THE GREAT GATSBY LESSON PLAN 

By F​ ifa​ ​Minnie​ ​Jane ​Mind 

 
QUESTION: 
- How do rumors affect relationships? (positively/negatively) 
- How do rumors change perspective? (works in both ways) 
OBJECTIVE: 
- To understand the consequences of miscommunication and rumors 
- To realize the significance of what you say 
 
Hook = 15 mins (7:30-7:45) 
- Reminder of rules = 1 mins (7.31) 
- Toothpaste Activity​ + explain = 7 mins (7.38) 
Direction 
1. Divide into 4 groups, by counting a number. 
2. Send one representative from each group to play the first round. 
3. Each team is given 1:30 minute per round to squeeze the toothpaste out of the tube 
as much as possible. 
4. In the second round, send another representative; you now need to put the 
toothpaste back in the tube as much as possible. 
5. Question: Can we put all of the toothpaste back like the way it was before? 
6. Conclusion : In this game toothpaste represent the information or words that we 
communicate with others. Squeezing it out of the tube represents the when we 
send or spread the message out to others, which can be by writing, texting or 
speaking in person. 
7. Question: How can your words be significant? 
Possible Answer: 
= As you can see, things that go out from the first place can’t be the same. You 
cannot take back what you already said. 
- Gatsby’s case + background info​ #Spoiler Alert!​ ​= 1.5 mins (7.40) 
The Great Gatsby is a story about the American Dream in the 1920’s, the time when 
the economy prospered and joy was the highest priority of all. The Great Gatsby revolves 
around one person, ...you guessed it, Gatsby. Now what makes him so great is that he is 
rich, mysterious and famous. And with great reputation comes great risk.  
Gatsby was rumored for being a murderer, a german spy during the first world war, 
a relative to Kaiser Wilhelm, a bootlegger (person who sells illegal alcohol), an Oxford 
graduate, etc. Spoiler alert. At the end of the story, Gatsby died with everyone believing 
that he’s a killer, because they always hear Gatsby’s story in bad ways, but in reality, he 
hasn’t killed anyone. So, these are all the rumors Gatsby has faced, now we want to know 
- What is your definition of a rumor? = 3 mins (7.43) 
Possible answer:  
= a message which maybe true or not that is spread around 
- How can rumors spread? = 2 min (7.45) 
Possible Answer: 
>> talk, chat, text, call, pictures, etc. 
>> what are those called? >> communication 
 
 
Instruction = 27 mins (7:45-8.12) 
- Do you see what I’m seeing? ​Game: show one person a picture and let them 
describe it to the group, let the last person draw it as accurately as they can = 10 
mins (7.55) 
Directions:  
1. Choose one representative from each group and another person to draw the 
picture. 
2. The person will come up and see the picture that we will provide. 
3. That person will go back and tell what he or she see to the next person, do this until 
the last person.  
4. The last person will draw what he or she hear. Show it to the class and explain 
what is it. 
5. Show them the real picture.  
- Discussion: = 17 mins (8.12) 
= ​What did you learn about communication from this activity?  
Possible answer:  
- Communication can go wrong, if it is passed on through many people 
- Perspective (pass the 2nd question) 
=​ How can communication go wrong? 
Possible answer:  
- People forget/ignore details 
- It’s different through different perspectives 
= Communication can be a miscommunication, what about rumors that spread through 
communication.. Do you think they can be bent from the truth? 
= Even we know that rumors can be false or not accurate.. 
= Why do people still believe in or create new rumors?  
Possible answer:  
- People like to gossip (why?) -> it’s fun/it’s a chance to look down on others 
 - People like to come up with an answer when they can’t find truth to their 
questions. 
=> inevitable 
 
Assessment = 8 mins (8.12-8.20) 
- Small group discussion and then share to class = 6 mins (8.18) 
>> “how to prevent rumors from affecting your life and relationship?”  
= Those are all great ideas. We hope that these methods will be helpful to your life 
and relationships in some way or another.  
- Co​nc​lu​de​ = 2 mins (8.20) 
=> The nature of rumors is that it’s fun to spread around, and the more it is spread, the 
more it becomes a regular part of everyone’s conversation​.  
 
=> It seems like the ones who don’t know about the rumor are seen as out of trend, when 
in reality, the one who is being damaged the most is the person whose the rumor belongs 
to.  
 
=> We might not capable of stopping and preventing everyone from spreading rumors, but 
we can start from ourselves. we should treat each other with respect. Instead of thinking 
about your own personal fun, you should try to put yourself in others’ shoes and think 
about how others would feel if you rumor about them.  
 
=> Neither everything is a joke, nor everyone will enjoy it. THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK and 
take consequences of it into consideration, before it comes back and hurts yourself and 
others.