Introduction
This WebQuest is designed for students to explore and expand upon the setting of the 1920's depicted in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. They just finished reading the novel.
You have been assigned the role of party planner for one of Jay Gatsby's extravagant parties. The party location is Gatsby's mansion, but everything else is up to you. The American 1920's was marked by grandeur for the wealthy. Can you create a successful party that meets the standards of society's elite?
Task
During this WebQuest, students will design an ideal party that parallels Gatsby's wealth and the theme of extravagance during the Roaring Twenties. Students will synthesize multiple sources in order to gather information, acting as party planners in the 1920's. Descriptions of Gatsby's parties in the novel can help students with this activity.
Process
1. Organize yourselves into teams of four.
2. Make sure everyone has finished reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. You should incorporate this novel into your party planning.
3. Decide which group member wants to complete which role. One group member should be in charge of one of the following categories: food/drink, dress code, music, and decorations.
Descriptions for each role are as follows:
- Food/drink: This group member should create a menu for the party. The menu should include two drinks, two appetizers, three entrees, and two desserts.
- Dress Code: This group member should describe the dress code for the party, as well as provide three reference photos.
- Music: This group member should create a playlist with ten appropriate songs for the party, including the name and artist for each song.
- Decorations: This group member should select at least five types of decorations that will be at the party, as well as include three reference photos.
Guidance on how to organize the required information:
- Group members should create one Google Doc that will include all plans for the party (menu, dress code, playlist, and decorations). This will be submitted for evaluation after completion.
Evaluation
| Aspect of Work | Weak (1-4 points) | Fair (5-7 points) | Great (8-10 points) |
| Mechanics | There are many grammatical errors. | There are few/some grammatical errors. | There are no grammatical errors. |
| Menu (Food/Drink) |
The menu failed to meet the requirements of two drinks, two appetizers, three entrees, and two desserts. |
The menu partially met the requirements of two drinks, two appetizers, three entrees, and two desserts. |
The menu successfully met the requirements of two drinks, two appetizers, three entrees, and two desserts. |
| Dress Code |
The dress code was not explained or there were no reference photos. |
The dress was partially explained or there were less than three reference photos. |
The dress code was successfully explained and there were three reference photos. |
| Playlist (Music) | A playlist or artists' names were not included. |
A playlist with less than ten songs was provided, or the artists were not fully provided. |
A playlist with ten songs was provided, as well as the artist names. |
| Decorations | Decorations or reference photos were not provided. |
Less than five types of decorations were provided or less than three reference photos were included. |
Five types of decorations and three reference photos were included. |
(50 points total)
Conclusion
Ultimately, the purpose of this WebQuest was for students to conduct research and learn more about the theme of extravagance in The Great Gatsby and the Roaring Twenties. For this WebQuest, students were tasked with planning an appropriate Gatsby-style party. Each student was responsible for choosing one aspect of the party to plan, including the menu, dress code, playlist, and decorations. To encourage reflection and extend knowledge, I suggest that students consider how well they would be able to plan a Gatsby-style party individually. Further, students should connect what they learned about 1920's party planning with Fitzgerald's depiction of the 1920's in the novel.
Credits
Food/Drink:
- Click here for a Roaring Twenties style menu.
- Click here for a history of American food in the 1920's.
- Click here to learn more about cuisine in the 1920's.
- If you want to read about stylish food in the 1920's, click here.
Dress Code:
- Click here to read about the fashion of this decade.
- Click here for more information about 1920's fashion trends.
- If you want an overview of men's fashion during this time, click here.
- Click here for more information about women's fashion in the 1920's.
Music:
- Click here to learn more about music during the Roaring Twenties.
- Click here to read more about the history of 1920's music.
- Click here to read about Jazz music in the 1920's.
- For more information about 1920's jazz and sample 1920's songs, click here.
Decorations:
- Click here for decor inspiration and tips to throw a successful 1920's party.
- Click here to watch a clip from a movie adaptation of The Great Gatsby.
- For more party planning inspiration, click here.
Books/supplemental reading that will be provided: