Tami Wichowski

English—The Great Gatsby

Grade 11

15 Days

                                                                                                                                            Rationale

                In my unit plan I will be teaching The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald to high school juniors in the English classroom.  I hope to discuss the novel as well as engage in both independent and cooperative activities that relate to the theme and other aspects of the book.  The Great Gatsby acts as one of the most important pieces of American literature, a novel that reflects the country’s social climate during the 1920’s, and a book that contains numerous literary devices and fictional elements that students must learn and understand.  I would use this novel to teach students some specific elements of fiction, including symbolism and irony.  In addition, my goals in teaching this novel would encompass New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards (NJCCS) for Language Arts, specifically in the areas of 3.1 Reading, 3.2 Writing and 3.3 Speaking.

Firstly, the novel would be used in my classroom to strengthen students’ reading and comprehension skills.  The Great Gatsby is rich in symbolism and imagery, and I would use this novel as an introduction to such literary elements.  I would also ask students to make predictions about the text both before and during reading, in order to increase their comprehension and reading skills.  I would also accomplish this by having the students read another piece by Fitzgerald, a short story that further illustrates the theme that the author was trying to convey (NJCSS 3.1 E, F, and G).

                Aside from reading skills, I would also work on strengthening students’ writing skills as a result of teaching The Great Gatsby. There are many writing experiences that I would employ in the classroom, including journal writing, reader response, and formal essay writing, all of which would expose the students to different styles and types of writing.  It is important to teach such writing strategies to students, not only to help them learn the writing process, mechanics and spelling, but also to be able to write for a variety of audiences and for different purposes (NJCCS 3.2 A, C and D).  Throughout their lives, students will encounter various instances in which they will be required to use their writing skills—for college essays, job resumes, or even persuasive editorials.  As a result, it is pertinent that adolescents receive a strong background in writing instruction in order to be prepared for the future. The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) stresses their own standards in the area of writing, which would be met in my lessons, including “all students will write in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes.”  This standard is important, not only in writing for a particular class, but also for writing outside of school.  In order for students to become accomplished, versatile writers, they must be able to do so in a variety of ways.

                In addition, teaching The Great Gatsby would also evoke much discussion in the classroom concerning the themes and symbolism present in the novel.  By introducing and discussing questions concerning Gatsby’s presence or lack of morals, for example, students will be asked to share their own ideas and opinions with the class. I would also use this novel to get students to begin answering “the essential question,” in this case, “Is Gatsby a good or bad character, based on his actions and what he did to acquire his wealth?”  And, in addition, students should be able to answer questions concerning their own values after considering Gatsby’s, like “What values do I want to be important in my life”? By contributing answers in both small group and larger discussions, students will be strengthening their speaking skills (NJCSS 3.3 A, B) as well as their reading and comprehension skills.  Students must be able to express their thoughts in a clear, concise, knowledgeable manner that displays their comprehension of the novel as well as their own personal opinions about the book.  By taking ownership of their ideas and sharing them with the class, students are undoubtedly perfecting their oral skills while at the same time helping their social development.  In learning to state their own opinions and sharing those thoughts, adolescents will be developing some important social skills, which include speaking freely in front of others and valuing others’ opinions.

                There is no doubt that adolescents are motivated by what interests them.  The key to teaching a novel such as The Great Gatsby is to gear the material toward students’ interests.  At first glance, a book about a man living on Long Island during the 1920’s may not sound exciting.  However, by gearing instruction to what actually might interest sixteen-year-olds—a love story, the acquiring of wealth, the American dream, a few deaths and a crooked businessman—students will most definitely identify with a part of the novel, and be interested in reading it.  I feel that The Great Gatsby is a dynamic novel, one that would surely capture the interest of adolescent students who want to learn more about what many have called “The Great American Novel.”  And, as they become captivated by the novel’s plot and characters, they will also be learning some very important Language Arts skills at the same time, strengthening their reading, writing and speaking abilities.

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Goals and Targets

Three Goals:

                                                1.     The student will engage in critical thinking.

                                                2.     The student will develop socially through classroom discussion and interaction.

3.     The student will enhance their reading, writing and speaking skills.

Ten Targets:

Knowledge

                                                1.     The student will be able to define difficult vocabulary words that he/she comes across in reading the text, which will be recorded in the student’s notebook.  Students will be assessed through a notebook check.  Entries must include word, page number, and definition.

                                                2.     The student will be able to relate Fitzgerald’s idea of “The American Dream” to Jay Gatsby’s in the form of a journal entry, which will be evaluated by either a check plus, check, or check minus based on completeness..

Reasoning

                                                3.    The student will be able to recognize the similarities and differences between The Great Gatsby and one of Fitzgerald’s short stories, Winter Dreams.  The student will accurately complete a chart that compares and contrasts these two pieces of literature.

                                                4.     The student will be able to identify and give examples of the major elements of fiction present in the novel.  Students will keep track of such devices for The Great Gatsby and other novels in a log in their notebooks which should include at least five examples for each novel read in class. 

Skill

                                                5.     The student will be able to demonstrate research abilities in the content and delivery of an oral presentation about The Great Gatsby. The presentation will be assessed through teacher observation, and must be brief and informal, covering information about the history of the period in which the novel was written, the author, and other influences surrounding the novel.

                                                6.     The student will be able to discover his or her morals in relation to the morals displayed by Jay Gatsby and other characters in the novel based on their acquisition of wealth.  The student will evaluate a photograph of a mansion on Long Island and respond to direct questioning by the teacher about the photo and its implications through class discussion. Assessment will take place through teacher observation of the discussion, which should include each student participating at least once, and responses should indicate that students have read the novel and thought about information surrounding the book. 

Product

                                                7.     The student will compile information about F. Scott Fitzgerald, his life and the period in which he wrote from group presentations by students in the class.  All students will be required to collect notes on other groups’ oral projects in order to gather the appropriate information.  The assignment will be assessed through a notebook check.

                                                8.     The student will design a graphic organizer using knowledge of the Great Gatsby, and the idea of “The American Dream.”  The graphic organizer will be a component of the essay contest, and will be produced using Inspiration software or it can be handwritten.  The graphic organizer will be assessed based on completeness and organization of material.

 Affective

                                                9.     The student will be able to integrate his or her own morals with the idea of “The American Dream” as displayed in The Great Gatsby in an essay format.  The student will be assessed using a rubric designed for the essay.

                                                10.   The student will be able to question the distribution of wealth that was present during the time known as the roaring ‘20’s, as displayed throughout the novel in the ways that characters displayed their riches and how they acquired their money.  Students will be able to free-write about this topic after seeing the photo of the Long Island mansion similar to the home in which Jay Gatsby lived.  Students’ journal entries will be assessed for integration of elements of the novel, including theme, metaphor, irony, and symbolism, and his/her own ideas and morals.

                                                                                                                            Content Outline

I. Theme

A. The American Dream

                                                1.  Ambition

                                                                                        2.     Wealth

                                                                                                        a.     Social distinctions

                                                                                                        b.     Illegal business operations

B.  Morals (or lack of)

                1.  Gatsby             

                                                                                        2.     Daisy

                                                                                        3.     Nick

II. Symbolism

A. Wealth

                                                                                        1.     Green light

                                                                                        2.     Home

                                                                                        3.     Parties

B. Daisy

                1. Acceptance

                                                                                        2.     Love

III. History

                A.  Jazz Age

                B.  Roaring 20’s

C.       Distribution of Wealth

IV. Relation to Students

A.      Love story

B.       Ambition

1.        Example of powerful, ambitious CEO

2.        Example of MacBeth

C.       Mystery

1.        Gatsby’s acquisition of money

2.        Murder, death

                                                                                                                                           Instrucutional Procedures

Lesson Title: Essay Contest, The Great Gatsby

By: Tami Wichowski

Grade Level: High School

Goals:  In this lesson, I hope to introduce the students to the concept of the American Dream, as it applies to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby.  This exercise will be a springboard to the novel, requiring the students to examine their own notion of wealth and dreams before reading the book.  The students will use the writing process to participate in an essay contest in which they will reflect on their own dreams while writing with a specific purpose for a particular audience.

Learning Objective: The students will be able to defend their own notion of the American Dream in regard to money and wealth in an essay.

NJ Core Curriculum Standards:     3.2 Writing (http://www.state.nj.us/njded/cccs/02/s3_lal.htm)

A.  Writing as a Process

D.  Writing Forms, Audiences, and Purposes

Materials/Resources: Inspiration software, computer and projector for teacher, scrap paper and pencils for students, contest web-site (http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/schools/wjhs/depts/socialst/contest/) worksheet containing contest guidelines and topic, rubric for student assessment.

Procedure for Teaching:

1.     (10-15 mins. max.) Welcome class, begin discussion on American dream: Can you explain, in your own words, what I mean by the phrase “American Dream?” What do you consider to be the “American Dream?”  How does that differ from your own dreams/aspirations?

2.     (5 mins.) Discuss agenda and objectives: Students will be participating in an essay contest as a precursor to the class reading the novel, The Great Gatsby, in order to have a better understanding of the theme of the novel and the author’s intentions. Distribute contest guidelines and topic (see attached).

3.     (15 mins.) The teacher will project to the class graphic organizers using Inspiration software as an example for students to organize their own thoughts before writing their essays. 

4.     (5 mins.) Students will begin brainstorming on scrap paper ideas related to essay question, “What do you really want that money can’t buy?”

5.     (5 mins.)  Distribute rubric for essay grading, contest deadline, and due date.  Explain that students will be given time in class before essay is due to work on graphic organizers and participate in peer review.

Student Product:

Graphic organizer using either Inspiration software or handwritten, rough draft of essay with a peer’s comments, and final copy.

Assessment:  Rubric

Essay Contest: Center for a New American Dream

“What do you really want that money can’t buy?”

Student’s Name ____________________________

Date______________________________________

Total Points________________________________

Lesson Title: Compare and Contrast, The Great Gatsby and Winter Dreams

By: Tami Wichowski

Grade Level: High School

Goals:  In this lesson, the students will read a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald and compare and contrast it to his novel, The Great Gatsby, in order to examine the author’s idea of the American Dream.  The student will use knowledge of the novel’s plot, the history of the period, the author, and his background in order to make connections between the two pieces of literature.

Learning Objectives: 

1. The students will be able to compare and contrast the notion of the American Dream in Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, with one of his short stories, Winter Dreams.

2. The student will be able to defend his or her morals in relation to the morals demonstrated by Fitzgerald’s characters within his novel and short story.

NJ Core Curriculum Standards:     3. 1 Reading (http://www.state.nj.us/njded/cccs/02/s3_lal.htm)

                                                                                G.  Comprehension Skills and Response to Text

                                                                                3.3 Speaking

                                                                                A.  Discussion

                                                                                                                        B.    Questioning and Contributing

Materials/Resources: individual copies of The Great Gatsby and Winter Dreams for each student, copy of “Compare/Contrast Worksheet” for each student.

Procedure for Teaching:

1.        (5 mins.)  Welcome class, explain agenda and objectives: to read a short story by Fitzgerald in order to see similarities and differences between the novel, which the students have already completed, and the story in regard to the author’s disillusionment with the “American Dream.” At the completion of the lesson, students will be able to state similarities and differences between the two pieces of literature, and factors that influenced the author.

2.         2.    (15 mins.)  Distribute copies of Winter Dreams by F. Scott Fitzgerald to students and instruct to read silently.

