Romantic Period Literature:
Transcendentalism
Objectives: Students will be able to…
 Define Transcendentalism, Romanticism, aphorism, imagery, paradox, point of view, and figures
of speech
 Identify and recognize Transcendental characteristics in “Nature”, “Self Reliance”, and “Walden,
or Life in the Woods”
 Analyze the importance of individualism
 Analyze the importance of Ralph Waldo Emerson to Transcendentalism
 Analyze non-fiction essays for persuasive characteristics and/or real purposes
Essential Questions:
 Who am I? (Self Identity)
 What is our obligation to society?
 What is society’s obligation to me?
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What is the power of a person’s mind?
Who is God?
What is religion?
Concepts and Vocabulary: Transcendentalism, Romanticism, self reliance, commune, optimism,
intuition, Divine Soul, natural world, ideal world, individualism, spontaneous, rationalism, aphorism,
imagery, religion, paradox, point of view, figures of speech, society, and utopia
While studying the Romantic Period and its literature, all students will have a choice of activities to
complete as indicated in the 3 sections of the layered curriculum designed on the following pages. At the
conclusion of the unit, all students will have the opportunity to share their assignments.
In order to receive any grade for this required assignment, all students must
complete the required assignments.
In order to receive a C, the student must complete 75 points worth of work
in the C Layer as well as the required assignments.
In order to receive a B, the student must complete 75 points in Layer B as
well as the required assignments.
In order to receive an A, the student must complete 75 points in Layer A as
well as the required assignments.
If required assignments are not completed, a D will be assigned regardless of
amount of additional points completed.
Project Due:________________
Each entry must be labeled. More than one entry per page acceptable.
Required Assignments—all must be completed in order to receive a D.
____1. Listen to lecture and complete KWL, pre, and post questions over Transcendentalism, Emerson &
Thoreau. *Notes may vary depending on teacher.
____2. Complete Pretest Unit Study guide questions
____3. Read Self-Reliance (p.245) and complete paragraph response
____4. Read and/or listen to Nature (p. 242) or from Walden: Where I lived…& Solitude (p. 252)
and complete a list of new vocabulary and definitions.
____5. Read p. 418-419 from The Informed Argument and complete an emotional response to the reading.
____6. Complete a critical reading for both essays over sprawl on p. 402 & 406 in The Informed Argument
Layer C—Must complete 75 points
____4. Illustrate the characteristics of American Romanticism. (10 points)
____5. Create a bumper sticker exhibiting those ideals presented in either Nature or Walden.(15 pts)
____6. Create a word wall exhibiting new vocabulary from the American Romanticism unit (10 pts)
____7. Create an extended definition of what self-reliance means to you (5 pts)
____8. Complete the Moby Dick webquest and present your findings to a partner (50 pts)
____9. Choose one of the readings and create a chart showing the romantic characteristics present (30 pts)
____10. Create a journal in which you record the everyday events in your life for one day (10 pts)
____11. Create a matching puzzle that uses the persuasive techniques and Resistance to Civil Government
(30 pts)
____12. Complete timeline documenting important events during Romantic period (15 pts)
____13. Complete graphic organizer poster illustrating similarities and differences among Rationalists and
Romantics (20 pts)
____14. Read the supplemental material by Annie Dillard and pair share your findings with a classmate(20)
Layer B—Must complete 75 points
____1. Browse several nature guides as well as viewing the pictures that go along with the readings in our
book. Orally explain what pictures can capture that paragraphs cannot. (10 pts)
____2. Read the supplemental material by Annie Dillard and visually connect her work to
Thoreau/Emerson. (50)
____3. Research other utopian groups and create a poster illustrating those societies and their importance.
(50 pts)
____4. Complete Writing About Literature: A Different Drummer on pg 263. Essay should mimic a 5paragraph format. (15 pts)
____5. Make a list of aphorisms and explain what they say about society today. (25 pts)
____6. Read Did you Know on pg. 251. In what ways could you economize your own household just as
Thoreau did? (20 pts)
____7. Complete a Venn diagram comparing a transcendentalist to a free thinker of today. (15 pts)
____8. Choose a song that would be a theme song for the transcendentalists and defend it orally. (15 pts)
Layer A—Choose one of the following 75 point assignments.
____1. Create a bulletin board highlighting the question “why do people avoid new ideas?” and connect it
to this unit (75 pts)
____2. Invent your own utopia with a partner. Get a guiding packet from your teacher. (75 pts)
____3. Design a cabin like Thoreau’s. Must be to scale. (75 pts)
____4. Develop and deliver a speech promoting nature preservation Allude to the authors/ideas from this
unit(75 pts)
____5. Perform a series of nature experiments in which you document the results (75 pts)
____6. Design a web page promoting nature preservation (75 pts)
____7. Create a photo/art exhibit highlighting nature (75 pts)
____8. Make a video/documentary highlighting the ideas from the American Romanticism unit (75 pts)
____9.Compile a“ Name that Transcendental Tune ”list of fifteen songs and play the game with the
class(75)
____10. Do an environmental survey of at least 50 or your peers, documenting results (75 pts)
____11. Create a nature guide for Saunders’ Springs Nature Preserve, using passages from the readings for
inspiration. (75 pts)