December/January – Chapters due at the beginning of class unless otherwise noted by teacher
18
Due: Chapter 1 / 19
Due: Chapter 2 / 20
Due: Chapter 3 / 21 / 22
25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29
1 / 2
Movie
Lit Circle #1 / 3
Due: Chapter 4 / 4
Due: Chapter 5 / 5
Due: Chapter 6
Lit Circle #2
8
Due: Chapter 7 / 9
Due: Chapter 8 / 10
Due: Chapter 9
Lit Circle #3 / 11
Comprehension Quiz / 12
Prep for Socratic
15 / 16
Speakeasy Party & Socratic Seminar / 17 / 18 / 19

Activities

Quizzes:To assure accountability, we will have periodicreading quizzes to test your comprehension. You will also be tested through writing to practice developing your analysis skills.

Question Packet: To enhance understanding and develop our in class discussions, you will answer several questions for each chapter you read. These will be turned in at the end of the unit. These will be assessed for completeness AND depth of analysis.

Literature Circle Discussions: You will participate in small group literature circle discussions to help you process and analyze the text. These will be assessed for credit.

Speakeasy Socratic Seminar: You will demonstrate your knowledge of the progressive era and modernism along with your understanding of the text through a culminating “speakeasy.” More information to come!


Class Notes on Modernism

Modernism definition:

Historical Context:

  • Inventions
  • WWI
  • Prohibition
  • Jazz Age

Literary Techniques:

  • Steam of Consciousness
  • Urban Landscapes
  • Character on quest for self-understanding
  • Loose references to time

Themes in Modernist Literature:

  • Alienation
  • Inner-life
  • Breakdown of social norms
  • Modern Women
  • Effect of industrialization

The Great Gatsby

  • F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • Setting
  • Themes

The Great Gatsby Chapter Questions

Use complete sentences. Include concrete details/textual evidence (page #s) to support your answer. Include commentary/analysis.

Chapter 1

  1. Who are each of these characters? Briefly describe how they are related to each other and the narrator

Jay Gatsby -

Tom Buchanan -

Daisy Buchanan -

Jordan Baker -

  1. Pay attention to time. What is the day and year during the first scene at Daisy's house?
  1. Describe Nick. What facts do you know about him, and what do you infer about him? What kind of a narrator do you think he will be?
  1. What does Tom's behavior reveal about his character?

Chapter 2

  1. Describe the "valley of ashes." What does it look like and what does it represent?
  1. What more have you learned about Nick in this chapter? Is he similar or different than the people he spends his time with?
  1. Describe the violent act Tom committed against Myrtle. What does this reveal about him?
  1. Analysis Question for class discussion:
  1. Your own response to your analysis question:

Chapter 3

  1. Describe Gatsby the first time Nick sees him. What does Nick think of Gatsby after meeting him?
  1. Why does Nick choose to share his thoughts and feelings with Jordan?
  1. Nick thinks he's one of the few honest people he knows, why? Do you think he is honest?
  1. Analysis Question for class discussion:
  1. Your own response to your analysis question:

Chapter 4

  1. Why does Gatsby tell Nick about his life? Do you believe Gatsby? Does Nick?
  1. What does Jordan's story of Daisy's marriage reveal about Daisy?
  1. Why did Gatsby want Daisy to see his house?
  1. Nick says, "There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired." What does Nick mean? How does each character in the novel fit into this schema?
  1. Analysis Question for class discussion:
  1. Your own response to your analysis question:

Chapter 5

  1. Describe the effect of rain on the plot.
  1. Why does Gatsby offer Nick work? How does Nick feel about this?
  1. Why does Gatsby get so many phone calls? What does this say about him?
  1. Analysis Question for class discussion:
  1. Your own response to your analysis question:

Chapter 6

  1. How truthful was Gatsby when he relayed the story of his life to Nick? Why does Fitzgerald tell the story of Jay Gatz now?
  1. Describe the meeting of Tom and Gatsby. What does this meeting reveal about them?
  1. Why did Daisy and Tom find Gatsby's party loathsome?
  1. When Nick told Gatsby that "you can't repeat the past", Gatsby replied, "Why of course you can!" Do you agree with Nick or Gatsby? Why?
  1. Analysis Question for class discussion:
  1. Your own response to your analysis question:

Chapter 7

  1. Describe Daisy and Gatsby's new relationship.
  1. Describe the fight between Gatsby and Tom. What do these men think of each other? How are they similar and how are they different?
  1. What was significant about Nick's 30th birthday?
  1. Analysis Question for class discussion:
  1. Your own response to your analysis question:

Chapter 8

  1. How does Fitzgerald achieve a melancholic mood in the beginning of this chapter?
  1. Who is Dan Cody and what is his significance in Gatsby's life?
  1. How does Nick's statement "You're worth the whole bunch put together" show a change in Nick from the beginning of the novel?
  1. Analysis Question for class discussion:
  1. Your own response to your analysis question:

Chapter 9

  1. Why did Nick take care of Gatsby's funeral?
  1. Who attended Gatsby's funeral? How and why is this significant?
  1. Why does Nick call Tom and Daisy "careless people"?
  1. What is your interpretation of the last sentence in the book?
  1. Analysis Question for class discussion:
  1. Your own response to your analysis question:

