e.g., the American Dream has not been equally accessible to all people, then or now, but the human need to dream persists across all circumstances).
3. Dreams can be individual and communal.

Essential Question(s): 

Primary Essential Questions:

1. Why do people hold onto dreams even when they seem impossible?
2. How do circumstances (historical, economic, social) shape what people dream about and whether they can achieve their dreams?

Supporting Essential Questions:

1. What dreams do people in my community hold? 
2. How are they similar to or different from the characters' dreams?
3. What happens to people when their dreams are taken away or destroyed?

Students will know… (KNOWLEDGE)

1. Key characters and their specific dreams (George and Lennie's farm, Curley's wife's Hollywood dream, Crooks' desire for dignity, Candy's need for security)
2. Historical context: Great Depression, migrant workers, 1930s California
3. Literary devices: symbolism, foreshadowing, dialogue, characterization
4. Vocabulary related to dreams, work, power, and social structures (in English and Spanish cognates where applicable)

Students will be able to… (SKILLS)

1. Analyze how Steinbeck develops the theme of dreams through character, dialogue, and plot structure
2. Analyze how Steinbeck uses dreams to critique social and economic inequality
3. Support interpretations with relevant textual evidence
4. Connect the characters' dreams to their own experiences and community
5. Compare and contrast different characters' dreams and what they reveal
6. Discuss complex ideas in both small groups and whole class settings (with appropriate scaffolds)
7. Write an analytical essay about dreams in the novel

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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence

Performance Task(s): 

Students will choose either Option A or Option B.

Option A: "Dreams Across Generations" Project

Students will interview a family member, community member, or trusted adult about their dreams (past dreams, current dreams, abandoned dreams, achieved dreams). They will then create a comparative analysis connecting that person's dreams and experiences to a character from Of Mice and Men, exploring how social context, identity, and circumstances shape dreams.

Product Format Options (Student Choice):

1. Written Essay (3-4 pages) with interview excerpts
2. Multimedia Presentation (Google Slides, Prezi) with audio clips or photos
3. Documentary-Style Video (5-7 minutes) with interview footage
4. Digital Scrapbook/Story (Canva, Book Creator) combining visuals and text

Required Components (All Formats):

Part 1: The Interview (25%)

• Conduct a 15-20 minute interview (in English or Spanish)
• Document at least 5 interview questions and responses
• Include: What dreams did/do they have? What barriers did they face? What kept them going? What happened to their dreams?

Part 2: Character Connection (40%)

• Choose ONE character from Of Mice and Men whose dreams/experiences connect to your interviewee
• Provide detailed character analysis with at least 3 pieces of textual evidence
• Explain the character's dream, what it meant to them, and what happened to it

Part 3: Comparative Analysis (25%)

• Compare and contrast: How are the dreams similar? Different?
• Analyze: How did social context (time period, economic situation, identity, power) shape each person's dreams and possibilities?
• Connect to theme: What does this reveal about why people need dreams?

Part 4: Reflection (10%)

• What did you learn about dreams from this project?
• How does understanding your interviewee's story change how you read Of Mice and Men?
• What does this teach us about dreams in our community today?

Option B: "Dreams Analysis Portfolio"

Students will create a comprehensive portfolio analyzing how THREE different characters' dreams function in the novel. The portfolio will include character analysis, thematic connections, and personal reflection on how understanding these characters' dreams deepens our understanding of the human need for hope and purpose.

Product Format: A portfolio (digital or physical) containing multiple analytical pieces

Required Components:

Part 1: Three Character Dream Profiles (45% total - 15% each)

For EACH of three characters (must include at least one marginalized character: Crooks, Curley's wife, Lennie, or Candy):

• The Dream: What is the character's dream? Describe it in detail with textual evidence
• Why It Matters: What does this dream reveal about the character's identity, values, desires, and circumstances? (2-3 paragraphs with evidence)
• Dream's Fate: What happens to the dream? How does the character respond? (2 paragraphs with evidence)
• Visual Representation: Create a symbolic image, collage, or visual metaphor representing this character's dream

Part 2: Comparative Dream Analysis (30%)

Write a 2-3 page essay answering ONE of these prompts:

Prompt Option 1: Whose dream is most important to them, and why? Compare the three characters you analyzed and argue which character's relationship to their dream is most meaningful or powerful. Use specific evidence.

Prompt Option 2: How does Steinbeck use different characters' dreams to show that dreams are shaped by power, identity, and social position? Analyze your three characters to explain how social context affects their dreams.

Prompt Option 3: What does Steinbeck reveal about the purpose of dreams through your three characters? Even when dreams seem impossible or are destroyed, what function do they serve?

Part 3: Universal Themes Chart (15%)

Create a chart or visual organizer showing:

• Common elements across all three dreams (What do they share?)
• Unique elements of each dream (What makes each one specific to that character?)
• Barriers each character faces
• What this reveals about the human need for dreams

Part 4: Personal Reflection (10%)

Respond to the essential question based on your analysis:

• "Why do people hold onto dreams even when they seem impossible?"
• Use your character analysis as evidence
• Connect to your own observations about dreams in your life or community
• 1-2 pages

Rubric

Student Rubric

Self-Assessment

Other Evidence: 

Formative (Informal Assessments):

• Character Dream tracker: Maintain a chart tracking each character's dreams as they read
• Quick writes: Regular short responses to essential questions
• Discussion participation: Use sentence frames and think-pair-share
• Quote analysis: Practice analyzing key passages about dreams
• Character journals: Write from a character's perspective about their dream

Summative (Formal Assessments):

• Option A or B
• Unit test covering plot, characters, themes, and vocabulary
• Final reflection on essential questions

Stage 3 – Learning Plan

Learning Activities:

Day by Day Stage 3 Learning Plan

Week by Week Stage 3 Learning Plan