3.     (20 mins) After all students have completed the reading, the teacher will start a discussion about the two pieces of literature using and expanding upon questions:

                                                        1.     What assumptions about the “American Dream” does Fitzgerald make in his writing?

                                                        2.     Is the author a proponent of the American Dream? Why or why not? 

                                                        3.     How is he disillusioned by the assumption that each person can succeed in life on the sole basis of his or her own skill and effort?  How do the morals and actions of the main characters, Gatsby and Jordan, reflect this idea?

                                                        4.     How does each character see the “American Dream,” and how do they try to fulfill this dream?

                                                        5.     Reflect on the author’s own life.  How does his life and writing coincide?

4.     (5 mins.) Wrap up discussion, distribute “Compare/Contrast Worksheet” for students to begin in class, and finish up for homework.

Student Product: Participation in discussion, “Compare/Contrast Worksheet”

Assessment:  Completion of  “Compare/Contrast Worksheet,” (see attached) and active participation among students in class discussion.  Discussion should reflect students’ understanding of the theme, the morals and ideas possessed by the characters, and the life of the author as seen in the novel and short story.

Compare and Contrast Worksheet

The Great Gatsby and Winter Dreams by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Student’s Name___________________________

Date____________________________________

Class___________________________________

Lesson Title: Picture Prompt, Great Gatsby

By: Tami Wichowski

Grade Level: High School

Goals:  Upon completion of reading the novel, students will learn about the community of Oyster Bay, Long Island, the setting of the novel The Great Gatsby.  Students will learn about the history of the period in which the novel was written and how the setting reflects the author’s own life and novel’s plot.  The lesson will also seek to answer the essential question, was Gatsby a good or bad character, based on the way he made his money and lived his life.

Learning Objectives: 

1. The student will be able to apply knowledge of American history, the 1920’s, to the understanding of an American novel.

2. The student will be able to demonstrate awareness of social distinctions and the effects of wealth on both the author and characters’ behavior.

NJ Core Content Standards:               3.1 Reading

                                                                                                        E.     Reading Strategies (before, during, and after reading)

3.2 Writing

                                                                                                        B.    Writing as a Product

3.3 Speaking

                                                                                                        A.    Discussion

Materials/Resources: individual copies of The Great Gatsby for each student, picture of an extravagant home on Oyster Bay, Long Island, and student journals

Procedure for Teaching:

1.     (5 mins.) Welcome class, discuss agenda and objectives for the class: To discuss the setting of the novel, the Long Island community in which Gatsby takes place and the relationship between the country’s history and the author’s intentions in order to understand the novel and the main character, Jay Gatsby.  At completion of lesson, students will be able to evaluate their own notions of wealth and class distinctions as it relates to the novel and the time in which it was written.  Students will also reflect on their own morals, dreams and aspirations in relation to The Great Gatsby.

2.     (5 mins.) Picture Prompt: The teacher will display for the class a picture (see attached) of a wealthy home on Long Island, similar to Jay Gatsby’s home in the novel.

3.     (20 mins.)  After studying the photo, the teacher will ask questions and start a discussion:

                                                        1.     What kind of person or persons do you believe would live in this home?

                                                        2.     Would you like to live in this home?

                                                        3.     Where do you think this home is located? When was it built?

                                                        4.     Would you see a home like this built today? How does it reflect the country’s social and economic climate of the time?

                                                        5.     Do you dream of living in a home like this?

                                                        6.     What are you own personal dreams and aspirations?

                                                        7.     How does this picture relate to Gatsby and the life he lived?

4.     (15 mins.) Students will free-write in their journals for fifteen minutes about the photo, answering the question,

“Having completed The Great Gatsby and reading about Jay Gatsby, where he lived, how he lived, and his dreams and aspirations, do you think Gatsby is a good or bad character based on his pursuit of love and wealth, and how he acquired his home on Oyster Bay?”

