Of Mice and Men​ by John 

Steinbeck  
  Pre-Reading Hyperdoc 
English 11 - Ms. Schwartz  
 
Instructions​: First, you will need to make a copy of this that you can type/answer the 
questions on. So, you will need to go to the upper left-hand corner and click on ‘File’ and 
then go down and select ‘Make a Copy’ that way you can complete this activity. Once you 
have your own copy, you can go through and complete all the activities on this hyperdoc, 
reading the directions for each section.  
 

Who are you?   Your Task 

 
Name:    
  Hour:    
 

History of Migrant  Your Task 

Farming in California  
Read this article ‘​History of  Answer the following questions in complete sentences:  
Migrant Farming in California​’    
  1.) What was it like to be a farmer during this time period? 
Answer the questions under the  Reference three specific pieces of evidence from this article 
‘Your Task’ section to the right  to support your answer.  
paired with this article.    
   
Be sure your answers are in a   
complete sentence with  2.) What was the unemployment rate in 1933?  
punctuation or you will lose   
points.  
 
  3.) What caused the region to become known as the Dust 
Bowl?  
 
 
4.) What did migrant workers become known as? Why?   
 
 
5.) Why did people from the Great Plains flock to California 
specifically? 
 
 

John Steinbeck  Your Task 

Biography  
  1.) When and where was Steinbeck born?  
Read the following short   
biography about the author of ​Of 
 
Mice and Men.​ T ​ his website looks 
like it won’t load, but if you scroll  2.) Where did he first attend college? Did he finish and get a 
down the biography will  degree? If so, what degree? 
eventually show up.    
   
Answer the questions under the  3.) What kind of jobs did he work?   
‘Your Task’ section to the right   
paired with this article.    
  4.) What was his first novel?  
Be sure your answers are in a 
 
complete sentence with 
punctuation or you will lose   
points.   5.) What was his job during WWII?  
 
   
6.) In what year did he win the Nobel Prize for literature?  
 
 
7.) What is a Pulitzer Prize for literature?  
 
 
 
 
 
 John Steinbeck  Your Task 
Biography Part 2 
Read this second biography about  Answer the following questions in complete sentences:  
John Steinbeck a ​ nd use the   
Merriam Webster’s definition of  1.) What is a novella? Why is Of Mice and Men considered a 
novella​ to answer the questions in  novella? 
the ‘Your Task’ section to the right.    
   
Be sure your answers are in a  2.) What novel gave Steinbeck his first success both in terms 
complete sentence with  of payment and critical appraisal?  
punctuation or you will lose   
points.    
  3.) How many of Steibeck’s novels have been turned into 
  films? 
 
 
4.) How many times was Steinbeck married?  
 
 
5.) Where is Steinbeck buried?  
 
 
6.) What did his friendship with Edward Ricketts do for him? 
Note: I am looking for two things.  
 
 
 
 
7.) The setting for Steinbeck’s novels occurs in what part of 
the country? State and region.  
 
 
 
 

Putting it All  Your Task 

Together/Reflection  
You’ve read two biographies  1.) List 3 interesting facts you learned about John Steinbeck 
about the author and a historical  that were no already questions you had to answer before.  
context document about what   
migrant farming was like in 
1.)    
California at the time this book 
 
was written. You will have to  
  
 

2.)    
 
 
 

3.)    
 
 
 
 
 
 
2.) What factors, places, and events impacted Steinbeck’s 
writing most profoundly? (this question must be answered in 
more than two sentences) 
 
 

Anticipation Guide   Your Task 

For Part 1:​ Go through the 
statements in the ‘Your Task’ 
Part 1 
section to the right. If you agree  Agree  Disagree  Statement  
with it put an X in the ‘Agree’ 
column. If you disagree with it, put      Believing that an unhappy situation 
is only temporary makes it more 
an X in the ‘Disagree’ column.  
bearable. 
 
      Dreaming is for dreamers, and 
For Part 2: F​ or the second part,  dreamers go nowhere. Be real. 
go through and pick 3 of the 
statements that you feel strongly      There are times when euthanasia 
(mercy killing) can be justified. 
about. ​Highlight them using the 
highlighting tool in Google Docs.       Of the many feelings that hurt – 
Then, go through and explain in  grief, anger, resentment, jealousy, 
ONE COMPLETE SENTENCE​ why  loneliness –loneliness hurts the most. 
you chose the stance you did in 
the ‘Explanation/”The Why?”      Feeling responsible for someone can 
be a burden. 
section in the ‘Your Task’ side. ​This 
means I should see 3 complete      If you are in a bad relationship it is 
sentences in that section.    okay to flirt with others. 
 
    It is okay to physically intimidate 
people to get what you want.  

    No matter what crime a friend 

 commits it is okay to not tell on 
them.  

 
Part 2 
Explanation/“The Why?”