Lesson 1:  Plot-check quiz on the novel.  Begin film version (Robert Redford).
 Lesson 2:  Film concluded.  List ten major differences between film and novel.
 Lesson 3:  Socratic Seminar on novel and movie version. 
 Lesson 4:  Essay Exam and research topics for independent study.

1.  Focus:                Journal: ìThe beauty of this country is that something called the American Dream
                                 is still true.  It attracts the best scientists and engineers from all over the world.
                                 That is why America is the worldís strongest nationî  (Letter to TIME).

                                 o  What does the American Dream mean to the author of the TIME letter?

                                 o  How is The Great Gatsby F. S. Fitzgeraldís answer? 

2.  Objective:          To solve several questions of interpretation about the overall meaning of the
                                 novel. 

3.  Purpose:            o  To increase our mutual understanding (comprehension) and, as a result, our
                                enjoyment of the story.

                                o  To develop the habit of independent and critical thinking.

4.  Input:               Begin with a factual quiz to check that everyone has read the novel. Two or four
                                basic questions.(30 or 60 minutes)

5.  Modeling,          During discussion the co-leaders model the four rules of discussion, check for
checking, and        understanding by asking follow-up questions for clarification, substantiation, 
guided practice:     consistency, relevance, implication, resolution, and to get more opinion.
                                Guided practice is the discussion.

6.  Closure:            Oral or written resolution of one or two basic questions just discussed. 

NOTE:  During Socratic Seminar day(s), in a full ninety-minute period, four pairs of student co-leaders each lead a fifteen-minute discussion of the reading.  It is important that the teacher approves the student co-leader questions before discussion to avoid wasting time on questions that are not clear, are factual, or evaluative.  (Discussion should center on solving problems, not in trying to figure out what the problems are.) During the remaining time (if any) the teacher leads a demonstration discussion (modeling) of one of his or her basic questions on the reading of the lesson. 

Source: F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby.  Bantam, New York, 1975.

Film: Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, The Great Gatsby (1975) DVD 145 min.

Research Topics: Fitzgerald Home Page: http://web.csustan.edu:80/english/reuben/pal/chap7/fitzgerald.html
                              Great Books Index:  http://books.mirror.org/gb.home.html