The Great Gatsby - amscopub.com AA Gatsby.pdf · Winter 1994, pp. 2–12. Schneider, Sandra, “Designing an Authentic Assessment,” Educational Leadership, April 1993, pp. 32–35

Perfection Learning®

TheGreat Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Senior Editor: Marsha JamesEditor: Pegi Bevins

Cover and Book Design: Deborah Lea Bell

The purchase of this book entitles an individual teacher to reproduce pages for use inthe classroom. This permitted use of copyrighted material does not extend beyond thebuilding level. Reproduction for use in an entire school system or for commercial useis prohibited. Beyond the classroom use by an individual teacher, reproduction, transmittal, or retrieval of this work is prohibited without written permission from the publisher.

©1996 Perfection Learning Corporation1000 North Second Avenue, P.O. Box 500, Logan, Iowa 51546-0500

Tel: 1-800-831-4190 • Fax: 1-800-543-2745ISBN 0-7891-0250-1Printed in the U.S.A.

ALT

ERN

ATI

VE

Ass

essm

ent

Credits*

5 6 7 8 9 10 PP 09 08 07 06 05 04

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Synopsis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Questions for Assessment

Prereading Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

During-Reading Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Post-Reading Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Projects for AssessmentProject Prospectus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Assessment Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Forms for Assessment and EvaluationStandards and Criteria for Project Evaluation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Standards and Criteria for Project Evaluation Grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Suggestions for Developing Standards and Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Adapting Assessment Activities to Learning Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

ALTERN

ATIV

EA

ssessmen

tTable of Contents

*

**

*

*

Performance-Based Assessment The most effective nontraditional assess-ments are performance-based: They requirestudents to create an answer or productthat demonstrates their knowledge or skills by

• using knowledge in new ways• engaging in projects that are worth

doing in themselves• completing meaningful assessments

based on real-world tasks

Suggestions for projects related to thefeatured title are found on pages 12–15.These varied activities are designed toappeal to different learning styles. The charton page 19 indicates how different types ofactivities relate to the theory of multipleintelligences. You can also use the chart toidentify activities suited to auditory, visual,and kinesthetic learners.

Using Alternative Assessment forLiterature

n Prereading Questions

You can introduce major themes and issuesof the book with the Prereading Questions.Students can answer selected questionsindividually or in small groups before they

begin the book. After reading, studentsmight see if their ideas and feelings havechanged. You can also encourage studentsto discuss these questions at home.

n During-Reading Questions

Personal connections to the book can beexplored with the During-ReadingQuestions. Your students might respond tothese questions in their journals. You canalso use the questions as discussion topicsfor small groups or the entire class.

n Post-Reading Interview

Questions in the Post-Reading Interview canserve as the basis for a dialogue betweenpeers or a conference between student and teacher. Students’ reactions to andquestions about their reading can be usedto lay the groundwork for performance-based projects.

n Project Prospectus

Students can use the Project Prospectus toplan their final projects and demonstra-tions. You might approve the prospectusbefore students begin their projects. Youcan also require that the prospectus besubmitted as part of the final project.

4

ALT

ERN

ATI

VE

Ass

essm

ent

The Great Gatsby*

Alternative Assessment for Literature

The suggestions in this teacher resource will help you put the latest research onassessment into practice. Current research suggests that

• assessing thinking is as important as measuring recall

• clear expectations improve performance

• students are motivated by real-world tasks

5

n Project Suggestions

The activities suggested on pages 12–15have been written by teachers for teachers.They can be used alone or with other methods of evaluation. For example, youmight use an objective test to measure recalland a performance-based project to assessstudents’ ability to apply their learning.

Two kinds of projects are suggested.Short-term projects are designed to be completed within one to three class periods.Long-term projects will require more thanthree class periods.

n Criteria and Standards for Evaluation

Giving students the standards and criteriayou will use to evaluate their work letsthem know your expectations. The evalua-tion grid on page 16 can be distributed as students begin their projects. You can also develop your own grid, using thereproducible form on page 17. Both reproducible grids can be used by theteacher and the audience.

