The Great Gatsby- Trial of the CenturyAmanda KissmanEstimated timeline for teaching: fifteen 50-minute lessons

Unit Description:This unit will begin after reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The unit will revolve around gaining a deeper understanding of the text by using evidence from the text about events, settings, and characters to determine why Myrtle was murdered in the novel and who was responsible for the murder. Students will create two newspaper articles (one before the trial and one after the trial). Lessons will be given on proper newspaper article format and students will apply the writing process to complete these articles. Students will also participate in mock trial regarding the murder of Myrtle. In order to authenticate this trial, students will learn about the U.S. judicial system. As the murder of Myrtle will be treated as the trial of the century, students will create memorabilia such as board games, action figures, etc. and create directions or descriptions of this memorabilia keeping in mind a specific audience and purpose.

Theory to Practice:The major writing assignment for this unit will be the two newspaper articles. The theory behind these articles is to introduce the students to a new genre of writing. With this genre students will have to adapt their writing to attend to a specific purpose and audience. These articles will include quotes from characters in the book, which will require an understanding the text itself as well as an understanding of their own interpretations of the text, and characters alike. Also, as students will participate in pre-writing, drafting, peer reviews and editing sessions, they will practice using the writing process.

Student Objectives: To deeper their understanding of the text The Great Gatsby To learn the proper format of a newspaper article To adapt language and format of writing to cater to a specific purpose and audience To understand the basics of the U.S. judicial system in order to participate in an authentic

mock trial.

Michigan Content Expectations:

CE 1.1.3 Select and use language that is appropriate (e.g., formal, informal, literary, or technical) for the purpose, audience, and context of the text, speech, or visual representation (e.g., letter to editor, proposal, poem, or digital story).

CE 1.1.4 Compose drafts that convey an impression, express an opinion, raise a question, argue a position, explore a topic, tell a story, or serve another purpose, while simultaneously considering the constraints and possibilities (e.g., structure, language, use of conventions of grammar, usage, and mechanics) of the selected form or genre.

CE 1.1.5 Revise drafts to more fully and/or precisely convey meaning—drawing on response from others, self-reflection, and reading one’s own work with the eye of a reader; then refine the text— deleting and/or reorganizing ideas, and addressing potential readers’ questions.

CE 1.1.7 Edit for style, tone, and word choice (specificity, variety, accuracy, appropriateness, conciseness) and for conventions of grammar, usage and mechanics that are appropriate for audience.

CE 1.3.1 Compose written, spoken, and/or multimedia compositions in a range of genres (e.g., personal narrative, biography, poem, fiction, drama, creative nonfiction, summary, literary analysis essay, research

report, or work-related text): pieces that serve a variety of purposes (e.g., expressive, informative, creative, and persuasive) and that use a variety of organizational patterns (e.g., autobiography, free verse, dialogue, comparison/contrast, definition, or cause and effect).

CE 1.3.6 Use speaking, writing, and visual presentations to appeal to audiences of different social, economic, and cultural backgrounds and experiences (e.g., include explanations and definitions according to the audience’s background, age, or knowledge of the topic; adjust formality of style; consider interests of potential readers).

CE 1.3.7 Participate collaboratively and productively in groups (e.g., response groups, work teams, discussion groups, and committees)—fulfilling roles and responsibilities, posing relevant questions, giving and following instructions, acknowledging and building on ideas and contributions of others to answer questions or to solve problems, and offering dissent courteously.

CE 1.3.8 Evaluate own and others’ effectiveness in group discussions and formal presentations (e.g., considering accuracy, relevance, clarity, and delivery; types of arguments used; and relationships among purpose, audience, and content).

CE 1.3.9 Use the formal, stylistic, content, and mechanical conventions of a variety of genres in speaking, writing, and multimedia presentations.

CE 1.4.4 Interpret, synthesize, and evaluate information/findings in various print sources and media (e.g., fact and opinion, comprehensiveness of the evidence, bias, varied perspectives, motives and credibility of the author, date of publication) to draw conclusions and implications.

