The Great Gatsby, one of the most famous American novels of all time was written by F.
Scott Fitzgerald. The novel was created around the roaring twenties and the jazz age. It also
reflects on the life of the upper class during this time frame. The United States, and more specifically
New York was a different place in the twenties when Fitzgerald began writing this book. This
webquest was designed to allow the students to travel back in time to a place they know nothing of
in order to get them to build background for the story.
If you were a teenager in the twenties what clothing style would you be wearing? Things
were very different back then, they had no laptop computers, internet, iPods, video games, and even
television. What did teenagers do for fun? Most teenagers now a days have jobs working at the
mall, gas stations, restaurants, fast food venues, and grocery stores. If you were a teenager during
the twenties what type of job would you do and how much would you be paid? Some very big
events occurred in our history during the roaring twenties. What events happened? How did they
affect the lives of teenagers and adults during this time? If you listened to the limited amount of
music available what would it sound like?
In cooperative learning groups of four people you will research life in the twenties and gain
an understanding of the time frame in which Fitzgerald lived and wrote this great American novel.
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At the conclusion of your research you will create a PowerPoint presentation on life in the
twenties. When you complete the PowerPoint it must be at least a eight to ten minute
presentation and include a minimum of ten slides. Each group will be assigned a few different
topics to concentrate on.
Group One
Group Two
Group Three
Jazz
Food
Fashions
Harry Houdini
Music
Beverages
Flappers
Rudolph Valentino
Radio
Prohibition
Automobiles
Entertainment
Flag Pole Sitting
The Economy
Speakeasies
Advertising
Woman’s suffrage
The Charleston
Group Four
Joe Jackson
Henry Ford
Al Capone
Fatty Arbuckle
Group Five
World War I
St. Valentine’s
Day Massacre
KKK
1919 World
Series
Rosewoods
Massacre
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In your research groups you will investigate each of
the topics assigned to you as part of the twenties.
Each member of the group will be assigned a
specific job as part of the investigation. The jobs
include:
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Lead Researcher
Recorder/Data Collector
Presentation Builder
Editor
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The end result of your research will be displayed
as:
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A PowerPoint presentation that lasts at least eight to ten minutes
presented to the class.
You will be given two working days in the computer lab or
library to complete your research. Then you will have two
additional days in the classroom to put your presentation or
paper together as a team.
You will be graded according to a rubric that will be provided
for you and by teacher observations.
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Content - Writing
All material is in publishable form; that is, it is thoroughly proof-read and without careless errors. (8)
All your information is well researched, well written, well organized and in your own voice. (4)
All flaws pointed out by the instructor and/or peer advisors in drafts have been corrected. (10)
Material shows strong understanding of major ideas and displays critical thinking in placement of text,
sequencing of pages, and page composition. (3)
Presentation has a title page.(5)
Presentation has a bibliography which follows the MLA citation rules.(5)
Content - Technical
The presentation includes a minimum of 10 slides.(6)
The presentation includes a variety of text fields, graphics, sounds and transitions. (6)
The presentation has a professional look with an overall graphical theme that appeals to the audience,
compliments the information, and each slide is visually neat incorporating a variety of layouts. (6)
Each slide uses text, graphics, sounds and transitions that communicate and compliment information being
shared. (6)
The presentation visually depicts material and appeals to audience. (6)
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Communication
Did you use a different form to communicate to the group during your presentation other than simply screen
reading? (3)
You used each slide as lead into the wealth of additional information you have on the topic. (3)
You maintained eye contact with group and modulated your voice in addition to your visual on-screen
sharing. (3)
At conclusion of your sharing you checked for understanding via questions or oral quiz, etc. (3)
You utilized your allotted time effectively. (3)
Technical Organization
You have made a backup copy of your presentation to assure against any disaster. (4)
Each member of the audience has been given a handout of your presentation which includes an area to
take notes. (4)
An electronic form of your presentation has been given to your instructor via email. (4)
Total Points = 100
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Fashion/Flappers - http://www.fashionera.com/flapper_fashion_1920s.htm
Music/Entertainmenthttp://library.thinkquest.org/J0111064/20entertain.htm
http://www.tqnyc.org/2006/NYC063369//entertainment.htm
People/ Events - http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1920s.html
http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decade20.html
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The Economy/Prohibition
http://econ161.berkeley.edu/tceh/Slouch_roaring13.html
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/troy/4399/
World News in the 20’shttp://library.thinkquest.org/C005846/categories/worldnews/worldn.htm
http://history1900s.about.com/od/1920s/1920_1929.htm
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/jazz
Speakeasies
http://alliance.ed.uiuc.edu/cdrom/hononegah/prohibition/speakeas
ies-s.htm
http://www.classzone.com/net_explorations/U7/U7_main.cfm
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"I know. I’ve been everywhere and seen everything and done everything…Sophisticated — God, I’m
sophisticated!" — Daisy
"I had taken two finger-bowls of champagne, and the scene had changed before my eyes into
something significant, elemental, and profound.“
"The rich get richer and the poor get — children.“
"The truth was that Jay Gatsby…sprang from his Platonic conception of himself.“
"Can’t repeat the past?…Why of course you can!" — Gatsby
"It is invariably saddening to look through new eyes at things upon which you have expended your
own powers of adjustment.“
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"Her voice is full of money“
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"Daisy, gleaming like silver, safe and proud above the hot struggles of the poor"
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Once you complete your research you will have
gained a better understanding of F. Scott Fitzgerald
and the time in which he lived encouraging his
writing. Remember that the characteristics of the
roaring twenties shaped his life and his literature.
Great Gatsby Quotes, (2003). Revision- Notes. Retrieved on December 17, 2008 from,
http://www.revision-notes.co.uk/revision/9.html.
Multimedia Rubric,(2008). Germantown Academy. Retrieved on December 19, 2008
from, http://www.ga.k12.pa.us/curtech/WEBQPRE/assesspp.htm.
1920’s Images,(2008). Google Images. Retrieved on December 19, 2008, from,
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=1920's&um=1&ie=UTF8&sa=N&tab=wi.