Literacy Design Collaborative
In Pursuit of Happiness
What ideas and philosophies guided the Transcendentalist movement in America? Scholars explore the topic, reading texts by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Additionally, they write essays comparing the authors' structural...
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Land Use and Lawmaking in California
Students read writings by Ralph Waldo Emerson to analyze transcendentalism and analyze photographic essays depicting environmental issues. In this art and history lesson, students read excerpts of Nature by Emerson to identify...
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The Legacy of Emerson and Thoreau
Eleventh graders are introduced to Transcendentalism through the writing of Emerson and Thoreau. They keep a journal in which they respond to quotes and prompts. Students write longer essays on conformity, being alone and a "field...
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Breaking Free From Conformity: A study in modern day Transcendentalism
Students begin with a journal entry on the topic "Why does Ralph Waldo Emerson advocate self-reliance?" They listen to Gavin Degraw's "I Want to Be." Students write their interpretation of the song. Students write an essay about Liars...
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Finding Self-Reliance
Fourth graders relate what is read to their own experiences and feelings and use active listening to respond to other students' comments. After a lecture/demo, 4th graders utilize an Active Listening Chart imbedded in this plan to gain...
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The People and Philosophy Behind Our National Parks: A Biographical Curriculum Unit
Students discover the interaction of American Literature, politics and the environmental movement. They explore the changing concept and philosophy of wilderness, and explain the development of The National Park System. They read...
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A Different Drummer
Eighth graders investigate philosophy and meditation techniques by discussing Emerson and Thoreau. Â In this philosophical traditions activity, 8th graders identify the men Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, their work, and...
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Approaching Walden: Paths to Emerson and Thoreau
Students explore readings from Emerson, Thoreau and Melville. In preparation for writing, students sit in a quiet, tranquil location and observe their surroundings. Later, they recreate the experience by putting it into words. ...
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Keys' Desert Queen Ranch
Students complete a variety of activities that go along with the study of and possible field trip to Keys' Desert Queen Ranch in Joshua Tree National Park, east of Los Angeles.
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A Literature of Democracy
Eleventh graders analyze how American literature shows a lot of different genres. In groups, 11th graders create a short report about the passage they have chosen.
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Dipping Into the Pond: Transcendentalism and Us
Eleventh graders have a basic comprehension of transcendentalism and a familiarity with the principal propenents of the philosophy. They recognize of the unique role played by Concord, MA in the dispersion of transcendentalism. ...
Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: "When Giving Is All We Have" by Alberto RÃos
What makes giving meaningful? Class members discuss this question, then listen to Alberto Rios reading his poem, "When Giving Is All We Have." Finally, the class considers what the poet says about the question.
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Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum
Henry David Thoreau and Linda Ronstadt? Ann Tyler and Pete Townshend? Joyce Carol Oates and Pearl Jam? This richly detailed plan pairs classic literature with contemporary music and asks learners to analyze how the theme of conformity is...
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Anonymous Patriots: Songs of the Revolution
Give your class a deeper understanding of the context and meaning behind early American song lyrics. By reading the lyrics to "Yankee Doodle" and  "Revolutionary Tea," high schoolers will practice analysis by examining the structure and...
ELA Common Core Lesson Plans
American Romanticism
Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Rappaccini's Daughter" provides the text for an activity that asks readers to select specific passages from the story, identify the aspect of American Romanticism the passage exemplifies, and then provide an...
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Experiencing Nature
Students create their own landscapes based on the topography of their region after studying the artwork of Cincinnati-based artist William Sonntag and other "Hudson River School" artists.
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Six Trait Writing with Jonathan Swift and Washington Irving
Fourth graders demonstrate and evaluate the six traits of writing. They read and identify good writing and bad writing, utilize a rubric to self-evaluate their own writing, participate in a Reader's Theater, and publish a class book.
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Electoral Politics
Students formulate their own opinions about the issues in an election campaign through a critical examination of political advertisements, candidate debates, and political cartoons.
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Heroes and Heroines: King David, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra and Napoleon
Students identify and examine four heroes from history and imaginative literature. They discuss the characteristics of a hero and share perceptions of what makes a hero. By comparing and analyzing a few historical and literary figures,...
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Hawthorne: Author and Narrator
High schoolers read various pieces of literature by Nathaniel Hawthorne to recognize the difference between a narrator and author. Students in small groups report on the narrative point of view represented in a story they have read.
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The Literature of Upheaval
In groups, 8th graders read different documents and answer questions on the Civil War period. Students read documents by Thoreau, Stowe and Frederick Douglas.
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How to be an Individual: Analyzing Society's Influence on Us through Art and Literature
Learners focus on interpreting difficult texts and analyzing the impact these texts can have on their own lives. They think more about who they want to be as individuals, and realize some of the constraints we have due to the real or...
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Louisa May Alcott: her life, her times and her literature
Students explore one of America's favorite classic novels, 'Little Women'. They develop an interest in classics, study the author's life and discover which elements of her family history she incorporates into her work. They show how...
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Value: Love, Topic: Friendship
Sixth graders participate in a skit, "Henry Gets it Right." They discuss the skit and qualities of a friend. They discuss an example of a wild animal taking care of animals of a different species. They consider the behavior versus the...
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