The Great Gatsby
Unit Prepared by April Wilson, Katie
Langlois, Anne Ramsay, Frank Hoffman
December 9, 2006
Bill McGinley
Unit Rationale
This unit is designed for students to gain an understanding and appreciation of F.
Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, and to be able to acquire knowledge of the
themes, symbols, characters, author, and historical context of the novel. By the
conclusion of the unit students will be able to appreciate and know what can be learned
from The Great Gatsby that can be applied to students’ lives today.
This unit will cover and be based upon the following standards: standard 1:
students read and understand a variety of materials, standard 2: students write and speak
for a variety of purposes and audiences, standard 4: students apply thinking skills to their
reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing, and standard 6: students read and
recognize literature as a record of human experience.
Through this unit, students will be able to know and critically think about the
various themes within the novel, understand various aspects of narration, analyze and
develop characters, interpret the various symbols in the novel, know about the life and
struggles of the author F. Scott Fitzgerald, and become familiar with the historical time
period and societal issues related to the novel. It is our aim for students to be able to
prove their newly acquired wisdom by successfully completing various formative
assessments through written quizzes and meaningful in-class assignments. Students will
also be assessed through in-class discussions and journal entries. We want our students
to be able to understand various aspects of film, script, and stage direction, which
students will connect to the novel through the reader’s theater activity. We also want our
students to understand how to prove their knowledge gained through various genres and
endnotes in the post-assessment of the powerful multi-genre project.
Age Group and the Student Population
This unit is designed for a typical 10th grade American Literature class in a
middle to upper-class community. Each class contains about 26-28 students who
are mostly white Americans, with a smaller percentage of African Americans and
Hispanic Americans. In total our student population ranges from about 130
students to 140 students. Most students are at grade level with the exception of a
small amount of ESL students (8 students), SPED students (3 students), 504
students (3 students), and TAG students (2 students). Thus, my modifications are
directed towards ESL students, 504 students, SPED students and TAG students,
which appear in each lesson plan. (General modifications appear on page 4-5.)
How the Classroom will be designed to Enhance Literacy
Our classroom will be designed to enhance literacy, so that students will be
encouraged to speak, listen, read, and write effectively. To achieve this we will consider
the space of my classroom in order for all in-class discussions to be set up in the format
of a “literature circle.” A literature circle allows students to feel comfortable to speak
and listen. A stuffed animal is passed around in the circle and only the person holding
the animal may speak. Students who do not wish to speak may pass. Thus, it creates a
safe environment for discussion and yet encourages students to participate as they
somewhat compete for their turn. We will also consider how the classroom can be set up
for group work so that students will feel comfortable speaking and writing in small
groups. Likewise, we will need to create a stage-like environment for the reader’s theater
activity so that students will be encouraged to read aloud their scripts, listen to
performers, and yet still have room to write in response to the performances. We will
also need to have my classroom prepared with a T.V. and video player for when watching
and listening to the short clip of The Great Gatsby film. We must also have my
classroom set up with an overhead in order to display in-class readings for all to see and
read. We will do my best to create a safe environment in our classroom through positive
reinforcement in discussions and with community building activities so that all students
feel comfortable and confident contributing and participating in class.
General Modifications, Adaptations, and Individualizations
Some strategies we are prepared to incorporate into my lessons for unique learners
include:

SPED: A reading outline, books on tape, less reading or spread out over a
longer time span, summary for difficult sections of novel, writing
assignments are modified by shortening the assignment or assigning
fewer assignments, having notes already prepared for heavy note taking
days along with helpful graphic organizers and charts, meet with
individual student once a week.

504: Providing books on tape for those with visual difficulties, wear a
voice enhancer, work with a signer, be aware of medications for specific
students, having notes already prepared, meet with individual student
once a week.

TAG: Assign different assignments that promote more critical thinking
(i.e. students compare and contrast other Fitzgerald novels with The Great
Gatsby, or write an alternative ending to The Great Gatsby), giving
students an optional challenge question once a week, encouraging
students to make connections with other courses like social studies,
having students do an in-depth author study (i.e. study Fitzgerald's life
and then find the influences in the novel), meet with student once a week.
 ESL: A reading outline, books on tape, less reading or reading is spread
out over a longer time span, summary for difficult sections of novel,
writing assignments are modified by shortening the assignment or
assigning fewer assignments, having notes already prepared for heavy
note taking days along with helpful graphic organizers and charts, meet
with individual student once a week.
October 2006
Sund ay
Monday
1
Tuesd ay
2
Unit Begins
Gallery Walk
Intro to Unit
HW: Ch 1-3 Du e
Wed.
8
9
Quiz Ch 4-6
Letter Due
Discus sio n
Journal Entry
Due
HW: Ch 7-9 Du e
Thurs .
15
16
Wed nesd ay
3
Author Study
Era Stud y
HW:Ch 1-3 Du e
Wed.
