Alice Oara
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
December 7, 2010
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction and Overview .................................................................... 3
Rationale ............................................................................................... 5
Goals, Objectives, and Assessment ........................................................ 8
Lesson Plans
Day One ........................................................................................ 13
Day Two ........................................................................................ 16
Day Three ...................................................................................... 19
Day Four ........................................................................................ 21
Day Five ........................................................................................ 24
Resources............................................................................................. 27
Bibliography ........................................................................................ 41
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Introduction and Overview
The lesson plans that I have created are the first five lessons of a longer unit on
American Romanticism, designed for an 11th grade American Literature course. This
literary period, which emerged in the early nineteenth century and leads up to the Civil
War, is considered by many to be the first prolific period of American literature,
transitioning from the more dry, nonfiction prose of the earlier periods into a period of
imagination, beauty, and social significance. Aside from containing many fascinating
works of literature, during this period also emerge many themes that are the
cornerstone of American culture and society, such as individualism, resistance to
government, and the creation of an all-American style and folklore. This unit will cover
the first few lessons of a longer unit on Romanticism, which will begin with an
introduction to the period and then lessons on the first subsection, Transcendentalism.
Authors that are discussed in this segment are Whitman, Thoreau, Emerson, and
Poe, as well as Gandhi and MLK. Jr. (in reference to one of Thoreau’s works.) The entire
unit, however, would also discuss writers such as Poe, Hawthorne, Irving, Dickenson,
and Melville. Before this unit, students covered a unit on American Colonialism and the
emergence of a new, young nation following the Revolutionary War. The previous
material they would have covered centered mostly around nonfiction, including essays,
sermons, and other religious texts. They would be familiar with the notion of
Enlightenment, which values the importance of logical and reasoning, and will soon
notice a stark contrast in Transcendental works. They would be familiar with the issues
revolving around the development of a new nation and the American identity, reading
from Puritan works, Native American works, and writings from religious sermons and
civil leaders. Transcendentalism marks a great changing point in American literature,
and the students are encouraged to compare this unit to the past writers they covered
during the first few lessons of this unit.
The unit will begin with an overview, including PowerPoint notes, an anticipation
guide, along with the short poem, Whitman’s “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer,”
so students can begin thinking about the themes in the unit. Students will then be
introduced to Emerson’s “Nature” and Thoreau’s “Walden,” focusing on imagery and
the themes of nature and voluntary simplicity. This would also be an opportunity for an
interdisciplinary unit with math, as students will be considering the values of a
consumer culture. This would be an interesting way for them to combine
Transcendentalist philosophy with data and mathematical analysis of economics and the
way that people spend money. Students will be asked to reflect on these themes on a
journal that we will complete outdoors. They will also complete an activity that asks
them to create a visual representation of Thoreau’s cabin at Walden. Then, students will
read Thoreau’s “Resistance to Civil Government,” comparing it to select readings from
MLK. Jr. and Gandhi. This will also be an opportunity for an interdisciplinary unit with
American History, since Thoreau’s ideas about civil disobedience had a profound impact
on future leaders for social justice. Students will complete a Body Biography to
demonstrate their understanding of civil disobedience and these important figures.
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Students will then read “Self-Reliance,” focusing on aphorisms and Emerson’s notions of
non-conformity and individualism. They will be asked to write a letter from Emerson to
a modern audience to demonstrate their knowledge of the themes from Emerson’s
works. As a culminating activity, students will complete an assessment that requires
them, in groups, to tour various stations set up around the classroom and respond to
various activities posted there. These activities include the vocabulary from the unit, as
well as requiring them to apply their knowledge of Transcendental themes to popular
culture and social movements. This activity will not only be an assessment, but will also
be a learning experience.
Along with the aforementioned texts, students will also be introduced to the
concept of Transcendentalism through a variety of contemporary or alternate formats.
For example, students will listen to music to compare to Transcendentalist works and
view images from Walden Pond. Students will also have many opportunities to write,
beginning with daily journals that ask them to relate their own personal experiences to
the experiences and ideas of the Transcendentalists. This unit has many opportunities
for collaboration, especially on the work that is to be turned in and graded. Students will
be encouraged to work together on many activities in the unit. Along with the
Transcendental spirit of individualism, students will also be asked to respond informally
on their own opinion of issues being discussed, allowing them to form their own
conceptualization of what the themes mean to them.
This unit is designed to meet the needs of diverse learners, allowing them
freedom to form their own opinions, the chance to work collaboratively, and the ability
to demonstrate their knowledge in various ways. The classroom in which I will be
student teaching is an 11th grade standard English classroom at a rural/ suburban
Cabarrus County high school. The school has been given the prestigious title of “Honors
School of Excellence” for the past two years. The students are predominantly white,
although there are a few minority students as well. The students generally come from
working class or middle class neighborhoods. This class does not have any students with
IEPs, although there are several students that are struggling with staying on or getting to
grade level, including a few students who are at risk for dropping out. The lessons are
designed, however, to account for individual expression and learning needs. I will
anticipate possible learning difficulties by preparing guided notes and giving students
options to have more time on assignments and a quiet space for the assessment. Each
class period is 90 minutes long.
This school is fortunate enough to more than adequately provide access to
resources, including technology, to its students. Our particular classroom has a
SMARTboard and a computer, which allows the teacher to easily integrate technology
into the classroom to keep students interested. Technology will be used to complement
some of the lessons, including PowerPoint, the SMARTboard, video clips, images, and
music. Technology plays a pivotal role in the lessons, not only to engage the students
and help present material, but also to show how Transcendentalist thought is very
present in modern times. The lessons are designed to be hands-on, interactive, and
allow for student interpretation and diversity. The activities are varied in order to give
students with different learning styles, whatever those may be, a chance to succeed.
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Rationale
Transcendentalism, although it was short literary period over 150 years ago,
remains a very important movement in American literature. The readings from the unit
will show students how Transcendentalist thought still resonates in American society
because of the legacy that these authors have left. This movement had a profound
impact on American literature, art, politics, and philosophy. The main themes include
self-reliance, the importance of nature, individualism, and confidence. My teaching
philosophy, especially for American Literature, is that students will discover the
background of American society and how it relates to them. This relates to the
overarching theme of the class: What is America? I hope to show the students, in this
unit and throughout the class, that America is a building with each individual American
as the building blocks. This unit will make a connection between the literature and
students’ lives as well as American society today, allowing them to see the importance
of the unit and draw connections between the texts and their own lives.
