Lesson Title: The Great Gatsby and the American Dream Subject Area and Grade Level: English III Introduction Central Focus The focus of this lesson will be to analyze the setting and introduction of the novel in relation to the American Dream. It will primarily focus on the early descriptions of the setting and characters in the context of the 1920’s, or the Roaring 20’s, where extravagant wealth was present. The assessment will align with the focus on the American Dream through asking the students to analyze a NPR article, “American Dream Faces Harsh New Reality” in comparison to the dream presented in the text. They will turn in these analyses as their “exit slip” so that I will be able to assess their understanding of the concept as well as its variability depending on setting and time period. Content Standard(s) RL.11-12.5 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to construct specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its effect on the reader. Learning Objective(s) Based on Content Standard(s) Students will analyze the first chapter of the text, including the description of the setting and characters introduced, in order to understand the historical context of the novel in how it contributes to the novel’s meaning. Students will then compare the analysis of the introduction of the novel with an article on the American Dream in the 21st century in order to comprehend how setting affects meaning. Academic Language Function Objective(s) Students will analyze the setting and introductory descriptions of characters. Additional Language Supports Vocabulary: Students will understand the words and phrases: American Dream, characterization, and diction Discourse: Students will engage in oral discourse by participating in think, pair, share. They will share ideas with their classmates regarding passages students identified as being particularly significant. Syntax: Students will write an analysis of how setting affects a text’s meaning after reading an article on the American Dream in the 21st century. Essential Question(s) for Students to Explore How is the concept of the American Dream portrayed in The Great Gatsby? 21st Century Student Outcomes P21: Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and nonverbal communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts Prior Knowledge Students would have prior knowledge of the definitions of characterization and setting. They also would come to class with preconceived notions of the 1920’s and their own positionality of the American Dream. I will give information before jumping into the lesson on 1920’s America and the place in which the novel is taking place. West Egg v. East Egg: Nick lives on West Egg which is wear the “new” rich live, versus East Egg where old money is more prevalent, aka where Tom and Daisy live 1920’s: end of the World War I, amidst prohibition but there was an excessive amount of alcohol still, very wild time because it was illegal people made money through bootlegging (which Gatsby is assumed to have made his money in) American Dream: become successful through amassing wealth, Gatsby would have been living the American Dream by many people’s standards Assessment/Accommodation Formative Assessment Students will take their analysis of the introduction of the novel (setting and characterization) and compare it to the article about the American Dream in the 21st century. Students will be asked to write a paragraph at the end of class, analyzing the article, “American Dream Faces Harsh New Reality,” that they read during in class in relation to the American Dream as it is presented in The Great Gatsby. Their understanding of the introduction and setting will be assessed through their analysis. Summative Assessment Students will be creating a project due at the end of the unit on The Great Gatsby that must include two parts. One of the parts will be a written analysis (3-4 pages) on one theme that appears in the novel. The other part will be a creative project that can involve a media presentation of the theme discussed (video, prezi, etc.) or a collage or a painting, or some other artistic representation of the theme they have selected for analysis. Accommodations Susannah: She should listen to the audiobook at home to allow for full comprehension. She can also have extended time for writing her bell ringer into my lecture if needed. Drew: As a gifted student, Drew is given many areas to succeed in this lesson. He is engaged in many different activities and given a chance to excel and practice analysis, communication, and collaboration. Paul: Paul may need more time to finish his bell ringer and exit slip writing. He can continue his bell ringer into the time allowed for students to share. He can also begin reading and then completing the exit slip while we are analyzing passages. Lesson Plan Materials
NPR article on the American Dream entitled, “American Dream Faces Harsh New Reality”
P. 4, Nick’s introduction of Gatsby... “Only Gatsby, the man who gives his name to this book, was exempt from my reaction—Gatsby who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn”
P. 4-5, Nick’s description of his family and his background
P. 7-8 West Egg “less fashionable of the two” passage, Gatsby’s mansion, how he knows Tom and Daisy
P.11 introduction of Jordan Baker
Tom leaves dinner to take a call from his “woman,” Daisy puts on a facade
P. 20, feminist lens, Daisy thinks girls should be “fools” because then they can be happy instead of aiming for success through attaching themselves to a man
“All right,’ I said, ‘I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.’”
P. 23- they ask Nick if he is engaged because they heard it so it must be true..ask students about gossip
P. 24 Nick’s first sighting of Gatsby..looking towards the green light
“Involuntarily I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away” Organizational Structures Lecture: I will lecture for 10 minutes in this lesson while I discuss the historical background of the novel. Whole-class discussion: The whole class will bring their ideas together in the form of their thoughts on significant passages. Group work: Students will work in pairs in order to bounce ideas off one another about initial reactions to the first chapter and what sections they found the most significant. Learning Activity Types Making predictions: students will predict, as we read some of my selected passages, how these characters will intersect Reading Discussion: we will make our way through my highlighted sections, as well as their own if they found specific passages important. Bell Ringer 5 minutes: Quick write 1: What does the American Dream mean to you? Detailed Activities and Procedures 5 minutes: After students have had time to reflect and then write their own thoughts, we will discuss the general concept of the American Dream. I will ask them to share aloud their personal positionalities on the American Dream based on their bell ringer writing. 10 minutes: I will provide historical background of 1920s, involving the setting of the novel: West/East Egg, NYC.
West Egg v. East Egg: Nick lives on West Egg which is wear the “new” rich live, versus East Egg where old money is more prevalent, aka where Tom and Daisy live
1920’s: end of the World War I, amidst prohibition but there was an excessive amount of alcohol still, very wild time because it was illegal people made money through bootlegging (which Gatsby is assumed to have made his money in)
American Dream: become successful through amassing wealth, Gatsby would have been living the American Dream by many people’s standards
10-12 minutes: Students will participate in character mapping. I will write the characters on the board and have students circulate, writing words/phrases that describe each character in little branches out from the center containing the character’s name. After they are done, we will look around the room and see what was written and the similarities or differences in opinions.
Jay Gatsby (what other characters have described him as so far)
Jordan Baker
Nick Carraway
Daisy Buchanan
Tom Buchanan
5 minutes: To ensure that every student participates, I will ask each student to reflect for 5 minutes over which passage(s) they liked/found the most important in the first chapter. 5 minutes: Share those with a partner and discuss with them why they found that passage important/see if you have any overlapping passages. 10 minutes: Think, Pair, and now Share. I will ask what passages in the first chapter students identified as being essential/important to understanding text/themes, go through and analyze each passage through close reading. I’ll ask each student who volunteers a passage...how they know what is going on and how the passage relates to the meaning of the text as a whole, or how it relates to us in the modern day. The teacher will jot down each passage in order for the class to go back and analyze them together. 10 minutes: Read together and analyze the first few passages that the majority of the students found impactful for the progression of the plot.
Possible Questions
What is going on in this passage?
Why did you think this passage was important?
What does this passage tell the readers about the character? The setting? The theme?
10 minutes: Pass around an NPR article, “American Dream Faces Harsh New Reality,” about the American Dream in 21st century, and have students read it silently. Closure 10 minutes: Exit Slip: Compare and contrast the differences in the perspective of the American Dream in the NPR article versus the perspective of the American Dream discussed in relation to The Great Gatsby. References https://www.npr.org/2012/05/29/153513153/american-dream-faces-harsh-new-reality