4
18
Dis cus sion o f Watch Film Clip
Multi-Gen re
Symbo ls
Theater/Script
Workd ay Meet
ReaderÕs Theater Discus sio n Begin With Ms . Wilson
As signed HW: ReaderÕs Theater Two Genres Due
Multi-Genre
HW: Multi-Genre
HW:
project
project
Presentations
Frid ay
22
23
24
Multigenre
Project Due
Today
Presentations
Fin ish
29
30
31
Frid ay
5
Saturd ay
6
7
Quiz Ch 1-3
Character
Multi-genre
Discus sio n
An aly sis Letter Project Explained
Journal Entry
Activity
Letter Work Time
Due
HW: Letter and HW: Letter and
HW: Ch 4-6 Du e Ch 4-6 Du e Mo n. Ch 4-6 Du e Mo n.
Mon.
10
11
American Dream
Multi-Gen re
Stud y Ly rics
Workd ay
Activity
Meet with Ms.
HW: Ch 7-9 and
Wils on Two
Lyrics Due
Gen res Due
Thurs day
HW: Ch 7-9 due
Thurs .
17
Thursday
25
12
13
Debate Ov er
Narrator and
Characters
HW: Multi-gen re
project
14
19
20
21
Quiz Ch 7-9
Discus sio n
Journal Entry
Due
Ly rics Due
ReaderÕs Theater ReaderÕs Th eater
Workd ay Jo urnal Presentations
Entry Due HW:
Scripts Due
Presentation and HW: Multi-Genre
Script d ue Fri.
Projects Due
Multi-Genre Due
Mond ay
Mon.
26
27
28
Lesson Plan: Day 1
nd
Day: October 2 , 2006
Length of Lesson: 50 minutes
Essential Question of the Unit: What lessons about life, society, and people can be
learned from The Great Gatsby and which will you apply to your life today?
Essential Question of the Day: What can you learn from connecting text with images you
have not seen before?
Rationale: This lesson is aimed to introduce The Great Gatsby unit to students. It will
work to engage students in the novel they will be studying throughout the unit and the
assessments, due dates, expectations etc. will be explained. Within the lesson the preassessment of a “gallery walk” will also be conducted to assess students’ familiarity with
concepts, themes, and for me to gather their feelings towards the novel. The preassessment will also judge students’ critical thinking skills in relation to ideas that will be
addressed later in the unit.
Standard(s) Addressed: Standard 1: Students read and understand a variety of materials,
Standard 2: Students write and speak for a variety of purposes and audiences, Standard 4:
Students apply thinking skills to their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing.
Lesson Objectives Addressed: The objective of this lesson is to get students excited about
reading The Great Gatsby and the future unit. Likewise, this lesson is created to test the
students’ knowledge and understanding of the themes, concepts, and connections to the
novel by creating the classroom in the form of a gallery of sorts. We hope to test what
the students’ needs are and what their interests are for the rest of the unit through their
responses to the gallery.
Materials: Unit calendars, post-assessment rubrics, tape, pre-made pictures of 1920’s
images, pre-made quotes from The Great Gatsby, CD player, CD of a mix of 1920’s jazz
hits.
Opening/Anticipatory Set: (2 minutes) Class will either begin outside of class for the first
two minutes or will being in homeroom for the opening/anticipatory set and then move
into the classroom where the gallery can be set up. We will explain that the first part of
class will be set up like a gallery or art museum and thus students must treat the
classroom accordingly with quite voices and observant minds. Students will be
instructed to fill out the worksheet they are given and to view images that exist on the
wall and then pair one quote with one image that they think matches. Students will be
prepared to defend their answers in the in-class discussion shortly following.
Activities/Procedures: (45minutes) For 33 minutes students will participate in the gallery
walk (the jazz hits will be playing quietly in the background to set the mood). They will
observe images on the wall, select a quote to match an image, and pair accordingly.
Students will then record their choices on sheet and discuss and interview other students
about their choices and reasons for their selections. Class will then meet in a group and
have a class discussion about their thoughts, feelings, reactions to activity and the preassessment. After the discussion and for the remainder of the period (12 minutes) we will
explain in detail the upcoming unit and go over the unit calendar, the post-assessment
rubric, and the reading assignments and other various due dates.
Assessment: Gallery walk and handout. We will assess students on their comments and
participation in the gallery walk. Students’ completed handout will serve as their exit
ticket and will work as their final assessment of the day, as their thoughts and comments
will be judged and analyzed.
Closure: (3 minutes) We will emphasize the essential question of the unit and of the day
and reinforce what was done in class and why.
