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Teaching The Pearl

This teaching guide is your oyster.

Activities: 13
Quiz Questions: 30

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Description
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Unexpected treasure, midnight intruders, arson, and rifle shoot-outs? Yes, please. Despite its tiny size, Steinbeck's novella The Pearl is dense with critiques on greed, religion, power, and the American Dream. Want to engage your students in spirited discussions and thought-provoking writing exercises? Shmoop is here to help.

This teaching guide includes

a hands-on activity to teach students about parables and fables.
reading quiz questions for each chapter of the book.
tips for approaching discussions on consumerism, fate, foreshadowing, and more.

Caution: These awesome lesson ideas may inspire raging jealousy from your colleagues. Work it into a class discussion and bask in the glory.

What's Inside Shmoop's Literature Teaching Guides

Shmoop is a labor of love from folks who love to teach. Our teaching guides will help you supplement in-classroom learning with fun, engaging, and relatable learning materials that bring literature to life.

Inside each guide you'll find quizzes, activity ideas, discussion questions, and more—all written by experts and designed to save you time. Here are the deets on what you get with your teaching guide:

13-18 Common Core-aligned activities to complete in class with your students, including detailed instructions for you and your students.
Discussion and essay questions for all levels of students.
Reading quizzes for every chapter, act, or part of the text.
Resources to help make the book feel more relevant to your 21st-century students.
A note from Shmoop’s teachers to you, telling you what to expect from teaching the text and how you can overcome the hurdles.

Want more help teaching Teaching The Pearl?

Check out all the different parts of our corresponding learning guide.

Instructions for You

Objective: Aside from the obvious fact that the pearl is a major symbol in The Pearl—funny how that works—the songs Kino hears are probably the most prominent motif in the novella. Also prominent is the fact that your students may not be so clear on the difference between a theme and a motif. Which is where this activity comes in: Not only will it shore up their understanding of themes, motifs, and symbols, but students will also let their inner DJs shine. Good times.

This activity is best done once you've finished reading, and will take two to three class periods, depending on whether you assign some of it for homework.

Materials Needed: Access to computers with Internet; a computer in the classroom that has speakers and Internet access; print-outs of the symbols & motifs handout

Step 1: Divide your students into small groups, then give each person a copy of this symbols and motif handout to complete with the other members of their group.

Once groups are finished, bring everyone together for a class discussion. Pulling from their handouts to answer, send the following questions your students' way:

How can a motif have a stronger impact than a single symbol?
Do any of these symbols change over the course of the novel?
Can you think of any examples of music working as a motif in a movie? (Think: "The Imperial March" playing in Star Wars every time Darth Vader's near, or the theme from Jaws.)

As for that last question—the movie one—if possible, delight your class by playing a few examples. YouTube party! They'll instantly start to appreciate the power of motifs; everyone tenses up when the hear Darth Vader's theme song, after all.

Step 2: Now comes the really fun part: It's soundtrack making time. This is a differentiated task, and your students have carte blanche to choose their own adventure at this point from the following options:

Option 1: Make a YouTube playlist containing versions of each of Kino's songs.

Hunt around for songs from your favorite artists that match with each one of Kino's songs.
Compile the songs in a playlist on YouTube.
In the description for each song, explain why you picked this song and how it fits in with symbolism in The Pearl.

Option 2: Make a cover of a real song, transforming it into one of Kino's song.

Pick a pre-existing song and rewrite the lyrics to match one of Kino's songs.
Record your song, or even make a music video.

Option 3: Write and record your own completely new song for The Pearl.

Come up with a tune and some lyrics.
Record your song or perform it for the whole class.

Step 3: Give your class ample time to share their work. As they do, ask your students the following questions:

Why did you choose this particular project?
What was the hardest part of putting this together?
How does this tie into The Pearl?

Instructions for Your Students

Objective: Aside from the obvious fact that the pearl is a major symbol in The Pearl—funny how that works—the songs Kino hears are probably the most prominent motif in the novella. Also prominent is the fact that you may not be so clear on the difference between a theme and a motif. Which is where this activity comes in: Not only will it shore up your understanding of themes, motifs, and symbols, but you will also let you inner DJ shine. Good times.

Step 1: Ready to get your group work on? Good—dive into this symbols and motif handout along with your peers.

Once your group's finished, be prepared to chime in on a class conversation about the following questions:

How can a motif have a stronger impact than a single symbol?
Do any of these symbols change over the course of the novel?
Can you think of any examples of music working as a motif in a movie?

Step 2: Now comes the really fun part: It's soundtrack making time. You have carte blanche to choose your own adventure at this point from the following options: