Scarlet Letter 1.2

Scarlet Letter 1.2

Do now: Do you remember YGB from 9th grade?  Has your reading of it changed?

Objective:

• analyze Hawthorne’s use of symbols to present meaning

Agenda:

1. do now
2. in groups: complete the symbol activity for YGB
3. Class: discuss findings
4. in groups: draft thesis statements
5. Review annotation expectations
6. summarizer

HW: work on Transcendentalism assignment

Scarlet Letter 1.1

Do now:  What do you know about the Puritans?  List characteristics/facts

Objectives:

• understand the foundation of the Puritan belief system

Agenda:

1. Do now
2. (if needed) Continue Omelas questions
3. Watch: American Passages: “Utopian Promise” http://www.learner.org/amerpass/unit03/usingvideo.html
4. (if time) discussion questions
5. summarizer

HW: Read “Young Goodman Brown” and work on Transcendentalism assignment

Transcendentalism 3.4

Transcendentalism 3.4

Do now: If you were a citizen of Omelas, what would you choose?

Objectives:

• examine the themes of civil disobedience in LeGuin’s short story
• practice timed writing around course essential questions

Agenda:

1. Do now
2. Timed writing: (30 minutes)
3. “Omelas” discussion
4. DPS
5. summarizer

HW: Transcendentalism final project

Transcendentalism 3.3

Transcendentalism 3.3

Do now: Turn to a partner and share your media findings.

Objectives:

• examine examples of transcendental thought in popular culture. In particular, comic strips and songs.
• analyze Emerson and Thoreau’s influence on popular culture

Agenda:

1. Do now
2. Activity: In the same groups as the comic strip exercise, read the lyrics while we listen to the selected songs
3. Complete one transcendentalist chart for the songs
4. In your groups, discuss the following questions:

Which category has the most songs?

What did you expect to see on the charts? Do they match your expectations?

What surprises do you see about the lists?

Are there kinds of songs that aren't well-represented?

What would happen if songs were divided further, into sub-genres (e.g., heavy metal, alternative rock)?

Are there artists whom you think of as following transcendental ideas? Do their songs represent those ideas?

How do the songs that are listed represent your individualism?

5. Share findings as class
6. Summarizer

HW: Transcendentalism assignment; “Omelas”

Transcendentalism Song

 Find a song that has Transcendentalist themes. Locate the song on youtube, and submit the link using this FORM.

Transcendentalism 3.2

Transcendentalism 3.2

Do Now: Have you ever read comics?  Comic books? Graphic novels?  If so, which ones?  If not, what is your opinion of them?

Objectives:

• examine examples of transcendental thought in popular culture. In particular, comic strips and songs.
• analyze Emerson and Thoreau’s influence on popular culture

Agenda:

1. do now
2. Divide into 6 groups.  Each group will get a Calvin and Hobbes book.
3. Read the strips.  Examine the text and the drawings with the goal of identifying the literary elements of transcendentalism
4. If needed, review your text annotations and/or thought charts
5. Identify two comics that that have strong literary connections to the ideas of Emerson and Thoreau. (Bring them to me and I will xerox the strips)
6. Glue/tape the strips to a blank piece of paper.  Write one “golden quote” from Emerson or Thoreau that mirrors the strip.  Write one sentence explaining the connection.
7. Summarizer
   
   

HW: Try to find examples of Transcendentalism in any media (e.g., sitcoms, television dramas, commercials).

Transcendentalism 3.1

Do now: What is your favorite kind of music?

Objectives:

• to experience the transcendental beliefs in nature

Agenda:

1. Do now
2. Nature Walk!
3. Read “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”
4. Summarizer

HW: Finish reading “Omelas” for Thursday (PINK) or Friday (BLUE)

Transcendentalism 2.4

Transcendentalism 2.4

Do now: Read Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" (You don't need to annotate it!)

Objectives:

• identify elements of transcendentalism such as the connection between people and nature, an individual's ability to think freely, and the importance of spiritual self-reliance to the individual found in the works of Emerson and Thoreau.

Agenda:

1. Do now

2. Brief discussion: what is civil disobedience?

3. Fill out the Thought Chart

4. DPS

5. Summarizer

HW: Find a song that has Transcendentalist themes. Locate the song on youtube, and submit the link using this FORM

Transcendentalism 2.3

Transcendentalism 2.3

Do now: Whose writing style do you prefer-- Emerson or Thoreau?  Why/why not

Objectives:

identify elements of transcendentalism such as the connection between people and nature, an individual's ability to think freely, and the importance of spiritual self-reliance to the individual found in the works of Emerson and Thoreau.

Agenda:

1. Do now

2. Song!

3. Activity: Identify key quotations from the excerpt that reveal Thoreau’'s thinking about the relationship between humans and nature. Explain the relationship between the quotation chosen and the basic characteristics of transcendentalism.

4. DPS

5. Summarizer

HW: Read and annotate Walden chapters: "Solitude," “Higher Laws,” “Conclusion,” and (“Civil Disobedience”)

Transcendentalism 2.2 (PINK ONLY)

Do now: How do you demonstrate that you are an individual? Do you think independently of others or do you follow the crowd?

