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Living Deliberately: Transcendentalism Then and Now
Students analyze how the seminal works of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau convey the central tenets of Transcendentalism, reflecting on their own relationship to those ideas and considering the legacy of Transcendentalism in contemporary poems and essays.
ELA
Unit 1
11th Grade
Unit Summary
The first unit of 11th Grade focuses on Transcendentalism, a 19th-century philosophy that values individualism, intuition, and nature and that ushered in a uniquely American literary tradition. Students read excerpts from "Self-Reliance" and Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson, the father of American Transcendentalism. In these two foundational texts, students closely analyze Emerson's use of diction and literary devices to convey his central ideas. They then learn about how Henry David Thoreau put Emerson's ideas into practice by living at Walden Pond in Concord, MA for two years, an experiment he details in his creative nonfiction book Walden. Students examine how Thoreau's use of figurative language and rhetorical devices reveal what it means to live deliberately. They also read excerpts from Thoreau's "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience," considering how his essay on the role of government reflects the transcendental values of nonconformity and self-reliance.
Though not part of the Transcendental movement, poets Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman explore many of the same themes in their writing, giving students an opportunity to analyze poetic choices and to make cross-textual connections. To conclude the first arc of this unit, students define what it means to be true to oneself using the works of Emerson and Thoreau, detailing in an explanatory essay how someone in their own life fulfills that definition and provides a real-life example of transcendental living today.
In the final arc of the unit, students shift to reading contemporary essays and poetry that further reflect transcendental themes. Indigenous scientist and author Robin Wall Kimmerer, poet Mary Oliver, and poet and essayist Ross Gay each observe a moment in nature to make a deeper meditation about life. After examining these writers' use of vivid details, sensory language, and structure, students craft their own short essay or free verse poem in which they make their own observation of a moment in nature, using it to reflect on something about their own lives.
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Texts and Materials
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Core Texts
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Excerpt: “Excerpts from "Self-Reliance"” by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Excerpt: “Chapter 1 from Nature” by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Excerpt: “Excerpts from Walden” by Henry David Thoreau
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Excerpt: “Excerpts from "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience"” by Henry David Thoreau
Supporting Texts
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Excerpt: “Excerpts from The Book of Delights” from The Book of Delights by Ross Gay
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Excerpt: “Epiphany in the Beans” from Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
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Excerpt: “Excerpts from "Song of Myself"” by Walt Whitman
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Poem: “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver
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Poem: “The Swan” by Mary Oliver
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Video: “Sherry Turkle: Connected, but alone?” (TED Talk)
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Video: “Ralph Waldo Emerson and the Beauty of the Everyday” (TED Ed)
- Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
Resources for Lessons and Projects
Assessment
The following assessments accompany Unit 1. For more guidance, see the Summative Assessments Teacher Tool.
Authentic Assessments
The Socratic Seminar measures students' ability to think critically, engage meaningfully in discussion about key unit content, and support their ideas with evidence.
The Performance Task is the culminating assessment of the unit in which students have the opportunity to demonstrate the skills and content they have learned through an authentic task.
Unit Prep
Intellectual Prep
Essential Questions
- What is Transcendentalism? To what extent do/can we live out this philosophy in society today?
- What does it mean to be self-reliant and to live deliberately? What challenges get in the way of an individual living by these principles in society?
- How do Transcendentalists and modern writers define the relationship between the individual and nature?
Vocabulary
Text-based
deliberatelyeconomyepiphanyexpedientinexpedientirrepressiblepertinentreciprocitytransparent
Literary Terms
Transcendentalismanalogyantithesisdictionfree verselyric essaymetaphornarrative personapersonification
To see all the vocabulary for Unit 1, view our 11th Grade Vocabulary Glossary.
Supporting All Students
In order to ensure that all students are able to access the texts and tasks in this unit, it is incredibly important to intellectually prepare to teach the unit prior to launching the unit. Use the guidance provided under 'Notes to the Teacher' below in addition to the Unit Launch to determine which supports students will need at the unit and lesson level. To learn more, visit the Supporting All Students Teacher Tool.
Notes to the Teacher
Much of the reading in the first part of the unit takes place during class time, with students reflecting on the ideas in the texts through a series of Transcendental Writing Exercises assigned as homework. These writing exercises are one-page informal responses in which students are asked to grapple with the major themes of the texts, applying them to their own lives. They are not intended to be assessed as formal writing assignments but rather for completion and depth of thought.