Winter Dreams
Lesson Components
+ Lesson Length/Duration
3 days
+ Objective
I understand character motivations and can make inferences about characters.
+ Essential Question
How does progress challenge tradition and redefine society?
+ Higher Order Questions
How did Fitzgerald's novels reflect cultural, social and economic factors of the times?
How do the seasons affect Dexter's moods?
What do Dexter's moods suggest about his dreams?
What do Dexter's dreams suggest about his plans for the future?
Fitzgerald uses contradictory words to describe Judy's smile. What does this suggest about the girl's
character and the effect she has on others?
+ Core Text
Winter Dreams, F. Scott Fitzgerald p. 856-875
+ Vocabulary
Academic:
alternative
inevitable
tradition
Motivation
+ Activities/ Lessons
Author study
Close reading
RATA
Concept Map
Journal writing
Textual:
malicious
reserve
petulance
mirth
turbulence
ludicrous
plaintive
+ Instructional Framework
Day One September 8-9, 2015
Opening: 10 minutes
Students will look up and define the following words: alternative, inevitable, tradition.
Students will create a sentence which includes all three words.
Focus Lesson: 15 minutes
Holt, p. 856 Meet the writer
1) Teacher will conduct a RATA from pg. 856 ending with the Think about the writer question at the
bottom.
2) Teacher will lead class discussion of the literary term, motivation, what it means in regards to
characters in literary texts.
Student Work Period: 55 minutes
Sections 1-2
1) On their own paper, students will construct the reading focus chart as shown on p. 857 and prepare to
use the concept map to chart connections between the story and their own life experiences.
2) Class will conduct a RATA, filling in the chart as they go, using the reading focus questions at the
bottom of each page as a guide. Class will complete at least section one, going on to as much of two as
time allows, discussing literary focus questions and charting reading focus questions as they go.
Closing: 10 minutes
Journal entry 2
From your reading today, what would you say is the motivation behind Dexter and Judy's actions? Give
examples from the text to support your opinion.
Day Two: September 10-11, 2015
Opening: 10 minutes
Students will complete the Vocabulary Check (yellow box) on p. 874
Focus Lesson: 30 minutes
Sections 3-4
Class will continue the read aloud. As each Literary focus question is reached, students will work in pairs
to answer and then class will briefly discuss.
Student Work Period: 40 minutes
Students will work in pairs to continue the concept map using the reading focus questions from today's
selection.
Closing: 10 minutes
Journal Entry 3
Is Judy worthy of Dexter's idealism/devotion? Why or why not?
Day Three: September 14 – 15, 2015
Opening: 10 minutes
Students will list the seven vocabulary words and a corresponding antonym for each word.
Focus Lesson:15 minutes
Sections 5-6
Class will review the story thus far and discuss the following question: Biographer Matthew J. Broccoli
writes, "Fitzgerald developed a new American figure: the determined girl-woman. Not the cartoon flapper,
but the warm, courageous, attractive, and chastely independent young woman competing at life and love
for the highest stakes - her future." Does Judy or Daisy fit this description?
Student Work Period: 55 minutes
Students will read the remaining sections silently, answering the literary focus questions in short answer
format and the reading focus questions in the concept map.
Closing: 10 minutes
Journal Entry 4
Select two character pairs from Winter Dreams and The Great Gatsby. (Gatsby or Tom and Dexter, Judy
and Daisy). Write a paragraph or two in which you compare them and contrast them. (No Venn Diagrams
please.)
+ Resources
Holt text book, journals,
+ Writing
Journal entries, literary analysis
+ Home Learning
Day One: Students will finish reading Winter Dreams through Section II
Day Two: Students will finish reading Winter Dreams through Section IV
Day Three: Students will finish reading Winter Dreams through the end.
By day three all journal entries, analysis questions and other assignments should be complete.
+ Instructional Strategies
RATA, concept mapping, higher order questions, Journaling
+ ELL Strategies
A2 Natural Approach, A6 Retelling a Story, A7 Activating Prior Knowledge, B1 Flow Charts, B3 Charts
+ Assessments/Performance Tasks
Journal entries
+ Standards
LA.1112.1.7.3 Main Idea
LA.1112.1.7.8 repairing comprehension slips, self-monitoring for confusion
LA.1112.2.1.2 analyze and compare texts
LA.1112.2.1.7 analyze, interpret, evaluate author's use of descriptive language
Standard Taught In This Section
LAFS.1112.L.1.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing. a. Observe hyphenation conventions. b. Spell correctly.
Standard Taught In This Section
:
Standard Taught In This Section
LAFS.1112.L.3.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases
based on grades 11-12 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. a. Use context
(e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text, a words position or function in a sentence) as
a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. b. Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that
indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., conceive, conception, conceivable). c. Consult
general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and
digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech,
its etymology, or its standard usage. d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or
phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
Standard Taught In This Section