CE 1.4.7 Recognize the role of research, including student research, as a contribution to collective knowledge, selecting an appropriate method or genre through which research findings will be shared and evaluated, keeping in mind the needs of the prospective audience. (e.g., presentations, online sharing, written products such as a research report, a research brief, a multi-genre report, I-Search, literary analysis, news article)

CE 1.5.1 Use writing, speaking, and visual expression to develop powerful, creative and critical messages. CE 1.5.2 Prepare spoken and multimedia presentations that effectively address audiences by careful use of

voice, pacing, gestures, eye contact, visual aids, audio and video technology. CE 1.5.3 Select format and tone based on the desired effect and audience, using effective written and spoken

language, sound, and/or visual representations (e.g., focus, transitions, facts, detail and evidence to support judgments, skillful use of rhetorical devices, and a coherent conclusion)

CE 1.5.5 Respond to and use feedback to strengthen written and multimedia presentations (e.g., clarify and defend ideas, expand on a topic, use logical arguments, modify organization, evaluate effectiveness of images, set goals for future presentations).

CE 2.1.4 Identify and evaluate the primary focus, logical argument, structure, and style of a text or speech and the ways in which these elements support or confound meaning or purpose.

CE 2.1.6Recognize the defining characteristics of informational texts, speeches, and multimedia presentations (e.g., documentaries and research presentations) and elements of expository texts (e.g., thesis, supporting ideas, and statistical evidence); critically examine the argumentation and conclusions of multiple informational texts.

CE 3.1.2 Demonstrate an understanding of literary characterization, character development, the function of major and minor characters, motives and causes for action, and moral dilemmas that characters encounter by describing their function in specific works.

CE 3.1.7 Analyze and evaluate the portrayal of various groups, societies, and cultures in literature and other texts.

CE 3.1.9 Analyze how the tensions among characters, communities, themes, and issues in literature and other texts reflect human experience

CE 3.2.4 Respond by participating actively and appropriately in small and large group discussions about literature (e.g., posing questions, listening to others, contributing ideas, reflecting on and revising initial responses)

CE 3.4.4 Understand how the commercial and political purposes of producers and publishers influence not only the nature of advertisements and the selection of media content, but the slant of news articles in newspapers, magazines, and the visual media.

CE 4.2.4 Understand the appropriate uses and implications of casual or informal versus professional language; understand, as well, the implications of language designed to control others and the detrimental effects of its use on targeted individuals or groups (e.g., propaganda, homophobic language, and racial, ethnic, or gender epithets)

Resources: Computers Newspapers Peer Review sheets The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Various U.S. Judicial System Readings

Teacher Preparation: Teacher must make enough copies for each student to have 2 Peer Review Handouts per

Newspaper Article (4 Peer Review Handouts in total). Teacher must gather Newspapers in order for students to be able to use as a reference for

format when writing their own Newspaper Article Teacher will have to rent out laptops or a computer lab at least 3 days throughout the 3

weeks. Teacher will have to grade the first Newspaper Articles before grammar mini lesson in

order to teach students to correct common grammatical mistakes made throughout their first Newspaper Articles.

Teachers will make sure that students are given rubrics BEFORE they begin writing any assignment so they will know what they are being graded on.

In order to have a jury for the trial assignment, teacher will have to enlist other teachers/volunteers from outside the class.

Lesson Plan #1

Lesson: Writing a Newspaper Article.

Content Expectations Met: CE 1.1.3 Select and use language that is appropriate (e.g., formal, informal, literary, or

technical) for the purpose, audience, and context of the text, speech, or visual representation (e.g., letter to editor, proposal, poem, or digital story).

CE 1.1.4 Compose drafts that convey an impression, express an opinion, raise a question, argue a position, explore a topic, tell a story, or serve another purpose, while simultaneously considering the constraints and possibilities (e.g., structure, language, use of conventions of grammar, usage, and mechanics) of the selected form or genre.

CE 1.4.4 Interpret, synthesize, and evaluate information/findings in various print sources and media (e.g., fact and opinion, comprehensiveness of the evidence, bias, varied perspectives, motives and credibility of the author, date of publication) to draw conclusions and implications.

