This is a slide deck that I created for Chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby. For the character introductions, I included only high-level details to avoid spoilers. For this unit, I also assigned each group a specific color to track during the in-class reading. Students will be responsible for tracking their assigned color and identifying its symbolism. At the end of the unit, students will participate in a collaborative jigsaw activity to combine their findings and explain the symbolism behind each color.

The lesson begins with a bellringer and clearly stated learning intentions to focus students’ attention and establish the purpose for the day’s reading. This instructional design supports close reading and collaborative learning. The color-tracking strategy encourages students to take ownership of analyzing symbolism as they read, while the jigsaw activity allows students to share their analyses and synthesize ideas across groups. Together, these strategies promote active engagement with the text and student-centered discussion.