The Great Gatsby: Junior Experience...

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The Great Gatsby: Junior Experience Unit

By: Jessica Wilkinson

Dr. John Ellis

EDU 304-41

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Table of Contents

Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 3

Lesson Plan 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 4

Lesson Plan 1 Daily Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 6

The American Dream Handout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 8

Pre- and Post-test Handout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 9

Pre-and Post-test Rubric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 10

Lesson Plan 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 11

Lesson Plan 2 Daily Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 13

Lesson Plan 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 13


Layer Cake Graphic Organizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 17

Lesson Plan 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 18


Lesson Plan 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 21

Lesson Plan 5 Daily Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 23

The Art of the Mandala Handout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pages 24-25

The Art of the Mandala Revisited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pages 26-27

Unit Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pages 28-34

Pre/Post Test Score Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 35

Student Samples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pages 36-68, attached pdf

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Abstract

My unit centers around an inquiry question that was already provided in the curriculum

plan for an AP Junior Language Arts class. The question my unit asks students to answer is this:

Is The Great Gatsby still relevant today? When drafting my unit, my cooperating teacher asked

that I used this question to fuel my lesson plans, as it is the key question students are to answer in

the individual projects she designed for them to work on as they read the novel. The question

spawned several objectives I could teach that would not only address this umbrella concept but

also include the AP test prep students had to complete day to day as well as cover important

terminology and skill requirements outlined in the Language Arts curriculum for AP juniors.

These Objectives were to have students address the inquiry question in every lesson I taught, to

have students practice AP test questions in a larger, more holistic context, to have students utilize

the literary device terminology and rhetorical skills and methods they learned in the prior unit,

and to have students develop fluency in speaking and writing.

I expected students to learn how to read a novel with a specific inquiry in mind, in this

case, reading The Great Gatsby for a relevance that is timeless. I expected students to learn how

to use their prior knowledge in a new context, and I expected students to learn how to think

about their own thinking processes when test taking. I had a good idea of the outcomes I could

expect from my students. I expected a small portion of the class to achieve all four of the above

objectives, the majority of the class to master all but fluency in writing and application of prior

knowledge, and a few students to struggle to complete the AP test prep questions.

After completing the unit, the expected outcomes were mostly true. I didn’t, however,

have any students fail to master at least two out of the four objectives. As the students are

honors students, they are highly motivated by grades, and to keep them motivated by learning, I

gave them participation points for taking risks in class discussion and in their writing, and for

trying to interact with the text in meaningful ways. Because of this, the students acquired

fluency and used their prior knowledge without really thinking about it, until of course we

practiced metacognitive reasoning with the AP test prep.

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Lesson Plan 1

Name Jessica Wilkinson Grade Level 11th Grade Date October 20, 2010

Content Area AP Language Arts Lesson title The Great Gatsby Time Machine

Are there any cultural contributions that you can identify in this lesson? If so, what are

they?

There are many cultural contributions to this lesson. I ask students to connect the cultural

movement with a cultural movement or entity they know or participate in today. This could be

anything from pop-culture, socioeconomic culture, gendered culture, crime culture, etc. The

contributions culture can make to this lesson are limitless.

How will you accommodate for the various cultural learning styles in your class?

Students can choose to write about whatever quote from the five selected on the handout they

feel most comfortable dealing with. They may also connect the information in the quote to any

culture or sub-culture they desire, so long as they may support it. How the write, support, and

argue their connection will reflect their cultural learning style.

How will you accommodate this lesson for students with learning disabilities or special

needs?

I will make sure the lesson corresponds with their assigned IEP’s. Students have access to

computers for this lesson, as well as the internet, which will serve as an assistive tool for students

with learning disabilities. If a student needs any other assistive technological devices or any kind

of special need, I will contact the Special Education department chair and request whatever is

needed for the student. If need be, the lesson can be modified, for example an oral essay in the

form of a conversation can be accepted if the student has a written language disability.

Objectives:

1.) Students will engage in meaningful class discussion about the inquiry question guiding the

unit: is The Great Gatsby still relevant today?

2.) Students will make connections, on their own, between specific modern examples and

examples from the text, and will be able to use what they read in the larger context of various

cultures and sub-cultures they currently participate in.

3.) Students will write, with fluency, a cohesive essay that both illustrates their thinking on the

subject and supports their view with specific examples and text support.

4.) R1H, R1I, R3C, R3D, W1A, W2A,B,C,D,& E, L1A & B, ca 3,4,& 6, SJSD master objective

1,2,4,5,7,13, & 16.

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Assessments:

Formative: As students discuss the inquiry question and the reading material, I will notate

students’ efforts in participation and meaningfulness of commentary and discussion. As the unit

progresses, this inquiry question will resurface in various ways that I can assess their progress,

both in discussion and written tasks.

Summative: Students will write an in-class rough draft of the essay which I will grade. They will

receive the essay back on the 26th

of October with comments and the rubric used to score the

essays. Students will have until the end of the unit, November 1st, to revise and complete a final

draft. This essay’s score will be the greatest indicator if students comprehended the key

objectives of the unit.

Materials/Resources:

The Great Gatsby packet, pages 6-9, actively read.

