Diane Blair

EDU 521

Lesson Topic: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Objective: After completing the reading of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald,
students will be divided into groups to create a 1920s newspaper using Microsoft
Publisher with stories highlighting key events from the book with at least four key plot
events represented in their newspaper.
Standards and Indicators:
CCLS.ELA- Literacy.RL. 9-10.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Indicator: This will be evident when students when students works in groups to determine
key plot events from text.
CCLS.ELA- Literacy.W. 9-10. 2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic
and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and
analysis of relevant content.
Indicator: This will be evident when students when students create text for newspaper.
CCLS.ELA-Literacy.W. 9-10 6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce,
publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of
technologys capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and
dynamically.
Indicator: This will be evident when students do research for and create newspaper
articles.
CCLS.ELA-Literacy. S. 9-10.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners
on grades 910 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their
own clearly and persuasively.
Indicator: This will be evident when students work in small groups.
NYS English Language Arts Standard 1: Students will listen, speak, read, and write for
information and understanding.
Indicator: This will be evident when students read the text and discuss in small groups.

ISTE Standard 1: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and

develop innovative products and processes using technology.
Indicator: This will be evident when students write articles and create newspaper.
ISTE Standard 4: Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research,
manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital
tools and resources.
Indicator: This will be evident when students develop and create project.
ISTE Standard 6: Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts,
systems, and operations.
Indicator: This will be evident when students research and create project.
Motivation: Students will watch a brief video on how to write a newspaper article.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La41mGdtuIY
Materials: Copy of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, ELA Notebook, I-pad,
Smart Board, teacher constructed rubric, Graphic Organizer, pens, pencils, post-its,
highlighters.
Strategies: Cooperative Learning, Small Group Discussion, Class Discussion, Direct
Instruction, Modeling, Independent Practice, Graphic Organizer, Guided Practice,
Convergent Questioning, Divergent Questioning, Evaluative Questioning, Exit Ticket.
Adaptations:
The student with a significant grapho-motor disability will use voice-to-text
application for writing assignments.
Students who have difficulty writing will use an I-pad for all note-taking and
receive a copy of class notes.
Differentiation of Instruction:
Content and process will be differentiated by specific need.
Tier 1: Students will work in small groups to select a topic for their article and
then work directly with teacher to develop draft of article.
Tier 2: Students will work in small groups to develop topics and draft articles
independent of teacher.
Tier 3: Student will serve as editor of newspaper and work directly with
students in assigned group to establish drafts of articles.
Developmental Procedures:
Students will complete reading the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Teacher
will discuss and show examples on the Smart Board of newspaper headlines,
articles, advertising, etc. from the early 1920s in order to model what students

will be creating. (What is the purpose of a newspaper? What do you notice about
these newspapers? How have newspapers changed from the 1920s to today?)
Teacher will distribute and discuss with the class how to create a newspaper and
the key elements that need to be included in a newspaper article. ( Each
newspaper article, depending on the type of article it is, needs to contain certain
key components. News articles need to contain the who, what, where, when and
how of the story. As these components need to be included in each news article,
what is it important not to include? Why should it be left out of your reporting?)
Teacher will distribute class assignment and review requirements on Smart
Board.(As one of the culminating assignments to our reading of the Great Gatsby,
each of you will be working in small groups to create your own newspaper. Lets
review the assignment and attached rubric so you will understand exactly what
each person in your group will need to do to complete the assignment
successfully.) Teacher will distribute graphic organizer for newspaper article
assignment.
Students will be divided into groups of four or five to brainstorm a list of possible
key events topics for inclusion in their newspaper. (Think back to our reading of
The Great Gatsby. Each group needs to develop six or seven key storylines that
you would like to see included in your groups newspaper. What key events does
your group think should be included? Why?) After teacher review of topics,
students will each choose the topic for their article.
I-pads will be distributed to students to use to research the background
information needed to begin drafting their individual articles on teacher provided
worksheet
Students will be brought together so that each group can provide to the teacher an
update as to their progress with the assignment. One student will be designated as
the spokesperson for the group.
For Independent Practice, students will complete the draft of their independent
newspaper article on their I-pad for review and peer-editing with their group the
next day.