Literature Circle Prep and Notes from Discussions

  1. My assigned character: ______

Quote and Page # / Analysis
Chapters 1-3
Chapters 1-3
Chapters 4-6
Chapters 4-6
Chapters 7-9
Chapters 7-9

Additional Character Notes from my peers:

Character Name / Notes
Lit Circle #1
Lit Circle #2
Lit Circle #3
Lit Circle #1
Lit Circle #2
Lit Circle #3
Lit Circle #1
Lit Circle #2
Lit Circle #3
  1. My assigned color: ______

Quote and Page # / Analysis
Chapters 1-3
Chapters 1-3
Chapters 4-6
Chapters 4-6
Chapters 7-9
Chapters 7-9

Additional color Notes from my peers:

Color / Notes
Lit Circle #1
Lit Circle #2
Lit Circle #3
Lit Circle #1
Lit Circle #2
Lit Circle #3
Lit Circle #1
Lit Circle #2
Lit Circle #3
  1. My assigned symbol: ______

Quote and Page # / Analysis
Chapters 1-3
Chapters 1-3
Chapters 4-6
Chapters 4-6
Chapters 7-9
Chapters 7-9

Additional Symbol Notes from my peers:

Symbol / Notes
Lit Circle #1
Lit Circle #2
Lit Circle #3
Lit Circle #1
Lit Circle #2
Lit Circle #3
Lit Circle #1
Lit Circle #2
Lit Circle #3
  1. My assigned theme: ______

Quote and Page # / Analysis
Chapters 1-3
Chapters 1-3
Chapters 4-6
Chapters 4-6
Chapters 7-9
Chapters 7-9

Additional Theme Notes from my peers:

Theme / Notes
Lit Circle #1
Lit Circle #2
Lit Circle #3
Lit Circle #1
Lit Circle #2
Lit Circle #3
Lit Circle #1
Lit Circle #2
Lit Circle #3

Literature Circle Reflections

Reflect on your participation and the participation of your peers. Circle the appropriate response.

Scale: 1 = low/not good/not prepared/not true 5 = high/good/extremely well prepared/very true

Literature Circle #1 – Chapters 1-3
I had all my materials with me, out on the table during the discussion (book, reading guide, pen/pencil) / Yes / No
I was prepared to discuss the novel: Chapter questions filled out in detail with evidence / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I was prepared to discuss the novel: Analysis of character, color, symbol and theme completed with detail / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I took detailed notes during the discussion on what my peers shared / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I asked at least one of my own analysis questions from the reading guide during the discussion / Yes / No
I responded to at least one of my peer’s analysis questions from their reading guide / Yes / No
I was an active, verbal participant in the discussion / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I was engaged and on-task for the FULL amount of time provided for the lit circle. I did not mentally “check-out,” move the conversation away from Great Gatsby or get up and move around the room. / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I balanced my “air time” (amount of time spent talking) with my peer’s air time / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I invited a peer into the conversation with a specific question at least one time / Yes / No
One thing that helped our group have a successful conversation was:
One thing that prevented our group from having a successful conversation was:
Literature Circle #2 – Chapters 4-6
I had all my materials with me, out on the table during the discussion (book, reading guide, pen/pencil) / Yes / No
I was prepared to discuss the novel: Chapter questions filled out in detail with evidence / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I was prepared to discuss the novel: Analysis of character, color, symbol and theme completed with detail / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I took detailed notes during the discussion on what my peers shared / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I asked at least one of my own analysis questions from the reading guide during the discussion / Yes / No
I responded to at least one of my peer’s analysis questions from their reading guide / Yes / No
I was an active, verbal participant in the discussion / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I was engaged and on-task for the FULL amount of time provided for the lit circle. I did not mentally “check-out,” move the conversation away from Great Gatsby or get up and move around the room. / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I balanced my “air time” (amount of time spent talking) with my peer’s air time / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I invited a peer into the conversation with a specific question at least one time / Yes / No
One thing that helped our group have a successful conversation was:
One thing that prevented our group from having a successful conversation was:
Literature Circle #3 – Chapters 7-9
I had all my materials with me, out on the table during the discussion (book, reading guide, pen/pencil) / Yes / No
I was prepared to discuss the novel: Chapter questions filled out in detail with evidence / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I was prepared to discuss the novel: Analysis of character, color, symbol and theme completed with detail / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I took detailed notes during the discussion on what my peers shared / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I asked at least one of my own analysis questions from the reading guide during the discussion / Yes / No
I responded to at least one of my peer’s analysis questions from their reading guide / Yes / No
I was an active, verbal participant in the discussion / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I was engaged and on-task for the FULL amount of time provided for the lit circle. I did not mentally “check-out,” move the conversation away from Great Gatsby or get up and move around the room. / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I balanced my “air time” (amount of time spent talking) with my peer’s air time / 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
I invited a peer into the conversation with a specific question at least one time / Yes / No
One thing that helped our group have a successful conversation was:
One thing that prevented our group from having a successful conversation was:

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