5.     (5 mins.) Wrap up writing exercise, explain to students that an essay will be developed using this question and their journal entry as a rough draft, to be handed in at a later date as final assessment for the novel.

Student Product: Journal entry

Assessment:  Assessment for this lesson will be both oral and written. The journal entry will be a written form of assessment in which students will attempt to answer the essential question for the novel in rough-form.  Students will have to understand the character of Jay Gatsby, the social and economic climate of the novel’s history, the ways in which Gatsby acquired his money and the reasons he had for wanting to become wealthy.  In doing so, students will demonstrate an understanding of the fictional elements of the novel, including theme, setting, symbolism and irony.  The journal entry will eventually become a final essay for the completion of the unit.  In addition, the teacher will orally assess the students during the discussion of the photo and its relationship to Jay Gatsby.

Lesson Title: Technology and Cooperative Learning, The Great Gatsby

By: Tami Wichowski

Grade Level: High School

Goals:  In this lesson, I hope to employ cooperative learning, in which each student participates in a group in order to complete research about F. Scott Fitzgerald and the country’s history during the time in which he wrote The Great Gatsby.  This lesson would coincide with the reading of the novel in order to connect the author’s life to the novel, while incorporating technology into the lesson.

Task –Each group will be assigned a topic to research using specific software and web sites on the computer.

Criteria for success –The students should conduct research and be able to present an overview of the information to the rest of the class in order to gain a better understanding of the novel.  The teacher will assess students’ based on completeness of their presentation, organization, and whether their topic question was answered.

Group interdependence—Each student in the group must participate in researching the information using the computer.  Each will also have an assigned responsibility within the group (one group monitor, one recorder, two speakers).

Individual accountability –Informal, oral presentations to the class.  Each student should take notes on the information each group presents.

Expected social behaviors –students should work together and decide upon responsibilities themselves.  The teacher will assign a monitor, who will guide the group in choosing the speakers and recorder. Groups will receive points for group interdependence. The teacher will observe groups working in class and give four points for groups that are working well together, three points for groups that are working together but have one or two not working/dominatingt the group, two points for little group interdependence, one point for a group that has almost none, and zero points for groups which are not working cooperatively.

Monitoring—both teacher and group monitor will supervise the group. The teacher will use a documentation sheet to record points for elements such as group work, individual roles, and accuracy of research.

 Feedback –The quality of the oral presentation.  Students will take notes on classmates’ presentations, which will be assessed by teacher in a notebook check.  Students should provide a brief overview of the information related to their question while the other students in the class take notes. Students will engage in cooperative note-taking in which students work in pairs, check each other’s notes and are able to fill in info they might have missed.

Learning Objectives:

1.     The students will be able to research the history and events surrounding the novel The Great Gatsby using the Internet and computer software.

2.     The students will be able to participate in cooperative learning.

ISTE Standards:   1.     Basic Operations and Concepts

                                                                                        5.     Technology Research Tools

Materials/Resources: class will meet in computer lab at start of period, must accommodate at least one computer per four-person group, students must bring their individual copies of The Great Gatsby to lab for reference.

Procedure for Teaching:

1.     (5 mins.) Welcome class, discuss agenda and objectives: To work cooperatively in groups to research information about F. Scott Fitzgerald and the social and economic climate of America at the time of The Great Gatsby’s publication.  At completion of lesson, students will have notes on the history of the novel, the period in which it was written, and the author’s personal life and influences.

2.     (5 mins.) Assign students to five groups of approximately four students each and assign each group a topic to research:

                                                        1.     Fitzgerald’s marriage to Zelda,

                                                        2.     How he lived, his lifestyle, 

                                                        3.     The economic climate of America at the time of the novel’s publication,   

                                                        4.     Other novels by the author and common themes, 

                                                        5.     The social climate of Long Island during the 1920’s.

3.     (10 mins.) Teacher will designate a monitor for each group and then explain instructions for research and presentations:

                                                        1.     Using only the provided list of software and web-sites (see attached), research your topic and collect enough information for each group to present for approximately five minutes to the rest of the class.

