Curriculum / ELA / 12th Grade / Unit 5: The Great Gatsby / Project
ELA
Unit 5
12th Grade
Project
Jump To
(PROCESS)
Consumerism is the preoccupation of a society with the acquisition of goods. A capitalist economy such as that of the United States of America relies on the purchasing of goods and services by consumers for the economy to grow, but some believe consumerism has gone too far. Throughout the history of this country, consumer demand has had an impact, both positive and negative, on the economic and social order of the country.
Carefully read the following six sources. Then synthesize the material from at least three of the sources and incorporate them into a coherent, well-developed essay that defends, challenges, or qualifies the notion that American consumerism is a crisis.
Your argument should be the focus of your essay. Use the sources to develop your argument and explain your reasoning. Avoid merely summarizing the sources. Indicate clearly which sources you are using, whether through direct quotation or summary.
National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes and Recycling by United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Three Types of Happiness by Olga Khazan
Materialism: a system that eats us from the inside out by George Monbiot
The high cost of our throwaway culture by Gaia Vince
The Rise of American Consumerism by PBS
Consumer Spending and the Economy by Hale Stewart
We participate in the Amazon Associate program. This means that if you use this link to make an Amazon purchase, we receive a small portion of the proceeds, which support our non-profit mission.
Where in the corresponding English unit we recommend teaching this lesson
This project is thematically connected to the English unit, but can be completed at any time. Students may benefit most from completing this project after having read at least the first half of The Great Gatsby.
How this projects connects to the AP English Language and Composition Free Response Questions
This essay is aligned to the type of writing students are asked to do for FRQ 1 on the AP English Language and Composition Exam.
Suggested objectives and lesson structures for this project
Identify contradictions present in 1920s society and evaluate how these contradictions are revealed in the opening chapter of the novel.
Analyze the key diction used to characterize the setting as well as the major characters: Nick, Daisy, Tom, Jordan, etc.
Compare how Nick, Daisy, Tom, Jordan, etc., are characterized versus how Gatsby is characterized.
Identify details from chapter 3 that can support assertions about Gatsby’s character.
Analyze how Fitzgerald develops the symbolic meaning of cars in the novel.
Identify details from chapter 4 that can support our assertions about Gatsby’s character.
Analyze Fitzgerald’s characterization of Gatsby and his development of theme in chapters 5 and 6.
Analyze Fitzgerald’s use of diction, characterization, and historical context to develop the themes of memory and social class.
Evaluate Fitzgerald’s use of foreshadowing and symbolism in the final chapters of the novel.
Discussion & Writing
Evaluate the essential questions of the unit in the context of the novel.
Assessment
Select a topic and begin work on a unit paper.
Analyze how the filmmaker establishes tone in the film version.
Create a free account to access thousands of lesson plans.
Already have an account? Sign In
See all of the features of Fishtank in action and begin the conversation about adoption.
Learn more about Fishtank Learning School Adoption.
Yes
No
Access rigorous, relevant, and adaptable ELA lesson plans for free