1. Topic-
The Grapes of Wrath: Focus Biography
 
2. Content-
Students will be studying the author's life to understand the novel more fully.
 
3. Goals: Aims/Outcomes-
1. Students will be familiar with the history and life of John Steinbeck.
2. Students will understand how the life of an author can shape the reading of a novel.
3. Students will gain writing experience while addressing issues on race, religion, social class and subculture.
 
4. Objectives-
1. Students will show thorough knowledge of John Steinbeck through open discussion.
2. Students will show they have background knowledge on The Great Depression.
3. Students will show their writing progress in completion of their paper with little grammatical mistakes.
 
5. Materials and Aids-
-"The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck
-Powerpoint/discussion notes on John Steinbeck's background and history and The Great Depression including pictures, theme words, and vocabulary.
 
6. Procedures/Methods-

A. Introduction-

1. Discuss and present information on John Steinbeck.
2. Allow students to comment on what they know about The Great Depression.
3. Students have the opportunity to predict what the novel may be about by looking at the images and vocabulary.
 

B. Development-

1. Provide example of a novel that taught me something about a group to which I didn't belong.
2. Allow discussion for possible novels and help them with ideas for writing.
 

C. Practice-

1. Students will write a one-page response to a book that taught them something about a group to which they don't belong.
2. If the book changed the way the see a certain group then they will discuss at least three ways their perspective was changed.
3. They will then present their ideas to the class and have a discussion about how a novel can adjust one's views.
 

D. Independent Practice-

1. Students will read Chapters 1-5 for homework.
2. Ask students to think about how the Oklahoma landscape shapes the lives of the people who live in it. How does their own landscape shape their lives? When did their parents move here and why?
 

E. Accommodations (Differentiated Instruction)-

1. Instead of a one page response students could be broken up into planned groups and discuss which books taught them something they didn't know about a certain group in which they didn't belong.
2. Allow for more open discussion rather than independent work.
 

F. Checking for understanding-

1. Students will show thorough knowledge of John Steinbeck through open discussion.
2. Students will show they have background knowledge on The Great Depression.
3. Students will show their writing progress in completion of their paper with little grammatical mistakes.
 

G. Closure-

Make sure students have a firm grasp on the background and history of John Steinbeck and The Great Depression before reading and doing homework.
 
7. Evaluation-
Are students prepared to further their reading in the Grapes of Wrath and continue writing on the subject.
 

This Lesson Plan is available at (www.teacherjet.com)