Students need to learn about Transcendentalism because it is a very important
movement that, although it only in the 1830s and 40s, it had a significant impact on
American literature, art, philosophy, and politics. This movement was largely a reaction
to the Enlightenment or the Age of Reason, which valued the importance of human
reasoning and devalued imagination and free thought. It had been decades since
America achieved independence from England, and Americans desperately desired to
assert their independence and freedom. One way they did this was through literary
individuality by creating works that were markedly different than English works,
including all-American folklore, representations of the American notion of freedom, and
a separation from the English influence of the Colonialist period. This separation
including departing from the emphasis on reason, formal decorum, and Calvinist
predestinationalism. Essentially, this period is when truly American literature began to
take shape.
Transcendentalism was also influenced by changes in American political life,
including westward expansion, industrialization, and social movements such as abolition
and women’s rights. These political issues are reflected in the great essays of Thoreau
and Emerson, who reject the notion that civilization is best rather than pure nature, and
hold firm to the believe in self-reliance and individualism. With the founding of the
Transcendental Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts on September 8, 1836, the
Transcendental movement was official started by New England intellectuals. Many of
the essays from these brilliant minds still resonate in American society, and I will
encourage my students to think about how their notions of freedom and individuality
apply today (“Transcendentalism,” 2008).
Transcendentalism focused on the belief that in determining the ultimate reality
of God, the universe, the self, and other important matters, one must transcend, or go
beyond, everyday human experience in the physical world. It suggests that every
individual is able to connect to a higher truth through intuition. Transcendentalists’
main beliefs include a belief in self-reliance, an optimistic view of the world, an
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emphasis on individualism and free thought, the belief that humans are innately good,
and that nature can bring the human spirit to a higher level and closer to the divine. The
Father of Transcendentalism is Ralph Waldo Emerson, and students will gain a deep
understanding of this movement by reading his groundbreaking essay, “Nature,” as well
as his essay “Self-Reliance,” both of which contain themes that are ever-present in the
lives of Americans. They will also benefit from Thoreau’s essay “Resistance to Civil
Government,” which had a profound impact on future generations and their fight for
social justice. By reading “Walden,” students will consider how materialism plays a role
in their lives and how Thoreau sought to simplify his life.
Students will greatly benefit from this unit because they will take away a great
deal of cultural significance. It is my personal teaching philosophy that texts must be
relevant to students’ lives and allow them to make a personal connection. This is
certainly the case with Transcendentalism, as the ideas and themes found in the works
they will be reading had a great influence on the time period, which this unit will show.
Students will see a radical departure from the Puritan view of human depravity and
seriousness to themes that are evident in the current culture. They will truly be
witnessing the emergence of American culture as they know it today and is very present
in their current lives. I want this unit to relate to them and to provide a space for
discussion on those themes and their impact in their lives by allowing students many
opportunities to respond personally in their journals and react to the texts in
imaginative ways.
This unit also reflects my personal educational philosophy by catering towards
students’ individual ways of knowing. The unit allows students to demonstrate their
knowledge by responding to music, images, and video clips, as well as responding to
writing prompts and creating drawings to illustrate themes in the literature. There will
also be many chances for discussion, both in connection to the text and to students’
own personal responses. These varying means of expression allow for students to
experiment with what Tom Romano calls “genre promiscuity” (2004, p. 91) because, as
he states, the “emotion combined with the opportunity to write in multiple genres
awakens a boldness of expression in students” (2004, p. 101). By using technology and
allowing students to express themselves in multiple ways, they will not only gain a
greater understanding of the unit concepts but they will also be more interested in the
material.
This unit is designed to necessitate very few accommodations or modifications,
because it is already designed in a way to cater towards students’ individual responses
based on their readings. I do not believe in what Smagorinsky calls “authoritative ways
of relating” in which people take an authoritative view of the world and the purpose of
school is to pass on the teacher’s knowledge of texts rather that students personal
analysis and emotional responses (2008, p. 15). Rather, I believe in what he calls
connected ways of related, which “refers to ways of relating to other people and
constructing knowledge that are more collaborative, less competitive, and more likely
concerned with the personal relationships of the people involved” (2008, p. 16). This is
shown in the unit by the high emphasis on collaboration in constructing knowledge.
Students are to come to their own opinions, but do so by discussion with others in the
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classroom. Nearly every activity is collaborative, including most of the graded
assignments and the final assessment. I believe in teaching in a constructivist way,
which Smagorinsky notes “refers to the notion that knowledge is constructed rather
than received through a transmission” (2008, p. 8). I constantly try to relate the material
to students’ personal experiences and the social/ cultural importance of the text to
students’ lives. I will give students the freedom to decide how they feel about
Transcendentalism and if they agree with its concepts.
Transcendentalism is a very important movement in literature as it had a
profound impact on American culture and future literary works. It is impossible to truly
understand the importance of this unit without exposure to the literature.
Transcendentalism must be taught in an American Literature classroom because of its
significance in American literature as well as its relevance to students’ lives.
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Goals, Objectives, and Assessment
In participating in this unit, I hope that students will be able to identify and
understand the key themes of Transcendentalism, and be able to draw connections
between those themes and issues that are relevant today. The goals I have will be
assessed in ways to determine if students are able to synthesize the main messages in
Transcendentalism and apply them to various forms. This will also allow for
differentiation, as students will be able to give different responses, rather than a
right/wrong answer that multiple choice questions give. These are the following goals
that I have for the unit:
Goal 1 – Draw connections between Transcendentalism and the Enlightenment period. I
want students to be able to see how Transcendentalism both builds on the previous unit
and also how it deviates from it. I will do this by having them takes notes on
Transcendentalism, and along with their notes from the last unit, create a Venn Diagram
to create a visual representation of the comparisons and contrasts.
Goal 2- Students will develop and demonstrate an understanding of the major themes
of Transcendentalism, such as independence, civil disobedience, nature, and simplicity,
by discussing in class and demonstrating their knowledge creatively through a Body
Biography, sketch of Thoreau’s cabin, and letter-writing.
