Hey girl/ Valentine Party/ Gatsby celebration

Some background… There is this Ryan Gosling Hey Girl thing that has gone viral. Have you seen it?? Here are some examples…

Then people started getting more specific… There are Hey Girls for moms, teachers, etc.

And then my colleagues in Washington and San Diego and I started ing Hey Girl style…

Hey girl, Sorry to hear that the scantrons that you fought tooth and nail for don’t work. “Technology” can be such a pain in the ---, huh? So happy to hear that you will be collaborating with colleagues at the Stanford AP Summer Institute. It IS so exhilarating to spend warm summer days discussing rhetorical analysis and argumentation, especially if you are lucky enough to be friends with those colleagues. Hang in there, girl—summer is just beyond the spring. Hey girl, I loved how you introduced the synthesis task as a conversation with the sources—so neat. I have to say that the way that you had them analyze the source material was enthralling. I now find myself constantly questioning one’s credibility and possible biases. Such an applicable life lesson, don’t you think?

And then, I couldn’t get Hey Girl out of my head and we are reading Gatsby– the ultimate “romantic”-- and it’s Valentine’s day/month and you asked to make Valentines together… So here’s the idea that came together. I think it will be fun…

The assignment: Create a Hey girl/ Hey guy: 1)One dedicated to Gatsby with allusions and/or words from the novel. 2)One from or to a character from a novel or author (any novel) with allusions/word choice. 3)Two to classmates whose names you draw– use 90/90, AP language + an actual “secret Gatsby style” observation about them. In other words, like Gatsby, watch and “admire” that person from afar and work that into your Valentine. (he, he)

** You choose the picture (the speaker). Who will your Valentine be from?? You? a character? an author? Ryan Gosling? Someone else? **Of course, the picture and the message must be school- appropriate. (Pictures must have fully clothed individuals and please, no sexual innuendo). Make messages genuine, fun, light-hearted. ** You decide the greeting– Hey girl, Hey Gatsby, Hey Maddie, Hey Old Sport, hey dude, etc.

Due dates By Thursday night by 10:00PM (or earlier if possible!!), a powerpoint slide or a word document of the Gatsby and literary one, and I’ll put them together in a slideshow. **Print out the two to your classmates. Put in envelopes? Scent with perfume/ cologne? Include a small gift? From their Secret Gatsby. I will collect and distribute them. Sure, you can make mailboxes if you’d like…

EXAMPLE TO GATSBY…

Hey Jay, Oh, what a beautiful mansion you have! The way that it sparkles and shines! And the tea seat! And the freshly cut lawn! Did you really do this all for me? I think I am falling in love with you all over again!

Example from a piece of literature (from the author, or a character)

Hey girl, I see your green light every night. It keeps me hoping that someday you can come over to my place and check out my selection of shirts– greens, blues, pinks– all the finest, all for you.

Hey Girl, I really appreciate you standing up for me back there, even when you didn’t have to. Our family name really means something, doesn’t it? I’m going to fight for it until the death.

Hey Girl, We both know that 9/10ths of what’s important is below the surface. I’d kill a water buffalo to get that deep with you.

Hey Girl, You kill me, really you do. And I don’t just say madman stuff like this to anyone. I feel so damn happy, if you want to know the truth. I don’t know why.

EXAMPLE TO A CLASSMATE…

Hey Girl, Turn off that cell phone; close that laptop and let’s go transcend together. By night, let’s count stars; by day, let’s pick animals out of clouds. Make sure to bring your Transcendentalist journal. Hey, and wear that purple shirt you wore on Tuesday and the boots you wore on Friday– we got some hiking to do!

On Friday, we will have a Gatsby party– play the slideshow, give out Gatsby Valentines, and have our final discussion on the book. Bring Valentine’s treats!! Wear party clothes. Anyone have flapper/20’s apparel?