These forms are designed to reflect several principles of authentic assessment.

• People perform better when theyknow what is expected of them.

• Students should understand whatthey need to do to improve.

• Evaluators should consider bothproduct and process.

You can easily adapt the forms to yourclassroom. For example, you might encour-age students to develop the standards andcriteria. You can also collect examples ofstudent work to provide models for each criterion. You might determine grades by

assigning point values to each rating. Forexample, on a scale with five criteria, a High rating for one criterion might earn 5 points. The total number of points mightbe equivalent to a letter grade; for example,20–25 points might equal an A.

Recommended ResourcesThese resources contain more informationfor alternative assessment.Belanca, James et al., Multiple Assessments for

Multiple Intelligences, IRI/SkylightPublishing, Inc., Palatine, Illinois, 1994.

Campbell Hill, Bonnie and Cynthia A. Ruptic,Practical Aspects of Alternative Assessment:Putting the Pieces Together, Christopher-Gordon, Norwood, Maine, 1993.

Herman, Joan L. et al., A Practical Guide toAlternative Assessment, Association forSupervision and Curriculum Development,Alexandria, Virginia, 1992.

Marzano, Robert J., “Lessons from the FieldAbout Outcome-Based PerformanceAssessments,” Educational Leadership,March 1994, pp. 44–50.

National Education Goals Panel, Handbook for Local Goals Reports, Publication Number 93–01.

Phi Delta Kappan, February 1993.Rudner, Lawrence M. and Carol Boston,

“Performance Assessment,” ERIC Review,Winter 1994, pp. 2–12.

Schneider, Sandra, “Designing an AuthenticAssessment,” Educational Leadership,April 1993, pp. 32–35.

Wiggins, Grant, “The Case for AuthenticAssessment,” ERIC Digest Series, EDO TM–90–10, ED 328 611.

—“Creating Tests Worth Taking,” EducationalLeadership, May 1992, pp. 26–33.

ALTERN

ATIV

EA

ssessmen

tThe Great Gatsby

*

Setting New York City and Long Island, New York, 1922

Characters Nick Carraway—the narrator, a young bond salesmanDaisy Buchanan—Nick’s flighty cousinTom Buchanan—Daisy’s brutish and wealthy husbandJay Gatsby—Nick’s mysterious and wealthy neighborMyrtle Wilson—Tom’s mistressGeorge Wilson—Myrtle’s husband; the owner of an auto repair shopJordan Baker—a golfer; friend of the BuchanansMeyer Wolfsheim—Gatsby’s business associate; a gambler and racketeer

Situation Nick Carraway moves from the Midwest and becomes fascinated by the fast, glit-tering, but hollow world of the Long Island, New York, rich.

Main Events 1. Nick Carraway attends a dinner party at the East Egg, Long Island, home ofTom and Daisy Buchanan. There he meets an attractive young woman golfer,Jordan Baker, and learns that Tom has a mistress. Upon his return to WestEgg, Nick catches his first glimpse of his rich neighbor, Jay Gatsby.

2. Tom takes Nick to the apartment he keeps for his mistress, Myrtle Wilson. Thethree, along with Myrtle’s sister and some neighbors, spend the afternoon drinking.

3. Nick attends the first of Gatsby’s many extravagant parties, where he meetsGatsby for the first time.

4. Jordan explains to Nick that Gatsby has long been in love with Daisy and thatGatsby wants Jordan and Nick to arrange a meeting with Daisy.

5. Nick invites Gatsby and Daisy to tea. After an awkward reunion between the oldlovers, the three go to Gatsby’s mansion, where he proudly displays his riches.

