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Name: _____________________________________________ Date: _______________________ Block: __________
Of Mice and Men Group Research Project
Directions: You will be assigned a group and a topic to research. You will be finding 10 key facts about your
topic. Your facts must be written in complete sentences. Although you have been assigned the same topic
as other students in class, this is not group work yet. Do your own research and write your own facts.
Once you have your information, you will meet with your group members and compile your information
together into a beautiful poster. 
Group One: John Steinbeck
Your assignment is to research John Steinbeck’s life and his accomplishments and create a poster
containing all the highlights. 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 poster.
Group Two: Mental Impairments
Lennie, one of the main characters in Of Mice and Men, is mentally impaired. Your assignment is to
research and create a poster documenting mentally impairments. What are some different types of mental
disorders? How were mental impairments treated in the 1930s? Search for at least one picture of mental
institutions, patients, doctors, etc. in the 1930s.
Group Three: Migrant Workers
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. Your assignment is to create
a timeline poster documenting the history of migrant workers in America. Search for pictures of migrant
workers, farms scenes, etc.
Group Four: Salinas Valley
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. Your assignment is to make a map, on a poster, of this area. The map must include the following
cities, rivers, and mountains: Soledad, Auburn, Salinas River, and the Gabilan Mountains.
Group Five: Women in the 1930s
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. What opportunities were available?
How were the lives of women changing and why? Your assignment is to create a timeline for the decade of
the 1930s, illustrating the challenges, struggles, and everyday life for a woman at this time in history.
Search for pictures of women in the 1930s etc.
Group Six: Nobel Prize
During his lifetime, John Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize for Literature, the highest award possible for a
writer, a distinction above all others. Your assignment is to create a poster detailing the specifics of the
Novel Prize. Search for pictures of the Nobel Prize, John Steinbeck, etc. Your poster must include the
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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 his award? For what, specifically, was Steinbeck honored?
Group Seven: Hollywood in the 1930s
Hollywood, 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. Your assignment is to create a poster detailing Hollywood in the 1930s.
Search for pictures of past and present stars, Hollywood symbols, etc.
My 10 facts:
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