Goal 3 – Students will draw connections between Transcendentalism and their own lives
by personally relating to the material. They will do this throughout the unit by constant
journal writing, an anticipation guide, and double-entry reading journals.
Goal 4 – Students will think like Transcendentalists by applying the themes of
Transcendentalism to other forms, including popular culture. They will do this for an
assessment, rather than a traditional multiple choice test, by thinking like a
Transcendentalist to respond to songs, images, and a modern book. They will also be
applying Thoreau’s notion of civil disobedience to other social movements by analyzing
civil disobedience in MLK Jr., Gandhi, and Rosa Parks.
The essential questions of the unit reflect the unit goals:
What is Transcendentalism?
What are the main elements of Transcendentalism?
How does Transcendentalism differ from literature we’ve read in the past?
How is Transcendental thought reflected today?
The goals that I have listed that will be accomplished in this unit also align with
several standards from the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. These are the
standards which will be covered in this unit:
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1.02 Reflect and respond expressively to texts so that the audience will:
investigate connections between life and literature.
explore how the student's life experiences influence his or her response to the
selection.
recognize how the responses of others may be different.
articulate insightful connections between life and literature.
consider cultural or historical significance
1.03 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex
print and non-print expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus,
by:
selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate
to readers' purpose.
identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures,
story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to
text.
demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
summarizing key events and/or points from text.
making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences,
contexts, or biases.
analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among
ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
identifying and analyzing elements of expressive environment found in text in
light of purpose, audience, and context.
4.01 Interpret meaning for an audience by:
interpreting the effect of figures of speech (e.g., personification, oxymoron) and
the effect of devices of sound (e.g., alliteration, onomatopoeia).
analyzing stylistic features such as word choice and links between sense and
sound.
demonstrating how literary works reflect the culture that shaped them.
4.02 Develop thematic connections among works by:
connecting themes that occur across genres or works from different time
periods.
4.03 Assess the power, validity, and truthfulness in the logic of arguments given in
public and political documents by:
identifying the intent and message of the author or artist.
recognizing how the author addresses opposing viewpoints.
articulating a personal response to the message and method of the author or
artist.
4.04 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex
print and non-print critical texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
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selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate
to readers' purpose.
identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences,
contexts, or biases.
making connections between works, self and related topics.
analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among
ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
5.01 Interpret the significance of literary movements as they have evolved through the
literature of the United States by:
relating ideas, styles, and themes within literary movements of the United
States.
understanding influences that progress through the literary movements of the
United States.
evaluating the literary merit and/or historical significance of a work from
Colonial Literature, the Romantic Era, Realism, the Modern Era, and
Contemporary Literature.
5.02 Analyze the relationships among United States authors and their works by:
making and supporting valid responses about the text through references to
other works and authors.
comparing texts to show similarities or differences in themes, characters, or
ideas.
6.01 Demonstrate an understanding of the conventions of language by:
revising writing to enhance voice and style, sentence variety, subtlety of
meaning, and tone in considerations of questions being addressed, purpose,
audience, and genres.
Furthermore, the unit also covers many of the national standards for English Language
Arts:
1. Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an
understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States
and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and
demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among
these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to
build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical,
aesthetic) of human experience.
3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate,
and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with
other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts,
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their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features
(e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g.,
conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of
audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different
writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences
for a variety of purposes.
6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g.,
spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to
create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.
7. Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use,
patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and
social roles.
8. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members
of a variety of literacy communities.
9. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own
purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of
information)
Based on the goals I have outlined, my assessment methods will be learning
experiences that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge of the main themes
and ideas of Transcendentalism and the texts we’ve read. A traditional test or quiz
would not align with the goals for this unit, as students would be required to focus on
small details and facts rather than large ideas. It would also not align with my goal of
having students think like Transcendentalists, as Transcendentalists emphasized
intuition, personal freedom, and individuality over logic and reasoning. Many students
are also not good test-takers, and tests can consistently been shown to be poor
indicators of understanding. Thus, students will be completing activities that require
them to perform a close reading and use text evidence, but to come up with their own
conclusions. For example, they will be drawing a sketch of Thoreau’s cabin at Walden
Pond, using examples from the text of imagery to explain their drawings. This will allow
them to demonstrate their knowledge of the imagery in the test in a creative way.
Students will not be graded for artistic skill, but for using images in the text to explain
their interpretation.
Throughout the unit, I will be informally assessing student understanding
through their personal responses and our class discussions. They will have numerous inclass, collaborative activities for classroom grades. They will be listening, responding,
journaling, drawing, and creating. The final assessment, worth a quiz grade, will also
measure student understanding and align with the goals of this unit by having students
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apply their knowledge of Transcendentalism to other mediums. For example, they will
be listening to three songs (and given the lyrics) and explain how the songs demonstrate
Transcendental themes. This will also be cultural relevant to them, as they will see how
those themes are evident in music that they may listen to. After Transcendentalism,
students will be moving on to subsections of Romanticism, the Dark Romantics and the
Fireside Poets. At the end of the Romantic Period, students will be given a project that
allows them to choose between several creative outlets, using technology, in order to
demonstrate their knowledge of Romanticism, including digital storytelling, a short film,
CD with songs, etc. The final assessment results will be sent home to students and
parents.
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Transcendentalism Lesson 1: Introduction
Subject/Course
English
Purpose/ Objective
Grade Level
11th grade
Approximate Time
90 minutes
SWBAT to identify the major themes of Transcendentalism
SWBAT compare and contrast elements of Transcendentalism to the Age of
Reason
North Carolina Goals and Objectives:
What standards will be addressed?
4.02 Develop thematic connections among works by:
connecting themes that occur across genres or works from different time periods.
4.04 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and nonprint critical texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers'
purpose.
identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
making connections between works, self and related topics.
analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts,
characters and/or experiences.
5.01 Interpret the significance of literary movements as they have evolved through the literature of the
United States by:
relating ideas, styles, and themes within literary movements of the United States.
understanding influences that progress through the literary movements of the United States.
evaluating the literary merit and/or historical significance of a work from Colonial Literature, the
Romantic Era, Realism, the Modern Era, and Contemporary Literature.
