What if I Met Jay Gatsby? (A WebQuest Project)

Introduction

Imagine yourself living in the glamorous twenties in America, watching all the dazzling parties and hearing jazzy tunes from every corner, then suddenly a fashionable and shiny man came out of nowhere and called you his old sport. Jay Gatsby introduced himself to you, you suddenly became part of his life, and slowly, you discover something about him. What if you were Nick Carraway? Would you follow Gatsby all the way through? What do you think about his rich life? What would you say to his mindset, his dreams? How would you have handled things with Gatsby?

Task

Your task is to create a roleplay podcast that records your group’s personal insights about the book, The Great Gatsby, and specifically, discuss your fictional stories of meeting Jay Gatsby from a 1st person POV. You will work in groups of 4 and submit your podcast shows. Note that the podcast must include:

  • Clear structure of the episode which has a beginning, middle, and an end with a clear focus on the story.
  • Thoughtful analysis of the book and a smooth discussion of personal stories.
  • Strong production of audio recording, editing, and sound design.
  • Call-to-action to engage listeners / students / teachers with the book discussed and explore other literary works.
Process

 

  1. Watch the 2013 adaptation of The Great Gatsby as a group; jot down notes as you watch together.
  2. Assign roles in the group: proofreader, researcher, podcast editor, and one podcast host. ALL MEMBERS must participate in the podcast: preparing their stories beforehand, discuss and record them together.
  3. Make use of the resources provided to help in piecing up your stories.
  4. Name your podcast show (you could also create a podcast cover!).
  5. Record and edit your podcast using any editing software like Audacity, Movavi, etc. Your podcast episode should be at least 45 mins long. Minimum length is 30 mins.

Resources

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20210209-the-worlds-most-misunderstood-novel

https://ia801408.us.archive.org/29/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.184960/2015.184960.The-Great-Gatsby.pdf

https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Great-Gatsby

Evaluation

 

RUBRIC

EXCELLENT (4)

GOOD

(3)

FAIR (2)

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT (1)

Formation of Podcast (Clear roles and effective collaboration)

 

 

 

 

Episode Structure (Clear intro, depth of content, and effective call to action)

 

 

 

 

Audience Engagement (Clear voice, enthusiastic tone, and emotionally impactful)  

 

 

 

 

Technical Aspects (Quality audio)

 

 

 

 

Overall Impact (Reflect on podcast’s contribution to learning and knowledge)

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

“Can’t repeat the past? Why, of course you can!”, concludes Gatsby as he ends the podcast show. Whether you believe him or not, you and your group who were invited to his parties know that Gatsby loved his past so much that he recreated it in the present. With your podcast, you were able to highlight your relationships with Gatsby and share your opinions about the American dream. Now, whenever you dive into another century-old story like Gatsby’s, you’ll be able to sympathize more with the characters, learn from their point of views, and apply lessons learned fit in any situation in your life! Onward to life!

Teacher Page

Riyanna Lei CB.

IQRA Development Academy

 

Senior High School

Subject: Classic American Literature (21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World)

Learning Competency: Critical thinking and literary analysis

Time Frame: 2–3 class periods

Materials Needed: Internet access, speakers, and/or manuscripts (of podcast episode)  

Assessment: Use rubric under the Evaluation section

Differentiation: Provide guide questions for struggling learners