Curated OER
American Transcendentalism and Buddhism:
Young scholars study American transcendentalism through readings of Emerson and Thoreau. They make cognitive connections to the similarities to Buddhism in these writings. The connection of the literary movement is explained in the art...
Curated OER
Anonymous Patriots: Songs of the Revolution
Give your class a deeper understanding of the context and meaning behind early American song lyrics. By reading the lyrics to "Yankee Doodle" and "Revolutionary Tea," high schoolers will practice analysis by examining the...
Walden Woods Project
19th Century Lessons for 21st Century Lives
The words of Henry David Thoreau on Civil Disobedience seem particularly relevant today, as are his writings and those of other transcendental thinkers who ask what it mean to live deliberately and what are the responsibilities of...
Curated OER
Criticism of Modernity: Gandhi's Association with the American Transcendentalists
Eleventh graders explore Gandhi's philosophy links to the works of American Transcendentalists Emerson and Thoreau. In this transcendentalism instructional activity, 11th graders discuss essential questions about civilization...
Curated OER
Louisa May Alcott: The Candle and the Mirror
High schoolers discuss the life of Louisa May Alcott and create an outline of a biography of her life and times. In this Louisa May Alcott lesson plan, students explore the Transcendentalist involvement in the abolitionist...
Curated OER
Dipping Into the Pond: Transcendentalism and Us
Eleventh graders have a basic comprehension of transcendentalism and a familiarity with the principal propenents of the philosophy. They recognize of the unique role played by Concord, MA in the dispersion of transcendentalism. ...
Curated OER
The Legacy of Emerson and Thoreau
Eleventh graders are introduced to Transcendentalism through the writing of Emerson and Thoreau. They keep a journal in which they respond to quotes and prompts. Students write longer essays on conformity, being alone and a "field...
Penguin Books
A Teacher's Guide to the Signet Classics Edition of Walden and "Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau
According to Henry David Thoreau, every citizen must object to unjust laws. The teacher's guide to Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" begins with a detailed essay synopsis to help readers understand Thoreau's rationale in the challenging...
Curated OER
Fact and Fiction in Little Women
Students read excerpts from the novel "Little Women." Students work in groups to research, analyze, and answer the questions included in the lesson. After research, students write a paper and include a bibliography. The students also...
Curated OER
A Different Drummer
Eighth graders investigate philosophy and meditation techniques by discussing Emerson and Thoreau. In this philosophical traditions lesson, 8th graders identify the men Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, their work, and...