Learning Activities or Tasks:
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Warm-up on Smart board: Students respond to the following prompt in their journals: In this unit,
we will be learning about Transcendentalism. As you view this video that exemplifies several
elements of this movement, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkV-of_eN2w “Colors of the
Wind” from Pocahontas) write down the thoughts, emotions, key points, etc. that come to
mind.(5m)
a. Ask the students for a few of the ideas they came up with. Explain that this video
demonstrates several elements of Transcendentalism, including a love for (untamed)
nature, rejection of materialism/ “civilized” society, rejection of government imperialism,
belief in wisdom that can be found through nature and intuition rather than logic and
reasoning. (5m)
Unit Introduction: PowerPoint overview of Transcendentalism. Students will be given a packet with
guided notes to follow along, as well as vocabulary. The vocabulary words will be posted around
the room as a visual reminder to use them on a regular basis and point them out during readings
(20m)
Using their notes from today and their notes from the last unit, along with Elements of Literature,
students complete Venn Diagram in groups of two, comparing and contrasting the Age of Reason
with the Romantic Period. I will circulate the room to guide their work. (15m)
Anticipation guide: Students will respond to a handout asking them to agree or disagree with the
following statements (followed by one sentence of explanation) (10m) –
a. A simple person who lives in the county has a greater wisdom and insight into the
mysteries of life than a sophisticated person from the city.
b. Logic and facts are more important than emotions and feelings
c. Nature should be controlled by humans.
d. People should follow standards and traditions set forth by society
e. We should never be satisfied with the status quo, but rather we should desire radical
change.
f. The needs of individuals are more important than the needs of society as a whole.
g. People should act with moderation and self-restraint and avoid expressing the extremes of
their personalities in public.
e. I tend to follow my gut instinct in most situations
f. I tend to see the glass half full
Class discussion of anticipation guide (15m)
Class reads “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer” by Walt Whitman, which is a very short poem
that is an excellent example of Transcendentalist thought (1-3m)
Class discussion: (10m)
a. How does the speaker feel about science?
b. Was Walt Whitman a Transcendentalist? Why?
c. How is this poem different from past works we’ve read? What characteristics of
Transcendentalism does it have?
d. Have you ever felt like what you were being taught in school could be learned better
through experience? Why is it important to go to school and get real life experience?
Questions, comments, concerns (5m)
Homework:
- Students will read “from Nature” by Emerson and complete double entry journal with at least five
quotes. Students will have already completed a double entry journal in the previous unit, so they
will be familiar with the requirements.
- Students will be responsible for looking up the vocabulary words in their dictionaries by day 5.
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Required Materials and Resources:
Elements of Literature
Venn Diagrams
PowerPoint introduction to Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism Packet (guided notes and vocabulary)
Anticipation guides
Smart board for journal prompt/ video clip
Either a printout, overhead slide, or copy in text of Whitman’s “When I Heard the Learn’d
Astronomer”
Student Assessment:
Students will complete and turn in the anticipation guides, which will be checked for completion/
participation. They will also turn in the Venn Diagrams they have completed with a partner for classwork
credit. I will monitor for understanding during class discussions.
Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction:
Students will receive guided notes for the note-taking portion of the class. For the Venn Diagram, students
will be working with the partner next to them, that I will have assigned them on my seating chart. Students
that may need help navigating through the text will have been paired with more skilled readers. The rest of
the work in the class will be graded on effort, which will allow for varying levels of response. Throughout
the unit, I will give preferential seating to those who may need to sit closer to the front in order to see the
screen better or to avoid distractions.
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Transcendentalism Lesson 2: Nature
Subject/Course
English
Grade Level
11th grade
Approximate Time
90 minutes
Purpose/ Objective
SWBAT identify the elements of Transcendentalism in Thoreau’s “Walden”
SWBAT identify imagery in Walden
SWBAT draw a creative sketch of Thoreau’s Walden to depict understanding
North Carolina Goals and Objectives:
1.02 Reflect and respond expressively to texts so that the audience will:
investigate connections between life and literature.
explore how the student's life experiences influence his or her response to the selection.
recognize how the responses of others may be different.
articulate insightful connections between life and literature.
consider cultural or historical significance
1.03 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and nonprint expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers'
purpose.
identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements,
organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
summarizing key events and/or points from text.
making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts,
characters and/or experiences.
identifying and analyzing elements of expressive environment found in text in light of purpose,
audience, and context.
4.01 Interpret meaning for an audience by:
interpreting the effect of figures of speech (e.g., personification, oxymoron) and the effect of devices
of sound (e.g., alliteration, onomatopoeia).
analyzing stylistic features such as word choice and links between sense and sound.
demonstrating how literary works reflect the culture that shaped them.
Link to Prior Learning

Students will have a general understanding of Transcendentalism from class yesterday. They will
have read and responded to Emerson’s “Nature” for homework, giving them a deeper
understanding of the importance of nature for this period.
Learning Activities or Tasks:
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(students turn in homework from last night)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Warm-up: Explain to students that Walden was the most significant place for Thoreau and a source
of inspiration. Thoreau teaches us that that one does not need to travel far to find curious and
inspiring things. In fact, he spend most of his life in and around Concord, MA. He believes that the
special places are the ones we know well. To him this place was Walden. What is your “Walden?”
This is up to you: it does not need to be a pristine or spectacular place, just what is your place.(5m)
a. Then, have students participate in the following activity which allows them to think of their
own sense of place: Using Google Maps, display on the SMARTboard a topographical map
of the community that the students live in. Have the students come up to the board and
mark a place (or more than one place) that is significant to them and provides an escape.
b. In their journals, have students reflect the importance of this place to them. Ask them to
use imagery to describe this place.
Discuss the students’ answers, noting images. (10m)
Students are given brief background knowledge about Thoreau and Emerson. Emerson is
considered the “Father of Transcendentalism” and Thoreau is his student. Thoreau lived in an
isolated log cabin at Walden Pond for two years in isolation. He stresses the importance of
simplicity and escape from the industrialized, material-obsessed culture. (5m)
If permitted, class will be taken outside to a quiet location outside(the Transcendentalists would
have wanted this!) If not possible, then play this video clip of nature images with relaxing music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdHxITplBWY&feature=related.
