• Searching TikTok for trending sounds to reference
• Following teen influencers to stay “current”
• Learning about whatever game is popular this week
• Trying to “speak their language” authentically
• Racing to keep up with youth culture

But here’s what I’ve noticed after 17 years in the classroom: The most engaged discussions often happen when I share connections I’m genuinely excited about – even if they’re not necessarily “relevant” to teens.

Two Approaches to Student Engagement

Picture this: I’m teaching Macbeth. I have two options:

Student Engagement Option 1: Force “Relevant” Connections

• Compare Lady Macbeth to current teen drama
• Find social media parallels for every scene
• Make strained connections to high school politics
• Try to find trending references for every moment

Student Engagement Option 2: Share Real Analysis

• Break down how the play mirrors reality TV power dynamics
• Analyze character arcs like season-long story development
• Examine how ambition plays out in competition shows
• Draw on patterns I actually study in my own viewing

Guess which creates better student engagement and deeper discussion?

It’s not because reality TV is more “relevant” to students than their own experiences. It’s because:

1. I bring genuine analytical insight from my deep understanding
2. Students see authentic intellectual curiosity in action
3. The connections emerge from real pattern recognition
4. The analysis has actual depth and substance
5. The thinking creates authentic discovery

Beyond Forced Relevance

Here’s what I’ve learned about real student engagement:

• Authentic interest is contagious – students respond to genuine enthusiasm
• Deep analysis builds natural connections across contexts
• Real patterns create genuine insights and discoveries
• Systematic thinking reveals meaning students actually care about
• True engagement comes from authentic intellectual work

Engineering Better Analysis

Instead of asking “How do I make this relevant?” try:

• What patterns do I genuinely see in this text?
• Where does my expertise offer unique insight?
• How does this connect to what I understand deeply?
• What makes this analysis actually matter?
• How can I model real analytical thinking?

From Surface to Substance

Real student engagement doesn’t come from:

• Forcing youth culture connections
• Pretending to share their interests
• Creating artificially “relevant” links
• Finding trendy references
• Racing to stay “current”

It comes from:

• Bringing authentic analytical thinking
• Sharing genuine pattern recognition
• Building real analytical tools
• Creating conditions for discovery
• Modeling intellectual curiosity

What Real Student Engagement Looks Like

Let me give you a specific example from my classroom. Recently, I was teaching The Great Gatsby. Instead of forcing connections to teen social media drama, I shared my fascination with how reality TV shows build and break alliances. Not that I don’t see the social media comparisons – I definitely do. It’s why I bring up the reality show The Circle and the parallels I see in that dynamic.

The discussion that followed was electric – not because students particularly cared about reality TV, but because:

• They saw genuine analytical thinking in action
• The patterns revealed something real about power and relationships
• The analysis had actual depth and complexity
• The connection emerged naturally from authentic interest
• They got to see (and appreciate?) my enthusiasm for the analysis 

I also think we can learn a lot by studying the media that our students consume, but I don’t think it needs to be so…on the nose. The key wasn’t the specific connection – it was the quality of thinking it inspired. Students started noticing their own patterns, drawing on their own areas of expertise, building genuine analytical skills.

If the students make that connection to teen social media drama…great! That is their connection and we don’t need to make it for them.

Where Do We Go From Here?

We’re not ignoring student interests. When authentic connections to their experiences emerge, absolutely explore them.

But if you find yourself desperately searching for ways to “make it relevant,” try sharing what genuinely interests you instead. Your authentic analytical thinking will create better student engagement than forced connections ever could.

Want to build more engaging analysis in your classroom? Start with my free Discussion Engineering Mini-Course. You’ll learn:

• How to build real expertise (vs surface preparation) 
• Why genuine knowledge gaps create engagement
• Ways to make everyone’s contribution matter
• How to design discussions that actually work

Because ultimately, student engagement isn’t about relevance – it’s about creating conditions for real thinking to flourish.

[Click here to access your free Discussion Engineering Mini-Course]

Teaching gets better when we bring our whole selves to it, including our genuine intellectual curiosity.

The post The Most Popular Student Engagement Hack Is Missing Something appeared first on English Classroom Architect.

The film Quiz Show documents the early years of television, specifically America’s fascination with quiz shows, and the scandal that rocked the early medium when producers fixed the results of popular shows in order to ensure popularity for their show sponsors.

Teachers may be hesitant to teaching with film. But not only does teaching with film provide context for the time for Fahrenheit 451 and The Crucible, it also sheds light on America’s complicated relationship with knowledge and learning, providing opportunities for rich discussion in high school English classrooms.

The film itself is not only ripe for curriculum connections, it is a great movie as a standalone. Among many honors, it won a Golden Globe for Best Film – Drama, and Robert Redford won a Golden Globe for Best Director. The cast is star studded, and students will likely recognize Ralph Finnes who they know as Lord Valdemort. While nothing will please everyone, this is a film the vast majority of my students found engaging.

I love when texts can serve multiple functions, and I found that teaching with film, specifically the The Quiz Show, is one that really packs a punch. I have used this opportunity for teaching with film to provide historical context, deepen contextual understanding of America’s relationship with knowledge, help students synthesize text for Socratic Seminars, and help make thematic connections between the 1950s and today.

Teaching with Film to Explore Parallel Themes in Quiz Show, The Crucible, and Fahrenheit 451

I initially planned to use the film Quiz Show simply for the historical and cultural context it could provide to the texts we were reading that were written during the 1950s: The Crucible, Raisin in the Sun, and Fahrenheit 451. But, as I started to plan how I was going to implement my ideas for teaching with film, I realized the conceptual pairings were quite deep, and could even connect to The Great Gatsby,  as well.  Across these works, the interplay between power structures and the dissemination of knowledge forms a recurring motif – the multifaceted ways in which those in control wield their influence over information, shaping perceptions and determining truth.

In a world where books are banned and intellectualism is suppressed, the manipulation of knowledge becomes increasingly important for us to address. In Fahrenheit 451, the oppressive government maintains control by erasing history, altering narratives, and substituting substance with superficiality. What makes this all the more terrible is that the society of the novel got to this point because people gradually gave up their willingness to think critically. As we guide our students through the bleak landscape of Fahrenheit 451, we explore the implications of a society devoid of critical thinking and the perilous consequences of a society that seeks to stifle enlightenment.

The Crucible, set against the backdrop of the Salem witch trials, unveils the danger of unchecked authority. The manipulation of knowledge, in this case through false accusations, not only tears at the fabric of a community but reveals how those in power can exploit fear and hysteria to maintain control. Through the lives of the characters we help our students to understand information can be weaponized to serve ulterior motives.

Moving from the pages of literature to the silver screen, teaching with the film The Quiz Show thrusts us into the realm of reality television and media manipulation. Here, the contestants’ quest for knowledge is manipulated by unseen hands seeking to construct an image of success. The power structures at play are hidden beneath the surface, shaping the narrative for entertainment value and ratings. As we peel back the layers of deception, we confront the disconcerting reality of how media can influence perceptions, reinforcing the notion that even in the pursuit of knowledge, manipulation can obscure the truth.

Across these narratives, the common thread is the potent connection between power and the control of knowledge. Whether through censorship, accusation, or media manipulation, we’re confronted with the sobering reality that those who hold authority possess the capacity to mold reality itself. 

Examining the American Relationship with Knowledge

America has a complicated relationship with knowledge. On one hand, we celebrate success related to knowledge. On the other hand, culture communicates that people can be “too smart for their own good” and in popular culture book smarts are often looked down upon and labeled outcasts. Americans are often skeptical of people that are too bookish.  As a result, the pursuit of knowledge is often central in American literature. 

When I taught this last I really went down a rabbit hole. My students were completing a video essay about a 1950s topic for their summative and they needed to incorporate a film of their choice, The Crucible, and Fahrenheit 451. To have a sample and to troubleshoot the process, I completed the assignment myself. My project incorporated the film The Quiz Show. We watched it as a class, and I felt like my project would reinforce and deepen their previous conversations and assignments. I chose the topic because I knew there would be content to work with, but as I worked through the assignment, I came to realize the deep connection among these three texts. 

As I delved into the historical and cultural factors shaping the American knowledge culture, a luminous figure stepped onto the stage—Mortimer Adler. An eminent philosopher, educator, and early proponent of the Great Books movement, Adler’s influence resonated deeply in my exploration. His philosophical tenets advocating for the pursuit of knowledge and critical thinking found a home with the Van Doren family, who were close friends and confidants of Adler.

I had not made the connection until I was into my research, but I already had knowledge of Charles Van Doren through his work with Adler as I have read their book How to Read a Book, which suggests “how” is through active and critical connection with the content. The book is a direct reaction to the fallout of The Great Books movement. Adler wanted people to engage with these “great books,” but in reality they often became an educational shortcut. Visually, people could appear learned by displaying novels associated with deep thinking, even if they had not actually read the tomes they displayed. 

As Charles navigated the fallout of the quiz show scandal, his affiliation with Adler served as a shield, offering a degree of insulation that his counterpart, Herbert Stempel, did not enjoy. Adler was Chairman of the Board of Encyclopedia Britannica, not coincidentally the place where Charles Van Doren got a job after he lost his job at Columbia following his Congressional subcommittee testimony and admission that he participated in the rigging of the show, Twenty-One. 

Intriguingly, this connection amplifies the narrative of The Quiz Show. Charles Van Doren’s association with Adler not only highlights his intellectual prowess but also provides a glimpse into the power structures at play. 

This juxtaposition of both affinity to and reppelance of knowledge mirrors the themes woven into Fahrenheit 451 and The Crucible, where power and influence over knowledge become instruments that can either shield or subjugate.

Through the prism of Adler’s influence, we discern the intricate web of connections that shape the American knowledge culture. From the suppression of books in Fahrenheit 451 to the machinations of power in The Crucible and The Quiz Show, the interplay between knowledge, authority, and society’s dynamics becomes a tapestry of exploration, urging us to unravel its intricacies and become architects of a more informed and discerning future.

Reflecting on the Relevance of “Quiz Show” in the Modern Era

By teaching with the film, students will see a clear connection between The Quiz Show and reality television. The manipulative tactics that emerge in the film’s game show scandal mirror the tactics often employed in reality TV, where narrative crafting and selective editing can skew perceptions for entertainment purposes.

While America shines as a knowledge superpower, we’ve developed a paradoxical relationship with education and learning. In our pursuit of individualism and free thought, we’ve sometimes downplayed the significance of education, even expressing skepticism towards intellectual pursuits. This blend of skepticism and pride creates a unique landscape—one where our students must traverse the contours of truth and falsehood with caution.

The Quiz Show might be a period piece, but its connections to truth, deception, and ethics still resonate loudly in our lives. From fake news to social media filters, our world is brimming with situations that make us question what’s real and what’s not. Teaching with the film provides opportunities for connecting these contemporary issues with the film’s themes, and we can empower our students to be critical thinkers and responsible consumers of information.

With the creation of the Internet, now everyone can put out content and have a voice. The voice can be built on strong, factual content, but it can also be made up of baseless information. Now it is not so simple to know what is valid or fake just by looking at it. Artificial intelligence and the growing possibility of deep fakes confounds this possibility. 

In the ever-evolving landscape of information, where tweets (are they still called tweets now that Twitter is now called X?) become headlines and videos go viral before breakfast, our students are navigating a whirlwind of content like never before. 

We must guide our students towards a deep understanding of the complexity of information, fostering the skills they need to dissect, evaluate, and discern the real from the fabricated. By nurturing these skills, we’re empowering a generation to question, analyze, and challenge.

Teaching with the film Quiz Show and Integration with The Crucible

Looking at The Quiz Show alongside Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, an interesting intersection of history and literature emerges. Through this juxtaposition, we offer our students a chance to peer into the historical contexts that underpin these works, unraveling the societal pressures that have shaped human behavior across different eras.

In The Quiz Show, set against the backdrop of the 1950s, the allure of television’s rising influence in American households exerts an undeniable pull. Just as the characters in The Crucible grapple with the societal pressures of the Salem witch trials, where conformity and maintaining appearances were paramount, the contestants and decision-makers in the film wrestle with their roles in an emerging media culture.

Teaching with the Film Quiz Show and Integration with Fahrenheit 451

In the digital age, where technology weaves a tapestry of connection and convenience, Fahrenheit 451 takes on new resonance. As we explore the role of media and technology in shaping knowledge, the parallels between Bradbury’s vision and contemporary realities come into focus. The omnipresence of screens, the inundation of information, and the manipulation of narratives mirror the all-encompassing technology depicted in the novel.

The cautionary echoes of Fahrenheit 451 reverberate beyond its fictional pages, urging us to scrutinize our own culture. By drawing parallels between Bradbury’s dystopian universe and contemporary society, we encourage our students to recognize warning signs that echo in our midst. The erosion of critical thinking, the proliferation of shallow entertainment, and the subversion of truth are threads that weave through both narratives.

While these parallels scream to us, our students may be too deep in the muck and mire to easily see how strong the connection between their lives and the text is. In a recent Socratic Seminar, several students admitted they did not actually read the text assignment for the day, but they did not see that their behavior was similar to what happened in Fahrenheit 451 that led to the dystopian society, but instead only railed on societies that censor knowledge seeing the dangers that lie in other countries. Students need to understand the impact their actions have on our knowledge culture and also recognize the consequences of complacency. 

Teaching with the Film Quiz Show and Integration with The Great Gatsby

As we look into the root causes of the quiz show scandal, we see that television marketing drove the decisions of the producers. The decision to reduce Hebert Stempel with Charles Van Doren was one of optics, and their choice was done under the guise of viewership and their relationship with their sponsor, Geritol. Producers wanted America to continue to tune in, and they believed the polished academic Charles Van Doren had more draw than the previous winner, Herbert Stempel. By exploring this dynamic, Quiz Show explores the dynamics of class and ethnicity at play in the 1950s. 

In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby manipulates reality in an effort to present the perfect image of himself. Similar to the methods employed by quiz show producers in the 1950s, Jay Gatsby bends and breaks rules and laws in order to achieve the ultimate picture of success. 

With this parallel, students can look into the role that media and marketing play in their perception of the truth. 

Beyond Teaching with Film: Cultivating Critical Thinking and Media Literacy

• Engage in Socratic Seminars to encourage discussions on power dynamics, manipulation, and censorship, fostering open dialogue and diverse perspectives.
• Utilize Close Reading and Textual Analysis to explore key scenes, uncover layers of meaning, and identify motifs related to power and knowledge.
• Foster Reflective Writing to bridge personal experiences with themes of power, manipulation, and information, promoting personal growth and deeper connections.
• Develop Critical Media literacy through Media Analysis Projects that evaluate news sources, recognize bias, and draw parallels between media manipulation in texts and contemporary challenges.
• Facilitate Ethical Dilemma Discussions to encourage consideration of the ethical impact of knowledge on individuals and society, promoting conversations on responsibility, accountability, and knowledge dissemination.
• Promote Responsible Consumption by teaching students to navigate and evaluate information with discernment, empowering them to distinguish between reliable sources and disinformation.

Conclusion

By teaching with film, we infuse our pedagogy with the power to shape not only literary understanding but also the very foundations of intellectual engagement. By celebrating the achievements of the past, confronting the challenges of the present, and preparing for the uncharted territories of the future, we pave the way for a generation that thrives as critical thinkers, ethical consumers of information, and champions of knowledge culture.

The post The Challenge of Navigating Truth in the Digital Age: 3 Lessons from ‘Quiz Show’ appeared first on English Classroom Architect.

Understanding the The Great Gatsby Historical Context

Popular culture often focuses on the hedonism of Jay Gatsby’s parties. While we, as expert readers, understand that to say this is what the text is about would be playing to a major misconception because Fitzgerald is criticizing this carefree culture; for our teenage readers the glamorous parties are often a key takeaway. 

In Understanding by Design,  authors Grant Wiggins and Jay McTigue outline the problem: “The error of activity-oriented design might be called “hands-on without being minds-on”—engaging experiences that lead only accidentally, if at all, to insight or achievement. The activities, though fun and interesting, do not lead anywhere intellectually.” Starting (or ending) with a so-called “Gatsby party” can set students up for misinterpreting the novel. While this may be an activity that students enjoy, it gets them no closer to understanding the novel or The Great Gatsby historical context, and it may in fact hamper their understanding. 

What Is the The Great Gatsby Historical Context?

But, understanding aspects of The Great Gatsby historical context can lead to deep engagement with the novel. The questions we want students to grapple with and to ponder related to the culture of the time as they are reading is a good place to start. What is the significance of Jay Gatsby’s connection to Meyer Wolfsheim? Why are there few references to people of color in the novel? Why did Fitzgerald include multiple references to eugenics? How important to Tom’s characterization is Nick’s initial description of him being a football player?

As you may notice, even this brief list of questions opens up opportunities for delving into the historical context of The Great Gatsby. Looking into the Meyer Wolfsheim connection will lead students to a more nuanced understanding of Jay Gatsby. Since bootlegging in New York City connected him to organized crime, the danger inherent in this connection becomes clearer. As our unreliable narrator, Nick mentions clues to this fact, but because Nick does not seem to understand or admit to what’s going on, we as the readers may gloss over this as well. We are quick to understand Tom’s racist comments, but the additional references to eugenics authors in Jay Gatsby’s home library may give us pause if we know to look for it. Knowing that college football became very popular in the 1920s and that professional football began in this decade gives additional information as to how we might interpret Nick’s introduction of Tom.

What Historical Context of The Great Gatsby to Teach?

Now, you may be thinking, if I teach all that Great Gatsby background information, when do I actually teach the novel? And yes, you are right. As a result, effectively teaching the context requires a clear understanding of what you will be focusing on during the unit so it can be streamlined.

This streamlining has so many benefits. With multiple options for how you could design your unit, it can easily become a hodgepodge of ideas. By limiting to a few enduring understandings, you can focus your supplements, assignments, and discussions.

Streamlining will help students know what to expect and look for as they read. For you, it will protect your energy by reducing your cognitive load and leaving space for productivity, student engagement, and your never ending grading list.

Strategies for Teaching The Great Gatsby Historical Context

Strategy 1: Not Teaching The Great Gatsby Historical Context

At this point, it is a good idea to recognize that you are not alone here. For many students, their American Literature Chief course is taken at the same time as an American History Course. Do Economics or Sociology teachers in your school teach historical issues of wealth and class? Discuss with your cross curricular colleagues to determine what is covered and when to determine if and how you can build on their curricular expertise. I can understand the desire to provide all the necessary context yourself so that you can drive the timeline and ensure the quality of content (believe me, I’ve been there), but this is an area where we can reasonably share responsibility and take a little off our plates.

Could you partner with your librarian to co-teach some lessons? Your school librarian may jump at the opportunity to help students explore primary sources and build strong research skills. Looking to your librarian as a resource could be beneficial for students to build a relationship with the library and the librarians, but partnering in this way can also help to make your workload more manageable.

If you decide that you need to teach the context, there are fun ways students can use inquiry for context-building. Students could be provided with access to newspapers or advertisements and be tasked with searching for information related to specific cultural trends, like the gender norms of the period, for instance. Ideally, you will connect back to specific details, articles, and advertisements as your unit continues.  

Strategy 2: Incorporating Multimedia Sources

Since media like films, podcasts, and videos can also be analyzed for structure and content delivery, they can do double duty in providing context and also an opportunity for sharing literary skills. There is so much to be gained when film is incorporated. Whether we like it or not, film captures students’ attention, and we can use that to our advantage by introducing, highlighting, and deepening content and conceptual understanding. There are so many great films and podcasts to connect to The Great Gatsby, I will devote a future post to the best multimedia to pair with the text.

When using multimedia it is important to help students make clear connections to themes and contents. As you plan, consider ways you can loop back to the content. Recognize that students may not retain the information important to the novel study, so be mindful of ways you can emphasize important ideas and consider ways you can explicitly loop back to the content during your novel study.

Strategy 3: Assigning Historical Research Projects

Having students investigate a particular aspect  can be an interesting way to help students understand The Great Gatsby cultural context. Additionally, this strategy allows you to teach research skills while building central understanding. 

The Great Gatsby Location and Time

An assignment I use to help students with The Great Gatsby historical context is to assign them a New York City Prohibition-Era gangster to research. By having them look closely at organized crime of the 1920s, they have a clear understanding of the link between bootlegging and violent crime. Using this approach, compared to previous years when I did not use this assignment as context-building, students quickly picked up on the details related to Jay Gatsby’s life of crime. At the end of the novel, they bring up the increasingly sketchy relationship with Meyer Wolfsheim and wonder at why his protege would be Jay Gatsby’s butler. Their understanding of the seedy underbelly of the city greatly enhances their reading of the text.  

Strategy 4: Teaching a Harlem Renaissance Unit

An excellent strategy is to really dig into the understanding of the Harlem Renaissance. This approach addresses many curricular objectives. For one, a Harlem Renaissance unit clarifies The Great Gatsby cultural context.  To me, the historical context of the jazz age fits squarely in a Harlem Renaissance unit, more so than in a “Great Gatsby Unit.” However, the knowledge built around an understanding of the Harlem Renaissance could be well applied to a reading of The Great Gatsby.

Students can spend time with poetry, an often neglected area of ELA curriculum, and also build background on the jazz age and important historical figures of the time.

My suggestion is to plan for a stand alone unit so you can give this period the attention it deserves. I’ve found that personally and anecdotally when included as context for The Great Gatsby, teachers tend to rush through or cover the content superficially. 

Conclusion

Teaching historical context increases student understanding and engagement. It is well known that a major factor in student comprehension is the degree to which they can bring a contextual understanding to a text. However, too much information can have the opposite effect on students, leading to overwhelm and low retention.

As we work on building curriculum, it is important that we are mindful of our capacity and we seek opportunities to lean on outside expertise. This may come in the form of a colleague, a podcast, or even a film. Approaching planning in this way allows for us to appropriately address all of the demands put on us as high school English teachers.

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• American Dream Celebrity Brackets – this free resource pairs carefully curated celebrities and wealthy individuals head to head to determine who best embodies the American Dream. This is a fun resource with a variety of writing and discussion options.
• The Great Gatsby Prohibition-Era Research Project – help students to understand the significance and importance of Jay Gatsby’s connection with bootlegging. This project can change student’s perspective and help better analyze relationships as they read!
• American Dream Research Project for Teaching the Research Process – using a narrative process for synthesizing research, students will evaluate Hollywood’s portrayal of the American Dream.

The post 4 Strategies for Teaching the Great Gatsby Historical Context appeared first on English Classroom Architect.

Confronting the Allure of Instant Gratification and its Consequences

Let’s explore how our digital culture has become coupled with the concept of instant gratification. Social media platforms, with their instantaneous feedback loops and viral content, have cultivated a society that craves immediate validation and fulfillment. We must encourage students to reflect on the implications of this desire for instant gratification in their own lives. By drawing connections between the characters’ pursuit of immediate pleasures in The Great Gatsby and the allure of instant gratification on social media, we can shed light on the deeper themes and messages conveyed in Fitzgerald’s work.

Multiple characters in the novel display their desire for instant gratification: Tom engages in an extramarital affair, displaying his dominance and ignoring the emotional well-being of those around him; Daisy embodies the superficiality of the 1920s, constantly seeking comfort and satisfaction. Myrtle is obsessed with the gifts Tom gives her and she believes that by having an with him it will improve her social class. Jay Gatsby has put in hard work, but he has taken shortcuts to achieve his wealth, hoping to regain Daisy’s affections. The seeking of instant gratification leads to the destruction of each character. These examples showcase what The Great Gatsby teaches us about the consequences of such choices and the universal relevance of this theme.

It is well known that social media users become addicted to the dopamine hit of a like, comment, or new follower. According to Forbes Advisor, “39% of U.S. online users admit to feeling the addictive pull of the digital rabbit hole that is social media, with 9% of these users agreeing completely with the statement ‘I am addicted to social media.’” This addiction is often tied to feelings of inadequacy. In May of 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory warning of the growing concern about the correlation between social media use and depression. Opportunities for our teens to engage in critical reflection are paramount to controlling their mental health. Timeless novels like The Great Gatsby can help teens to understand that while their specific circumstances are different, their motivations and reactions are a part of human nature. Knowing that they are not alone can help students better connect with the novel and also their world and those around them.

Nurturing Digital Literacy and Critical Thinking Skills

Transitioning from the allure of instant gratification, let’s address the pressing need for digital literacy and critical thinking skills in today’s digital landscape. It is crucial for students to develop the ability to analyze social media critically, question the reliability of information, and recognize the influence of media platforms on their perceptions and behaviors. Much like the unreliable narrator in The Great Gatsby, the digital realm requires a discerning eye. We can equip students with the necessary tools to navigate this realm by providing resources and activities that cultivate digital literacy and critical thinking skills, empowering them to engage with social media and literature thoughtfully.

We, as English teachers, understand the importance of application of analysis skills to everyday life. We can make the connection more explicit by discussing the role of critical thinking in analyzing social media content, including strategies for fact-checking, identifying biases, and recognizing inflammatory and misleading news. Teachers can guide students to discuss the impact of algorithms and evaluate the credibility of online sources. By emphasizing the relevance of these skills beyond the classroom, students can understand their broader significance in their personal and professional lives.

Implementing Ideas for Teaching The Great Gatsby

To conclude, let’s explore practical strategies for incorporating the discussed concepts into the classroom while teaching The Great Gatsby. Embracing technology can create interactive learning experiences that resonate with students. Virtual discussions and online collaboration tools enable thoughtful conversations and encourage the application of digital literacy and critical thinking skills. By leveraging technology effectively, educators can provide students with a rich and engaging learning environment that marries the themes of instant gratification and digital literacy within the context of The Great Gatsby. To further investigate, students could create social media profiles for the characters in the novel and analyze how their online presence reflects their desires for instant gratification. 

In a different post, I looked at the mistakes teachers make when creating their Great Gatsby unit plans and included the danger of spending too much time on ineffectual context. But, a way that building context could really strengthen a unit and provide multiple opportunities to address curricular standards is by asking students to  research and present on the historical context of the 1920s, comparing it to the current digital era and discussing the implications for society.

If your school has an SEL program, teachers can tie The Great Gatsby to these lessons. Connecting to digital media and ethics provides students with applications of what The Great Gatsby teaches us to real-world problems. By fostering interdisciplinary connections and integrating technology thoughtfully, educators can create immersive learning experiences that deepen students’ understanding of The Great Gatsby and its relevance in the digital age.

Conclusion

One of the key takeaways from what The Great Gatsby teaches us is about the perils of chasing immediate satisfaction. By delving into the characters’ relentless pursuit of instant pleasures and drawing parallels to our society’s obsession with instant validation through social media, we gain a deeper understanding of the consequences that arise from prioritizing short-term gratification over long-term fulfillment.

Bringing these lessons into the classroom, we can leverage technology to create engaging learning experiences that intertwine the themes of instant gratification and digital literacy. Virtual discussions, online collaboration tools, and multimedia projects provide students with the opportunity to delve deeply into The Great Gatsby while honing their digital skills.

In essence, what The Great Gatsby teaches us is that true fulfillment transcends the allure of immediate satisfaction. By embracing patience, self-reflection, and meaningful connections, we can find lasting fulfillment amidst a world driven by instant gratification. Through a balanced approach that combines literary analysis and digital literacy, we empower ourselves and future generations to navigate the complexities of our fast-paced world while gaining a deeper understanding of human nature and the pursuit of long-term fulfillment.

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• The Great Gatsby Chapter 1 Character Analysis and Social Media Jigsaw Activity – capitalize on your students interest and knowledge of social media and get them engaging and moving as they connect to the identity construction of character in American Dream Research Project for Teaching the Research Process – using a narrative process for synthesizing research, students will evaluate Hollywood’s portrayal of the American Dream.

The post What The Great Gatsby Teaches Us: Exploring Instant Gratification and Digital Literacy in The Great Gatsby appeared first on English Classroom Architect.

Benefits of Teaching with Films in the English classroom

As an English teacher, I hope I don’t have to really sell you on the benefits of teaching with films, but here are some talking points to bring back to your administrator if they don’t get it. Films give students an opportunity to explore critical perspectives in an accessible media. Great films explore complex themes students can draw from when discussing literature. Films can help students build context, helping them to better understand and connect with the texts we teach. Not only do films provide opportunity for connection and conceptual understanding, but movies also provide a medium for analysis in and of themselves. Films can be analyzed for craft as well as the critique of various cinematic aspects, such as cinematography, sound, and editing.