6. Nick gains confidence in Gatsby when Gatsby tells him of his origins.7. The Buchanans, Jordan, Gatsby, and Nick hold a party in a New York City

hotel room, where Tom accuses Gatsby of stealing his wife. After a heatedargument, the group heads back to Long Island with Gatsby and Daisy in onecar and the remaining three in another.

8. Near the Wilsons’ auto repair shop, Nick, Jordan, and Tom discover thatMyrtle has been killed by a hit-and-run driver in a yellow car. The threeassume that Gatsby was the driver. Later that evening, Gatsby confides to Nickthat Daisy had been driving his car when Myrtle was hit.

9. Tom tells George Wilson the yellow car that hit Myrtle belongs to Gatsby; grief-stricken, Wilson appears on Gatsby’s estate where he shoots and kills Gatsbyand then turns the gun on himself.

10. Nick makes the arrangements for Gatsby’s funeral. Only three people attendthe service. When Nick attempts to reach Daisy and Tom, he finds they haveleft town.

Resolution Disgusted by the cold, shallow people he has met, Nick returns to his roots in theMidwest. As consolation, he holds on to the memory of Gatsby’s idealism—hiswillingness to pursue the American dream at any cost.

ALT

ERN

ATI

VE

Ass

essm

ent

The Great Gatsby*

©1996 Perfection Learning Corporation, Logan, Iowa

Synopsis: The Great Gatsby

6

Prereading Questions

1. What do you know about the “RoaringTwenties,” also called the “Jazz Age,”in the United States? What would youexpect to find in a novel about thattime period?

2. What is your interpretation of the epigraph on the title page? What significance might the epigraph have to The Great Gatsby?

3. What does the expression “theAmerican Dream” mean to you? Doyou think everyone is capable ofobtaining the American Dream? Whyor why not?

4. In your opinion, do people from various regions of the U.S. have distinctly different values and ideals,or are people pretty much the sameeverywhere? Explain.

5. How are the wealthy stereotyped inour society? Do you think mostAmericans want to be wealthy? Explain your responses.

6. What effects do you think the massproduction of automobiles had onAmerican society in the 1920s (consider family life, the economy,people’s values, etc.)? What might the automobile symbolize aboutAmerican society?

ALTERN

ATIV

EA

ssessmen

tThe Great Gatsby

*

©1996 Perfection Learning Corporation, Logan, Iowa7

Responses

During-Reading Questions

Chapters I–III

1. What is your impression of TomBuchanan? of Daisy? Do the two seem“suited” for each other?

2. Comment on Daisy’s statement abouther newborn daughter, “…I hopeshe’ll be a fool—that’s the best thinga girl can be in this world, a beautifullittle fool.” How might this statementreflect Daisy’s life?

3. What do you think of Gatsby when youfirst meet him at the end of Chapter I?Why do you think Fitzgerald chose tointroduce Gatsby in this way?

4. Compare Nick’s description of “thevalley of ashes” to his description ofthe Buchanans’ house. What mighteach represent in the novel?

5. Make a prediction concerning Tom’srelationship with Myrtle. Provide evidence from what you’ve read sofar as support.

6. What is your general impression ofthe people who attend Gatsby’s par-ties? What do you think of the rumorsabout Gatsby that are circulated atthese parties?

7. What is your impression of Gatsby bythe end of the third chapter?

Chapters IV–VI

8. Do you believe the story of Gatsby’slife as he tells it to Nick in the fourthchapter? Why or why not?

continued

ALT

ERN

ATI

VE

Ass

essm

ent

The Great Gatsby*


Responses

During-Reading Questions continued

9. Why do you think Daisy married TomBuchanan? Why do you think Tommarried Daisy?

10. What do you see as the differencebetween Tom’s wealth and Gatsby’swealth?

11. Comment on the reunion of Daisyand Gatsby at Nick’s house. Do youthink either is disappointed in theother? Explain.

12. Make a prediction concerning thefuture for Gatsby and Daisy. Provideevidence from what you’ve read sofar as support.

13. Gatsby disagrees when Nick tells him,“You can’t repeat the past.” Do youthink it’s possible to repeat the past?Explain.