Assessment:
Students will develop a list of potential topics for their individual newspaper
articles.
Students will create a draft of their individual newspaper article.
Students will complete newspaper for distribution and presentation to class.
Students will follow rubric for project completion.
Independent Practice:
Students will complete the draft of their independent newspaper article on their Ipad for review and peer editing.
Direct Teacher Intervention:
The student, under direct intervention with the teacher, will select the topic,
research, and draft their newspaper article.

Academic Enrichment:
The student will act as Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper and coordinate the
creation of the project with their group including formatting and content.

Teacher References

Fitzgerald, F. S. (1996). The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner.

How Do You Write a Newspaper Article. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2014, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La41mGdtuIY
The Great Gatsby; Symbols and Motifs. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2014, from
http://thegreatgatsbysandm.blogspot.com/

THE GREAT GATSBY NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

WORKSHEET
ARTICLE
TOPIC

CHAPTER/PAGE#

KEY
DETAILS

TYPE OF
ARTICLE

STUDENT
WRITING
ARTICLE

The Great Gatsby

Newspaper Assignment Sheet

While working in small groups, you will be creating a replica of a 1920s

newspaper highlighting key events from the book The Great Gatsby. Working
collaboratively, your group will brainstorm ideas that can be transformed into either a
news article, feature article, editorial, or any other article you may find in a
newspaper. The topics for your articles should capture the key components of the
book. Each of you will then draft, edit, and publish your article in your newspaper.
Once published, each group will make a brief presentation to the class.
Attached is the rubric that will be used in grading your project. Please pay careful
attention to the requirements of the assignment. Be sure to include photos and images
from the 1920s to help create an air of authenticity to your project.

Newspaper : Great Gatsby Newspaper Article

Teacher Name: Diane Blair

Student Name:

CATEGORY

Layout Headlines &

Captions

Articles Supporting
Details

Who, What,
When, Where &
How

Graphics

Spelling and
Proofreading

________________________________________

All articles have

headlines that
capture the reader\'s
attention and
accurately describe
the content. All
articles have a
byline. All graphics
have captions that
adequately describe
the people and
action in the graphic.

All articles have

headlines that
accurately describe
the content. All
articles have a
byline. All graphics
have captions.

Most articles have

headlines that
accurately describe
the content. All
articles have a
byline. Most
graphics have
captions.

Articles are missing

bylines OR many
articles do not have
adequate headlines
OR many graphics
do not have
captions.

The details in the

articles are clear,
effective, and vivid
90-100% of the time.

The details in the

articles are clear and
pertinent 80-89% of
the time.

The details in the

articles are clear and
pertinent 70-79% of
the time.

The details in more

than 25% of the
articles are neither
clear nor pertinent.

All articles
adequately address
the 5 W\'s (who,
what, when, where
and how).

90-99% of the
articles adequately
address the 5 W\'s
(who, what, when,
where and how).

75-89% of the
articles adequately
address the 5 W\'s
(who, what, when,
where and how).

Less than 75% of

the articles
adequately address
the 5 W\'s (who,
what, when, where,
and how).

Graphics are in
focus, are wellcropped and are
clearly related to the
articles they
accompany.

Graphics are in
focus and are clearly
related to the articles
they accompany.

80-90% of the
graphics are clearly
related to the articles
they accompany.

More than 20% of

the graphics are not
clearly related to the
articles OR no
graphics were used.

No spelling or
grammar errors
remain after one or
more people (in
addition to the typist)
read and correct the
newspaper.

No more than a
couple of spelling or
grammar errors
remain after one or
more people (in
addition to the typist)
read and correct the
newspaper.

No more than 3
spelling or grammar
errors remain after
one or more people
(in addition to the
typist) read and
correct the
newspaper.

Several spelling or
grammar errors
remain in the final
copy of the
newspaper.