 |
| Taken From the CSPAN American Writer's Website |
"The 1920s" is a small website put out by library.thinkquest.org. It is a project done for students by students, thus it has the advantage of being on student reading level. This webpage offers many timelines of the 1920's (including World News, Finance, Art and Literature, and so on). It proves as a formidable resource giving background in art and literature of the decade surrounding Fitzgerald's novel as well as some insight concerning other events occurring during the time. It also addresses the issues of Prohibition and women's rights - two major themes in the novel.
This would be used as webquest and mini writing assignment. Students will browse the website and write one paragraph picking one major event or theme in the 1920's that would have influenced the writing of The Great Gatsby and why.
"The Roaring Twenties" - "The 1920's" - arts & literature. (n.d.). ThinkQuest : Library. Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/C005846/categories/artliter/artslit.htm
 |
| *Life Magazine Cover Honoring the 20s |
This short video clip introduces many of the important themes during the Roaring 20s including women's rights, jazz and new music, and increased access to electricity and natural gas. After World War I, Americans entered a time of industrialization and prosperity with President Harding. Many Americans enjoyed these new innovations, increased wages, and investing in the stock market. This clip also discusses new and massed produced appliances, automobiles, and radios. Many social norms were also challenged, especially by the change in women's roles and dress. This resource has the virtue of being short but concise.
This would be shown in class to introduce the 1920s - the timeline surrounding The Great Gatsby.
How Stuff Works, D. C. (Director). Assignment discovery: Roaring 20s [Documentary]. USA: Discovery Channel: How Stuff Works.
 |
| * The Roaring Twenties |
By: David C. King
In The Roaring Twenties (Perspectives on History), David C. King focuses on the 1920s as a decade of turmoil. Barnes and Noble overviews it as having many primary sources within, including, but not limited to, letters, news stories, and interviews. These primary sources showcase the issues of the time, such as prohibition, gangsters, immigration, jazz, flappers, and so on. While the reviews are lacking on many websites which sell this biography, it has a lexile rating of 1140. Thus, it would be on a tenth grade level according to the new CCSS percentiles, meaning it is accessible for 11th grade students. I like the fact that it uses primary resources. Students can get a first hand look at the times with some editorial commentary.
I would probably take two to three excerpts from this book and have students read them to get a well rounded view of The Roaring 20s so they can better understand the setting of The Great Gatsby before jumping into reading it.
King, D. C. (1997). The roaring twenties: Perspectives on history. Auburndale: History Compass, LLC.
Article: Editorial Observer; Jay Gatsby, Dreamer, Criminal, Jazz Age Rogue, Is a Man for Our Times
This New York Times article discusses Jay Gatsby as not only a young adult rebel and dreamer of the Jazz Age but also as a man of our times. Written as an editorial by Adam Cohen, this article can give eleventh grade students an in to understanding Gatsby as a character. He is not a perfect example of morality nor the common antagonist "bad guy" that students get in most of the literature. The novel uses the Jazz Age as a backdrop to a stilted critique of the American Dream and Dreamer. Jay Gatsby, while he does some criminal and acts that one may describe as immoral is comparable to many of us today. We all have our vices yet seem to be reaching towards the same dream - whether it be of success, of wealth, or of love.
I think this article would serve as an excellent lead in to a writing prompt. Are we really that much different, besides fashion, norms and resources, than the people of the Jazz Age? Adam Cohen, the author, seems to believe that Jay Gatsby could exist today because he is so much like us. I would have students either agree or disagree pulling from both their personal experience and evidence from the novel.
Cohen, A. (2002, April 4). Editorial observer; Jay Gatsby, dreamer; criminal, jazz age rogue, is a man for our times. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/07/opinion/editorial-observer-jay-gatsby-dreamer-criminal-jazz-age-rogue-man-for-our-times.html
 | |||
| *Jazz Scene |
Kelly, your video on the Roaring Twenties really set the tone for your studies. Very inclusive, it covered music, politics and home life. Seeing how the common core curriculum crosses subjects, this would be interesting to use in history and music as well as language arts. This video was a great find!
ReplyDeleteI was lucky with that one - thank you. The discovery channel videos are always a great resource for science, history, and background information.
ReplyDelete