There are a variety of types of films that are useful tools for analysis in English classes.

Films as Context Building for Novel Units

I don’t know about you, but I am often surprised (even though at this point I shouldn’t be) that students don’t understand the differences of time periods. To them, the 1970s is the same as the 1950s. The 1800s are the same as the 1600s. Just nebulously “old.” Films as context provide two major benefits:

1. Teaching with films give students visuals of the lives in different times and helps them better understand the progression of one time period to another.
2. Filmmakers want us to connect to characters and storylines, so teaching with films can help students feel closer to the time period and make connections to their own lives. Teachers can capitalize on these connections as they move into novel units.

Film Adaptations as Pre-Reading and Supplements 

Film adaptations of literature can be used before or after viewing, or as a means to truncate reading. I, like many other teachers, have had a lot of success showing adaptations of Shakespeare plays before reading. Since plays are written to be seen, I think this makes a ton of sense.

I’ve experimented with showing other literary adaptations before, and I’m not convinced this is the most effective use of a film. I recently tried showing The Great Gatsby before reading, and while I did find that students were very engaged in discussion during the unit, I am confident that many students did not dig into the actual text. I do think watching the film in place of a scene or chapter could work well, especially when discussing a director choice.

For instance, I’m a little obsessed with the scene in the 2015 adaptation where Nick and Gatsby ride into the city. The part I’m specifically referring to is when they pass by a car and the passengers are listening to Jay-Z. This, for me, is a great time to pause and discuss the significance of this choice. I love discussing modern self-made millionaires during a unit with Gatsby, and this is the perfect entry to looking at Jay-Z and Beyonce as a power couple. I ask students if the two typify the American Dream and how the image they portray compares to that of Jay Gatsby. There are so many interesting layers to discuss. This approach is a great introduction for teaching film analysis.

Films Related to Writing or the Writing Process

A lot of teachers I know use Dead Poets Society, and I agree it’s a great option for teaching with films, but one of my favorite films to use in the classroom related to writing and the writing process is the film Bright Star about the Romantic poet John Keats. I love Keats’ poetry, but I really enjoy his background. I think it’s interesting that he was trained to be a doctor, but gave that up to pursue life as a poet. I think Keats’ poetry draws on science, making it appealing to all types of student academic interests.

It’s a good draw for students in that way, but it also points to an opportunity to discuss life paths and that just because one expects to live a certain way that might not be the right path. Bright Star takes place after Keats is in medical training and is mostly about his life as a poet and his love for Fanny Brawne. This film gives students insight about the period and also gender expectations and norms. It makes a fantastic introduction for Frankenstein and primes students to apply feminist criticism to the text. In the past I’ve made popcorn and made a big deal about having a “day at the movies.” This film is a hit and the plot keeps students engaged.

Teaching with Pixar Shorts

I’m a big fan of teaching with Pixar shorts. These tend to be my go-tos because they are accessible to students, they can be great for teaching grammar, they tend to be full of symbolism, and often they can be used to start discussions about culture.

One of my favorite short films to teach is Bao. This Pixar short tells the story of an overprotective mother working through the pain of her son leaving home, told through her care of an anthropomorphized bun. This is a great film to use at the beginning of the year. I teach at a school with a high population of first generation immigrant students, and many of them can relate to the son and his struggle to reconcile the two cultures inside and outside his home. The cinematography is excellent, and full of opportunities for analysis. Looking at the music, film angles, symbols, and unusual story structure work well at the beginning of the year.

I find it’s a less imposing way to get an initial sense of the analysis skills present in the classroom than opening with a novel or even with short stories. I use Bao as an entry to a personal narrative unit at the beginning of the year around the concept of food and identity.  

Conclusion

Teaching with movies is a fantastic way to scaffold, build skills, and deepen analysis. When used as part of a diverse curriculum, students are given another resource to bridge between texts and connect ideas throughout units. Movies are versatile and give students and teachers a change of pace and mental break between text heavy units. Exploring the different ways to incorporate films leads to a richer curriculum while also providing space for teachers to not have to be “on.”

Interested in purchasing ready-made resources? You may be interested in:

• Teaching the Research Process Using American Dream Films
• No Prep Film Lesson Plan: Mini Unit for the Film Quiz Show

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