Laura Aspen Conceptual Unit Assignment So We Beat On: The Timeless Themes of The Great Gatsby and Their Connections with Popular Culture and Music

RATIONALE The Great Gatsby ’s richness of themes and symbolism, and simple yet engaging language make it an exemplary piece of American literature, and an ideal candidate for a whole-class text that will appeal to many different readers of varying levels and interests. This unit was created for AP Language and Composition students, who are mostly 11 th graders (there are just a few 12 th graders). The Virginia SOLs for 11 th grade include SOL 11.4: The student will read, comprehend, and analyze relationships among American literature, history, and culture.

OVERVIEW OF LESSONS Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lesson 4 What was going on in the U.S. in the 1920s, who is F. Scott Fitzgerald, what are the basics we need to know before we start reading Watch John Green’s Crash Course Part 1, discuss theme of the elusive American Dream, make concept maps to define American Dream for students’ own understanding and specific characters Watch John Green’s Crash Course Part 2, discuss theme of nostalgia for the beautiful past, lyric analysis of “Young and Beautiful,” questioning why music producer included song in movie Discuss parallels of Gatsby in popular culture, comparison of Jay Gatsby to Jay-Z, introduce final assessment, choose groups for final assessment Lesson 5 Take Jay-Z or Jay-G quiz, have song choices approved by teacher, and work on final assessment

SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS 1920s Infographic ( John Green’s Crash Course Part 1 ( John Green’s Crash Course Part 2 ( Excerpt from President Calvin Coolidge’s Inaugural Address ( 1925) Lyrics to “Young and Beautiful” by Lana Del Rey ( Article comparing Jay-Z to Jay Gatsby (must be edited for school-appropriate language) ( between-rapper-and-the-great-gatsby.html) between-rapper-and-the-great-gatsby.html Article on songs from movie soundtrack (use as model for final assessment) ( )

FINAL ASSESSMENT In groups of 3 to 4 students, each group member will choose a theme from an assigned list and select two songs that relate to this theme from two different musical genres to include in the group album. Each group member will also be responsible for having his/her song choices approved by the teacher, typing up the lyrics to each song, and writing a one-paragraph explanation for each song about how the song relates to the chosen theme. The album must also include a group name, cover art, and the jewel case insert. Students will present their final products in class, play 30- second clips of their chosen songs, and briefly explain why they chose each song.