Mac Books from the Mac Cart

Printer and paper

The Great Gatsby Time Machine Handout

Addressing Learning Styles:

Linguistic (writing portion), interpersonal (class discussion), and logical-mathematical (seeing

recurring social-cultural patterns)

The Teacher Will discuss with the students the inquiry question and the reading material,

guiding and prompting student voices. While students are still in discussion, the teacher will

hand out The Great Gatsby Time Machine handout. The Teacher will go over the instructions on

the handout, and then have students retrieve a Mac Book from the cart. The teacher will monitor

the students as they write their in-class essays and be available to assist with and answer any

questions. The teacher will remind students to do their chapter 1 AP questions for next class,

and to keep their notes from today as a resource for their projects.

The Students Will discuss the reading from the packet within the context of the unit inquiry

question. They will generate their own ideas and discuss with each other and the teacher those

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ideas. Then, students will analyze the quotes selected from the reading according to handout.

Students will connect the quote they choose to a modern day example. Following the

instructions provided, students will answer the questions on the handout in writing in the form of

an in-class essay. If time allows, they may share their responses. Students will turn in these

essays before they leave.

Plan For Independent Practice: Students will use their notes from the discussion and the

activity to begin their thinking about their individual projects.

Daily Lesson Reflection

A. What did you see students doing while you were teaching this lesson?

At the start of the lesson, students looked confused. I had a list of questions to guide

their discussion, not lead or commandeer the discussion, however as time advanced it became

clear to me that the students had not read the material for today’s lesson. So, I began instead

to ask them general questions about what they thought or have heard about the book and

what they think they might like about it, in terms of their own cultural interests. When the

students began to write, they worked much harder and seemed to be more interested because

they did not have to vocalize their thinking. I had many yawns during discussion but not

nearly as many during their writing time.

B. What did you hear students say while you were teaching this lesson?

During the lesson one student spoke comfortably during the discussion portion of the

lesson. Most students said almost nothing, however once they could work individually on their

own essays (and they could read the articles since most of them hadn’t), students began

discussing avidly what they should write about with each other. I told them to refer

questions to me if they were unsure of what to write, and many students spoke confidently

with me about their concerns, asking questions about the directions, if they could write about pop

culture, etc. I only had three students who remained working silently the whole class period.

C. Do you believe this lesson was effective? How do you know?

I believe this lesson could have been more effective during discussion but was very

effective during the writing portion. Students did not leave feeling confident about this

assignment, even though it is a rough draft. I know they were worried because they all asked

if they would have another chance to write the paper.

D. Based on what you saw and heard as well as what you believe about the

effectiveness of this lesson, what would you do differently if you taught this lesson

again? Be specific. Do NOT just say I would not change a thing.

The next time I teach this lesson, I will have a precursory discussion about the

articles. Some of the articles were very abstract and would be hard to understand,

having not read the novel yet. I also would give them the rubric for the essay with

the instructions for the essay BEFORE they write the essay. Many students were

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concerned about what to include/not include because they didn’t know what I would

be assessing.

E. Based on what you saw and heard, what will you do differently tomorrow about

classroom management?

Tomorrow, I will definitely have clearer and stricter consequences for not

completing assigned reading. I will also tell students what I expect of them, what I will

assess, and how I plan to assess it before the lesson begins.

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The American Dream Lesson 1-Oct 20th

Discussion Questions from the Reading:

1.) Where is the Fitzgerald from?

2.) What was his social-economic status as a child?

3.) What challenges and privileges did he face while growing up?

4.) Why did Fitzgerald begin writing?

5.) What was happening in the United States and in the world at the time Fitzgerald wrote about

the American dream?

6.) Would you say that Fitzgerald felt satisfied that he had personally achieved, or hadn’t

achieved the American dream?

7.) How is the 1920’s view of the American Dream discussed in the text?

8.) How is this view of the American Dream the same today? How is it different?

9.) Can you think of any modern examples of Jay Gatsby?

10.) Can you think of any modern events that are similar to events in Gatsby’s lifetime?

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The Great Gatsby Time Machine

Take one of the below quotes from the packet, pages 6-9, about the 1920’s and equate it to a modern day

person, event, or other example, such as culture or sub-culture. Be specific! Once you have named the

person, event or other example, explain why you chose it. How does the quotation justly represent the

chosen person, event, or example? How does the person, event, or example fulfill the prophecy of the

quote? What connections can you make between the culture of the 1920’s and today? How do these

connections, based on your quote, define the ambiguous notion called “the American Dream?”

Quotations:

1.) “Gatsby was a fervent believer in the gospel of self-improvement. One of the most telling glimpses

into his psyche is provided by his boyhood schedule, sadly produced by his father after his death.”

2.) “Like Fitzgerald himself, Nick is from Minnesota, attended an Ivy League University, served in the

U.S. Army during World War I, moved to New York after the war, and questions—even while

participating in—high society.”

3.) “Most young American veterans of the First World War came home changed by two revelations. One

was the horror of trench warfare; the other their exposure to life in London and Paris, where artists and

writers celebrated sheer survival with decadent verve.”

4.) “He and his glamorous wife, Zelda, were the consummate party couple. Everywhere they went, they

spent until their last dollar was gone, and drank until the bottles were empty.”

5.) “The image of Jay Gatsby as a mysterious prohibition era bootlegger is so fixed in our minds that it’s

startling rereading The Great Gatsby today, to realize how he was actually making his money in the end.”

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CATEGORY SCORE SCORE SCORE SCORE SCORE TOTAL

American

Dream

1 2 3 4 5 ______

The

American

Dream is

not

mentioned,

or is only

named

without

reflection.

A specific

part or

aspect of the

dream is

mentioned,

but not fully

explained.

A specific

aspect is

identified

and fully

explained;

this aspect

is

connected

to text and

the

parallel.

Quotation

Explained

1 2 3 4 5 ______

The quote

is not

mentioned

or used

without

reflection.

The quote is

used and

summarized,

but not

analyzed.

The quote

is analyzed

with

reflection

about the

American

dream.

Modern

Parallel Made

1 2 3 4 5 ______

No modern

parallel is

made, or an

irrelevant

parallel is

made.

A parallel is

made that is

relevant, but

not

thoroughly

explained.

The

parallel

made is

both

relevant

and

analyzed.

Specific

Detail

1 2 3 4 5 ______

No detail

or very

little

explaining

the

connection

s made.

Some

relevant

details used,

but sparsely.

Detail

used is

specific

and

significant.

Text

Evidence

Cited

1 2 3 4 5 ______

No text

support or

support

that is

irrelevant.

Some text

support that

is relevant

but not

strong.

The text

support

used is

both

relevant

and the

best

choices of

text.

Student Name:____________________ __ Date:___________ Draft:______________

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Lesson Plan 2


Content Area AP Language Arts Lesson title Characters and What They Represent


they?

There is one cultural contribution to this lesson. When discussing the characterization of Tom

Buchanan, students should uncover a discussion about “West-Egg” culture, or socioeconomic

cultures represented in the text.


Students may contribute information about Fitzgerald’s characterization methods in light of their

own methods of characterizing the rich and poor icons in modern pop culture, or make a similar

parallel.


needs?

I will make sure the lesson corresponds with their assigned IEP’s. If a student needs any

assistance, assistive technological devices, or any kind of special need, I will contact the Special

Education department chair and request whatever is needed for the student. If need be, the

lesson can be modified, for a student could submit answers from their chair if mobility is an

issue.

Objectives:

1.) Students will discuss the available methods of characterization.

2.) Students will discuss how Fitzgerald uses characterization specifically in The Great Gatsby,

for what end.

3.) Students will link the AP test practice to the larger unit by using their test prep to enrich their

projects.

4.) R2A, B, & C, L1 A & B, L2 A & B, CA 1, 2, & 6, SJSD master objective 13, 14, 36, & 45.

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Assessments:

Formative: I will note the comfort levels students’ have in class discussion, what they contribute,

and how often they contribute meaningful talk to the class discussion. I will mark what progress

I have seen since yesterday’s lesson.

Summative: Students will not be formally evaluated for this lesson, but they will receive a

participation score for minimally trying to add one point or counterpoint to the class discussion.


AP chapter one test questions completed numbers 1-7.

Chapter one of The Great Gatsby actively read.

Chalk Board or Smart Screen


Linguistic (writing portion), interpersonal (class discussion), logical-mathematical (discovering

patters of character development), and bodily-kinesthetic (moving up to the chalkboard).

The Teacher Will go over the completed AP test questions for chapter one, asking what students

answered for each question. The teacher will lead a discussion of how students arrived to the

correct answers, if they did, and why or why not. The teacher will focus on the passage selected

in the AP practice and use it to discuss Fitzgerald’s method of characterization. He or she will

generate discussion with the following questions written on the chalkboard or smart screen:

1.) What attributes does Fitzgerald give to Tom Buchanan in the passage?

2.) How does Fitzgerald describe Tom Buchanan? What methods of

characterization/literary devices does Fitzgerald use to accomplish this image?

3.) What do you think Tom Buchanan Represents?

The Students Will suggest their answers as AP chapter one questions are discussed, asking

questions about the answers they are confused or unsure about. After, students will re-read the

same passage the AP questions from chapter one tested, reading for characterization. Students

will then generate most of the talk in a discussion over the characterization of Tom Buchanan,

writing what they notice on the board beneath each respective discussion question.

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Plan For Independent Practice: Students who have characterization as their topic will use the

notes from the discussion and apply it to their project. Students with other topics may use other

AP questions to develop their projects.



Students were very happy to get up and get moving for this class discussion. At first,

they were hesitant and there was a lot of blank stares because they were uncomfortable

using their AP test prep for class discussion. However, once they got to get up and

contribute to the chalkboard list, students were wired. I had to calm the class to make

sure no one got trampled.


Students were very vocal with this lesson. They were engaged throughout, though at first

I got a lot of whispers and also outbursts of negative comments about the lesson. The

students did not discussing how they arrive at certain answers, so I got a lot of “this

is dumb,” or “I don’t know how I do anything.” Eventually, students were saying

positive things about the other, more active half of the lesson.