CE 1.4.7 Recognize the role of research, including student research, as a contribution to collective knowledge, selecting an appropriate method or genre through which research findings will be shared and evaluated, keeping in mind the needs of the prospective audience. (e.g., presentations, online sharing, written products such as a research report, a research brief, a multi-genre report, I-Search, literary analysis, news article)

CE 3.2.4 Respond by participating actively and appropriately in small and large group discussions about literature (e.g., posing questions, listening to others, contributing ideas, reflecting on and revising initial responses).

Objectives: Students will Explore the writing genre that is Newspaper articles Learn the proper format of an informational Newspaper article Apply their ability to write for a specific purpose and audience by writing an informational

Newspaper Article.

Materials Needed: A variety of newspapers or newspaper articles to reference Computers Pen and paper for note-taking What Did You Notice? Worksheet (1 copy per group of 4 students)

Warm-up Activity: (Total time: 15 minutes) Students will get into groups of 4 and read over newspaper articles. They will discuss what they notice within these articles (quotes, facts, statistics, etc.)

Goal of Warm-up: The goal of this warm-up is for students to try and pick out what makes a newspaper article informational, easy to read (pyramid format), different from other forms of writing.

Activity #1: (total time: 20 minutes) After each group discusses and records their findings, we will come together as a class and share what each group discovered. The teacher will then go over common themes and elements of informational newspaper articles such as the pyramid format, length of introductions and conclusions, eye-catching titles, use of interview/dialogue/quotes, inclusion of picture.

Activity #2: (this activity will take up the rest of class time) After understanding Newspaper article format, students will receive an assignment sheet with their first writing assignment of the unit. The assignment will ask them to go through their copy of The Great Gatsby and write a story

that would intrigue audience members in taking a further interest in the upcoming trial regarding Myrtle’s death. During this lesson, students will simply brainstorm and begin gathering information/evidence from the text to make their article credible. (Refer to Newspaper Article #1 assignment sheet for more information).

Homework: Students will write the first draft of their newspaper article, which will be due the next time class meets. (Refer to Newspaper Article #1 assignment sheet for more information)

Lesson Plan #2

Lesson: The U.S. Judicial System

Content Expectations Met: CE 1.4.4 Interpret, synthesize, and evaluate information/findings in various print sources

and media (e.g., fact and opinion, comprehensiveness of the evidence, bias, varied perspectives, motives and credibility of the author, date of publication) to draw conclusions and implications.

CE 3.2.4 Respond by participating actively and appropriately in small and large group discussions about literature (e.g., posing questions, listening to others, contributing ideas, reflecting on and revising initial responses).

Objectives: Students will

Understand how the U.S. Judicial System operates through readings and research Discuss their findings with the rest of the class Begin brainstorming about what roles they will play in our Mock Trial

Materials Needed: Computers for research:

o http://www.16thcircuit.org/Depts/JRY/jury_trials.asp?dept=jry o http://www.cookcountycourt.org/about/trial.html o http://www.nmcourt.fed.us/web/DCDOCS/Judges/Files/

catrialprepcrimrev802.pdf Pen and paper for note taking and reflection Guided Research handout (1 copy for each student).

Warm-up Activity: (Total time: 5 minutes) Students will write to the prompt “What do you know about the U.S. Judicial System? How do trials work? Who is the most important person in a trial?

Goal of Warm-up: The goal if this warm-up is to assess student’s previous knowledge of the judicial system and the process of a jury trial.

Activity #1: (total time: 30 minutes) Students will use the computer to research about how jury trials work. They will be provided with a few sources but they should also explore even more sources. They will be given a handout to guide their research.

Activity #2: (total time: 15 minutes) As a class, we will go over the handout and address any further questions regarding how a jury trial works.

Homework: Students will be asked to start thinking about what roles they would like to play in the trial. These roles will range from actual characters from the text as well as roles within the courtroom (i.e attorneys, plaintiff, clerk, legal team, etc.).

Lesson Plan #3

Lesson: Roles/sides for Mock Trial

Content Expectations Met: CE 1.3.7 Participate collaboratively and productively in groups (e.g., response groups, work

teams, discussion groups, and committees)—fulfilling roles and responsibilities, posing relevant questions, giving and following instructions, acknowledging and building on ideas and contributions of others to answer questions or to solve problems, and offering dissent courteously.

