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10th Grade  Project 3 weeks

Mice, Men, and Mayhem

Sarah C
Updated
9-10LS1a
3C.4b
2A.4a
9-10SL1d
3C.4a
+ 3 more
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Purpose

Students investigate how fear, loneliness, and hope shape human choices by closely reading key scenes in Of Mice and Men and discussing evidence in small groups. They connect the novel to real-life social and emotional experiences through a counselor-led conversation, guided role-play, and reflection circles that deepen perspective-taking and responsible decision-making. Through critique, revision, and public presentation in the Choice Trail Gallery, they practice speaking, listening, and evidence-based reasoning while examining how literature can inform school culture, community care, and social justice.

Learning goals

Students will cite and discuss key scenes from Of Mice and Men to explain how fear, loneliness, and hope shape Lennie’s and George’s choices, using strong textual evidence in discussion and presentation. They will collaborate to build and revise an evidence board or digital collage, respond thoughtfully to peer feedback during a gallery walk, and present clear claims through QR-linked media for the Choice Trail Gallery. Students will compare their own perspectives with those of the characters and classmates through role-play, reflection circles, and quick-writes connected to the mental health counselor visit. They will also identify and evaluate coping strategies and social choices that can improve school culture, relationships, and community well-being.

Standards
  • [New York] 9-10LS1a - Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; draw on that preparation by referring to evidence to stimulate a thoughtful, well- reasoned exchange of ideas.
  • [New York] 3C.4b - Plan, implement, and evaluate their participation in service learning to build greater social justice within their local community.
  • [New York] 2A.4a - Reflect on the similarities and differences between their own perspectives and the perspectives of others, including those from different identity groups.
  • [New York] 9-10SL1d - Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify personal views and understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented.
  • [New York] 3C.4a - Plan, implement, and evaluate their participation in service-learning to improve school culture and climate.
Competencies
  • Reflective and Future Focused - Engages in self-reflection to identify strengths and areas for growth, sets meaningful goals, uses social awareness to maintain supportive relationships, and demonstrates responsible decision-making that prioritizes social, emotional, and mental well-being.
  • Critical Thinker - Analyzes information thoughtfully, evaluates evidence critically, and identifies patterns and connections between different pieces of information (across multiple content areas) to address complex issues and navigate the world with insight.
  • Effective Communicator - Articulates ideas clearly and confidently through speaking, writing, and the use of different types of media for various purposes, while engaging with diverse audiences and actively listening to different perspectives.

Products

Students create quick launch artifacts at the start, including annotated quote-sort notes, image-walk observations, and brief role-play reflections that help them identify early claims about fear, loneliness, and hope. During the project, each small group builds an evidence board or digital collage tracing how Lennie’s or George’s choices shift across key scenes, then revises its claim set after a gallery walk with sticky-note feedback and adds QR-code captions. After the counselor discussion, students produce quick-write reflections and a short recorded reflection clip naming one coping strategy from the role-play and connecting it to a character’s decisions. The final product is a hallway Choice Trail Gallery featuring revised character-change boards, QR codes linking to brief group presentation clips, and student reflection audio for visitors.

Launch

Begin with a Choice Trail Kickoff using three fast stations: a quote sort with lines from the novel tied to fear, loneliness, and hope; a silent image walk with Depression-era and migrant worker photos; and a brief scenario role-play where students choose how to respond to isolation or risk. After rotating, students post one claim about how these forces shape survival choices and one question they want to explore. Close with a short whole-class discussion that introduces the essential question and previews the final hallway gallery of character-choice evidence boards with QR-linked reflections.

Exhibition

Turn the hallway into a Choice Trail Gallery where each group displays an evidence board or digital collage tracing Lennie’s or George’s changing choices, supported by key quotes and scene analysis. Add QR codes that link to short group presentation clips and brief reflection recordings about how fear, loneliness, and hope shaped the character’s decisions and what coping strategy students noticed during the counselor role-play. Invite other 10th grade classes, families, counselors, and school staff to walk the gallery, leave written responses on comment cards, and discuss connections to school climate, mental health, and social justice. End with a short live share-out in which selected groups summarize how feedback from the gallery walk changed their claims and what they learned about responding thoughtfully to different perspectives.