Lesson Plan on 'The Great Gatsby'

The Great Gatsby in a 90-minute lesson focused on symbols such as the green light, the Valley of Ashes and Dr. Eckleburg's eyes, and on what the novel says about the American Dream.
Year levels
Years 1–12
Pages
6
File type
PDF
Answer key
Included

Updated Feb 13, 2025

Subject
Literature, Creative Arts, Reading, English
Topic
Great Gatsby, Gatsby
Resource types
Lesson Plans, Worksheets & Printables
Answer key
Included

From the author

About this resource

While The Great Gatsby provides an in-depth portrayal of American culture during the Roaring Twenties, its storyline mirrors one told many times before, potentially as old as the country itself: a man rises from destitution to wealth, only to find that his fortune does not afford him the privileges enjoyed by those born into their elite status.
The central character is Jay Gatsby, a wealthy New Yorker whose occupation is vague. Gatsby is primarily known for the lavish parties he throws each weekend at his opulent Gothic mansion in West Egg. He is thought to be linked to illegal bootlegging and several criminal activities. The storyteller, Nick Carraway, resides next to Gatsby in West Egg.
This lesson plan for The Great Gatsby is designed to last approximately 90 minutes. The student activities vary and are presented in a separate worksheet. In the end, the answer key for the assignments is given separately at the end of the lesson plan.

In the classroom

Teaching tips & learning objectives

Learning objectives

  • Interpret key symbols in The Great Gatsby

  • Analyse main characters and their motives in pairs

  • Evaluate how the novel portrays the American Dream

Skills covered

  • Reflective writing — responding in writing to the novel's themes

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Resource details

Concepts & topics

Core concepts

  • American Dream

  • Symbolism

  • Roaring Twenties

  • Social class

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