Literacy: Speaking: Students will speak after completing the gallery walk by interviewing
other students about the choice of their quotation and photo and discuss what moved
them to pair what text with what image. A class discussion will also take place after
students have interviewed each other to address collectively thoughts and feelings about
the pre-assessment. Listening: Students will actively listen to introduction of unit,
explanation of unit, and to their peers’ responses to the pre-assessment. When
interviewing other classmates students will need to listen to their thoughts, so that they
can record their justification for their choices in the gallery walk. Reading: Students will
be required to read various quotes in gallery walk that appear situated around the room.
Writing: Students will record their choices and their classmates’ choices within the
gallery walk.
Adaptations/Individualization: SPED: Will provide extra time if needed for the activity
and the worksheet. Will have the list of quotes on a separate sheet of paper to allow
making connections easier to see. 504: Will have the list of quotes on a separate sheet of
paper for those with visual difficulties. TAG: Will be asked to make more than one
connection and will notify student that their responses must show critical thinking. Extra
time will be allowed if student requires it. ESL: Will have the list of quotes on a separate
sheet of paper with a vocabulary key for difficult words. Will provide extra time if
needed for the activity and the worksheet.
Make Up Work: Students who miss class today will be allowed to participate in the
“make-up” gallery walk that will take place in my office hours before school on late start
Thursday. They will need to complete the worksheet along with the gallery walk and will
be given all materials needed for the unit.
Quotes for Gallery Walk
“. . . I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward-and
distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have
been the end of a dock.”
“’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.”
“Anyhow he gives large parties,” said Jordan, changing the subject with an urban distaste
of the concrete. “And I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t
any privacy.”
“When the ‘Jazz History of the World’ was over girls were putting their heads on men’s
shoulders in a puppyish, convivial way, girls were swooning backward playfully into
men’s arms, even into groups knowing that someone would arrest their falls . . .”
“With the influence of the dress her personality had also undergone a change. The
intense vitality that had been so remarkable in the garage was converted into impressive
hauteur.”
“I know I’m not very popular. I don’t give big parties. I suppose you’ve got to make your
house into a pigsty in order to have any friends- in the modern world.”
“I found out what your ‘drug stores’ were. He turned to us and spoke rapidly. He and this
Wolfshiem brought up a lot of side-street drug stores here and in Chicago and sold grain
alcohol over the counter. That’s one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the
first time I saw him and I wasn’t far wrong.”
“Auto hit her. Ins’antly killed.”
“Instantly killed,” repeated Tom, starting.
“She ran out ina road. Son-of-a-bitch didn’t even stopus car.”
“Was Daisy driving?”
“Yes,” he said after a moment, “but of course I’ll say I was. You, see when we left New
York she was very nervous and she thought it would steady her to drive- and this woman
rushed out at us just as we were passing a car coming the other way. . . . The second my
hand reached the wheel I felt the shock- it must have killed her instantly.”
“For Daisy was young and her artificial world was redolent of orchids and pleasant,
cheerful snobbery and orchestras which set the rhythm of the year, summing up the
sadness and suggestiveness of life in new tunes. All night the saxophones wailed the
hopeless comment of the ‘Beale Street Blues.’”
“I thought of Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of
Daisy’s dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn and his dream must have
seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”
“Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before
us.”
“I spent my Saturday nights in New York because those gleaming, dazzling parties of his
were with me so vividly that I could still hear the music and the laughter faint and
incessant from his garden and the cars going up and down this drive.”
“Her voice is full of money,” he said suddenly.
That was it. I’d never understood before. It was full of money- that was the inexhaustible
charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals’ song of it . . . . High in a white
palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl . . . .”
“Some big bootlegger?”
“Where’d you hear that?” I inquired.
“I didn’t hear it. I imagined it. A lot of these newly rich people are just big bootleggers,
you know.”
“Meyer Wolfshiem? No, he’s a gambler.” Gatsby hesitated, then added coolly: “He’s the
man who fixed the World Series back in 1919.”
“Fixed the World’s Series?” I repeated.
The idea staggered me.
“A bottle of whiskey- a second one- was not in constant demand by all present, excepting
Catherine who “felt just as good on nothing at all.”
“Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions and next
they’ll through everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white.”
“I’ve never met so many celebrities!” Daisy exclaimed. “I liked that man- what was his
name?-with the sort of blue nose.”
Gallery Walk Worksheet
Today our classroom is an art gallery of sorts. What do you do in a gallery? What
activities are important or valued?
Getting Started
Please take a clipboard and attach this sheet for taking note on what you see. As you wlk
around, respond to the following questions:
1. Identify your favorite picture and quote.
My favorite quote is __________________________
because . . .
My favorite picture is _________________________
because . . . .
2. What photo and quote did you pair together?
I paired this quote __________________________
with this photo _____________________________
because . . . .
3. Talk to one other person in the class about their favorite photo and quote. Describe it
and find out why it is their favorite.
Name of person I talked to ___________________
His/her favorite quote is ______________________
because . . . .
3. Why do you think we did this activity? What were some connections you and the class
made between the quotes and the images posted around the wall?