Objectives:

• identify elements of transcendentalism such as the connection between people and nature, an individual's ability to think freely, and the importance of spiritual self-reliance to the individual found in the works of Emerson and Thoreau.

Agenda:

1. Do now

2. Complete thought chart for "Self-Reliance"
3. Begin reading/annotating "Nature"

4. Summarizer

HW: Read and annotate "Nature"

Transcendentalism 2.2

Transcendentalism 2.2

Do now: What is one point from "Nature" that stuck with you-- do you agree? disagree? Are confused by?

Objectives:

• identify elements of transcendentalism such as the connection between people and nature, an individual's ability to think freely, and the importance of spiritual self-reliance to the individual found in the works of Emerson and Thoreau.

Agenda:

1. Do now

2. “Nature” discussion questions

3. DPS- Whitman

4. Summarizer

HW: Read and annotate Walden Chapters: “Economy,” “Where I live,” and (“Solitude”)

Transcendentalism 2.1

Transcendentalism 2.1

Do now:  How was writing the This I Believe essay?

Objectives:

• provide effective feedback on personal writing

Agenda:

1. Do now

2. Peer Edit: After you read your partner’s essay, write the answers to the following prompts (on the draft)

• What is the belief?
• What is ONE thing the author did effectively?
• What are TWO suggestions for areas for revision?

3. Revise draft

4. Summarizer

HW: Finish reading/annotating “Self-Reliance” (PINK), “Nature” (BLUE)

Transcendentalism 1.4

Transcendentalism 1.4

Do Now: How are you affected by nature? Do you find comfort in it? Do you reflect the moods of nature? How do you demonstrate that you are an individual? Do you think independently of others or do you follow the crowd?

Objectives:

identify elements of transcendentalism such as the connection between people and nature and individualism, found in the works of Emerson

Agenda:
1. Do now
2. In desk teams, answer the “Self-Reliance” discussion questions
3. In desk teams, identify one “key quote” from excerpt and write on board/poster paper
4.. Whole class: discussion
5. Hand activity:
on a blank piece of paper, trace the outline of your hand
draw on any defining features (freckles, scars, jewelry, etc.)
around the hand outline, write any descriptors that define you in society (son/ daughter, tall/short, loud/quiet, etc.)
inside the hand outline, write any descriptors that you feel define you (that general society does not necessarily know)
When finished, hang out hands around the room
6. Summarizer

HW: Create first draft of “This I Believe” essay

Transcendentalism 1.3

Transcendentalism 1.3

Do now: Do you trust yourself? Why or why not?

Objectives:

• analyzing the depictions of “America” in art
• begin to unpack Emerson’s meaning

Agenda:

1. Do now

2. Finish American Art Presentation

3. Intro to Transcendentalism

4. Emerson Quote activity

• In desk teams, read all the quotes, discuss what you think it means, and write your analysis on the paper.

5. Summarizer

HW: Read and Annotate “Nature”

Transcendentalism 1.2

Transcendentalism 1.2

Do now: What do you consider to be dominant American Values?  List.

Objectives:

• to try and identify American Values
• consider how a founding father approached “being an American”

Agenda:

1. Do now

2. Make a class list of values

3. Franklin’s aphorisms:

• Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
• Lost time is never found again.
• A place for everything, everything in its place.
• By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

In pairs, consider: What do these quotes suggest about Franklin’s attitude toward life?

3. Franklin’s list of virtues: In pairs, review the list.  Do you agree with all of them?  Would you remove any?  Add any?  Are they still relevant in the 21st century?

4. Begin the American Art Presentation activity

5. Summarizer

HW: Research Transcendentalism.  Write one paragraph (5-8) describing the philosophy’s main tenets.

Transcendentalism 1.1

Transcendentalism 1.1

Do Now: how was writing the summer reading letter?  What is a strength?  What is a weakness?

Objectives:

• get to know peers in class
• practice inference
• identify personal beliefs

Agenda:

1. Do now

2. With a partner, try to make sense of each six word memoir.

1. Moving again.  Goodbye strangers.  Hello strangers.
2. Leap!  Catch football.  Crunch.  Goodbye scholarship.
3. Mistaken verdict.  Life sentence.  I'm appealing.
4. Little brother.  Big game.  Last laugh. (Eli Manning)
5. Actually, I never had a mother.
6. Bleached blonde.  Everyone knew.  Never cared.
7. Small hand in mine.  Hello suburbs!

3. Write your own six-word memoir, summing up your life so far.

4. Introduce the “This I Believe” assignment (samples here)

5. Listen/read samples

6. Brainstorm ideas

7. Summarizer

HW: Read Ben Franklin Handout

Race for the American Dream

Do now: what questions/concerns do you have about the course thus far?

Objectives:

• identify literary devices in poetry
• make connections between poem and course essential questions
• understand the complications of the concept of the American Dream

Agenda:

1. do now

2. (in groups) review Hughes' poem and answer the discussion questions

3. Brainstorm "American Concepts" 

4. Race for the American Dream

5. SUMMARIZER: Connect this activity to our poetry discussions: How are they similar and/or different?

HW: Summer Reading Letter Assignment