I do believe this lesson was effective because a few students told me they enjoyed

the lesson by the end. I did have one student tell me it was hard to think about his

thinking, but that he liked it better than what they had done previously, which

consisted of just reading the correct answers without any discussion.




If I were to teach this lesson again, I think I would spend less time discussing AP

questions and go deeper with the discussion about characterization. That is what I

wanted the primary objective of the lesson to be, and I ran out of time to make sure

that idea developed in class discussion. I would also develop better ways to police

the discussion. At times, it wandered into unrelated territory.



I will be more assertive when leading class discussion. I do not want to dominate the

discussion, and would like the students to keep their enthusiasm and participation as high

as it is currently. However, I do need to make sure students are staying on task. My

cooperating teacher has suggested that I be more firm with them, so next class period I

will give them a clear consequence for being distracting or reluctant to participate, in the

form of subtracted participation points.

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Lesson Plan 3


Content Area AP Language Arts Lesson title The Great Gatsby Layer Cake


they?

There are some cultural contributions to this lesson. The lesson asks students to identify class

structures with specific examples from both present times and the 1920’s. Students must be

comfortable discussing the cultures of socioeconomic classes.


This lesson would not require much accommodation, as the possible responses students can

make are literally endless. However, I could alter the assignment if a student was uncomfortable

discussing the culture of class structure.


needs?



Education department chair and request whatever is needed for the student. If need be, the

lesson can be modified to an oral submission if students are visually impaired.

Objectives:

1.) Students will discuss how Fitzgerald’s commentary on class structure is echoed in the

stratification of class in modern society.


projects.

3.) Students will work with a graphic organizer to structure their thoughts.

4.) R1 F, G, & H, W3A, L1 A, B, L2 A, B, IL1C, IL2A, CA 1, 2, 4, 5, & 7, SJSD master

objective 7, 13, & 14.

Assessments:




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Summative: Students will receive a checklist scoring guide with their assignment. I will score

their submissions according to that guide, and this will be the summative assessment for the

lesson.


AP chapter two test questions completed numbers 8-14.

Chapter two of The Great Gatsby actively read.

The Great Gatsby Layer Cake graphic organizer and checklist

Document camera and smart screen


Linguistic (writing portion), interpersonal (class discussion), logical-mathematical (charting

patterns in class structure), and visual (use of graphic organizer).

The Teacher Will go over the completed AP test questions for chapter two, asking what

students answered for each question. The teacher will lead a discussion of how students arrived

to the correct answers, if they did, and why or why not. The teacher will focus discussion on the

representation of class and status in the passage as evident in questions 10 and 12. Next, the

teacher will pass out the graphic organizer. The teacher will place her copy of the graphic

organizer on the document camera and do an example with the class. He or she will then assign

the rest as homework.

The Students Will suggest their answers as AP chapter two questions are discussed, asking

questions about the answers they are confused or unsure about. Students will create a “Gatsby

Layer Cake” where they may pick similar representations of class and status in modern society

and equate them to those represented in the book.

1.) Students must “layer” the cake according to the class hierarchy they depict

2.) For reach class layer from the book, students must place on the opposite side of the

cake an example of a class or status layer from modern society that is similar.

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Plan For Independent Practice: Students can use this visual representation of Fitzgerald’s

discussion of class and status for other concepts in the book that are layered or stratified, and

then can apply their study to their individual projects.



I saw students working diligently during this lesson. Even during the AP test prep

discussion, the students were on task today. Usually they yawn and don’t pay attention

until we get to the activity, but today they seemed more enthusiastic than normal. Every

student participated, and most students said something during discussion.


I heard students say that they liked the activity, because they liked graphic organizers. I

heard students ask each other what they were writing, as it was a group activity. Students

also said that they weren’t sure about the rules for the layer cake. I had to clarify.


I believe this lesson was effective because my students were 100% more involved than

they had ever been. I think they respond well to visual stimuli and graphic organizers.




I told them that this assignment is not so different than their first essay they wrote for

me, which surprised them. I don’t think they had understood that lesson as much as they

understand this one, so in the future I might teach this lesson before the Time Machine

lesson.



I will use some sort of visual to guide discussion about the influence of Jazz music on

language. Perhaps a chart on the chalkboard or a sheet the students can fill out.

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Layer Cake

“Twisting them up toward the frosted wedding cake of the ceiling . . .”

MODERN EXAMPE:

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

___

TEXT EXAMPE:

____________________

____________________

____________________

____________________

___________

TEXT EXAMPLE:

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_____________________________

________________

MODERN EXAMPLE:-

____________________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

MODERN EXAMPLE:

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

____________________________

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Lesson Plan 4


Content Area AP Language Arts Lesson title The Jazzy Read-Aloud___________


they?

There are some cultural contributions to this lesson. The lesson asks students to identify the

influence of jazz music, an important element of 1920’s popular culture, on the language in The

Great Gatsby.


This lesson accommodates various cultural learning styles because it asks students to not only

evaluate the influence of Jazz music on 1920’s language but also the influence on the music they

like on their own language.


needs?



Education department chair and request whatever is needed for the student.

