Preparation for Mocks

  1. Preparation for Mocks
  2. Of Mice and Men Revision
  3. Descriptive Writing Revision
  4. English Mocks - Final Prep
  

Preparation for Mocks

LO: To consider what is required for next week's exams

Which of these do you feel most confident with, and why?:

  • Of Mice and Men
  • Poetry
  • Descriptive writing

How can you revise the one you're least comfortable with?

  

Poetry

  • Complete one comparison question, looking at two poems we've already studied
  • Question will follow the usual structure...

Q1) Re-read the poems Poem 1 and another poem.
Compare how the writers present ideas about [THEME] in the two poems

  • You should make reference to language, form and structure.
  • Support your answer with examples from the poems.

(Total for Question 1 = 30 marks)

  

Of Mice and Men

  • One question, looking at theme or characters
  • Question will follow the usual structure...

Q1) Explore the theme of [THEME] in the novel

  • You must consider context in your answer

[30 marks]

Q2) How does Steinbeck present the character of [CHARACTER] in the novel

  • You must consider context in your answer

[30 marks]

Both this and the poetry questions are worth the same number of marks, so split your time equally!

Download study booklet 📔
  

Descriptive writing

  • One question, asking you to produce a piece of descriptive writing
  • Assessed on...
    • Range of language techniques
    • Ambitious vocabulary
    • Sentence structures
    • Paragraphing and flow
    • Accuracy of Spelling & Grammar
  

Mr Bruges's Office Hour 🚪

Begin your revision of one of the three topics covered in the mocks

Some suggested tasks...

  • Mind map the connections between the poems we've explored
  • Use the OMaM revision booklet to select activities
  • Review our descriptive writing lessons from earlier in the year

Now is your chance to ask for one-to-one help and support on any of the topics in the mocks. Sign up below! ⤵

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Of Mice and Men Revision

LO: To consider how we can prepare for the upcoming mocks

Which main character do you know the least?

Which part of the novel would you be able to deliver a lesson on?

  • Literature exam: Thursday
  • Language exam: Friday
  
  

Structuring an answer

Q1) How does Steinbeck present the character of the Curley?

  • Point - what are you saying about the novel?
  • Evidence - what part of the novel are you linking to?
  • Context - what historical/social/authorial context is relevant?
  • Knowledge - what other bits of the novel could this link with?
  

OMaM Self-study

Select a self-study task to complete as revision. 🖱️ Click to view

Task 1: Character Analysis

Objective: Understand the motivations and development of key characters in "Of Mice and Men.”

Instructions:

  1. Choose three main characters from the novel (e.g., George, Lennie, Curley, or Curley’s wife).
  2. For each character, write a paragraph addressing the following:
    • Their key traits and motivations.
    • Their relationships with other characters.
    • How they contribute to the novel's themes.
  3. Include specific quotes from the text to support your analysis.

Task 2: Theme Exploration

Objective: Identify and explore the central themes in "Of Mice and Men.”

Instructions:

  1. Select three major themes from the novel (e.g., dreams and aspirations, loneliness, friendship).
  2. For each theme, write a detailed explanation that includes:
    • A description of how the theme is presented in the novel.
    • Examples of characters or events that illustrate this theme.
    • A reflection on why this theme is significant to the overall message of the story.

Task 3: Setting and Context

Objective: Analyse the significance of the setting in "Of Mice and Men.”

Instructions:

  1. Research the historical and social context of the 1930s in America, particularly the Great Depression.
  2. Write a short essay (300-400 words) discussing how the setting influences the characters' lives and choices in the novel. Consider the following:
    • How the economic conditions affect the characters' dreams and interactions.
    • The role of the ranch setting in shaping the characters' experiences.
    • Any symbolism associated with the setting that enhances the story's themes.

Task 4: Redraft

Objective: To improve on our essay writing

Instructions:

  1. Finish redrafting your essay from our recent assessment
  2. Write a step-by-step guide for others on how they can also improve.

Mr Bruges is available for questions. Come and ask!

  
📷 by jms

Descriptive Writing Revision

LO: to consider how we can improve our descriptive writing

Write down a bulleted list of four of the five senses you would experience, being in this scene ➡️

👂👅🤌👁️👃

  • Literature exam: this Thursday
  • Language exam: this Friday
  

The assessment criteria

  • Content is complex, engaging and effective. (W1)
  • Structure is secure, well balanced and carefully managed for deliberate effect. (W2)
  • Many well-defined and developed ideas and images create a convincing overall picture with varieties of focus.
  • Precise, well-chosen vocabulary and varied sentence structures, chosen for effect. (W3)
  • Consistent well-chosen register suitable for the context. (W4)
  • Spelling, punctuation and grammar almost always accurate. (W5)
  

Tip 1: Sensory staring points 🎧

  • Use the senses to portray the scene
  • Consider how these senses change in your description
  • Don't over-do it: no need to list the senses all in one paragraph
👂👁️👃👁️👂
    👅🤌
  

Tip 2: structure through scope 🔭

  • Start zoomed out or zoomed in, then shift through your paragraphs
  • You can take the perspective of different people or things within a scene
  

Tip 3: extend your metaphors 📏

  • Pick a point of comparison between your subject and something else, and explore the links
  • Combine with the senses!

The cold came to us like a thief in the night. You didn't notice it at first: it would creep in through the windows, under the doors, sneaking through gaps in the masonry. It would steal away what little warmth you still had. It would slide its icy fingers into pockets and up sleeves, taking and taking, until you realised all the heat you'd been saving had been snatched from you. No matter what defences we put up, it would always find a way to sneak in.
  

Tip 4: mix-up the sentences 🔀

  • Never start two sentences the same way
  • Alternate between sequences of short and long sentences
  • Single word sentences can be effective, but only when appropriate
  
📷 by jms

Tip 5: avoid the obvious 🫣

  • Force your vocabulary to be stretched by avoiding the obvious words
  • Hot, cold, nice, good, bad, said, thought, saw...

Write three sentences describing this scene, without using any of these words:
mountain tree snow cold sky cloud white blue grey

Also don't use the word... the!

  

Planning Descriptive 🔍

  • HOW will you scale your description? 🔬 vs 🔭
    • Start zoomed out, describing the whole scene, then zoom in on detail?
    • Or focus on one small element then gradually zoom out?
  • WHAT atmosphere or mood are you trying to achieve? 🎭
    • Is it happy, sad, frightening, gloomy, exhausting etc
  • WHICH senses can you incorporate? 👁️ 👃 👅 👂 🤌
  

English Mocks - Final Prep

LO: to prepare for the English mock exams tomorrow and Friday

Your first English exam starts in...

Note down THREE revision methods you could use to prepare for the upcoming mocks.

Why do some foolish students think you can't revise for English?

  

Overview of the Lit Paper

Poetry Section 🎭

  • 30 marks
  • Answer one question
  • You will have the anthology (unannotated)

Of Mice and Men Section 🐁

  • 30 marks
  • Answer one question
  • You will not have the book

These marks have been tweaked slightly for the sake of the mocks. Also, no unseen poetry question is included in the mocks (but there will be for the real thing)

  

Poetry

  • Complete one comparison question, looking at two poems we've already studied
  • Question will follow the usual structure...

Q1) Re-read the poems Poem 1 and another poem.
Compare how the writers present ideas about [THEME] in the two poems

  • You should make reference to language, form and structure.
  • Support your answer with examples from the poems.

(Total for Question 1 = 30 marks)

  

Of Mice and Men

  • One question, looking at theme or characters
  • Question will follow the usual structure...

Q1) Explore the theme of [THEME] in the novel

  • You must consider context in your answer

[30 marks]

Q2) How does Steinbeck present the character of [CHARACTER] in the novel

  • You must consider context in your answer

[30 marks]

Both this and the poetry questions are worth the same number of marks, so split your time equally!

Download study booklet 📔
  

Questions to ask in your planning

How does Steinbeck present the character of Lennie?

  1. What does Steinbeck want us to think about this character?
    • Sympathy, hatred, respect etc
  2. What bigger point does Steinbeck want us to think about America, through this character?
    • "America is seen as a place where people like Lennie..."
  3. Are there specific historical/authorical contextual facts I can link this to?
  4. When does he show us these things?
    • "The scene that most clearly shows this is..."
  5. How do our feelings about the character change?
    • "At the beginning, we think..... however, by the end of the novel...."
  

Building an answer

How does Steinbeck present the character of Lennie?

Remember to P.E.C.K. 🐦

  • Point - what are you saying about the novel?
  • Evidence - what part of the novel are you linking to?
  • Context - what historical/social/authorial context is relevant?
  • Knowledge - what other bits of the novel could this link with?
  

Questions to ask in your planning

Compare how the writers present ideas about nature in two poems

  1. What are the connotations and alternative meanings of the theme?
  2. Do the poems present the theme positively or negatively or does the presentation change?
  3. What arguments are the poets making about the theme?
  4. Are the structures (rhythm, rhyme, line-length, enjambement etc) organised and consistent or disjointed and variable?
  5. Are there similar images and metaphors?
  6. What do the writers want the readers to feel by the end of the poem?
  

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