The Snake This audio is available through internet connection. The audio is free. http://archive.org/details/JohnSteinbeckReadstheSnakejohnnyBear Click here to link to the Internet page. Ed Rickett’s Lab and Cannery Row photos. A brief PowerPoint presentation showing pictures of the lab available for download from the website. Background: John Steinbeck lived in Monterey, California. He was a close friend of Ed Ricketts. Ricketts had a small company that collected and preserved marine samples to be sold to schools and colleges. This short story is one of irony. Steinbeck’s observations about collected and saving biological specimens are very descriptive. Your students will enjoy this story! Questions for Discussion: How does Dr. Phillips describe the woman who comes to visit his lab? “Low metabolic rate, about that of a frog.” What does Dr. Phillips do with rattlesnake venom? He milks them and sends the venom to labs to make anti-snake venom. Why was the male snake special? Dr. Phillips found him on the steps of his lab. Dr. Phillip mentioned that this snake was eating all of the rats. The woman wanted to buy him for $5. Why was Dr. Phillips afraid of the woman? He did not understand her fascination with the snake. What happened at the end of the story? The woman left, and Dr. Phillips never saw her again. The Snake Activities: 1. Have students draw their interpretation of the woman in the story. Give students paper and colored pencils. Have a gallery walk (place finished drawings on the desk and have students walk around). 2. Discuss the irony in the story – Dr. Phillips profession vs. the woman’s request. The killing of the cat vs. the woman’s indifference to the embalming procedure. Dr. Phillips throwing the anesthetized starfish back into the ocean through the trap door. Dr. Phillips’ praise of the snakes ‘clean kill’ of the rat vs. his revulsion of the woman’s request to watch the snake eat. 3. Bring your students to room F1 to view the “Specimen Museum”. Our high school science department has many excellent preserved plant and animal samples. Students can view giant leeches, a 5-month old baby and see other interesting specimens. Student docents explain some interesting facts about the specimens. The museum is open all periods. Students must be accompanied by their teacher. Students are encouraged to take pictures of the specimens.