Chapters VII–IX

14. Reread the argument between Tomand Gatsby in Chapter VII. Who doyou think “won” the argument? Why?

15. Do you agree with Gatsby’s decisionto protect Daisy by not revealing thatshe was the hit-and-run driver?Explain.

16. What role does Tom play in Gatsby’sdeath? What is your opinion of Daisyat this point?

17. What do you think is the meaning ofthe “green light”?

18. Do you think Nick will find differentvalues or morals in the Midwest thanin the East? Explain.

ALTERN

ATIV

EA

ssessmen

tThe Great Gatsby

*


Responses

Post-Reading Interview

1. What did you learn about the RoaringTwenties from reading the book? Doyou think you would have enjoyed living in that time period? Provideevidence from the book to supportyour opinion.

2. What do you notice most about thisauthor’s writing? Comment on a particular characteristic of Fitzgerald’s style.

3. How does Gatsby’s true past differfrom the illusion he created? In youropinion, does Gatsby achieve the“American dream”? Why or why not?

4. In Chapter I, Nick says, “Reservingjudgments is a matter of infinitehope.” In your opinion, does Nickreserve judgments throughout thebook? Explain.

5. At one point in the book, Nickdescribes himself as “one of the fewhonest people” he’s ever known. Doyou find Nick to be a truly honest narrator? Explain.

6. Do you think Gatsby was, indeed,“great”? Provide evidence from thebook as support.

7. Who do you think is the mostadmirable character in the novel? Why?

8. Choose an incident from the novel that stands out in your mind andexplain why you think it’s significant.You may want to respond to one of theincidents below.

• the afternoon party at Tom’sapartment in Chapter II

• the lavish party where Nick meetsGatsby for the first time

• the mansion tour Gatsby givesDaisy in Chapter V

• the confrontation between Tomand Gatsby in Chapter VII

• Gatsby’s funeral

9. Has this book raised any questions in your mind, or have you learnedsomething from it that you want toshare with others? How could youdevelop those questions or ideas intoa project?

ALT

ERN

ATI

VE

Ass

essm

ent

The Great Gatsby*


Purpose Explain what you want to demonstrate by completing this project, and show howyour project relates to the book.

Audience Include a brief description of who your audience will be, what its members arelikely to know about your subject, how you plan to help them understand your project, andhow you plan to capture their interest.

Project description Give a brief overview of the content and format of your project.

Materials/resources needed Summarize any equipment and materials you will needand explain where you will get them. Also list any resources you plan to use, such as booksand people to interview.

Points to consider in project evaluation What are the main ideas you are trying tocommunicate in your project? Identify the criteria that are most important for evaluatingyour project.

ALTERN

ATIV

EA

ssessmen

tProject Prospectus

*


Short-Term Project Suggestions

1. As Jay Gatsby, design a handwritteninvitation to one of your parties.

2. An obituary is a notice of someone’sdeath. It usually includes a briefsummary of the person’s life andaccomplishments. Write an obituaryfor Jay Gatsby.

3. Illustrate the personality of one of themain characters in the book. Youmight combine quotations from thenovel with a portrait of the characteryou choose.

4. Create an editorial cartoon thatexpresses your opinion about anissue in the book.

5. Write an editorial or design a posterthat helps people understand howwealth can be misused.

6. Create a drawing of one of the keylocations in the novel—for example,the Gatsby mansion or the “valley ofashes” Nick passes on his way towork.

7. Design a new front and back coverfor The Great Gatsby. Include a briefoverview of the book that would“sell” it to readers.

8. Write a letter that you imagine JayGatsby might have sent to his father.(Remember that Gatsby’s fatherbelieves his son is a great man.)

