The Great Gatsby: Acting a Scene 50 minutes Lesson Topic: Three to five minute performance of the Plaza Hotel

scene in The Great Gatsby (chapter seven). Note: Students will have had a lesson about characterization in the previous unit for Fahrenheit 451. Also, they will have had characterization exercises before the acting lesson plan. Students will review characterization before the acting lesson. Big Ideas: Fitzgerald uses adjectives and descriptions to convey the characters emotions and motivations for their actions. Nick Carraways perception of characters and events influences a readers emotional response to them. Acting a scene will further develop characterization. Essential Questions: How does a narrator influence the readers interpretation of the scene? How does acting a scene help clarify characters emotions and motivations for their emotions? Objectives: a. Knowledge Outcomes Students will identify characters emotions and potential motivations for the emotions. Students will consider why Fitzgerald chose specific adjectives to convey a message. Students will evaluate how the emotions influence the way actors perform the passage. Students will evaluate the effect of the narrators perception of characters and events on the readers interpretation. b. Skill Outcomes Students will analyze the texts adjectives in order to understand characters emotions. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. Students will adapt speech and mannerisms to reflect Fitzgeralds characterization in the Plaza Hotel scene. 1

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.3 Evaluate a speakers point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used. Students will collaborate in order to make a cogent presentation. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1b Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed.

Assessments:

Student comments on self evaluation Exit ticket Students annotated notes that I collect Answers to questions after performance Questions that students ask performers

Activities: In preparation: previous class I will assign students their group, role, and passage. I will allow each group fifteen to twenty minutes to annotate the passage together and begin completing the questions on the handout. The handout I will give them is on page five of the lesson plan. I will give students the grading rubric for the performance (the same standards as the peer and self assessment). I will tell students the agenda for the presentations the next day that is as follows: During the presentation: 1. Each actor / narrator will identify the role he or she will play. 2. Perform the scene. 3. Each actor /narrator will describe his or her characters emotions in the scene to the class. What evidence in the text (adjectives, descriptions) led to your conclusion? 4. Do the characters emotions change during the scene? How and why? What evidence in the text (adjectives, descriptions) led to your conclusion? 5. How does Nick view your character in the scene? What influence (if any) does his narration have on your scene? Day of presentation: 2 -3 minutes: I will tell students the agenda for the day. Agenda: 1. Warm-up exercise 2. Practice scene with group 3. Perform scene 4. Exit ticket 5. Homework: complete self-evaluation form for performance Students will arrange desks in a large circle. 2

5 10 Minutes: Warm up activity: To help students feel more comfortable performing the scene in front of peers, students will perform a warm-up acting exercise. I will tell students to practice the phrase: I am so happy to see you. - Students will stand with their presentation group; groups will stand in different corners of the room. - I will have slips of paper with an adjective and its definition to describe tone. - I will place the flashcards in a box. I will go to all groups and each student will choose a flashcard from the box. - Students will not tell their group the word; the group will guess. - Only one student speaks at a time. - The other students will offer advice to the student practicing his or her acting skills. I will circulate to each group to ensure that students remain on task and are not disruptive or excessively critical of other students. 15 minutes: Once students finish their warm up activity, they will practice their scene with their group. I will circulate to answer questions and ensure the groups stay on task.

20 -25 minutes: I will explain that students who are not performing should take notes and prepare at least one question for the performing group to answer. Group one will be the first group to perform. Students in group one will perform in the center of the classroom. I will stand at the side of the room and ensure students pay attention, take notes, and prepare questions. Each actor will identify the character he or she will play. Each group will perform their scene. After the performance, each actor will describe his or her characters emotions in the scene to the class. Students will answer the questions: 1. Do the characters emotions change during the scene? How and why? What evidence in the text (adjectives, descriptions) led to your conclusion? 2. How does Nick view your character in the scene? What influence (if any) does his narration have on your scene? Students and I will ask follow up questions. The next group will perform their scene until we have seen each group. Wrap-up: 2 5 minutes: I will project the exit ticket on the board. Students will answer:

1. Did you find the acting exercise helpful to better understand the characters emotions and Fitzgeralds tone? 2. Name something you learned today that you didnt know before the lesson. If time permits, volunteers will share their responses. I will collect the exit tickets. I will collect homework from the previous night: annotation notes and answers to questions. Homework due next class: self-evaluation form for performance

Materials Needed List of group members Handout with directions for performance Self-evaluation sheet Rubrics for performance Copies of passages to annotate Flashcards and box for warm-up activity Sponge Activity Students will begin to complete their self-evaluation sheet. Students will begin homework. Potential Pitfalls Students will not want to participate. I will tell them it is only for one class period and the presentation is quite brief. Students will become too loud during the practice sessions; I will circulate the room and ensure students are on task and maintain a reasonable level of volume.

Name: _________________________________________________________________ The Plaza Hotel Scene: The Great Gatsby 4

During the next class, your group will perform a passage from the Plaza Hotel scene in The Great Gatsby. Your performance will help you to understand characterization. Each group member must participate and each member will be given a participation and homework grade. The presentations will be approximately five minutes. To remind you, here are the group numbers and the passages: Group 1: Actors: Daisy, Tom, Jordan, Gatsby, Nick Narrator Perform: Wait a minute on page 129 to at this point on page 130. Group 2: Actors: Daisy, Tom, Jordan, Gatsby, Nick Narrator Perform: Sit down at the top of page 131 to the bottom of page 132. Group 3: Actors: Daisy, Tom, Jordan, Gatsby, Nick Narrator Perform: page 133 to the bottom of 134 For homework, every student must annotate the groups passage. I will collect your notes for a homework grade. During the presentation, every student will be asked to: Identify the character you will play. Perform the scene. Describe your characters emotions and attitude in the scene. Actors will be asked to answer the following questions: Does the characters emotions change during the scene? How and why? What evidence in the text (adjectives, descriptions) led to your conclusion? Narrators will be asked the following questions: How does the narrator view your character in the scene? What influence (if any) does his narration have on your scene? Acting tips: Pay attention to adjectives that describe a characters emotions or attitude in the text. For example, Then Toms voice incredulous and insulting (129). Use a dictionary if you do not understand the definition of a word. Pay attention to movements and gestures in the text. For example, Tom glanced around to see if we mirrored his unbelief (129). Consider inflection of voice, gesture, and pauses when you present.