English 11 Honors – Group Presentations

The “Roaring 20s” – The Era of The Great Gatsby

In order to better understand the social and/or historical issues of The Great Gatsby, we need to look at specific issues of “The Roaring 20s”. Each group will select a topic and prepare a 20 minute presentation for the class on that topic. Use different sources, like textbooks, media (audio and/or visual), the Internet, to develop the presentation. Each presentation must include visual aides (posters/charts/power point) as well as a handout for each member of the class on the topic.

The following topics will be presented:

The Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s – Why was it the largest single organization in America during this decade? What activities did it undertake, and for what purpose?

The Development of the Automobile – How did it change American society? What other industries and services began because of the automobile?

“The Jazz Era” – How did new styles of music and dance change America? How did this create a new “youth culture”?

Fashion Trends – What effect did new styles have on American consciousness, especially for women? How much was fashion a response to music and media?

The Development of the Motion Picture Industry – How did the movies change image in America? How important were movie stars in American society? What impact did movies have on the concept of “entertainment”?

Prohibition in the 1920s – How did the 18^th Amendment polarize American society? What sub-culture was created by Prohibition?

Have Fun!