Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Grade descriptors with examples

The following grid is designed to give you an idea of how a GCSE examiner would grade your work. The first and last column have been completed for you, all that is left for you to do is identify each the skills being demonstrated by the example and its description.

The first one has been done for you as an example.

Example Description of skills Grade

Steinbeck writes about nature You make a statement or remark, you comment on an aspect of the text.

G

Steinbeck writes about nature. He uses a metaphor. You pinpoint or spot a device, you: F

Steinbeck writes about nature. He uses a metaphor to show that Lennie is like an animal.

You back up your statement with some evidence or some detail, you:

E

Steinbeck writes about nature. He uses a metaphor to show that Lennie is like an animal. This shows that he can be dangerous.

You organise your points so that they answer the question, you:

D

Steinbeck writes about nature. He uses a metaphor to show that Lennie is like an animal when Curley ‘stood crying, his fist lost in Lennie’s paw’. This shows that he can be dangerous.

You give details to make your point clear, you: C

Steinbeck writes about nature. He uses a metaphor to show that Lennie is like an animal when Curley ‘stood crying, his fist lost in Lennie’s paw…’ This shows that Lennie is dangerous and can perhaps be unpredictable when, moments before, he had been ‘smiling with delight at the memory of the ranch.’

You investigate and look at points in detail. You see that there is more to discover, you:

B

Steinbeck writes about nature. He uses a metaphor to show that Lennie is like an animal when Curley ‘stood crying, his fist lost in Lennie’s paw…’ This shows that Lennie is dangerous and can perhaps be unpredictable when, moments before, he had been ‘smiling with delight at the memory of the ranch.’ Steinbeck describes Lennie in this way to subtly suggest that he, like an animal, reacts instinctively to the immediate situation.

You delve deeper into the author’s methods. You examine them as if under a microscope, you:

A

Steinbeck writes about nature. He uses a metaphor to show that Lennie is like an animal when Curley ‘stood crying, his fist lost in Lennie’s paw…’ This shows that Lennie is dangerous and can perhaps be unpredictable when, moments before, he had been ‘smiling with delight at the memory of the ranch.’ Steinbeck describes Lennie in this way to subtly suggest that he, like an animal, reacts instinctively to the immediate situation,

You weigh up how effective the method is. You use your own judgements and invent your own ways of looking at the novel, you:

A*

© 2007 www.teachit.co.uk 8559 Page 1 of 3

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Grade descriptors with examples

but also forms a pattern of behaviour which can traced throughout the novel and leads to the death of Curley’s wife.

© 2007 www.teachit.co.uk 8559 Page 2 of 3

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Grade descriptors with examples

Choose from the following word bank:

SUPPORT ANALYSE EXPLAINEVALUATE/IMAGINE IDENTIFY EXPLORESTRUCTURE

Extension/follow on suggestions:

Students apply the grading criteria to their own work or that of a partner. Students group mark a batch of sample essays (or paragraphs). (Examiner’s reports are useful for this…) Students are given one G grade sentence and have to ‘work it up’ according to the grade criteria.

© 2007 www.teachit.co.uk 8559 Page 3 of 3