A Standards-based Middle Grades Movie Guide: Teaching Across the Curriculum using the 2013 movie The Great Gatsby ​ Created by: Abby Trotter & Tori Arnold RE 3070: Media for Young People Spring 2015 Dr. Redmond Appalachian State University

About the Movie Guide Concept: The concept of the motion picture/movie study guide used here is taken from those developed by The Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) and, more recently in the United States, by Walden Media. The approach is also consistent with the series, Film Clips for ​ Character Education, sponsored by The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction ​ (www.filmclipsonline.com). Appalachian State University has pioneered this work in the U.S. and our curricular work with movie guides has been featured in The Middle Ground and The ​ ​ ​ Journal of Media Literacy among other publications. ​

Using This Guide: The Great Gatsby (2013) is an engaging and enjoyable film that has appeal to adolescents and ​ adults through its use of comedy, romance, and its realistic connections to the 1920’s. The story is also relevant to several areas of the North Carolina Essential Standards and National Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Some subject areas addressed in this guide include Language Arts, Social Studies, and Music. The guide is organized to clearly connect scenes to state standards. For example, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.9 says that students should be able to “Compare and ​ ​ contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics.” Our movie guide meets this ​ standard through having students read an excerpt from The Great Gatsby and then watch the ​ ​ same portion of the book as represented on screen in the 2013 The Great Gatsby film. Students ​ ​ will then compare and contrast the two versions of the scene, engaging in complex textual analysis of multiple media texts. In This We Believe, one developmental dimension of early adolescents discussed is ​ ​ social-emotional development. Students will be able to relate to the film because, as seen in the image below, Gatsby is striving to be accepted by his peers.

Gatsby is attempting to impress his guests through his extravagant party. This is a theme that goes along with social-emotional development, which is also mentioned in This We Believe. Also, going along with social-emotional development, a third theme is going ​ along with fads, which is very evident in this film. The Social Studies activity will help students understand the extravagance of the 1920’s, which is the fad in which Gatsby was going along with. Cognitive-Intellectual Development is also a developmental dimension of early adolescents in This We Believe. Students will be participating in active learning throughout this ​ ​ movie guide. In the Language Arts activity, students will be forced to begin thinking abstractly, instead of concretely. They will be comparing and contrasting two different forms of media, causing them to really have to think about the similarities and differences within these two different representations of the same scene. By using film, students will have multiple views of one central idea. Students will evaluate two different forms of the same media, but from two different versions. In addition to this, they will also compare a text version and a film version. Students will understand that all media has a specific meaning, even if it is based upon the same ideas. In using film and other media in the classroom, research suggests that students learn more and are more engaged if: ● They view short scenes followed by activities. ● They have been given cues and clues to look and listen for prior to each screening. For example, they might be asked to make inferences about characters, or comment on how different media techniques contribute to the mood created in a scene. This technique is based on a concept called AIME, which was developed by Gavriel Salomon (1984). The term stands for the Amount of Invested Mental Energy or Effort. Salomon’s ​ ​ work proved that students engage in ‘shallow processing’ or ‘cognitive economy’ if they have not been told what to focus on during the viewing of a scene. When teachers preview a scene or clip ahead of time, they are able to provide significant viewing guidance that results in higher student expectations, recall, and comprehension. “The Great Gatsby,” is instructionally purposeful. There are many different historical ​ ​ themes of the 1920’s that are evident throughout the film. Students will grasp an understanding of the culture of the era just by watching the film. Since there are many different forms of “The ​ Great Gatsby,” it is a great piece of media to use for comparing and contrasting. Students will be ​ able to note similarities and differences in the different forms and explain why they think the changes were made the way they were between the different forms. There are a few aspects of the film that may not be developmentally appropriate for middle grades students. The film does include alcohol, but students will be informed that this was just a theme of the era. There is also a scene, included below, which may have to be cut out during viewing, because it is inappropriate for the age range.

The inappropriate scene between Tom and Myrtle occurs in their apartment used for sex.

Inappropriate Scene: Apartment Scene (2013): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTWumSE8GXM ​ Instead of students watching this scene, it will just be explained that Tom takes his mistress, Myrtle, to the city, to be able to spend time with her. Students should also know that Nick was involved with one of these outings, so he was aware of the situation.

About the Movie: The Great Gatsby is a 2013 film, directed by Baz Luhrmann, which is an ​ ​ adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel by the same title. The movie follows the narrator, Nick Carraway, through his experiences during the summer of 1922. Nick is new to New York, and he meets an unlikely neighbor by the name of Jay Gatsby. Gatsby is known for his lavish parties, although his face isn’t something everyone knows. He is a ghost at his own parties. Gatsby’s life is very mysterious, and people do not know very much about him, besides scepticism. Nick soon learns of Gatsby’s true meaning for his parties; to bring in a girl by the name of Daisy Buchanan. Daisy is actually Nick’s cousin. She is married to a man named Tom. Despite her being married, Gatsby is more than in love with her. They met earlier in life and instantly fell in love, but Gatsby felt as if he was not good enough for her. Everything he has ever done in his life to get to the point he is at was all for her. Gatsby and Daisy later meet again and ​ rekindle their flame, just as if they were young again, and Daisy was not married. Their love affair does not last forever though, as Daisy ends up back with her husband, Tom. Gatsby ultimately meets his fate by being shot by a man who was encouraged by Tom. Nick experiences it all, and the story is told from his point of view.

Character Profiles:

Jay Gatsby:

Jay “Gatsby” is the title character. He is a very rich bachelor who is next door neighbors with Nick Carraway in West Egg, New York. He is well-known for his over the top parties that he throws, although his face is not familiar to many. His life is just as mysterious as his presence at his own parties. The narrator, Nick, soon learns that Gatsby is not what he seems. He was actually from a very poor family and went by the name of “James Gatz.” He fell in love with Nick’s cousin, Daisy, at a very young age, but did not feel like he was good enough for her. He spent his entire life climbing the social ladder so that he would finally be good enough for Daisy, even though he did this through many illegal activities. Gatsby is seen as a very flawed man, but is also seen as a representation of hope because of his eternal love for Daisy. Gatsby’s favorite phrase, and perhaps the one he is most well-known for, is “Old Sport”. He calls Nick this on a daily basis.

Nick Carraway:

Nick is the narrator of the story. He is a young man and the cousin of Daisy Buchanan. Nick recently moved to New York City to learn the bond business. As an honest, good listener who refrains from judging others, he often gets sucked into being a confidant for other characters who have serious secrets. When Nick moves into his home in NYC, he immediately reaches out to his neighbor, Jay Gatsby, and they become friends. As Daisy’s cousin, Nick plays a role in bringing Daisy and Gatsby back together.

Daisy Buchanan:

Daisy Buchanan is a cousin to Nick Carraway. She lives across the way from Gatsby and Nick in East Egg with her husband, Tom, and their daughter. In early life, Daisy fell in love with Gatsby, who was then an officer in the war. She promised to wait for him, but her desire to be loved caused her not to wait for Gatsby to return, and she married a very powerful, wealthy man, Tom. Daisy and Gatsby are reunited and start their love story all over. Throughout the novel, Daisy is torn between whether to be with her husband or to leave him to be with her long lost love, Gatsby. Daisy is superficial and cynical as a character.

Tom Buchanan:

Tom is Daisy Buchanan’s wealthy husband. Tom is rude, cocky, and hypocritical. He proves himself as ​ both racist and sexist, but he would never accept those around him to behave in such ways. In addition to this, Tom also seems to have no conscience whatsoever. He has an affair with Myrtle and sees no issue, but when Daisy has an affair, he suddenly thinks it’s wrong.

