Gatsby Exit Reflection

This reflective worksheet is designed for Grades 9-12 and invites students to synthesize their understanding of The Great Gatsby by responding to the essential question: “What does Gatsby’s dream say about America?” Using guided sentence starters, students craft a short paragraph that blends textual evidence with personal interpretation, encouraging thoughtful analysis of Fitzgerald’s critique of ambition, identity, and the American Dream.

Learning Goals

• Theme Analysis (Secondary ELA) – Interpret the symbolic meaning of Gatsby’s dream within the novel
• Reflective Writing – Develop a coherent response that combines evidence and personal insight
• Critical Thinking – Evaluate Fitzgerald’s commentary on American identity, success, and illusion
• Text-to-World Connections – Connect literary themes to broader cultural and societal ideas

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Aligned with high school literature and reflective writing standards
• Scaffolded Support – Sentence starters help students organize ideas and write with confidence
• Efficient Assessment Tool – Ideal for exit tickets, formative assessment, or lesson wrap-up
• Discussion-Ready – Responses can easily transition into whole-class or small-group conversations
• Flexible Use – Works well at the end of a unit, after discussion, or as a quick written check-in
• Low Prep – Print-and-use worksheet with a clear, focused prompt

This exit reflection worksheet helps students articulate a final, thoughtful takeaway from The Great Gatsby. By examining what Gatsby’s dream reveals about America, learners strengthen thematic interpretation, reflective writing, and critical reasoning skills. Whether used as a closing activity or an assessment of understanding, this resource provides a meaningful way for students to connect literature to enduring questions about ambition and national identity.

This worksheet is part of our Great Gatsby Worksheets collection.