The Great Gatsby
Meyer Wolfsheim’s random
“ G onnegtions ”
Purpose:
This activity is designed to help build students’ vocabulary as well as their ability to
make connections from words placed in a context, like The Great Gatsby, to words in a
more difficult context, like the dictionary. Students will hopefully enjoy looking up silly
or large words and trying to make them fit with the vocabulary words they are already
studying in the text.
Directions:
1. Determine words from the text you feel are important. You may use this activity for a
review if students have already been studying the words presented, or you may
choose to use this as an activity to build their understanding of the words in the text.
2. Place the words in the first column of a table. Label the second column “Dictionary
Word and Definition;” the third, “Sentence.”
3. Instruct the students to find words they have maybe secretly always wanted to know
the meanings of, or just words that they find that look fun. You should put
parameters, such as “no swear words or put-downs” or something of the kind.
4. Once the students have finished, they can share their work with a partner or in small
groups. Another way to do this could be to have students try to have a plot line that
continues throughout the vocabulary words, thus giving them mnemonics, or
connections to remember the definitions.
Assessment:
The sentences the students should create should give a somewhat accurate picture of their
understanding of the vocabulary words, since it is designed to help them be able to use
the words in sentences they enjoy writing.
Amanda Bishop, 2006
The Great Gatsby
Meyer Wolfsheim’s Random “ G onnegtions ”
Directions: In the first column, you will find vocabulary words from The Great Gatsby.
Use a dictionary to randomly select words whose meaning you have always wanted to know. Write those
in column two with a brief definition. In the third column, write a sentence using both words. The
sentence should be so cleverly crafted that it is possible to tell the meaning of both words from reading
the sentence. If you are feeling extra creative, have a plot line and tell a story with all your words.
Vocabulary
Word
Feigned
Levity
Supercilious
Wan
Infinitesimal
Florid
Florid
Implored
Vicarious
Amanda Bishop, 2006
Dictionary Word and
Definition
Sentence