Jordan Baker:

Jordan is Daisy’s friend, and she becomes romantically involved with Nick. She is a professional golfer. She is in the novel to represent the “new woman” of the 1920’s, with her boyish outlook. She is not very truthful and will do anything to get her way.

Myrtle Wilson:

Myrtle is wife to George Wilson, who runs a garage in the Valley of Ashes. Myrtle is also the woman who Tom is having an affair with. Myrtle is not happy with her current life and aspires to become more than she is, financially and socially.

George Wilson:

George Wilson, Myrtle’s husband, a mechanic, is seen as a lifeless character. He is so in love with his wife but is aware of her unhappiness. He tries to make her happy, but all of his thoughts for their life are nothing but dreams. However, George would do anything because of his love for his wife.

Meyer Wolfsheim:

Wolfsheim is Gatsby’s friend and business partner who is involved in illegal crime. He helped Gatsby create his wealth by bootlegging liquor during prohibition. Meyer Wolfsheim is a very mysterious character who does not reveal much about himself. However, he does know a lot of information about other characters.

Key Subject Areas:

Subject Area 1: English Language Arts (ELA)

This image displays why Nick is so impressed by the extravagance of Gatsby’s house.

NC Essential Standards for Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.9 Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics.

Source: http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/6/

Activity 1: In this activity, students will engage in a comparison of media texts, examining an excerpt ​ from the novel in conjunction with the same scene from the film adaptation. First, students will be ​ given the following excerpt from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel:

“We walked through a high hallway into a bright rosy-colored space, fragilely bound into the ​ house by French windows at either end. The windows were ajar and gleaming white against the fresh grass outside that seemed to grow a little way into the house. A breeze blew through the room, blew curtains in at one end and out the other like pale flags, twisting them up toward the frosted wedding-cake of the ceiling, and then rippled over the wine-colored rug, making a shadow on it as wind does on the sea. The only completely stationary object in the room was an enormous couch on which two young women were buoyed up as though upon an anchored balloon. They were both in white, and their dresses were rippling and fluttering as if they had just been blown back in after a short flight around the house. I must have stood for a few moments listening to the whip and snap of the curtains and the groan of a picture on the wall. Then there was a boom as Tom Buchanan shut the rear windows and the caught wind died out about the room, and the curtains and the rugs and the two young women ballooned slowly to the floor.

The flowing curtains demonstrated above play into the extravagance of the sitting room.

The younger of the two was a stranger to me. She was extended full length at her end of the divan, completely motionless, and with her chin raised a little, as if she were balancing something on it which was quite likely to fall. If she saw me out of the corner of her eyes she gave no hint of it — indeed, I was almost surprised into murmuring an apology for having disturbed her by coming in.

The other girl, Daisy, made an attempt to rise — she leaned slightly forward with a conscientious expression — then she laughed, an absurd, charming little laugh, and I laughed too and came forward into the room.

“I’m p-paralyzed with happiness.” She laughed again, as if she said something very witty, and held my hand for a moment, looking up into my face, promising that there was no one in the world she so much wanted to see. That was a way she had.”

Daisy was surprised to see Nick, her cousin. She was not expecting him!

After reading the excerpt, students will then be shown this clip from the 2013 film adaptation. The above images represent a scene displayed in the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkZxTlCKo4s

Students will compare and contrast the two different versions of the same occurrence.

Key Questions: After Reading: 1) How does Nick feel about the space? 2) What adjectives does he use to help you understand this scene? After Watching: 1) Do you notice a difference in the dialect or words used in the written form and the video? 2) When you watched the clip, were the descriptions as far as the words used to describe how characters are speaking or moving from the excerpt accurate? Were the characters in the film behaving how you pictured them to when you read the scene? 3) What adjectives would you use to describe the film adaptation of how Nick feels about the space? 4) What other specific differences and similarities did you notice between the excerpt and the film?

Subject Area 2: Social Studies

Gatsby’s parties were filled with an abundance of guests and decor.

