Digital Unit Plan Template
Unit Title: The Great Gatsby
Name: Rachael Imes
Content Area: Literature
Grade Level: 9-12
CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):
1. Written Communication: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
2. Verbal Communication: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely and logically (using appropriate eye contact,
volume, clear pronunciation) such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, etc.
a. plan and deliver and informative/explanatory presentation that: presents evidence in support of a thesis, conveys information coherently,
and provides a conclusion that summarizes the main points
3. Technology Implementation: Make strategic use of digital media (textual, graphical, audio, visual, interactive elements) in presentations to
enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence to add interest
Big Ideas:
How is the American dream a key theme for The Great Gatsby?
How does Fitzgerald use Gatsby’s life as a commentary on the American dream?
What are the major symbols and what is their significance to the meaning of the novel?
How is The Great Gatsby and Jay’s life still applicable to American life today?
Unit Goals and Objectives:
1. Identify the historical events and American ideals that Fitzgerald examines in the novel
2. Identify important themes in the text (Analyze the character of Jay Gatsby and his relationship to the American dream, identify and explain the meaning and
significance of symbols in the novel) using direct evidence from the tezt
4. Create a PowerPoint presentation with evidence from text to support their findings and claims; share their findings with the class
Unit Summary:
Students will work in a group to create their own PowerPoint presentations of an assigned symbol, character analysis, or theme presented in the book (symbols: The
eyes of TJ Eckleberg, the Green light at the end of Daisy’s dock; character analysis: Jay Gatsby, Nick Carroway, Daisy Buchanan; theme: pursuing the American
dream, attempting to change the past, etc.) using clear examples from the text. Students will trace the symbols, characters, and themes throughout the novel, from the
beginning to the novel’s conclusion, addressing the reading standards for literature by 1) citing strong texual evidence to support their argument, and 2)/3) determining
a central idea by analyzing its development over the course of the text. Students will also include one PowerPoint slide on historical background of the time (the
1920s/stock market/prohibition/roaring 20s flapper culture/etc.) using additional research from online or print sources, and include another slide on how the historical
context shaped the themes/ideas/characters of the novel, and of the similarities to American thinking today that Fitzgerald was commenting on. Students will also
address speaking and listening standards in 4) presenting their information with clear evidence and logical reasoning and organization through their PowerPoint
presentations, as well as 5) utilizing digital media (graphics/images/audio in their PowerPoint) to aid in their presentations and enhance the understanding and
conveyance of their evidence.
Assessment Plan:
Entry-Level:
Introductory Lesson Plan: What is the historical
context? What are the characters, themes, and
Formative:
1) Online Journal Responses to Posed Questions
2) Group and In-Class Discussion and Responses
Summative:
1) Verbal/Technology: PowerPoint
Presentation to present findings to class
symbols of the text?
3) Completion of Webquest
4) In-class quiz to assess student understanding of
concepts
2)
Identify the important characters,
symbols, and themes in The Great Gatsby
using textual evidence
Lesson 1: Teacher Lecture, Student Discussion, and Journal Entry
Student Learning Objective:
1. Identify the historical
events and American
ideals that Fitzgerald
examines in the novel
Acceptable Evidence:
1. In-class discussion
participation
displaying critical
thinking
2. Journal entries
that respond to
quotations from
the text
Instructional Strategies:
x☐ Communication
☐ Collection
x☐ Collaboration
☐ Presentation
☐ Organization
x☐ Interaction
Lesson Activities:
The teacher will introduce key historical events that are the backdrop for
the novel (the 1920s flapper era, Prohibition in the US) to introduce the
contemporary beliefs/ideals of American society that Fitzgerald focuses on.
Students will be separated into small groups to discuss their thoughts on the
American dream and what constitutes success.
Students will then share their thoughts in a class discussion, and will
answer the question “How might the ideals of 1920s American society (from
the lecture) have shaped or impacted the American dream and what
constituted success (based on group discussions) in a journal entry.