Objectives:

1.) Students will discuss how Fitzgerald used images and figurative language in a way that

mirrored the jazz culture of the 1920’s. Students will discuss how jazz music effected

Fitzgerald’s language use.


projects.

3.) R2 A, B, & C, LS1 A &B, LS2 A & B, IL2A, CA 2, 5, 6, & 7, SJSD major objective 12, 19,

31, 36, & 45.

Assessments:




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Summative: This lesson does not have a summative assessment; however, those students who the

influence of jazz is their project topic will be scored for their use of this discussion in their final

essays.


AP chapter three test questions completed numbers 16-23.

Chapter three of The Great Gatsby actively read.

Chalkboard or smart screen


Interpersonal (class discussion), logical-mathematical (noting patterns in language and in music),

and kinesthetic (movement to and from the chalkboard).

The Teacher Will go over the completed AP test questions for chapter three, asking what


to the correct answers, if they did, and why or why not. The teacher will have a students read the

a passage that begins “The lights grow brighter,” and ends, “The party has begun,” having

different students read each line, and have students read the passage more than once during

discussion. The teacher will draw a chart on the chalkboard for students to complete. The chart

should have a column for literary devices and a column for musical effect or equivalent.


questions about the answers they are confused or unsure about. Students will then read aloud the

passage that begins “The lights grow brighter,” and ends, “The party has begun” and discuss the

musical qualities of Fitzgerald’s language. Students will also think about how modern music

affects their own language. After reading aloud, students will identify what literary devices are

used to give the jazzy sound to the passage, and mark them on a chart on the board.

Plan For Independent Practice: Students can use the technique of reading aloud to hear the

music of other passages they read. Some students will use their notes for their project.

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I saw students passing notes during this lesson, which I didn’t confiscate. Students did

not seem very involved with this lesson, even though I had them moving around, up to

the chalkboard and back. They were chatty too. I did see lots of students whispering

around and generally distracted by other objects or students.


I heard students talking about a pep assembly and an early out. Students were very

distracted due to a shorter class period. I heard some students share in discussion and one

student dominate the conversation especially, while others talked about the assembly.


I believe the lesson was effective for about 5 students, and for the others no. This lesson

should have been effective, as it instructed specifically over literary devices, information

students struggle with within their individual projects. However the students were so

distracted that I am positive the lesson didn’t “stick” so to speak.




I would not teach this lesson on a day with a pep assembly. Usually students are

lethargic and sluggish in class so activities like this one where they move around helps

get them involved. Today they were wired from the get go and all of the movement

hindered the lesson, I think.



Today, all I could think to do is to play the waiting game. When the students became

loud and unruly, I would just stare and wait it out, letting them know that I was unpleased

with their behavior. That would only work for a few minutes, though, and they were loud

again. Next class period I will limit class room movement.

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Lesson Plan 5

Name Jessica Wilkinson Grade Level 11th Grade Date November 1, 2010

Content Area AP Language Arts Lesson title The American Dream Mandala__


they?

There are some cultural contributions to this lesson. The lesson asks students to create a

mandala, which is a cultural tradition of Tibet, India, China, and Japan. Students must also work

with the American culture and the idea of the American Dream.


This lesson accommodates various cultural learning styles because it asks students to include

their own vision of the American Dream, a reflection of their own culture and individuality.


needs?



Education department chair and request whatever is needed for the student.

Objectives:

1.) Students will connect the 1920’s version of the American Dream as evidenced in The Great

Gatsby to their own American Dream today. Then create a visual representation of this

connection.


projects.

3.) R1E, W2A, W3A, LS1A & B, LS2 A & B, IL2A, CA 2, 4, 5 & 7, SJSD major objective 4,

12, 13, 15, 31, & 33.

Assessments:




Summative: This lesson will be scored according to the checklist given to the students with the

lesson.

Wilkinson 22


AP chapter four test questions completed numbers 31-38.

Chapter four of The Great Gatsby actively read.

The American Dream Mandala handout

Pens, pencils, markers, crayons, magazines, or other craft supplies.


Interpersonal (class discussion), visual (visual representation of the American Dream) and

kinesthetic (movement to and from the chalkboard).

The Teacher Will go over the completed AP test questions for chapter four, asking what


to the correct answers, if they did, and why or why not. The teacher will then hand out The

American Dream Mandala assignment. She or he will discuss what a mandala is as defined on

the handout, and speak briefly about the importance of circular representations of thought. The

teacher will then let the class work on their mandala, being available for help. The teacher will

assign what is left as homework.


questions about the answers they are confused or unsure about. Then, students will examine the

representation of the American dream as discussed in the question 32 and in the passage that

begins, “He was balancing himself on the dashboard of his car,” and ends, “the impatient

opening and closing of a hand.” Drawing upon the visuals in the passage, students will create a

mandala in the circle provided in the handout that represents the book’s representation of the

American dream and their own, modern interpretation. Students can make the mandala as

complex or as simple as they wish. What isn’t completed in class will be homework. Students

will write an explanatory paragraph that discusses the choices they made when creating their

mandala.

Plan For Independent Practice: Students can use the images they created for their mandala for

their project. Students can also create other mandalas for other passages in order to fuel their

thinking.