9. With one or more partners, turn ascene from the novel into a playscript. Then perform the scene foryour classmates.

10. Express your ideas about the meaningof the novel’s title in a poem, poster,or song.

11. Read one of Fitzgerald’s short storiesfrom the collection called Tales ofthe Jazz Age. Summarize the storyand compare elements such as characters, plot, and theme to thoseof The Great Gatsby.

12. One of Fitzgerald’s reviewers wrotethat the ending of The Great Gatsbyis “uncurbed melodrama.” In a “letter to the editor,” agree or disagree with the reviewer. Provideevidence from the novel to supportyour opinion. (Note: A melodrama isan overly emotional story or play.)

13. Select an existing piece of music thatyou think would make a good themesong for a movie version of The GreatGatsby and explain to your classmateswhy you chose that selection.

14. Locate a collection of photographsfrom the “Roaring Twenties.” Selectseveral that you think could be usedin an illustrated edition of The GreatGatsby and explain to your classmateshow each illustrates an important feature of the novel.

continued

ALT

ERN

ATI

VE

Ass

essm

ent

The Great Gatsby*


Assessment Projects

Assessment Projects continued

15. Make a list of current-day actors andactresses whom you would cast in amovie version of The Great Gatsby.Tell why you selected each.

16. Create a diagram or visual organizerthat shows a cause-and-effect relationship among the main events in the novel.

17. Imagine that you are Daisy writing toNick years after the events in thenovel. Consider having the letterreflect an important way in whichDaisy has changed since she and Nick last saw each other.

18. As a reporter for the West EggOmelet, a local newspaper, reportthe events at the Gatsby estate in thefinal chapter. Include interviews withNick and others (for example, theminor characters Michaelis andEwing Klipspringer) who might shedlight on the murder/suicide.

19. Select two or three short sections of the book and turn them into free-verse or nonrhyming poems.Place line breaks after importantwords for emphasis. Experiment withputting just a few words or even oneword on a line. Share your poemswith the class and explain why youplaced line breaks where you did.

20. Create a “before and after” charttracing the changes that occur inNick. Include the significant eventsthat contribute to the changes.

21. Create a collage of the thoughtsand/or words of one of the maincharacters that illustrate the personality of that character. Includepage numbers for each quotation.

22. Imagine that Myrtle Wilson was notkilled in the novel. Create a new ending for the book.

23. Compare the fads in the novel withthe fads of today.

24. Write an appropriate title for eachchapter in the book. Make a table ofcontents which includes your titlesand display it in the classroom.

25. Create a collage of quotations for oneof the main characters in the novel.Include page numbers for each quotation used.

Long-Term Project Suggestions

26. Investigate the lives of Scott and ZeldaFitzgerald. Chart the similarities anddifferences between the Fitzgeralds’relationship and Gatsby and Daisy’saffair.

27. Read one of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s othernovels, such as This Side ofParadise, Tender Is the Night, orThe Last Tycoon. Summarize thestory and compare elements such ascharacters, plot, and theme to thoseof The Great Gatsby.

continued

ALTERN

ATIV

EA

ssessmen

tThe Great Gatsby

*



28. View a movie version of The GreatGatsby (a recent version starringRobert Redford and Mia Farrow iswidely available on videocassette).Then write a report comparing andcontrasting the movie and the novel.Are any scenes changed or deleted?Do the characters in the movie matchyour image of them from the book? Is one version more dramatic oremotional than the other? Tellwhether The Great Gatsby makes a better book or film and why.

29. Create a story or a one-act play aboutincidents from Jay Gatsby’s early life.You could focus on his relationshipwith his father, Dan Cody, or MeyerWolfsheim.

30. Create a short story in which you follow the life of one of the survivingcharacters in the novel (Nick, Daisy,Tom, Jordan, or Wolfsheim). Whathappens to one or more of thesecharacters? How is his or her lifeaffected by the end of the RoaringTwenties?

31. With your classmates, stage a RoaringTwenties party of the type that Gatsbymight have hosted. Serve one or twoof the dishes described in the bookand provide music from that period.In a written report, provide the passages from the book that you used as references for your party.

32. Research the historical background of The Great Gatsby and the RoaringTwenties. What impact did World War I have on the period? prohibition?women’s suffrage? gangsters and racketeering? How are these portrayedin The Great Gatsby? What eventsbrought the Roaring Twenties to anend? Present the results of your findingin an oral or written report.

33. Write a review of The Great Gatsby.Focus on elements such as plot,theme, characters, and setting.Support your opinions with evidencefrom the book.

34. Create a booklet of original poemsthat revolve around themes or characters in the novel. Give a “reading” of your poetry to the class.

35. Investigate the role of women in the1920s, particularly after womengained voting rights in 1920.Compare the women of The GreatGatsby to the “typical” woman of that decade.

36. Adapt a scene from the book into aradio play. Choose music and soundeffects to enhance the mood. Usetaglines (references to characters byname) often so that your audiencewill always know who is speaking.Include an introduction that explainswhy this scene is important to thebook. You might tape your play orpresent it to a studio audience.

continued

ALT

ERN

ATI

VE

Ass

essm

ent

The Great Gatsby*



37. On fabric or paper, create a mural ofthe most significant events in thebook. Display your finished product inthe classroom.

38. Read Nancy Mitford’s biography ofZelda Fitzgerald entitled Zelda. Thenwrite a report comparing and con-trasting Zelda with the character ofDaisy.

39. Locate the lyrics to one or more songsof the Jazz Age. Reproduce the lyricsfor your classmates, and in an oral orwritten report, comment on how thelyrics suggest an essential mood oridea in The Great Gatsby. Then dothe same for one or more songs fromthe 1990s. Finally, comment on whyyou think music can be an importantexpression of the values or concernsof a time period.

40. Tom Buchanan quotes ideas aboutrace from a book called A RisingTide of Color by Lothrop Stoddard.Locate and read this book orresearch the history of black-whiterelations in the 1920s. Summarizeyour findings in a written report andcomment on how those relationsform part of the historical backdropof the novel.

41. Create a timeline of events happeningin the world at the time The GreatGatsby takes place. When possible,relate the events to the characters’experiences.

42. You have probably seen critics likeSiskel and Ebert giving their opinionsabout movies. Often one critic gives amovie a “thumbs up” while the otherrates the same film “thumbs down.”Produce a similar program about TheGreat Gatsby. The program shouldhave two or more reviewers, a moder-ator, and perhaps interaction with theaudience. It could be presented liveor videotaped. Reviewers should knowahead of time what topics will be discussed so they have time to pre-pare. Each reviewer should have sections of the novel ready to read tosupport his or her points about eachtopic. Possible topics include

• the most interesting characters• the most exciting (or boring)

parts of the book• themes (such as greed or right

and wrong)• qualities that make The

Great Gatsby worth (or notworth) reading

ALTERN

ATIV

EA

ssessmen

tThe Great Gatsby

*



ALTERNATIVE Assessment **

Standards and Criteria for Project Evaluation

Standards Criteria

Areas of High Very Good Adequate Needs WorkAssessment

ResearchandPreparationfor Project

Content of Project

VisualElements of Project

WrittenElements of Project

OralPresentationof Project

o used a variety of chal-lenging, reliable, andappropriate resources

o used appropriate evidence and examples

o met all deadlines

o used any extra time toextend research

o creatively fulfilled purpose on prospectus

o used logical, easy-to-follow order

o created and maintainedhigh audience interest

o covered topic withoutstanding information

o credited sources

o were highly interesting,easy to see and understand

o supported purpose

o communicated mainideas clearly

o showed outstandingeffort

o had few errors

o were thoroughly proofread and revised

o supported main ideaswith rich details

o spoke audibly andexpressively

o used engaging gesturesand props

o maintained excellent eye contact

o used several reliable,appropriate resources

o made effort to use evidence and examples

o met deadlines

o used preparation time well

o completely fulfilledpurpose on prospectus

o used easy-to-followorder

o kept audience’s attention

o covered topic with appropriate information

o credited sources

o were interesting, easyto see and understand

o supported purpose

o communicated main ideas

o showed effort

o had few errors

o were proofread and revised

o supported main ideas

o spoke audibly andexpressively

o used gestures and props

o maintained good eye contact

o used few resources

o used little evidenceand few examples

o didn’t meet all deadlines

o spent little time onpreparation

o did not fulfill purpose

o used hard-to-follow order

o created little audience interest

o omitted importantinformation

o provided incompletecredits

o were messy, disorganized, hard tounderstand

o were unrelated to purpose

o didn’t support main ideas

o showed little effort

o had many errors

o needed to be proof-read and revised

o didn’t support main ideas

o was difficult to hear

o used few or distracting gesturesand props

o made little attempt to maintain eye contact

o used minimum numberof resources for basicinformation

o used some evidence and examples

o needed encouragementto meet deadlines

o spent minimal time onpreparation

o fulfilled purposeon prospectus

o used order that wasconfusing at times

o lost audience’s attention at times

o covered the basics

o credited sources

o were somewhat interesting

o were related to purpose

o generally supportedmain ideas

o showed fair effort

o had several errors

o needed more proof-reading and revising

o weakly supported main ideas

o could develop moreexpression

o used few or awkwardgestures and props

o attempted to maintaineye contact

Stan

dard

s an

d Cr

iteria

for

Proj

ect E

valu

atio

n

Stan

dard

sCr

iteri

a

Hig

hVe

ry G

ood

Adeq

uate

Need

s W

ork

ALTERNATIVE Assessment


**

ALT

ERN

ATI

VE

Ass

essm

ent

The Great Gatsby*


Suggestions for Developing Standards and Criteria

You can use the form on page 17 to develop rubrics for different kinds of alternative assess-ments. Many teachers ask students to help develop assessment forms for the projects theywill be working on.

• Develop standards. Students might help you identify elements to evaluate, workingfrom their own experience or samples you provide.

• Adapt the criteria to your students. What you can expect of students oftendepends on their experience or equipment. For example, students with access to editingequipment can produce more expert videos.

• Define the levels of performance you expect from your students. You canbrainstorm with students, consult with other teachers, and provide models of studentwork for each level of excellence. You might also assign point values to each rating, asdescribed on page 5.

Project Suggested Standards

artwork color; composition; use of medium; originality; clarity of purpose

dance expressiveness; coordination with music; level of technique

debate appropriate arguments; persuasiveness; quality of evidence; poise

editorial cartoon style; verbal content; effectiveness of message; use of techniques(satire, irony, caricature, etc.)

multimedia program ease of use; selection of graphics and sounds; use of special features like dissolves and animation

news broadcast format; content; presentation; props; sound and picture quality

newspaper or magazine content; layout; graphics; text; mechanics

panel discussion organization; content; leadership

poem or song content; format; originality; effectiveness of message

radio show content; quality of sound; format (e.g., characters are identified by taglines); creative use of sound

reenactment or simulation fidelity to original source; props; creativity; presentation

scrapbook selection; organization; identification; decorative elements

timeline selection of events; scale; appearance

travel brochure content; format; overall appeal; clarity of purpose

trial role-playing; evidence; validity of decision; organization

video content; organization; sound and picture quality; special effects; creativity

19

Adapting Assessment Activities to Learning Styles

Intelligence

LinguisticAbility to use language to under-

stand and communicate

Musical/rhythmicAbility to use rhythm, pitch, and

tone to express feelings andideas

Logical/mathematicalAbility to use reason to solve

abstract problems

Visual/spatialAbility to visualize and express

what’s seen with “the mind’seye”