                                                        2.     Designate a recorder and two speakers for each group.

                                                        3.     Each group will have the rest of the class period to decide upon group responsibilities and conduct research.  This will be the only day students will have in the computer lab. Presentations will be tomorrow in class.  Remember, only gather enough information for a brief, informal five-minute overview of the material.

                                                        4.     Tomorrow in class, groups will get about ten minutes to finalize information and prepare for presentations.  All students will be required to take notes on the information presented.

4.  (20 mins.)  Students will work cooperatively at their computers conducting research.  Teacher will monitor and answer questions as groups research and begin to prepare their short presentations of material.

5.  (5 mins.) Wrap up, clean up.  Explain the goals again for next day’s class.

Student Product—five-minute oral presentation, student notes

Assessment—The teacher will use an oral assessment to decide if objectives have been met. Each group should provide a brief overview of the research they collected that applies to their topic.  Students are only permitted to use the provided list of software and Internet sites.  The teacher will assess students’ use of technology using the resources provided.  Students should use at least two websites and one software tool.  Presentations should be typewritten using Word.

Internet Sites and Computer Software for Lesson

Students may use the following tools for their group project:

American Biographical Dictionaries on CD/ROM by ABC-CLIO Interactive

Time Liner 4.0 on CD/ROM by Tom Snyder Productions

Grolier’s Encarta Encyclopedia on CD/ROM

http://www.lihistory.com/spectown/townmain.htm

http://www.oysterbayhistory.org/nyt112501.html

http://historytimeline.8m.com/1920-1929.html.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/sep24.html.

http://www.americanwriters.org/writers/fitzgerald.asp

Materials for the Unit

 In order to teach this unit, there are various resources I would incorporate into the lessons in order to offer as much information as possible to my students.  Firstly, each student would have their own individual copy of the novel, as well as access to specific web sites and computer software that would aid in their understanding of the novel.  Following is a list of resources that both the students and teacher would have access to during this unit:

Fitzgerald, F. S. (1995).  The Great Gatsby.  New York: Simon & Schuster.

American Biographical Dictionaries on CD/ROM by ABC-CLIO Interactive

This software is an easy-to-use resource for biographical information about well-known authors, historic individuals and other famous people.  The software is designed for all age groups, so it acts as a good springboard for more in-depth research later on.

Time Liner 4.0 on CD/ROM by Tom Snyder Productions

This software offers timelines of any period in American history.  A good resource for students to use to research the time of the novel, the jazz age and the roaring ‘20’s.

Grolier’s Encarta Encyclopedia on CD/ROM

Encyclopedia software that offers brief, but comprehensive information about a wide variety of topics.  Information regarding Fitzgerald’s life, his works, the history of the time period in which the novel was written, and information regarding Long Island could all be found using this software. 

http://www.oysterbayhistory.org/nyt112501.html

This site offers specific information regarding the setting of the novel.  The Gatsby home was on Oyster Bay, and the web site gives informative details about the novel and the author.  Includes photos, museum information, and current news about Oyster Bay.  A good starting point for information regarding the novel’s setting.

http://www.americanwriters.org/writers/fitzgerald.asp

This web site provides information regarding well-known American authors, their life, works, and other personal information.  A great resource for finding information about Fitzgerald’s personal life, how that affected his writing and the themes present in his novels and other works.  A comprehensive, informative site that would aid both teacher and students in their understanding of The Great Gatsby.

http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/schools/wjhs/depts/socialst/contest/

This site offers information about an essay-writing contest aimed at defining a student’s own dreams.  The contest is a great activity to allow students to write about their own notion of the “American Dream,” in relation to the theme of Fitzgerald’s novel, and the author’s preoccupation with the concept.

                                                                                        Assessment Chart