Possible Extension: At the end of the novel, students can address the circular nature of a

mandala and the American dream as represented in the lines, "Gatsby believed in the green light,

the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--

tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning-- So we beat

on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." Ask the students “how is the

American Dream circular and self-destructive, much like a mandala? Is this still true of the

Wilkinson 23

American dream?” If time allows, have students complete The American Dream Mandala:

Revisited assignment.



I saw students making puzzled faces, reading the instructions for the mandala assignment.

I saw a lot of hands raised and talking within tables about what to do.


I heard students ask how to pronounce “Mandala,” and what it means. I heard students

questioning each other about what exactly they were supposed to do. I also heard chatter

about color choice and what they planned to draw.


I do feel that this lesson was effective. Students struggled at first to grasp the concept, as

it is fairly abstract, however because of that struggle students seemed enthusiastic and

thoroughly engaged. I feel that this lesson was challenging for them, and they really

engaged with it.




If I taught this lesson again, I would probably restructure the instruction page. Part of the

reason students were so confused at first is because the instructions for the assignment are

embedded in a paragraph of history about the Mandala. I should have separated the two,

and discussed more clearly what a Mandala is and what I expected them to do with it.



This lesson was fairly ideal today. For this particular lesson, I’m not sure I would change

my classroom management. The students were engaged, talkative but only about the

lesson, curious and enthusiastic to work on their Mandalas.

Wilkinson 24

Chapter 4 and the Art of the Mandala:

Mandala is a Sanskrit word that

means “circle.” The art of

making mandalas is traditionally

a spiritual ritual, but can be

applied in other settings. For

example, psychoanalyst Carl

Jung saw the mandala as a

representation of the unconscious

self, and believed his paintings

of mandalas enabled him to

identify emotional disorders and

work towards wholeness in

personality.

Similar to Jung’s practice, you

will create a mandala that

represents the American Dream in The Great Gatsby as well as your own personal American

Dream.

Drawing upon the visuals discussed in chapter 4 AP question number 32 and in the passage that

begins, “He was balancing himself on the dashboard of his car,” and ends, “the impatient

opening and closing of a hand,” create a mandala on paper that represents the book’s

representation of the American dream and your own, modern interpretation. Make the mandala

as complex or as simple as you wish; there is only one rule: your mandala must reflect what you

hold as your own version of the American dream as well as what is represented in the text.

Please be true to yourself. If you have a complex American dream, make sure you mandala

represents that complexity.

Do not be afraid to blend together your view and the text’s view. A Mandala is a very personal

practice, so be creative and make your mandala as visceral as you can. You can draw on your

mandala with pen, pencil, crayons, markers, or even use magazine clippings.

After you make your mandala, write a brief analysis (1-2 paragraphs) of what you included in

your mandala and why. Discuss what depicting the American dream in a circle does for your

interpretation of it. Do you think the American dream is circular in nature? Why or why not?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoanalyst

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Jung

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Jung

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individuation#Carl_Jung

Wilkinson 25

The American Dream Mandala Checklist:

□ My mandala represents the American dream as interpreted from The Great Gatsby. (2 Points)

□ My mandala represents my own interpretation of the American dream. (2 Points)

□ The images on my mandala are an accurate representation of both interpretations. (2 Points)

□ My mandala displays creativity and innovative, visual thinking, including: (6 Points)

□Relevant, unique images (2)

□Images organized and placed significantly within the Mandala (2)

□Color and medium (paint, magazine, pen, etc) choices are intentional (2)

□ I have included a paragraph analyzing my choices in creating this mandala. (4 Points)

□ My paragraph also analyzes the representation of the American dream. (4 Points)

□I had fun making this mandala . (Brownie Points)

Total Points= _____

20

Wilkinson 26

The Art of the Mandala, Revisited:

In the art of making mandalas, traditionally

the mandala is destroyed after its completion.

This is to remind the makers of the

impermanence of things. This also represents

the circular nature of which the mandala

visually represents; in this case, what starts as

nothing ends as nothing.

Now that we have completed reading The

Great Gatsby, what do you think is circular

nature of a the American dream as represented

in the lines, "Gatsby believed in the green

light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no

matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning-- So

we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past” (180).

How is the American Dream circular and self-destructive, much like a mandala? Is this still true

of the American dream?

I want each of you to destroy your mandalas. After you have destroyed them, I want you to

write a brief paragraph describing how it felt to destroy your own American Dream. Be visceral

with this writing. Then, write another paragraph analyzing the above quote in terms of

circularity, birth and destruction, growth and death. How does the art of the mandala represent

this interpretation of the American Dream?

Wilkinson 27

The American Dream Mandala, Revisited Checklist:

□ My paragraph describing how I feel about destroying what I had created is visceral because: (6 Points)

□I use specific detail (2 Points)

□I use vivid language (2 Points)

□My paragraph evokes empathy (1 point)

□My paragraph risks structure for emotional response (1 point)

□My Paragraph analyzing the text: (4 Points)

□ Connects the art of mandala making to the text (2 Points)

□Uses text support as examples (1 Point)

□ Analyzes the American Dream within the context of the mandala (1 Point)

Total Points= _____

10

Wilkinson 28

Standard 1: Knowledge of Subject Matter

The pre-service teacher knows the subject applicable to the area of certification or endorsement.

