Transcript
Page 1: Questin g  With Gatsby

Questing With Gatsby

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Why The Great Gatsby?

The obvious reason is that I love the book. It’s also taught in high schools across this glorious Nation of ours.

But more seriously, The Great Gatsby’s themes are still relevant today.

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Relevant Themes In Our Culture? Do Say!

•Excessive Materialism•Class Consciousness•The American Dream•Inequality

All of these are discussed often within our pop culture.

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So Themes…Who Cares?

Every teacher needs an “in” to a novel, I’ve always felt most comfortable with themes.

Studying relevant themes in Gatsby allows students to:

•Apply analytical skills to a text.•Use those same abilities to find the themes in their environment.•Combine the two to think critically about their culture.

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Behold The Structure!

The project is divided into three segments1. Classroom guided analysis of the novel2. Semi-guided WebQuest across different

mediums3. A final poster project, set to bring it together.

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Why WebQuest With The Gatsby?

The benefits of taking Jay Gatsby and his Frown Onto The WebQuest:

1. Allows the students to explore with a net.2. Exploring the themes in different mediums

can create more engrossing and relevant experiences.

3. It brings a dynamism to the project.

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With A Click You Can Go From Kanye…

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To The Most Interesting Man in the World

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Yet The Teacher Is Guiding

It provides a more interesting manner for kids to investigate the themes, with my help.

The more students relate to ideas, the more they can internalize it.

Thus: music videos, TV ads, and more.

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Lessons Learned: Vulgarity R Us

Trying to discern what is appropriate for teenage eyes is difficult.

Every advertisement had half-naked women, every music video I tried was…salty.

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Lessons Learned: Rubrics Are The Devil’s Tool

There is a difficulty in making a rubric.Finding the precise language for standards.Discerning the different grades.Only more fun than: failing this assignment.

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Lessons Learned: Silence of the Vacuum

Hard to assess the effectiveness of the assignment

No classroom laboratory to try the experimentTeaching is hugely experiential, and I have no

basis.

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The Future: WebQuests and Me

WebQuests are a useful instructional tool.They provide a useful means for carrying text-

based discussion into the digital world.I intend to use them, but not before several

things.

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The Future: Mastering the Quest!

First: Getting the confidence to implement such an activity.

Secondly: An organic combination of novel and activity, where it makes sense.

Finally: A refinement of the quest itself, making sure its “safe” for my students.

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The End


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