NC Essential Standards for Social Studies: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.3: Identify key steps in a text's description of a process related to ​ history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how interest rates are raised or lowered).

Source: http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RH/6-8/

Activity 1: Students will analyze the extravagance in the 2013 version of The Great Gatsby by ​ ​ ​ watching a clip. While watching the clip, students should jot down things that stick out to them about the happenings and decorations at the party. After watching and observing the clip, students will then be assigned one of the themes of the 1920’s to research. These themes are: economic prosperity, consumer culture, technology, and reaction to the new culture. After researching these themes, students will come together and share their information with the class. Following the presentations of each theme, they will evaluate how these themes were steps that ultimately led to Black Tuesday, the crash of the stock market.

Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgcuBOVMGsg

Key Questions: 1. Using one word, how would you describe Gatsby’s party? Why did you choose this word? 2. According to these themes occurring in the 1920’s, what do you think it would be like to live during this time? What would you do in your free time? Do you think that parties, such as Gatsby’s, would be realistic during this time? 3. How do you think Gatsby would have reacted to The Stock Market Crash? Would this have affected him? In what ways?

Subject Area 3: Music

Guests often danced in the fountain at Gatsby’s famous parties.

NC Essential Standards for Music: K.MR.1: Understand the interacting elements to respond to music and music performances.

Source: http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/docs/acre/standards/new-standards/arts/music/k-8.pdf

Activity: Students will watch a clip (listed below) from the 1974 film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, ​ ​ during a party scene at Gatsby’s house. Students will be given Higher Order Thinking Questions and ​ ​ prompts to consider before viewing the scene to ensure their active focus and attention to the type of music, tempo, and even the style of dancing that occurs. Next, students will view a similar party scene from the 2013 adaptation, using the same viewing prompt/questions. Students will then compare and contrast the two clips. They will do so by creating a Venn Diagram to note the differences and ​ similarities. Following the Venn Diagrams, students will explain why they think the choices made for ​ each movie were different, specifically addressing the music, through presenting their venn diagrams to the class.

Clips: 1974: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut2xXRXDjXE ​ 2013: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8wtDY6TZgc ​

Key Questions: 1) What are the similarities in the two clips? What are the differences? 2) Why do you think the choice of music was chosen for the 2013 adaptation? 3) Which version do you think better represents the era of 1920’s? Why do you think that?

Resources Teach with Movies offers extension activities for teaching the novel, The Great Gatsby, via the ​ ​ film versions. Explore this site for more ideas on engaging students in critical reading and viewing. http://www.teachwithmovies.org/guides/great-gatsby.html

The National Teaching Association has provided reading guides and historical context for The Great Gatsby to enhance learning and understanding. http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/55461.htm

References Standards:

"English Language Arts Standards » History/Social Studies » Grade 6-8." English Language Arts

Standards » History/Social Studies » Grade 6-8. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

"English Language Arts Standards » Reading: Literature » Grade 6." English Language Arts

Standards » Reading: Literature » Grade 6. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

Clips:

"Epic Party - The Great Gatsby." YouTube. YouTube. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

"Fergie - A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (The Great Gatsby) HD." YouTube. YouTube.

Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

"Gatsby Party." YouTube. YouTube. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

Reference Texts: ​ "The Great Gatsby." , by F. Scott Fitzgerald : Chapter 1. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

Images:

"Can Anyone I.D This Hat?" The Fedora Lounge RSS. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

"Gallery For Jay Gatsby Tumblr." Gallery For Jay Gatsby Tumblr. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

"Jordan Baker GIFs on Giphy." Giphy. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

"No Soap." No Soap. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

"Pix For George Wilson Great Gatsby Garage." Pix For George Wilson Great Gatsby Garage.

Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

"The Great Gatsby." Peter Vineys Blog. 16 May 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

"The Great Gatsby Style." Pinterest. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

"Tom Buchanan." Pinterest. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.