Acceptable Evidence:
1. Conducting Online
research of the
American dream
and historical
context
2. Completing the
Webquest
Worksheet with
thoughtful
responses based
on textual
evidence
Instructional Strategies:
x☐ Communication
x☐ Collection
☐ Collaboration
☐ Presentation
☐ Organization
x☐ Interaction
Lesson Activities:
Students will conduct an online Webquest as part of Lesson 2, by answering
historical questions about the historical context of The Great Gatsby and
Fitzgerald’s context for his book and introducing the themes of the novel.
They will also answer Higher-Order Thinking Questions throughout their
WebQuest that encourage them to explore the rationale behind creative
decisions in both the novel and the film, and to explore the meanings in the
novels that caused these decisions.
Acceptable Evidence:
1. Citing textual
evidence in their
arguments
2. Creating a
PowerPoint
Presentation
Instructional Strategies:
x☐ Communication
x☐ Collection
x☐ Collaboration
x☐ Presentation
x☐ Organization
x☐ Interaction
Lesson Activities:
Students will work in groups to create a PowerPoint presentation and
present their findings on a specific topic relating to the characters, symbols,
or theme of the novel to the class.
They will include one PowerPoint presentation page on the historical
context of the 1920s and the motivations for Fitzgerald’s writing.
They will satisfy the Common Core Standard of “Citing Strong and Thorough
Textual Evidence” by including direct quotes from the text to support their
exploration of their characters, symbols, and theme.
They will also present their findings to the class
Lesson 2: Webercise
Student Learning Objective:
2. Identify important
themes in the text (Analyze
the character of Jay Gatsby
and his relationship to the
American dream; Identify
and explain the meaning
and significance of symbols
in the novel) using direct
evidence from the tezt
Lesson 3
Student Learning Objective:
4. Create a PowerPoint
presentation with evidence
from text to support their
findings and claims; share
their findings with the class
Unit Resources:
1. The
Great Gatsby Interactive Book: This is an interactive book with images, videos, and journal entries of the set into making the 2013 film. It also allows
provides students with a fuller understanding of the lavishness of the Gatsby world, with character profiles of fashion and important settings in the book, while
providing each link with a direct quote from the book to explain the movie choice’s decision-making in set, character, and costume design, taken straight from the
text.
2. The Great Gatsby Video Game: With the intent of "reaching the green light and attaining the American dream," this all-for-fun (or frustration) game allows the player to be in Gatsby's shoes and reach
Daisy's dock. However, the game also highlights an important key theme in the book, and as Gatsby continually tries to "beat on" toward the light, the game gets increasingly difficult, and threatens to "bore
[the player] back ceaselessly into the past."
3. The Great Gatsby Deleted Scenes and Alternate Ending
Here is some deleted scenes from the Luhrmann adaption of The Great Gatsby that the class will be viewing to enhance their understanding of the character and motives of Gatsby.
Discussing why these scenes were omitted from the final film will be useful to examining the overall differences of the film and the original text, and how the story of Gatsby is
presented overall. Some questions of discussions include "Were these scenes included in the actual novel in the first place? If so, what insight into the characters was Luhrmann trying
to highlight by including them? What effect (if any) does the film have on the novel's characters now that these scenes are deleted?"
4. Emory University's "A Psychoanalysis of Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby)"
This video from Emory University models an in-depth character analysis of Jay Gatsby, and provides an example for students to mimic as they analyze Gatsby and the other characters
in the novel for the unit. It also cites clear examples of evidence for the claims that it makes about Gatsby's character, as students will be required to do in their own analytical
discussions and presentations.
5. New York Times Discussion and Video of "Clothes and Character: The Great Gatsby"
In this article and accompanying video, the New York Times discusses the significance of the choices made for Gatsby's film costumes, and the meaning behind each piece as it relates
to the inner character, behavior, and psychology of Gatsby. This article provides meaningful insight not only into the character of Gatsby himself, but of the importance and
significance of minute details in creating a story and a fuller picture of a character.
6. Themes, Motifs, and Symbols
This SparkNotes article provides the classic themes and symbols that The Great Gatsby is filled with, and is a great way for students to digest information after reading the novel and
our class discussions.
