Questing With Gatsby

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

With A Click You Can Go From Kanye…

To The Most Interesting Man in the World

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The End