He or she understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of discipline(s) within

a global society and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter

meaningful.

My unit reflects my subject specific competency as a beginning English Language Arts

teacher in Missouri. The fundamentals and the effective use of English are present in my unit.

Each unit begins with having students read a selection from the text before class. Once in class,

the students discuss the selection both in relation to their AP test prep and the activity or

assignment I designed for the lesson. Standard 1.1 speaks to this same interrelation of reading,

writing, speaking, and listening present in my unit. Standards 1.2 and 1.3 refer to both how the

English language works (grammars, semantics, syntax, morphology, phonology, lexicon, history

and dialects) and the effective oral and written use of the language. My first lesson addresses

these standards specifically, asking students to write a formal academic essay arguing for the

relevance of The Great Gatsby.

Language development and literacy are also present in my unit. Standard 2.2 states that a

teacher should teach the diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic

groups, geographic regions, and social roles. This is a standard I hold in high regard, and the

fourth lesson of my unit reflects this. Not only do I ask students to analyze the slang of the

1920’s as influenced by jazz music, but also how music influences their own language use,

dialect, etc. My unit also addresses standard 2.3 because each lesson shifts the focus through a

different lens; the first being through scholarly journals, the second through characterization

methods, the third through a graphic organizer, the fourth through music, and the fifth through

art. The differences among learners of physical, perceptual, emotional, social, cultural,

environmental, and intellectual minds are addressed for language development and literacy

Wilkinson 29

acquisition. Standard 2.6 is also covered in my unit, because I feel I have designed instructional

programs and strategies that build on students’ experiences and existing language skills. This is

a primary reason I included AP test prep in my lessons. I could have just covered the test prep

separately from my lessons, but I wanted to start with something the students were familiar with

and use it as a base for my lessons.

Reading, literature, and comprehension standards are addressed with my unit. I apply

many pre-during-post reading strategies in each lesson. Each lesson asks students to have the

passages actively read and the AP questions answered, a pre-reading strategy. During reading

activities are in class, when we address questions and inquiries in discussion. Most post activities

are written assignments that test comprehension and synthesis of ideas. Standards 3.1, 3.3, 3.4,

3.6, and 3.7 are addressed with these activities. Students are studying the literary form of The

Great Gatsby, but each lesson plays with other literary forms, some non-print, as well as

develops student vocabulary and critical thinking through discussion. Most importantly, I have

students dabble in metacognitive activities when the AP test questions are discussed. In each

lesson students have to talk to me about why they chose what answers they chose. This causes

them to think about their own thinking process.

My unit includes lessons on thinking and communicating through writing, speaking, and

listening. I didn’t want to just assign students with a writing prompt every lesson and that be

that. I made sure to include discussion in every lesson, writing in every lesson and reading in

every lesson. Standard 4.1 required beginning teachers to use a broad range of pre-, during, and

post writing strategies to generate meaning and to clarify understanding. Discussion served as

pre-writing activity. Students would then use information from discussion during writing, and

revision strategies for post-writing. Standards 4.3, 4.7, and 4. 8 speak to the necessity for

Wilkinson 30

teachers to teach how to respond to film, video, graphics, audio, etc., how to use technology to

enhance learning, and how to promote the use of evidence and documentation. My unit

accomplishes all of these standards because I did pull from various multimedia texts, had

students use Mac Books to assist with their writing and research, and performed assessments on

the ability for students to use and cite sources in their academic writing.

Wilkinson 31

Standard 4: Planning, Implementing, & Evaluating

The pre-service teacher recognizes the importance of long-range planning and curriculum

development and develops, implements, and evaluates curriculum based upon relevant national,

district and state performance standards.

My unit shows that I did plan, implement, and evaluate curriculum in my lessons based

upon national, district, and state performance standards. I clearly outline which standards are

met in each lessons’ objectives, and I feel that the objectives I chose are the most important for

students about to take the AP test at the end of the year. The learning experiences created are

very appropriate for the curriculum goals for AP Junior Language Arts. My first lesson had

students compose an in-class essay, which is very similar to the environment they will compose

an essay in for the AP test. Every lesson taught in some respect how to read literature, some

nonfiction, and some non-print, analyzing these texts for language use using literary terms and

rhetorical devices they would be tested on in the AP exam. Effective instruction encourages

exploration and problem solving, building new skills from those previously. I did not just give

my students a list of terms and have them memorize them. I had them explore the terms on their

own, focusing on topics the students found interesting and using that topic to scrutinize the

language.

Along with addressing the curriculum, my unit evaluates plans relative to long and

short-term goals and adjusts them to meet students’ needs and to enhance learning. My

cooperating teacher wanted the students to read with an inquiry in mind, a question that they

would answer through exploring the text: How is The Great Gatsby relevant today? Many

lessons are built with wiggle room so that I could, and I did, alter the lesson to meet that goal if

was not meeting it.

Wilkinson 32

Standard 5: Multiple Instructional Strategies

The pre-service teacher uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student’s

development of critical thinking, problem solving and performance skills.

