Classroom Resource

Judging a Book by Its Cover: The Art and Imagery of The Great Gatsby

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

Francis Cugat's 1925 cover art for The Great Gatsby and The View of Toledo by El Greco, mentioned in the final pages of the novel, are the focus of pre-reading and post-reading activities in this lesson plan. Before reading the novel, students tap visual literacy skills as they analyze the artwork commissioned for the novel's cover. Based on their analysis, students make predictions about the plot and imagery of the novel. After completing their reading, students revisit the visual imagery and artwork and discuss how their interpretations have changed. Next, students explore allusion by analyzing an El Greco painting alluded to in the novel and discussing what the allusion means. Finally, students conclude their study by selecting images and designing their own cover for the novel.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.R2

Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.9.R2

Vocabulary

  • Literary texts
  • Literal understanding
  • Figurative understanding
  • Text
  • Purpose
  • Situation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Strategies to analyze literary text to develop a literal and figurative understanding.
  • Literary texts have different intended meanings depending on the genre, purpose, and situation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Develop literal and figurative understanding of literary texts appropriate to the text, purpose, and situation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Literary texts can be understood on both a literal and figurative level.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.R3

Utilize active listening skills in formal and informal conversations, following predetermined norms.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.9.R3

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Formal conversations
  • Informal conversations
  • Predetermined norms

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Strategies to identify formal and informal settings.
  • Engage in formal and informal conversations.
  • Predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during formal and informal discussions.
  • Practice predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow predetermined norms which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.R2

Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.10.R2

Vocabulary

  • Literary texts
  • Literal understanding
  • Figurative understanding
  • Text
  • Purpose
  • Situation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Strategies to analyze literary text to develop a literal and figurative understanding.
  • Literary texts have different intended meanings depending on the genre, purpose, and situation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Develop literal and figurative understanding of literary texts appropriate to the text, purpose, and situation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Literary texts can be understood on both a literal and figurative level.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.R3

Utilize active listening skills in formal and informal conversations, following predetermined norms.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.10.R3

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Formal conversations
  • Informal conversations
  • Predetermined norms

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Strategies to identify formal and informal settings.
  • Engage in formal and informal conversations.
  • Predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during formal and informal discussions.
  • Practice predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow predetermined norms which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.4

Interpret an author’s use of characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning in a variety of texts.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.10.4

Vocabulary

  • Characterization
  • Connotation
  • Denotation
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Interpret how characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.5

Analyze context and organizational structures to determine theme, tone, and the meaning of the work as a whole.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.10.5

Vocabulary

  • Context
  • Organizational structure
  • Tone
  • Theme

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The context and organizational structure of a text will impact the theme, tone, and meaning of the work.
  • Strategies to identify the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.
  • Analyze the impact of context and organizational structure on the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • A text's context and structure can affect the tone, theme, and meaning of a work as a whole.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.1

Read, analyze, and evaluate complex literary and informational texts written from various points of view and cultural perspectives, with an emphasis on works of American literature.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.11.1

Vocabulary

  • Analyze
  • Evaluate
  • Complex literary text
  • Complex informational texts
  • Points of view
  • Cultural perspectives
  • American literature

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to read, analyze, and evaluate complex literary and informational texts.
  • Strategies to identify and describe various points of view and cultural perspectives.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read complex texts.
  • Analyze elements within complex texts.
  • Evaluate text based on specific criteria provided by teacher.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Texts written from various cultural perspectives and viewpoints can provide them with valuable information about the thoughts, opinions, and experiences of others.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.6

Analyze a text’s explicit and implicit meanings to make inferences about its theme and determine the author’s purpose.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.12.6

Vocabulary

  • Analyze
  • Explicit
  • Implicit
  • Inferences
  • Theme
  • Author's purpose

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Strategies to comprehend explicit and implicit text meaning.
  • Inference skills.
  • Methods to identify the theme and purpose of a text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Making inferences about the theme and purpose of a text by analyzing a text's explicit and implicit meanings.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Text often has an explicitly stated meaning and an implied meaning.
  • They can combine their explicit and implicit understanding to infer the theme and the author's purpose for writing the text.
Link to Resource
http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/judging-book-cover-i…

CR Resource Type

Lesson/Unit Plan

Resource Provider

ReadWriteThink
Accessibility
License

License Type

Custom

Custom License Type (URL)

http://www.readwritethink.org/util/legal.html

Approved Date

raulstoncg
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