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Essential Question
What question will guide the project and learning?
Community Partners
What organizations and individuals will collaborate and enhance the learning experience?
Reflection
What opportunities are there for us to reflect on our academic and socio-emotional development?
Assessment
In what ways can we demonstrate what we have learned and how we have grown?
Exhibition
How and who will we celebrate our learning with?
Project Launch
What shared experiences will engage us in the content, skills, and mindsets of the project?
Core Content
What will we need to learn and practice in order to engage in the project?
Critique and Revision
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Product
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What question will guide the project and learning?

In what ways do the social and economic divisions depicted in The Great Gatsby reflect the challenges of achieving true equality, and how can we explore these themes through a community-based project?

    Design for Mastery Kit
    NEW
High School Grade  Project 4 weeks

"Gatsby's Glitz and Glam Adventure"

Meghan C
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.9
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.7
D2.His.7.9-12
Self Directed Learning
Academic Mindset
+ 1 more
1-pager

Purpose

This learning experience aims to deepen students' understanding of social and economic divisions through the lens of "The Great Gatsby" while fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. By engaging with community partners and exploring real-world inequalities, students will connect literary themes to contemporary issues, enhancing their sense of identity and belonging. Through collaborative projects and reflective storytelling, students will develop self-directed learning competencies and present actionable community solutions, culminating in a dynamic exhibition that showcases their insights and proposals. Throughout the project, students will engage in self-assessment moments, allowing them to reflect on their learning progress and adjust their approaches as needed.

Learning goals

Students will analyze and compare the themes of social and economic divisions in The Great Gatsby with contemporary issues in their community, enhancing their understanding of historical and modern inequalities. They will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills by creating actionable community proposals, supported by research and collaboration with local organizations. Through self-directed learning and reflection, students will build self-knowledge and academic mindset, fostering a sense of identity and belonging while engaging in meaningful community-based projects. Students will engage in regular self-assessment moments to evaluate their progress and adapt their learning strategies, ensuring a personalized and reflective learning journey.
Standards
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.9 - Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.7 - Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment (e.g., Auden's "Musée des Beaux Arts" and Breughel's Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).
  • [National Council for the Social Studies] D2.His.7.9-12 - Explain how the perspectives of people in the present shape interpretations of the past.
Competencies
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.

Products

Students will create multimedia presentations comparing social and economic divisions in The Great Gatsby to those in their own community, integrating interviews with local leaders and community members as evidence. They will develop a community action plan addressing a specific social inequality, supported by research and data, with moments for self-assessment throughout the process. Additionally, students will compile a digital storytelling project featuring images, quotes, and personal reflections, highlighting connections between the novel's themes and their community experiences. These products will be showcased during the 'Gatsby Gala' through interactive booths and live presentations.

Launch

Begin the project with a 'Community Connections Workshop,' where students engage with local community leaders and service organizations to discuss modern social inequalities. Facilitate interactive discussions that draw parallels between the themes in The Great Gatsby and current community challenges. Incorporate self-assessment moments where students reflect on their understanding of the novel's themes and their relevance to their own community experiences, fostering a deeper connection to their sense of place and identity.

Exhibition

Students will host a 'Gatsby Gala' where they present their community action plans through interactive booths. Each booth will feature visual aids, digital storytelling projects, and live presentations that connect The Great Gatsby's themes to modern social inequalities. Community members and partners will be invited to engage with students' proposals, offering feedback and fostering dialogue on the challenges and solutions presented. Throughout the event, students will conduct self-assessments, reflecting on their presentations and the feedback received to identify areas for personal growth and future improvement.
Learning Journey
Project Activities
Days 1 - 20
Milestone Activities
No activities have been added to this phase yet.

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Plan
Week 1
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Phase
Project Activities
Activities
Project Launch: Community Connections Workshop
Activity
Introduction to The Great Gatsby
Activity
Essential Question Exploration
Activity
Analyzing Themes
Activity
Community Interview Planning
Activity
Comparative Analysis: Artistic Mediums
Activity
Group Ideation Session
Activity
Reflective Journaling
Activity
Planning and Research
Activity
Preparation
Week 2
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Phase
Project Activities
Activities
Exploring Historical Context
Activity
Group Discussion: Modern Inequalities
Activity
Thematic Deep Dive: Class and Wealth
Activity
Community Interview Preparation
Activity
Comparative Text Analysis
Activity
Drafting Interview Reports
Activity
Critique and Feedback Session
Activity
Refining Community Action Plans
Activity
Digital Storytelling Workshop
Activity
Presentation Skills Development
Activity
Preparation
Week 3
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
Day 14
Day 15
Phase
Project Activities
Activities
Refined Action Plan Development
Activity
Digital Storytelling Workshop
Activity
Data Collection and Analysis
Activity
Peer Feedback Session
Activity
Interview Insights Integration
Activity
Preparation for Presentation
Activity
Visual Aid Creation
Activity
Rehearsal and Revision
Activity
Final Presentation Preparation
Activity
Reflective Journaling
Activity
Preparation
Week 4
Day 16
Day 17
Day 18
Day 19
Day 20
Phase
Project Activities
Activities
Final Presentation Rehearsal
Activity
Digital Storytelling Review
Activity
Gatsby Gala Setup
Activity
Self-Reflection and Feedback
Activity
Gatsby Gala Exhibition
Activity
Post-Gala Reflection
Activity
Community Partner Feedback Session
Activity
Project Debrief and Celebration
Activity
Future Action Planning
Activity
Preparation
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