Students will be asked to complete a journal that asks them to respond to the following questions
(they will receive a paper copy of the questions): (20m)
a. How are you affected by nature? Do you find comfort in it? Do you reflect the moods of nature?
b. What is the role of nature in your life?
c. What is meant by an individual’s spiritual side?
d. Is there a connection between the individual spirit and nature?
e. Define individualism(what it means to you)
f. If you have answered these questions, spend the rest of the time reflecting on nature in any way
you choose.
In groups of two, students read excerpts from “Walden” by Thoreau from Elements of Literature.
Students will sketch out their interpretation of Thoreau’s cabin and Walden Pond. They must use 5
quotations from the text to explain their depictions to show how Thoreau uses imagery. (30m)
Now, show students a clip from the film Koyaanisquatsi , which shows images of nature contrasted
with often negative portrayals of civilization. (polluted, busy, hostile.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFBijDU8PpE (5m)
a. Ask students how those images are contrasted from the images of Walden.
Give students the following statistics: (5m)
• In 1958, only 4 percent of American homes had dishwashers. Now more than half do.
• Less than 1 percent had color televisions. Now 97 percent do. In addition, in the '50s there
were no microwave ovens, VCRs, or personal computers.
• Today, many new homes have three-car garages and are nearly 900 square feet (the same
as an entire house in the 1950s).
• Americans fly 25 times as many passenger miles as they did in the 1950s.
• Although Americans had fewer material goods, the number of Americans who say they are
very happy peaked back in 1957.
• Seventy percent of Americans visit malls each week, more than attend churches or
synagogues.
• On average, Americans shop six hours a week and spend only 40 minutes playing with
their children.
Have a classroom discussion, asking students to respond to the following questions: (10m)
a. Are Americans too materialistic?
b. Does money equal happiness?
c. Why might people be so obsessed with buying mere “things?”
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d.
e.
What might Thoreau think about society today?
What are ways to combat this obsession with money and materialism?
Homework: Students will read Thoreau’s “from On Resistance to Civil Government” and complete a doubleentry journal with at least 5 quotes.
Required Materials and Resources:
Elements of Literature
SMARTboard/ Google Maps
Youtube
Student Assessment:
During the lesson, there are several class discussions that give me the opportunity to assess student
learning. To assess their understanding of “Walden” I will have students turn in the sketches they draw of
Thoreau’s cabin. This will show me that they understand the imagery in the text through a creative medium.
Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction:
Because of the preferential seating chart that I will have designed, lower-level readers will be paired with
more skilled readers, giving them a chance to practice their reading skills while reading “Walden” in pairs.
Students will also work in those pairs to draw a sketch of Walden cabin.
Transcendentalism Lesson 3: Civil Disobedience
Subject/Course
English
Purpose/ Objective
Grade Level
11th grade
Approximate Time
90 minutes
SWBAT identify key points and arguments from “Resistance to Civil
Government”
SWBAT connect Thoreau’s philosophy of civil disobedience to later social
movements
SWBAT create a profile of an important figure to demonstrate their
understanding of civil disobedience.
North Carolina Goals and Objectives:
1.03 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and
non-print expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
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providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
summarizing key events and/or points from text.
making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or
biases.
making connections between works, self and related topics.
analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas,
concepts, characters and/or experiences.
identifying and analyzing elements of expressive environment found in text in light of
purpose, audience, and context.
4.02 Develop thematic connections among works by:
connecting themes that occur across genres or works from different time periods.
using specific references to validate connections.
examining how representative elements such as mood, tone, and style impact the
development of a theme.\
5.01 Interpret the significance of literary movements as they have evolved through the literature of
the United States by:
understanding influences that progress through the literary movements of the United States.
evaluating the literary merit and/or historical significance of a work from Colonial
Literature, the Romantic Era, Realism, the Modern Era, and Contemporary Literature.
5.02 Analyze the relationships among United States authors and their works by:
making and supporting valid responses about the text through references to other works
and authors.
comparing texts to show similarities or differences in themes, characters, or ideas.
Link to Prior Learning
Students will have read from “Resistance to Civil Government” and completed a doubleentry journal. They will have a basic understanding of Transcendentalism from past in-class
activities, which we will be expanding on today. They likely will have heard of MLK Jr. and
Gandhi and will be expanding their knowledge of the concept of civil disobedience today.
They will have already completed a Body Biography in the past unit, so they will be
somewhat familiar with its guidelines.
Learning Activities or Tasks:
1. Warm-up: Students respond to the following journal prompt - “From your reading last night,
you discovered that Thoreau believed that the government which governs least is best. He
even was sent to jail for his refusal to pay a poll tax. Do you agree with him? Over what major
social issue would you be willing to go to prison?” (5m).
2. Discuss their journal answers (5m)
3. Briefly explain how Thoreau practiced civil disobedience in his own life and spent a night in
jail for his refusal to pay taxes in protest of the Mexican War. He was opposed to American
imperialism and saw this as an excuse to expand slavery. Thoreau’s idea of civil disobedience
was used to inspire many future protesters. (5m)
4. Class reads MLK Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and then a Gandhi’s “from On Nonviolent
Resistance” in Elements of Literature. (Including the brief introductions to both people.)
Students read in pairs and take turns reading. I will be monitoring their reading to ensure
that they remain on-task. (20m.)
5. In groups of four that I will assign, students are then asked to complete an activity that will
demonstrate their understanding of the civil disobedience by creating a Body Biography of
either MLK Jr., Gandhi, or Thoreau, based on the texts we read and the brief introductory
material in the textbook. Students will sketch an outline of this person, along with images
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and words that define, describe, and explain the person.
a. Assign students into groups of three. Give out instructions for the activity. Explain
that it is open ended and not to worry if they are not skilled artists. (5m)
b. Have students begin working on their activity. Rotate the room to answer any
questions and ensure they stay on task (35m)
c. Ask students to come up in front of the class and share their Body Biographies,
explaining why they chose to depict the person the way they did. (15)
Required Materials and Resources
Elements of Literature
Smart board for journal prompt
Body Biography assignment sheet
Student Assessment
Students will be responsible for completing a Body Biography with a group member. This
assignment will be presented and graded. It is a chance for students to demonstrate what they
learned from the text in a visual way. It is open-ended, as each student pair may choose to depict
the person in different ways. What counts is that they show how they understood the person and
demonstrate that to me by including quotes from the book.
Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction:
In their paired groups that I have paired with achievements in mind, students will be working at their
own pace to read to each other and design their Body Biographies. This is a self-paced assignment,
and students who work more quickly will be encouraged to continue their artistic depiction and
make it a more skilled work.
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Lesson Four – Self-Reliance
Subject/Course
English
Grade Level
11th grade
Approximate Time
90 minutes
Purpose/ Objective
SWBAT identify Thoreau’s main points in “Self-Reliance”
SWBAT identify aphorisms in “Self-Reliance”
SWBAT apply elements from Thoreau’s works by writing a letter from
him to a modern audience.
North Carolina Goals and Objectives:
1.02 Reflect and respond expressively to texts so that the audience will:
investigate connections between life and literature.
explore how the student's life experiences influence his or her response to the selection.
articulate insightful connections between life and literature.
consider cultural or historical significance.
1.03 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and
non-print expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers'
purpose.
providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
summarizing key events and/or points from text.
making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or
biases.
making connections between works, self and related topics.
analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
identifying and analyzing elements of expressive environment found in text in light of
purpose, audience, and context.
4.01 Interpret meaning for an audience by:
interpreting the effect of figures of speech (e.g., personification, oxymoron) and the effect of
devices of sound (e.g., alliteration, onomatopoeia).
analyzing stylistic features such as word choice and links between sense and sound.
demonstrating how literary works reflect the culture that shaped them.
4.03 Assess the power, validity, and truthfulness in the logic of arguments given in public and
political documents by:
identifying the intent and message of the author or artist.
recognizing how the author addresses opposing viewpoints.
articulating a personal response to the message and method of the author or artist.
Link to Prior Learning
Students will have received notes on the key themes of Transcendentalism, which they will
be expanding on today. They have also read a previous work by Emerson.
Learning Activities or Tasks:
1. Warm-up: As citizens of a bold, young nation, Americans have always taken tremendous
pride in their personal liberty. Emerson nourished this individualistic creed with his essay
“SR.” What associations do you make with the world self-reliance? How does self-reliance
differ from selfishness and self-centeredness? (5m)
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Discuss journals (5m)
Define aphorism: “A saying embodying a general truth.”
Read “Self-Reliance” as a class, with the teacher calling on students to read. Students are
asked to be thinking about aphorisms as they read. (20m)
Ask students the following questions: (5m)
a. What are the benefits of nonconformity? Of conformity?
b. Does Emerson remind you of Benjamin Franklin? How are they alike/ different?
c. How has Emerson shaped our concept of the American Dream?
In groups of two, ask students to write down and respond in one sentence to each the
following quotes from the text: (20m)
a. There is a time in every man’s education when he arrives at the conviction that
envy is ignorance, that imitation is suicide, and that he must take himself for better
or worse as his portion.
b. Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its
members.
c. Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist. A foolish consistency is the
hobgoblin of little minds. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.
d. To be great is to be misunderstood.
e. It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude after own
own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect
sweetness the independence of solitude.
f. Insist on yourself; never imitate.
Based on the class’ readings of Emerson’s “Nature” and “Self-Reliance,” students will imagine
that Emerson were alive today. In the same groups of two, students will write a letter from
Emerson to a person/ group alive today. In the letter, they must have at least 5 aphorisms
from either “Nature,” “Self-Reliance,” or a mix of both. This letter should include Emerson’s
thoughts about Americans today, particularly the group/ person to whom he is writing.
These suggestions could be offered as options, although in the spirit of “Self-Reliance,”
students are also encouraged to come up with their own ideas. Make the letter interesting!
(35m)
a. The president/ a political party
b. A social group at school
c. Environmentalists
d. A celebrity
Homework:
Prepare for a culminating activity tomorrow, worth a quiz grade, by reviewing and gathering your
notes.
Required Materials and Resources
SMARTboard for journals
Elements of Literature
Student Assessment
I will assess student learning during and after class reading by asking questions and circling the class
during group work. I will assess their understanding of the material by having them turn in a letter
that Thoreau might have written to a modern audience (using text evidence,) which will show me
that they understood Thoreau’s ideas well enough to apply them to new situations.
Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction:
I have differentiated this assignment for my students by allowing them to work in collaborative pairs.
This is a self-paced assignment, in which students have the option of making their letter as simple or
complicated as they desire (as long as they fulfill guidelines.) There may be time left over at the end,
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in which case I will have some students share their work.
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Lesson 5: Culminating Activity
Subject/Course
English
Grade Level
11th grade
Approximate Time
90 minutes
Purpose/ Objective
SWBAT demonstrate their knowledge of the main themes of
Transcendentalism by applying them to various situations
SWBAT apply the definitions of the vocabulary words from the unit to
form sentences.
North Carolina Goals and Objectives:
1.03 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and
non-print expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers'
purpose.
providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
summarizing key events and/or points from text.
making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
making connections between works, self and related topics.
analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas,
concepts, characters and/or experiences.
4.02 Develop thematic connections among works by:
connecting themes that occur across genres or works from different time periods.
using specific references to validate connections.
examining how representative elements such as mood, tone, and style impact the
development of a theme.
5.01 Interpret the significance of literary movements as they have evolved through the literature of
the United States by:
relating ideas, styles, and themes within literary movements of the United States.
understanding influences that progress through the literary movements of the United States.
evaluating the literary merit and/or historical significance of a work from Colonial
Literature, the Romantic Era, Realism, the Modern Era, and Contemporary Literature.
5.02 Analyze the relationships among United States authors and their works by:
making and supporting valid responses about the text through references to other works
and authors.
comparing texts to show similarities or differences in themes, characters, or ideas.
6.01 Demonstrate an understanding of the conventions of language by:
revising writing to enhance voice and style, sentence variety, subtlety of meaning, and tone
in considerations of questions being addressed, purpose, audience, and genres.
Link to Prior Learning
This assessment will be a culmination of the period thus far.
