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Lesson Plan
Discovery Education

Discovery Education: Creating Dramatic Monologues From the Grapes of Wrath

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson plan engages students in creating dramatic monologues from certain scenes in The Grapes of Wrath. Primary sources from the Library of Congress are used to provide essential background content about the setting of the story.
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Unit Plan
C-SPAN

C Span American Writers: The Grapes of Wrath

For Students 9th - 10th
A brief summary of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Does not include an on-line text of the work but does provide links to informational websites.
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Lesson Plan
Library of Congress

Loc: Teachers: The Grapes of Wrath

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A Library of Congress lesson on "The Grapes of Wrath," through which young scholars discover how cultural artifacts from the book support its themes and see connections "between the social, cultural, and literary contexts of literature."
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Website
Nobel Media AB

The Nobel Prize: The Nobel Prize in Literature 1962

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about John Steinbeck, the author of "Of Mice and Men" and "The Grapes of Wrath," who was honored for his writing as a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature. This website is organized into the following sections: "Presentation...
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Lesson Plan
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: A Monster of a Metaphor

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Students analyze the monster metaphor from chapter five of The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck as they develop ideas for extended metaphors that describe characters within a specific setting. Teacher instructions and resources are provided,...
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Activity
Shmoop University

Shmoop: The Grapes of Wrath

For Students 9th - 10th
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1940, The Grapes of Wrath is one of the most beloved novels in American literature. This site provides fascinating insights into the characters, themes and quotations from the novel.
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Lesson Plan
Library of Congress

Loc: The Grapes of Wrath: Voices From the Great Depression

For Teachers 9th - 10th
By examining primary sources, including songs, newspapers, interviews, and photographs of migrant farm workers in California during the Great Depression, students create a scrapbook from the point of view of a migrant worker, providing...
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Unit Plan
Penguin Publishing

Penguin Random House: A Teacher's Guide to "The Grapes of Wrath" [Pdf]

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Chapter by chapter study questions, reflection and discussion questions, and ideas for further exploration are the heart of this 6 page .pdf teacher guide.
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Graphic
Curated OER

Writing Fix: A Monster of a Metaphor: The Grapes of Wrath

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Front cover of the book The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck.
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Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Novel Reflections on the American Dream

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a collection of five videos of Novel Reflections on the American Dream including Fitzgerald's Gatsby, Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath," Ann Petry's "The Street," and Gish Jen's "Traditional American."
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Lesson Plan
Varsity Tutors

Varsity Tutors: Web English Teacher: John Steinbeck

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This site features lesson plans for several of John Steinbeck's books. Not surprisingly, most resources relate to "The Grapes of Wrath."
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Lesson Plan
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: An I Pod Inspired Writing Lesson: The Dust Bowl Blues

For Teachers 9th - 10th
The 1930's Dust Bowl era was about the grueling times of people suffering in the drought-stricken region of the Oklahoma pan handle. This activity will help students to gain an understanding of the plights of the people. Using Woody...
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Activity
San Jose State University

San Jose St. University: The Center for Steinbeck Studies

For Students 9th - 10th
The Center for Steinbeck Studies provided biographical resources, a bibliography, and appraisals of novelist John Steinbeck life and work, which includes his Great Depression-era classics Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath.
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Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: Designing Museum Exhibits for "The Grapesof Wrath"

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Integrating various creative formats with solid, researched fact, allows students to show what they have learned. The resulting "museum" can be shared with an audience in any of a number of ways. Includes handouts, rubric, and...
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Lesson Plan
University of Arizona

Pulse: Fertilizers, Pesticides and Human Health

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A cross-curricular unit to explore how human health is impacted by pesticides and fertilizers. The lesson comes out of the Chicano movement which studies the health of migrant workers due to agricultural practices. The unit was developed...
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Professional Doc
AdLit

Ad lit.org: Blending Multiple Genres in Theme Baskets

For Teachers 9th - 10th
The theme-basket concept of literature instruction combines several approaches known to work with marginalized readers, students with learning disabilities, and ELLs: 1) a thematic approach to teaching literature, 2) the use of...
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eBook
OpenStax

Open Stax: The Great Depression 1929 1932: The Depths of the Great Depression

For Students 11th - 12th
Examines the challenges faced by the average American, by African Americans, and by farmers on the Great Plains during the Great Depression, and the government's response or lack thereof.
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Website
Other

Reel Classics: John Ford

For Students 9th - 10th
A profile of film director John Ford who earned academy awards for How Green Was My Valley and The Quiet Man--includes movie posters.
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: How Dorothea Lange and John Steinbeck Captured California

For Students 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about how photographer Dorothea Lange and author John Steinbeck portrayed life in California in the late 1930's. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in...
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Handout
The History Cat

The History Cat: The Great American Dust Bowl

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes the causes and the events of the Great American Dust Bowl, when farmland was destroyed through misguided practices, famine set in, and dust storms drove people to desperation.
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Website
Nobel Media AB

The Nobel Prize: John Steinbeck Biographical

For Students 9th - 10th
A narrative of the life of John Steinbeck (1902-1968), a California native and famous author of many classic novels such as "Of Mice and Men," and "The Grapes of Wrath."
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Handout
Other

American National Biography: John Steinbeck (1902 1968)

For Students 9th - 10th
American National Biography offers a biography of John Steinbeck including links to more information about Steinbeck.
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Activity
Other

John Steinbeck (1902 1968)

For Students 9th - 10th
Monterey County Historical Society website that provides information on John Steinbeck (1902-1968 CE), including biographical information and information on his writing.
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Activity
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: John Steinbeck Classroom Activity

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lesson plan/classroom activity about the life and influences of John Steinbeck, allowing for students to understand the relevance to their own lives. Also includes web links, other lesson plans, and a bibliography.