Melissa Schlegel Starpoint High School Grade 11 “The Flowering of New England” Description: This lesson will introduce the students to Transcendentalism and AntiTranscendentalism. We have just finished studying the differences between classicism and romanticism as well as certain texts that fit those genres. The next literary movement to enter the United States was Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism involves the beliefs that there is one soul shared between all humans and beings in nature, man has the ability to experience God firsthand, each part of nature contains the universe, and that men have the ability to perfect themselves. Transcendentalism also sparked reform movements, a strong interest in individualism and self-reliance. Anti-Transcendentalism was a direct reaction against the transcendental movement. This movement believed that man, no matter how badly he wanted to be perfect, was both a mixture of good and evil; he was not innately good or perfectible like the Transcendentalists wanted to believe. Constituent Group: Eleventh grade English regents students. One class consists of 11 IEPs; the other two classes are general ed. Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the students to Transcendentalism and Anti-Transcendentalism. Core Standards: RL.11-12.9 -Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth century foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics. Objectives: 1) Students will be able to define Transcendentalism by creating their own definition after reviewing three websites. 2) Students will be able to define Anti-Transcendentalism. 3) Students will know the important authors associated with both Transcendentalism and Anti-Transcendentalism. 4) Students will be able to analyze two quotes from a Transcendentalist and explain how it relates to the movement. Anticipatory Set: As an anticipatory set, I will ask the students to think about the word transcend. I will ask them what is usually meant by this word and how it is used (Transcend: to rise above or go beyond the limits of). I will ask them to think of a sentence to use this word as we are on our way to the computer lab. After the students have taken their seats in the computer lab and they are logging in, I will ask one of the students to explain what transcend means. I will then ask another student to use the word in a sentence. I will then explain that the next literary movements that we will be studying are Transcendentalism and Anti-Transcendentalism. The first movement is based on Romanticism but there is one main difference. The Romantics, most definitely Bryant, believed that when one dies, he or she becomes one with nature; his or her soul is reunited with the land. Transcendentalists on the contrary feel that they are innately connected with nature; they both share one soul. So instead of having to wait to die to become one with nature, Transcendentalism asserts that there is only one soul and it is connected to God, nature, and man. Lesson: For this lesson, the students will be exploring three websites which introduce the American Renaissance and Transcendentalism. They will have a worksheet which will ask them questions that will guide them through the sites. While they are searching, they will discover what was occurring at the time of this literary movement, where it took place, what the Transcendentalists wanted to accomplish, and what they believed in. After they have finished going through the three websites, they will create their own definition for Transcendentalism. After the students have completed the web scavenger hunt, as a class we will regroup and look at a PowerPoint which recaps the information they learned. It will also show how Anti-Transcendentalism was a reaction against the Transcendentalism movement. Closure/ Independent Practice: For homework, or if there is enough time during class, students will watch a video which includes pictures of Transcendental authors, their works, and some important quotes. They will choose two of the quotes that they like and explain them in their own words and also explain how they relate to Transcendentalism. Name: “The Flowering of New England” Web Scavenger Hunt Date: Mod: Go to the following websites and answer the questions on this worksheet. American Renaissance http://www.history.com/topics/american-renaissance From the 1830’s till the ______________________ is considered the American Renaissance. Where was this literary scene most predominant? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ What are “Brahmins?” __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ What did the Transcendentalists advocate for? Which one of the authors from The First Harvest had similar ideals? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Transcendentalism http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ihas/icon/transcend.html In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s, “The American Scholar” speech, what did he argue for? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ What are the three main beliefs? 1) ____________________________________________________________ 2) ____________________________________________________________ o Microcosm: view of human beings as a miniature of the world or universe; in this sense, each person and object in nature is a miniature world (ex. a pond ecosystem exists on its own but is also part of the larger ecosystem which rules the earth) 3) ____________________________________________________________ By ____________________, by communing with _____________________, through work and art, man could ____________________ his senses and attain an understanding of ________________ and ______________________ and ______________. Go to http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americannovel/timeline/index.html and on the timeline or under literary elements, select transcendentalism. What are the central beliefs of transcendentalism? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ These core beliefs also generated two others? _____________________ and ________-________________ Using the knowledge you have learned from the 3 websites, create your own definition for Transcendentalism. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Go to www.youtube.com and in the search bar type: “Transcendentalism Beatles and Redskins.” Select the first video. Choose one of the quotes, explain it in your own words, and then explain how it relates to transcendentalism. Complete this on a separate sheet of paper and be prepared to turn it in.