Learning Activities or Tasks:
As an assessment of the Transcendentalist movement and before moving on to another segment of
American Romanticism, the Dark Romantics, students will participate in an activity that will
encourage them to think like Transcendentalists and demonstrate their knowledge of the key themes
24
of the movement. The activity is as follows: Students will be assigned into groups, roughly five groups
of six. Six “stations” will be set up across the room, each with a specific activity/assignment that the
students must complete at that station. These relate directly to the readings they have completed so
far in the unit. (If there is not room for stations on the side of the room, the desks can be formed into
groups prior to the students coming to class, and the students will move from desk group to desk
group.) They will each begin at a station that is numbered based on the number of their group (1-5)
that the teacher will display on the board. They have 15 minutes at each station. Students will be
required to turn in individual work (although they will be discussing in groups) that demonstrates
their knowledge of how the activity/item at each station relates to transcendentalism. They should
include specific evidence from the texts when possible, either paraphrased or quoted.
Explain the process, take any questions. Students get into groups (10m)
Students visit the following stations, taking 15 minutes at each station (75)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Students play the following songs and read along with the lyrics. They will explain how each song
relates to Transcendental thought, whether it agrees or disagrees with the themes of the
movement, by quoting the lyrics and directly relating it to one of the works we read.
a. “Where the Green Grass Grows” – Tim McGraw
b. “My Way” – Frank Sinatra
c. “Material Girl” - Madonna
The book “Affluenza” for them to glance through. Students take a brief “quiz” that can help them
discover if they have this disease. (found in Resources section of unit plan.)
Using the SMARTboard, have students take an interactive tour of Walden Pond. They must reflect
on the importance of this location and describe at least five images they see.
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/walden/
Students will be asked to complete sentences using at least 7 of their vocabulary words that they
were previously asked to look up definitions for. They will be required to use all of the words in a
paragraph that illustrates a theme from Transcendentalism. For example, they could write a
paragraph about self-reliance, nature, individualism, etc.
At this station, students will find a description of the life of Rosa Parks. They will be asked to
explain how this relates to Transcendentalism using at least three quotes from a text we’ve read.
Questions, Comments, Concerns (5m)
Required Materials and Resources
SMARTboard
Affluenza
Affluenza quiz
Radio with CD or tape with Transcendentalist songs
Song lyrics
Printout of Rosa Park’s life
Student Assessment
This whole class period is reserved for an assessment of students’ learning thus far. They will be
demonstrating their knowledge of Transcendentalism by applying key themes from the notes and the
works we’ve read, using evidence, to pop culture, images, news articles, etc.
Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction:
This assignment is open book/note and the students work in groups. It is designed to be a fast-paced
assignment, because students should already be familiar with the key themes of Transcendentalism
and the works we’ve read thus far. For students who may have learning disabilities, I will
25
accommodate them by allowing them extra time. They may complete any of the activity that they did
not have time for during lunch or after school. This is likewise the case for students with ADD, who
may have difficulty with the high level of noise. The assignment has been differentiated to be
culturally relevant and allow for a variety of student responses.
26
Resources
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Powerpoint slides
Guided notes
Vocabulary
Body Biography assignment sheet
Article about Rosa Parks
Affluenza Quiz
Lyrics – “Where the Green Grass Grows”
Lyrics – “My Way”
Lyrics – “Material Girl”
27
28
29
30
Guided Notes
Transcendentalism
An Introduction
• Belief in a higher level of truth than can be attained through
human reasoning
• In determining the ultimate reality of God, the universe, the self,
and other important matters, one must ________, or go beyond,
everyday human experience in the physical world.
Can you pronounce it? Can you Spell it?
________________________
Historical background
• The American Revolution inspired artists to create an
___________________ separate from England
• To a large degree, it was a reaction against the Enlightenment or
Age of Reason, especially its emphasis on the power of human
reasoning, formal decorum and a suppression of the imagination
or “fancy.”
• Radical changes in political life
• _______________ was booming, cities were expanding
• The Gold Rush and westward expansion
• Technological advances
Transcendentalism
• A branch of Romanticism, along with Dark Romantics and
Fireside Poets, which we will cover later.
• Began in Germany
31
Immanuel Kant, philosopher
1700’s
• Developed in United States in _______
• Transcendental Club in Boston established in 1936 led by
____________________________
TRANSCENDENTALIST BELIEFS
Nature
• Nature was an escape from the evils and ________ of society
• Nature is a manifestation of the divine
• One can reach a higher level of _______________ in nature
• Nature should remain pure and untamed
• __________: Man, universe and nature are intertwined
Individualism
• Rejection of standard societal beliefs
• Belief in being true to oneself and following ones __________
• Belief in nonconformity
• Self-________
Optimism
• Fundamentally __________, convinced of the essential goodness
of life
• This optimism would later be shunned by the Dark Romantics,
sometimes called the Anti-Transcendentalists
• Belief that people are naturally _______
Other Main Elements
• Suggests that every individual is able to connect to a higher truth
through _________
• Civil disobedience
• Reject ____________
• Support of abolition and women’s rights
32
• Remains very hard to define – a philosophical, literary, artistic,
and social movement!
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
• __________ of Transcendentalism
• Ordained a Unitarian minister in 1829, resigned after three years
due to theological conflicts
• Settled in Concord, Massachusetts in 1836 and founded the
_____________ Club with his colleagues
• Banned from Harvard for 30 years following his Divinity School
address
• Expressed Transcendentalist views in his essay, “Nature”
• Wrote “Self-Reliance”
Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862)
• Lived the ideas that ___________ espoused
• Spend two years living at _______________ in order to “live
deliberately” a simple life in nature
• Wrote “Resistance to Civil Government,” and “Walden.”
• Thoreau refused to _________ because of his opposition to the
Mexican-American War and slavery, and he spent a night in jail
because of this refusal
33
Transcendentalism Vocabulary
On your own time, look up the definitions of these words from the dictionary and
prepare to use them in an activity on day 5
1. Transcendental
2. conformity
3. anaphora
4. aversion
5. admonition
6. tumultuous
7. individualism
8. idealism
9. intuition
10. self-reliance
11. expedient
12. evitable
13. alacrity
34
Body Biography
For your chosen person, you will create a body biography - a visual and written portrait
illustrating several aspects of the character's life and act of civil disobedience. After
completing this portrait, you will participate in a "showing" of your masterpiece where
you will verbally explain your choices to the class. In this showing you should:
• Discuss what makes this person significant.