CE 1.3.8 Evaluate own and others’ effectiveness in group discussions and formal presentations (e.g., considering accuracy, relevance, clarity, and delivery; types of arguments used; and relationships among purpose, audience, and content).

CE 1.4.7 Recognize the role of research, including student research, as a contribution to collective knowledge, selecting an appropriate method or genre through which research findings will be shared and evaluated, keeping in mind the needs of the prospective audience. (e.g., presentations, online sharing, written products such as a research report, a research brief, a multi-genre report, I-Search, literary analysis, news article)

CE 1.5.1 Use writing, speaking, and visual expression to develop powerful, creative and critical messages.

CE 1.5.2 Prepare spoken and multimedia presentations that effectively address audiences by careful use of voice, pacing, gestures, eye contact, visual aids, audio and video technology.

CE 1.5.3 Select format and tone based on the desired effect and audience, using effective written and spoken language, sound, and/or visual representations (e.g., focus, transitions, facts, detail and evidence to support judgments, skillful use of rhetorical devices, and a coherent conclusion)

CE 3.1.2 Demonstrate an understanding of literary characterization, character development, the function of major and minor characters, motives and causes for action, and moral dilemmas that characters encounter by describing their function in specific works.

CE 3.1.7 Analyze and evaluate the portrayal of various groups, societies, and cultures in literature and other texts.

CE 3.1.9 Analyze how the tensions among characters, communities, themes, and issues in literature and other texts reflect human experience

CE 3.2.4 Respond by participating actively and appropriately in small and large group discussions about literature (e.g., posing questions, listening to others, contributing ideas, reflecting on and revising initial responses)

Objectives: Students will Be assigned their roles for the upcoming trial Begin brainstorming with their group arguments for the trial specific to their client Draw evidence from the text that will strengthen their argument

o Focus on characters, settings, cultures, and themes present in the book Begin drafting their opening and closing argument for the actual trial

Materials Needed: Copies of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (one copy per student) A list of all the roles students must fill from each side (including characters from the book) Paper and pen for note taking.

Warm-up Activity: (Total time: 5 minutes) Students will be assigned to one of two sides: the prosecution or the defense. In this trial, the prosecution will blame Gatsby for the murder of Myrtle while the Defense will argue that Gatsby is innocent. Students will assign themselves by taking an anonymous vote regarding whom they want to fight for. To avoid students picking sides based on what their friends choose, the teacher may have to make some alterations.

Goal of Warm-up: The goal of this warm-up is to get students to start thinking about their thoughts on this murder in the novel. They should begin to think about possible arguments from the book that would favor their client.

Activity #1: (total time: 15 minutes) Once students are in their group, they will have to power to decide who will play what role. For example, maybe someone in the group who is more comfortable speaking in public will play the lawyer. Also, students in each group should decide which of them will play characters from the novel. For example, on the Prosecution side, students will have to take the character roles of Daisy Buchanan, Tom Buchanan, George Wilson etc. From the defense side, students will fill the character roles of Nick Caraway, Jay Gatsby, etc.

Activity #2: (total time: this will take the rest of class) Students will work in their groups to rescan the novel for bits of evidence that they can use in their argument. They should begin drafting what their opening and closing statements will be as well as how they will alter their language for a specific audience (the jury and the judge).

Homework: Students will assign themselves homework based on the progress they have made during this particular class period.

Lesson Plan #4

Lesson: Mock Trial (will take two full class periods)

Content Expectations Met: CE 1.5.3 Select format and tone based on the desired effect and audience, using effective

written and spoken language, sound, and/or visual representations (e.g., focus, transitions, facts, detail and evidence to support judgments, skillful use of rhetorical devices, and a coherent conclusion)

CE 3.1.2 Demonstrate an understanding of literary characterization, character development, the function of major and minor characters, motives and causes for action, and moral dilemmas that characters encounter by describing their function in specific works.

CE 3.1.7 Analyze and evaluate the portrayal of various groups, societies, and cultures in literature and other texts.

