Learning Outcomes

The Great Gatsby Unit 

Grade/ Subject: 11th Grade English/ American Literature

I developed these learning objectives for my 11th grade English class.  The objectives in red have test items that correlate with them.  Look below for those items. 

• Given a list, students will identify characters and traits at at least 90% accuracy.
• After reading the novel, students will interpret and justify basic character motives of five characters.
•  After watching and reading a biography of the author, students can compare life of the author to major characters in the story upon request.
• After practice and with a list, students will use vocabulary from the story with 90% accuracy.
• After studying and learning about the Jazz Era, students can differentiate the society of the 1920’s from now with no more than one inaccurate answer. 
• After learning and discussing, students can explain how the American Dream theory pertains to aspects of The Great Gatsby when asked.
• When given a list of symbols used in the story, students can derive and discuss meaning of symbols from the story with 90% accuracy
• After reading the novel, students can recall major events from the story with 95% accuracy.
•    After reading the novel, students can discuss and analyze relationships amongst characters with 90% accuracy.
• After reading the novel, students can construct meaning of overall piece upon request.
• Given a specific element, Students can criticize and 90% accuracy.
• Without a list, Students can break- down the components of a flawed-narrator at 95% accuracy.
• Given a specific element, Students can discuss themes in the story with 90% accuracy.

 

Given a list, students will identify characters and traits at at least 90% accuracy

Matching

The Great Gatsby: Characters

Directions: Column A lists descriptions of the characters mentioned in The Great Gatsby and Column B character names.  Match the character with the correct description by placing the appropriate letter in the space to the left of the number in Column A. Each name may be used only once but not all characters will be used.

                                Column A                                                                           

_____ 1. Narrator of The Great Gatsby who previously resided in the Midwest.  
_____ 2. Professional golfer and notorious cheater.  
_____ 3. Mechanic and ill-treated by others.
_____ 4. Adulteress and car-accident fatality
_____ 5. Prohibition bootlegger who was infamous for fixing the 1919 World Series.
_____ 6. Protagonist and a main character who is disillusioned by the power of money

         

   Column B

      a.      Daisy Buchannan
      b.     GeorgeWilson                                                                                                                                      c.       Jay Gatsby
      d.      Jordan Baker
      e.      Meyer Wolfsheim
      f.        Myrtle Wilson
      g.      Nick Carraway
      h.     Tom Buchannan

 

After learning and discussing, students can explain how the American Dream theory pertains to aspects of The Great Gatsby when asked.

Essentially the American Dream is an idea which suggests that all people can succeed through hard work, and that all people have the potential to live happy, successful lives. Jay Gatsby tried unsuccessfully to achieve the idea of the American Dream.  Provide at least three examples from the novel The Great Gatsby that illustrate Jay Gatsby’s pursuit of the American Dream.  Then explain clearly what you think caused Gatsby to never truly succeed in this dream.  Your essay must include an introduction and conclusion, three illustrations of Jay Gatsby’s pursuit of the American Dream, and your explanation of Gatsby’s failure of the American Dream.  Spelling, mechanics, and proper grammar will also be evaluated.   

After reading the novel, students can recall major events from the story with 95% accuracy.

The Great Gatsby Events

True or False

Directions:  The following are statements about the events that take place in the novel The Great Gatsby.  Some are true and some are false.  Indicate whether the statement is true or false by circling the T for true and the F for false.

T / F   1. Nick Carraway moved to East Egg to work in the bond business.

T / F   2. Tom Buchannan took Jay Gatsby to New York to meet Myrtle Wilson and have a party.

T / F   3. Nick Carraway hits Myrtle Wilson at the party for making fun of Daisy.

T / F   4. While Nick and Jordan were talking in the library, they met “Owl Eyes”.

T / F   5.  Myrtle and George Wilson move out West after the death of Jay Gatsby.