Because students have diverse learning styles, my lessons address various learning styles. I

address linguistic, interpersonal, logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, and visual learning

styles by including writing activities, discussion, graphic organizers and non-print media, music,

activities that chart patterns of development, and lessons that get students out of their chairs. In

many lessons I supplemented discussion with pieces of art or jazz music to involve learners of all

styles and methods. Students had access to technology for the lessons, using Mac Books to write

their in class essay and research their individual projects. I also utilized the smart screen and

document camera so some activities could be performed in class together.

Students were also engaged in active learning that promoted the development of critical

thinking, problem solving, and performance capabilities. Every lesson involved discussion

where students were asked questions, not told answers. The unit is designed to facilitate thinking

and learning in order to enhance the individual projects students were assigned by my

cooperating teacher. However, even without these individual projects, the lessons encourage

problem solving and independent thinking. Students have to read on their own critically in order

to be able to participate in class discussion. Students also have to solve the unit’s inquiry

question with each discussion, writing assignment, or other activity, solving the problem of

proving why the book is still relevant today. All of these embedded tasks in my unit serve to

engage students in active learning.

Wilkinson 33

Standard 8: Assessment of Student Learning

The pre-service teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to

evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social and physical development of the learner.

My unit employs a variety of formal and informal assessment techniques as suggested by

MoSTEP Standard 8. Because the unit is only a five class-period unit with only five lessons, I

struggled to cram various formative and summative assessment methods into each and every

lesson. I decided in the end to use the types of assessment that best suited the lesson, not to

worry how many I could fit that aren’t necessary for instruction. In my unit, the formative

assessment is always the same. I tracked daily how students improved in discussion: speaking

comfortably, contributing meaningfully, listening actively, etc. I also tracked the progress of

their writing, with the exception of the first lesson, which had a summative assessment. For each

writing task, I tracked student progress for control of language, control of structure and control

of subject matter. For their reading I checked daily if they had actively read their passages and

completed their AP test prep questions. I tracked the depth of their active reading for the entire

course of the unit. Summatively, they were scored for each lesson except the lesson on

characterization and the lesson on jazz music. As a pre and post test, the first lesson’s essay

serves as the overall summative assessment, as it most overtly deals with the unit’s umbrella

concept and inquiry.

Student formative assessments were not recording. However, I did conference with

students when lessons were over individually, informing them of where I thought they were

strong and where I thought they might improve. The pre and post test scores served an important

purpose. While some students failed to turn in a second, revised essay, those students who did

turn one in improved their scores either marginally or greatly. I think that this type of

assessment would have been better had both the pre-test essay and the post-test essay been

Wilkinson 34

allowed to be completed in class. Though my pre and post test scores did not seem hopeful or

indicative of much progress, students overall did improve their ability to read and analyze the

text after my unit ended. My cooperating teacher and I continued to used methods and

instructional strategies in my lesson plans to finish the unit after my five lessons were taught.

Their final assessment for the entire Great Gatsby unit was an in class essay not unlike my own,

and the students performed very well, with only a minimal amount scoring below a 70%. I do

feel that I had a positive effect on this AP Junior English Language Arts class. I feel that if

nothing else they have learned how to read an older text with their own, contemporary eyes,

using literary analysis to blend their time period and culture with that of the text. All summative

assessments were scored and entered into a database I kept for personal and professional records.

My cooperating teacher kept her own records of these assessments as well, for safe measure. I

used this database as well as student samples to communicate progress of knowledge and

responsibility to parents, students, and other colleagues.

Wilkinson 35

Student Pre-Test Post-Test Mandala Layer Cake

1 65% 56% 100% 100% 2 80% 96% 100% 100% 3 80% 68% 90% 100% 4 95% 100% 60% 100% 5 0% 80% 100% 100% 6 65% 100% 100% 90% 7 45% 52% 100% 90% 8 55% 40% 90% 80% 9 70% 60% 90% 80%

10 65% 84% 100% 90% 11 65% 84% 100% 80% 12 80% 100% 100% 100% 13 60% 80% 80% 100% 14 55% 52% 90% 100% 15 70% 88% 90% 100% 16 70% 96% 100% 100% 17 65% 56% 90% 100% 18 80% 100% 100% 100% 19 65% 68% 90% 100% 20 60% 60% 100% 100%

The chart above displays the scores from my pre- and post-test as well as the scores from

the other two assignments with summative assessments. The students’ names have been

removed from the database to keep their information confidential. As can be observed, thirteen

out of twenty students scored higher on their post test than on their pre test, six out of twenty

students’ scores digressed, and one student’s score remained the same. Because the initial test

was taken out of twenty points, and the post assessment was taken out of twenty-five points (I

added to the rubric the necessity for students to use and cite text evidence), if a student made no

changes to their essays, they actually scored less than the initial test. Students who improved

their score but not high enough to counteract the greater amount of points possible received the

Wilkinson 36

same score. Those students who not only scored enough out of twenty, but enough out of twenty

five to raise their overall percentage scored higher on their post test. Due to this data, I think that

perhaps I should not have added the extra grading criterion for the second test. Rather, I should

have included the necessity for text supports and citations on the first exam as well.

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