CE 3.1.9 Analyze how the tensions among characters, communities, themes, and issues in literature and other texts reflect human experience

CE 3.2.4 Respond by participating actively and appropriately in small and large group discussions about literature (e.g., posing questions, listening to others, contributing ideas, reflecting on and revising initial responses)

Objectives: Students will Perform a Mock Trial regarding the murder of Myrtle Wilson in the novel The Great Gatsby. They will draw evidence from the book to support their claims Alter responses based on the opposing side’s arguments Demonstrate a strong understanding of the novel’s characters, settings, and themes

Materials Needed: Students personal notes for trial Props to change the setting of the classroom to look like a court room

Warm-up Activity: (Total time: 10 minutes) Students will have the first 10 minutes of class to gather themselves and their thoughts.

Goal of Warm-up: The goal of this warm-up is to simply help students feel a bit more relaxed as the rest of the class period will essentially be a performance from all students.

Activity #1: (total time: this will take the rest of the class period) Students will take turns presenting their sides and arguments to a jury made up of other teachers, employees of the school or volunteer visitors. The class period will play out like an actual trial with each side presenting their opening statements and calling various characters to the stand. The judge (the teacher) will have to right to pound the gavel if students begin to deliver evidence that is not coherent with the actual novel.

Lesson Plan #5

Lesson: Common Grammar Mistakes

Content Expectations Met: CE 1.1.4 Compose drafts that convey an impression, express an opinion, raise a question,

argue a position, explore a topic, tell a story, or serve another purpose, while simultaneously considering the constraints and possibilities (e.g., structure, language, use of conventions of grammar, usage, and mechanics) of the selected form or genre.

CE 1.1.5 Revise drafts to more fully and/or precisely convey meaning—drawing on response from others, self-reflection, and reading one’s own work with the eye of a reader; then refine the text— deleting and/or reorganizing ideas, and addressing potential readers’ questions.

Objectives: Students will Understand how to fix common grammar mistakes found on their first Newspaper article

submission Re-read their first Newspaper article submission and apply improvements in grammar

learned through this lesson

Materials Needed: Each student will need their first Newspaper article returned to them with any grammar

mistakes marked by the teacher. Pen and paper for note taking A handout with common mistakes made amongst the majority of newspaper articles turned

in.

Warm-up Activity: (Total time: 5 minutes) Students will look over their first Newspaper article and make note of any grammar mistakes they had made in their final draft.

Goal of Warm-up: The goal of this warm-up is to give students a chance to see their mistakes in conventions before delivering a lesson to them about how to fix these mistakes.

Activity #1: (total time: 30 minutes) As a class, we will go through common mistakes (drawn from random student’s papers anonymously) so that students will be able to improve their grammar through the context of their own writing. As a class we will all work through different ways in which sentences and the grammar in sentences could be improved.

Activity #2: (total time: the rest of the class period) Students will edit their individual work, applying any fixes learned in class as well as ones not mentioned.

Homework: Students will revise their first Newspaper article to be turned in for grading the next time the class meets. A). Major Writing Assignment Sheet.

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Congratulations! Your editor has selected you to write the front-page story regarding the recent death of local woman, Myrtle Wilson. There is speculation as to whether her death was accidental or on purpose. Your editor wants you to write an engaging article that will get people interested in the upcoming trial—“The more people we keep interested, the more newspapers we sell!” your boss says.

Your boss has the upmost confidence that you will write an incredible article but just in case, you are reminded of a few guidelines to follow while writing:

Stick to the facts! If you can’t back it up (with evidence from the novel) don’t write it. This is not a gossip column!

Include the who, what, where, when, and how! Readers need to be informed! Get quotes from people if you can! It makes the story more connectible for

readers. This article must be free of errors! Our credibility decreases with every

missed comma! Keep it to the point! The story shouldn’t stretch beyond a page.

Deadlines are crucial! The paper will go to print on: (due date of assignment)________________.

Include a Headline, at least one picture with a valid caption, and bylines (if necessary).

Avoid a simple retelling of the events in the novel. Instead, try to include interviews from characters in the novel, arguments from both sides of the case,

background stories of characters that will be in the upcoming trial, etc.