Bodily/kinestheticAbility to interpret the world

through touch and movement

Intrapersonal Ability to understand one’s own

feelings

InterpersonalAbility to work with others

toward a common goal

Traits of Learner withThis Intelligence

Enjoys reading, writing, andtelling stories

Responds to visual stimulationDiscouraged by criticism,

sarcasm, favoritism

Sensitive to sound; distracted by random noise

Enjoys rhythm and movementBored by seat work and long

writing assignments

Explores relationshipsEnjoys calculating and critical

thinkingNeeds to see how tasks relate

to big pictureDiscouraged by chaos and

lack of challenge

Sensitive to form, color, shape, and texture

Prefers images to wordsNeeds visual stimulationDiscouraged by long assignments

ActiveEnjoys manipulating objectsExpresses ideas and feelings

through movementDislikes sitting stillDiscouraged by isolation

InsightfulPursues individual interestsNeeds time to reflectDislikes standardized tests

and lock-step activities

Team playerGood at interpreting others’

moods and intentionsNeeds varietyDislikes working alone and

reflective activities

Ways to Develop ThisIntelligence

Graphic organizersReadingDramatic readingFilm/multimedia

Telling storiesMusical mnemonicsChoral readingDancing and

creative movementWriting/drawing to music

High-tech toolsSequenced lessonsMnemonic devicesGraphic organizersAnalytic and deductive

reasoningHands-on experiences

Graphic organizersDrawing/illustratingVisualizing/imaginingStoryboardsDemonstrations

Manipulating objectsMaking thingsRole-playing; simulationsPhysical activity; creative

movementDemonstrationsField trips

JournalsVisualizationProblem-solvingGoal-settingMetacognitive reflectionsIndependent study

Peer tutoringTalking things overCooperative groupsE-mail/other electronic

learning tools

Ways to Assess ThisIntelligence

Adaptation from one medium to another

Projects/performancesLogs and journalsTeacher-made tests

Writing lyrics/rapsPerformanceMultimedia presentation with

background musicTeaching through music

Demonstrations of a mathematical task

Group or individual problem-solving

InterviewsTeacher-made testsMetacognitive reflection

Graphic organizersFeedback on works in progressProduct portfoliosProjectsExhibits

Listing strengths, things toimprove, and questions/concerns

Continuums(beginner/advanced; comfort/discomfort)

Observation checklists

Logs and journalsInterviewsEssaysProjects requiring synthesis,

such as an exhibit of culturalheritage

Graded discussionsInterviewsLogs and journalsDemonstrationsTeam projects


Alternative Assessment for LiteratureThe reproducible teacher resources in this series help you put the

latest research on assessment into practice with

• an overview of alternative assessment• a book synopsis• reproducible questions for before, during, and after reading• reproducible suggestions for projects• reproducible evaluation forms

—project-planning sheet—standards and criteria for project evaluation —blank grid for your standards and criteria

• suggestions for —developing your own standards and criteria—adapting projects to various learning styles and modalities

Available titles include

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl Roll of Thunder, Hear My CryBridge to Terabithia Romeo and JulietCharlotte’s Web Sadako and the Thousand Paper CranesDicey’s Song Sarah, Plain and TallDragonwings A Tale of Two CitiesThe Giver To Kill a MockingbirdHarry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Walk Two MoonsJulius Caesar The Watsons Go to BirminghamManiac Magee And many more!The Midwife’s Apprentice

For a complete list or to place your next order, call or faxPerfection Learning® Corporation

Phone: 1-800-831-4190 • Fax: 1-800-543-27451000 North Second AvenueLogan, Iowa 51546-0500

Printed in the U.S.A.#76314

Documents

The Great Gatsby - amscopub.com AA Gatsby.pdf · Winter 1994, pp. 2–12. Schneider, Sandra, “Designing an Authentic Assessment,” Educational Leadership, April 1993, pp. 32–35