Experiential Education and The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
(This image comes from here.)
Scrapbook Project
While attending the International Reading Conference this year, which was held in Atlanta, GA, I had the pleasure of sitting in on a lecture about Arts-Infused Experiential Learning. This lecture was presented by Ms. Barbara Elias (please contact me if you'd like her direct email address for more information about this project), and she spoke specifically about a scrapbook project that she designed for her students.
Ms. Elias has used the scrapbook project in conjunction with teaching many different novels, but spoke specifically about teaching it with To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, and The Great Gatsby.
The scrapbook project is basically a scrapbook (like one you'd make to chronicle your own years in high school), that includes written elements, as well as photographs and mementos, all from the point of view of one character. Teachers should think about placing students in groups for this project as it can be very extensive. This project should be introduced one to two weeks after reading has begun, which will help to keep students motivated to continue reading the novel.
There are two elements to this project. The first element is the writing. Students will be asked to create different pieces of writing for their scrapbook, which will help to represent different elements of their character. Some of these elements might include a monologue, a journal entry, and a movie review that the character saw. This is similar to the Multi-Genre Project that is discussed by Tom Romano in his book, Writing with Passion. The second element of the project is that of artistry. Students will be required to show their thought of symbolism through color, pattern, imagery, and layout in their page design. The teacher should show aspects of photography in order to help students capture the truth of their character/s in their photographs. Students should understand framing techniques of subjects, and symbolism in photographic images. Teachers may wish to explore different photographers websites, or museums with their students. I thought this museum Web site had some useful pictures worth discussing with students: . It might also be helpful for students to explore Flickr and see what photographers are doing.
From the discussion by Ms. Elias, this truly seems like a worthwhile project for any English classroom. It brought home the significance of different literary elements for students in a tangible way by allowing them to be creative, and by allowing them to step into the shoes of a character.
Secret Society
When I found this lesson, I was reminded of similar lessons that I've heard about where teachers will set up their classrooms to show division. For example, some teachers will introduce the idea of racism from such books as Night by Elie Wiesel, or Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, by creating different circumstances for some students versus others within their classroom. You could do this to introduce the societies of the East Egg and West Egg by dividing students up into two groups, but don't tell them what you're doing. Have students sit on different sides of the room, then allow those sitting in the "East Egg" to have more privilages (by providing snacks, fancy pens and pencils, chilled water or soda, extra bathroom passes, etc.) than those in the West Egg. This will get students thinking about differences between class, and would be a good introduction to the following lesson. (I've also seen this lesson done in history classes for lessons on the caste system.)
Students will be able to relate to this project because they've all felt excluded from a group, or they've been part of a group that has excluded others. This lesson (click here) asks students to analyze the societies of the West Egg versus the East Egg, based on this quote that references Daisy as she looks at Nick, she "looked at [him] with an absolute smirk on her lovely face as if she had asserted her membership in a rather distinguished secret society to which she and Tom belonged" (p. 22 in the Scribners paperback edition).
Students are asked to reflect on the class struggles of the roaring 20's, and to use help from the novel to create a "credo" for the "secret society" that is implied in The Great Gatsby. Students will focus on the first two chapters of the novel in order to create their credo, but they will also review original letters that F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote, one with a quote that also brings up this idea of class struggles, "That was always my experience—a poor boy in a rich town; a poor boy in a rich boy's school; a poor boy in a rich man's club at Princeton.... However, I have never been able to forgive the rich for being rich, and it has colored my entire life and works" (quoted here).
On the Edsitement website teachers will find all the handouts that they'll need to engage students in this lesson. It is important that teachers take the time to allow students to reflect on their own ideas and problems with class struggles, so that students can build their critical thinking skills based on their own experiences. For handouts and further instructions please see this lesson.
Great Gatsby Dinner Party
As a closing exercise, which can follow any of the above mentioned activities, have students bring the characters that they studied to life by allowing them to host a Gatsby themed dinner party. Students will have to rely on their knowledge of society during the time of the 20's, their knowledge of the actual dinner party that's hosted in the novel, and their knowledge of characters.
This activity is similar to the To Kill a Mockingbird Tea Party (see TKaM page), but you can adapt it to reflect the time period of Fitzgerald's novel. Have students plan a dinner party menu, which they'll be able to provide. Have students brainstorm ideas for the music that will be playing in the background of the party, and see if you can provide that music. Have students volunteer to come in character, while reminding them to act as their social class demands of them. See what your students come up with! (See my RESOURCES page to adapt the TKaM Tea Party handout.)
Literary Newspaper
This idea came from The Library of Congress (click here), and includes a treasure trove of resources for teachers who would like students to learn about the context of the time period in which Fitzgerald's novel was written.
Students are asked to use primary sources to interpret life in the roaring 20's. Students are then asked to focus on one aspect of society, choosing one of the following: News, Sports, Advertisements, Lifestyle, Entertainment, Editorials, Obituaries, or Business. Students will get a lot of practice researching, especially thanks to the links that this website provides. Students will also use their critical thinking skills as they interpret all that they've researched for a final Literary Newspaper, which will be published.
All handouts and instructions, including sample newspapers, for this project are available here.