B). Pre-reading/during-reading/after-reading Writings:

Students will be asked to complete and KWL while researching the U.S. Judicial System. For the “K” portion (know), students will answer these following questions before research:

What do you know about the U.S. Judicial System? How do trials work? Who is the most important person in a trial?

While conducting research, students will take notes as well as write questions to their notes to encourage even further research. For example if they note that there are two sides to a criminal trial case- prosecution and defense- they might then write the question “What does each side mean?” By asking themselves these questions, they will complete the “W” (what do they Want to know). Finally, upon completion of research, we will as a class discuss what was learned about the U.S. judicial system.

C). Pre-Writing Activity:

As mentioned in Lesson Plan #1, activity #2, students will begin brainstorming for their Newspaper Article writing assignment. Students will be asked to simply jot down ideas of what they could possibly write about as well as in text citations from the novel that could strengthen their article’s creditability. Rather than give students a handout to fill out, they will simply take notes that make sense to them. Whether this be full sentences and paragraphs or simply bulleted notes is entirely for them to decide.

D). Discussion Activity/Prompt:

There will be several discussion activities and prompts throughout this unit. The very first day of the unit will begin with a class wide discussion about the novel The Great Gatsby. The teacher and students will take turns leading this discussion with a special focus on the characters in the book. This will be an excellent warm-up discussion for the upcoming trial, as most of the evidence and claims will be based around characters in the novel. Some questions to consider might be:

How trustworthy are the characters in the novel? Do any seem more trustworthy than others? How do you know whom you can trust as the reader?

Why is Jay Gatsby so secretive? What kind of relationship do Daisy and Tom Buchanan have? What kind of relationship to Myrtle and George Wilson Have? Who are the people that attend Gatsby’s lavish parties?

E). Peer Review

The following Peer Review handout will be used for the Newspaper Article writing assignment.

Peer Review Handout*Please bring 2 copies of your newspaper article draft to class

Instructions: In groups of 3, each person take turns reading each other’s newspaper article silently. Read through the article once without making corrections or filling out the Peer Review handout. Read through the article a second time and mark any comments (improvements AND positive comments) and also fill out the Peer Review handout with thoughtful insight. Once done, rotate articles. Each member should fill out and receive 2 different Peer Review handouts at the end of the activity. Be careful to manage your time to ensure equal thought and feedback to each group member. (Use the back of this handout if necessary).

1. Briefly summarize the article’s main purpose.

2. List the who, what, when, where and how included in this article. If you are unsure about any of these elements, make a note here.

Who:

What: When: Where: How:

3. How does the author draw reader’s attention to the article?

4. What details are missing? What details could be deleted?

5. How does the title present the article?

6. Additional comments or improvements:

F). Grammar Mini Lesson:

Refer to Lesson Plan #5.

Instructions for Teacher: Prior to delivering lesson, grade the first Newspaper Article from every student and make note of common mistakes in grammar. For example, errors with homophones, punctuating dialogue correctly, citing sources correctly, etc. Make a handout using actual sentences taken from student’s work (keeping everything anonymous). Show this handout on the doc cam while students also have the handout in front them. As a class, go through these mistakes and correct them together. Then hand back Newspaper Articles and have students work on revisions for the rest of the class period. Their homework will be to revise their Newspaper articles and resubmit for grading.

Example Sentences that might be on Handout:

1). Their was a recent murder that shocked people everywhere.

2). Gatsby said “her voice sounds like money”. G). Self-Reflection for Students:

This reflection will be completed after writing the second Newspaper Article. Since students will be asked to write two newspaper articles- one before the trial and one after the trial- they will be

asked to reflect on their improvements in this particular writing genre after completing the second newspaper article. The reflection is to be two pages and take the form of an informal essay. The reflection will be prompted by the following questions:

1). Did the process of writing your first article differ or stay the same when writing your second article? Why?

2). Were there parts of the writing process you felt you could not apply to this writing genre as easily as you could have to other writing genres? Why?

3). What are your favorite aspects about this writing genre? Why?

4). What are your least favorite aspects about this writing genre

H). Assessment Rubric:

This rubric is for the two Newspaper Article Writing Assignments: This rubric was made with the help of Rubistar.

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=PrintRubricDownloadFile&rubric_id=2047691&