7. Important Quotations Explained
This next SparkNotes article features the classic quotes that we will be discussing as a class. It provides a quick resource for additional meaning and significance to our class
discussions, and is a great, easily-accessible refresher of important events and ideas.
8, What Influence Did The Great Gatsby Have on American Literature?: This Huffington Post article answers the question of the novel's significance by providing a brief analysis
of the main themes of the tragedy of the American dream, and the 1920s modern view of life.
9. Student Article: "The Great Gatsby's Relation to and Importance as a Work of Art": This student essay provides a clear model of the research paper writing, critical thinking,
analysis, and synthesis of literary criticisms/various sources that students will have to master by the end of the year.
10. The Great Gatsby Questions for Study and Discussion: This site provides great questions to get students thinking about the novel and analyzing the significance of various
characters, ideas, and plot devices that Fitzgerald employs, and the ways in which they illuminate the meaning of the theme.
11. Audio Guide: This audio e-book provides contemporary music from the era and aids to bring reading of the novel, and understanding of plot events alive to students.
Useful Websites:
Teacher’s Guide to the Great Gatsby Lesson Plans and NCTE Standards: http://www.neabigread.org/books/greatgatsby/teachers-guide/ncte-standards/
Assessment Plan:
Entry-Level:
Introductory Lesson Plan: What is the historical
context? What are the characters, themes, and
symbols of the text?
Formative:
1) Online Journal Responses to Posed Questions
2) Group and In-Class Discussion and Responses
3) Completion of Webquest
4) In-class quiz to assess student understanding of
concepts
Summative:
1) Verbal/Technology: PowerPoint
Presentation to present findings to class
2) Identify the important characters,
symbols, and themes in The Great Gatsby
using textual evidence
UNIT PLAN SUMMARY
As a future English teacher, one of the main topics that I would like my students to explore is how classic literature relates to and is
relevant to their lives today. I chose The Great Gatsby because not only am I familiar with the novel and that it is one of the most
classic American novels, but because of the recent film adaption that really will draw students’ attention, and help them see just how
timeless Fitzgerald’s commentaries on society are. Another major objective that I would like students to master in this unit is the
Common Core Standard of being able to “cite thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text.” Because this is a major/basic standard in literature and in crafting well-supported arguments, I
decided to choose this main standard to focus on. In addition, I also would like to help students practice the verbal communication
standards of “presenting information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically” and implementing
technology for the 21st-century student by “making strategic use of digital media in presentations to enhance understandings.”
To do this, my unit plan (The Great Gatsby Exploration) will consist of an introductory teacher lecture, which introduces students to
the historical context of the 1920s that Fitzgerald was writing and commenting on, along with questions that ponder what caused his
reactions and responses to those events, and encourage students to find similarities in today’s society, and begin making connections
with relevant ideas in the text that still relate to today’s issues.
Students will engage in discussion and journal responses throughout our reading and exploration of the novel, as well as face-to-face
discussions and quizzes, culminating in the final PowerPoint student presentation based on textual evidence.
ENTRY-LEVEL
I will assess students’ entry-level
understandings with basic questions like
identifying “What is the historical
context of the novel? (Identify some key
elements/characteristics of society).”
Objectively assessing their answers in
verbal and written responses.
GRADING CRITERIA
All answers must be supported with
blatant textual evidence and given
thoughtful, well-researched (textsupported) responses.
FORMATIVE
1) I will then gauge students’ formative
assessments throughout the unit by reading
online journal responses to posed questions on
students’ personal blog sites.
2) I will also observe and listen to group and inclass discussions and responses for thoughtful,
text-supported and text-based answers.
3) Students will also complete an interactive
WebQuest, with assumption, hypothetical, and
elaborating questions from the text and various
resources.
4) I will also objectively assess their formative
understanding with in class quizzes to help pace
and tailor my lessons and discussion questions
to meet and challenge student comprehension.
SUMMATIVE
1) The summative assessments will be
conducted within the final
culminating project, in which
students will present a group
PowerPoint presentation to present
their findings on an appropriate topic
to the class.
2) They will identify important
characters, symbols, and themes in
The Great Gatsby using direct quotes
from the text and citing all textual
evidence and assumptions and
interpretations made from the text.