• Review the significant events and choices involving this person
• communicate to the class the full essence of your person by emphasizing traits
• promote discussion of your character
Requirements
Although I expect your biography to contain additional dimensions, your portrait must
contain:
• An outline of the person’s body
• A review of significant points in the text
• Visual symbols
• The five most important quotes regarding your person
• The significance of this person’s act of civil disobedience.
You have many possibilities for filling up you paper; as always, the choices you make
should be based on the text.
Things to consider
• Placement: Carefully choose the placement of your artwork. For example, the
area where your person's heart would be might be appropriate for illustrating
the important relationships within his or her life.
• Color: Colors are often symbolic. What color do you associate with your
character's primary trait? Why?
• Symbols: What objects can you associate with your person that illustrate that
person's essence? Are there objects mentioned within the text itself that you
could use?
• Changes: How has your person changed the world?
35
PBS – “Civil Rights Leader Dies”
Ezra Billinkoff
Rosa Parks, who inspired a generation to fight for civil rights, died on Monday at age 92. Parks, a black
woman, refused to give up her seat on a city bus to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama, nearly 50 years
ago. She was arrested and fined for breaking the law.
In response to her arrest, black men and women in Montgomery boycotted, or refused to use, the city buses.
They demanded an end to segregation, or laws that denied equal rights to black people. A young pastor at
the local church named Martin Luther King Jr. led the boycott. Because of the protesters' refusal to ride the
buses, the bus system nearly went out of business.
Many believe that Parks's bold decision triggered the civil rights movement, a struggle to grant Americans
the same rights, regardless of their color. "She sat down in order that we might stand up," said civil rights
leader Jesse Jackson yesterday. "Her imprisonment opened the doors for our long journey to freedom."
Parks's action showed how one person could make a big impact. She inspired others, including Martin
Luther King Jr., to use nonviolence and civil disobedience as a way to protest problems in society.
After Montgomery
The Montgomery bus boycott lasted 381 days. Throughout those months, churches and homes in the black
community were attacked. Despite threats to their lives, the community continued to refuse to ride the
buses. In November 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed segregation on buses. After the court order
arrived in Montgomery, blacks began riding the buses again, sitting wherever they pleased.
Following the boycott, Parks moved with her family to Detroit, Michigan. A newly elected member of the
House of Representatives named John Conyers Jr. hired her as a staff assistant. She remained there until
1988, when she retired.
"There are very few people who can say their actions and conduct changed the face of the nation," said
Conyers. "And Rosa Parks is one of those individuals."
On December 1, Montgomery will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Parks's stubbornness. Thousands of
children from the area will participate in the Montgomery Children's Walk, beginning in the spot where
Parks was arrested and ending at the state capitol.
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Do You Have Affluenza?
Diagnose yourself using the key below.
1. I'm willing to pay more for a t-shirt if it has a cool corporate logo on it.
2. I believe that if I buy the cocktail dress, the cocktail party will come.
3. I have a shoe collection Imelda Marcos would envy.
4. When I'm cold, I take my clothes off and turn up the heat.
5. I'm willing to work 40 years at a job I hate so I can buy lots of stuff.
6. When I'm feeling blue, I like to go shopping and treat myself.
7. I want a sports utility vehicle, although I rarely drive in conditions that warrant
one.
8. I usually make just the minimum payment on my credit cards.
9. I believe that whoever dies with the most toys wins.
10. Most of the things my friends/family and I enjoy doing together are free.
11. I don't measure my self-worth (or that of others) by what I own.
12. I know how to pinch a dollar until it screams.
13. I worry about the effects of advertising on children.
14. To get to work, I carpool, ride my bike or use public transportation.
15. I'd rather be shopping right now.
For questions 1-9 and 15, give yourself 2 points for true and 1 point for false.
For questions 10-14, give yourself 0 points for true and 2 points for false.
If you scored:
10-15 No dangerous signs of Affluenza at this time.
16-22 Warning: You have mild Affluenza.
23-30 Cut up your credit cards and call a doctor!
37
Lyrics: Tim McGraw, “Where the Green Grass Grows”
Six lanes
Taillights
Red ants marchin' into the night
They disappear to the left and right again
Another supper from a sack
A ninety-nine cent heart attack
I got a poundin' head and an achin' back
And the camel's buried in a big straw stack
I'm gonna live where the green grass grows
Watchin' my corn pop up in rows
Every night be tucked in close to you
Raise our kids where the good Lord's blessed
Point our rocking chairs towards the west
Plant our dreams where the peaceful river flows
Where the green grass grows
Well I'm from a map dot
A stop sign on a black top
I caught the first bus I could hop from there
But all this glitter is gettin' dark
There's concrete growin' in the city park
I don't know who my neighbors are
And there's bars on the corners and bars on my heart
I'm gonna live where the green grass grows
Watchin' my corn pop up in rows
Every night be tucked in close to you
Raise our kids where the good Lord's blessed
Point our rocking chairs towards the west
Plant our dreams where the peaceful river flows
Where the green grass grows
38
Lyrics: Frank Sinatra, “My Way”
And now the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friend I'll say it clear
I'll state my case of which I'm certain
I've lived a life that's full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way
Regrets I've had a few
But then again too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way
Yes there were times I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out, I faced it all
And I stood tall and did it my way
I've loved, I've laughed and cried
I've had my fill, my share of losing
And now as tears subside
I find it all so amusing
To think I did all that
And may I say not in a shy way
Oh no, oh no, not me
I did it my way
For what is a man what has he got
If not himself then he has not
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way
39
Lyrics: Madonna, “Material Girl”
Some boys kiss me, some boys hug me
I think they're O.K.
If they don't give me proper credit
I just walk away
They can beg and they can plead
But they can't see the light, that's right
'Cause the boy with the cold hard cash
Is always Mister Right, 'cause we are
[Chorus:]
Living in a material world
And I am a material girl
You know that we are living in a material world
And I am a material girl
Some boys romance, some boys slow dance
That's all right with me
If they can't raise my interest then I
Have to let them be
Some boys try and some boys lie but
I don't let them play
Only boys who save their pennies
Make my rainy day, 'cause they are
[chorus]
Living in a material world (material)
Living in a material world
[repeat]
Boys may come and boys may go
And that's all right you see
Experience has made me rich
And now they're after me, 'cause everybody's
[chorus]
A material, a material, a material, a material world
40
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