Monday, Jan. 12
Lesson 4: Excerpts from Walden
AIM: What is the connection between Thoreau and Emerson?
Do Now: HW on desk for NB check. During notebook check, make a list of possible advantages and disadvantages to conforming to society’s expectations, at least three each.
Class Work:
Read aloud, “Where I lived and what I lived for”.
Review/summarize main points in Thoreau reading. Assign each group a paragraph to analyze main point and share out with the class.
Ask students to identify how Thoreau is practicing the philosophy Emerson writes about in the excerpts read previously.
Explain the historical connection between the two writers: Emerson as teacher and Thoreau as practitioner.
Ask students to go back to the web they created in Session One, and have them revise their responses based on what they have learned so far about Transcendentalism.
By the end of the session, you should have revised and clarified your class definition of transcendentalism. Students should have a good working knowledge of the characteristics of transcendentalism before moving on to the next session.
Discuss Questions 1,3,7, and 26 in “Teaching Guide” to Walden. (p. 277)
Share Out: Worksheet responses from 2-3 groups.
HW: Complete the “What is Thoreau is trying so say…” worksheet. REMINDER: All make up work is due in class on Friday, Jan. 16th.
Tuesday, Jan. 13th
AIM: What does it mean to “live a life of quiet desperation”?
Do Now: Explain in your own words what it means to “live a life of quiet desperation”. Describe what your life would be like if you were “living quietly but desperately”.
Class Activities: Read aloud selection from “Conclusion”.
Ask students to share out HW quotes from the night before, and discuss selections from the text to clarify student understanding.
Discuss questions 8,9,11, and 18 (p. 351-352 in “Teaching Guide”) and Q. 26, 29-31 in “Teaching Guide”).
If time allows, review the quotation worksheet as a class.
Reflection: Making inferences based on your interpretations of the selected quotations from Walden, what kind of person was Thoreau?
HW:
Begin working on your final essay on Transcendentalism. This should be a highly personal, thoughtful response to the ideas we discussed in class. You must provide a reason and rationale for your philosophy; think of it as a personal response to the literature. REMINDER: All make up work is due in class on Friday, Jan. 16th.
Wednesday, Jan. 14
Lesson 9: Writing a Transcendental Essay
AIM: What are the steps I need to complete to outline my essay?
Do Now: Class meeting re: essays
Class Activities
Review outline format.
Give students 20-30 minutes in class to choose topic and begin outlining.
HW: Tonight at home, complete a rough draft of your Transcendentalism essay. You will write this in class tomorrow for a test grade. REMINDER: All make up work is due in class on Friday, Jan. 16th.
Thursday, Jan. 15
Lesson 6: Connecting to Walden
AIM: What does transcendentalism have to do with cartooning?”
Do Now: What characteristics of transcendentalism can we identify in comics?
Class Activities:
1) Explain that during the next few sessions, you'll look for examples of transcendental thought in popular culture. In particular, you'll be looking at comic strips and songs, but encourage students to share examples that they find in other media as well (e.g., sitcoms, television dramas, children's cartoons, movies, commercials).
2) Divide students into small groups, and provide each group with copies of several comic strips that reflect the transcendental qualities discussed to this point. Ideally, if you have published collections of comic strips available, each group can search a book.
3) Ask the students to read the strips paying close attention to both the text and the drawings with the goal of identifying the literary elements of transcendentalism.
4) Review the characteristics of transcendentalism from previous sessions.
5) Give the groups 15 to 20 minutes to read and enjoy the comics, asking them to find connections to the concepts you've discussed regarding transcendentalism. In their groups, ask students to record their findings using the Examples of Transcendental Thought Interactive or copies of the Handout.
Group Work:
After the allotted reading time, each group can share at least two comics that they've identified that have strong literary connections to the ideas of Emerson and Thoreau. As students share the comic strips, encourage them to discuss specific lines from the texts that you've studied that can be connected to the comics.
Mini-Lesson: Using the “comic generator” tool to create a comic. While students work in groups, meet with each group and show them how to use the comic generator.
HW: Continue working on your comic. Find a quotation from either Emerson or Thoreau about which you feel strongly. Brainstorm a list of scenarios you can create to make a comic. Do not worry, if you are not artistically talented—I have a solution! J REMINDER: All make up work is due in class on Friday, Jan. 16th.
Friday, Jan. 16
Lesson 7: Contemporary Transcendental Cartoons
AIM: How can I create a “transcendental” cartoon?
Do Now: Turn in ALL Make up work!
Trade your cartoon sketch with a partner.
Class Activities: This is your independent work time! Create and complete your transcendental comic this period. It is due at the end of the class period. See me if you were absent yesterday!
Assist students as needed.
Share Out: Have students share comics in small groups, and create an impromptu gallery. Over the course of the day, students will vote on the best five comics. Winners will get prizes!
HW: Technically, none—however, continue working on your Thoreau Field Trip assignment. Remember, this is for a test grade and will be shared with the entire class!
