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 structure and...
Curated OER
Henry David Thoreau
Students explore the life and philosophy of Henry David Thoreau. Students watch a slide show on Henry David Thoreau. They visit a quiet, tranquil location and observe nature. After reading and discussing Thoreau's works, students create...
Curated OER
Zen Buddhism and Modern Utopia
Students work collaboratively to analyze the various religious beliefs of Zen Buddhists. Emphasis is placed upon class discussion and the ideal of a Utopian environment or society.
Curated OER
Fact and Fiction in Little Women
Learners read excerpts from the novel "Little Women." Students work in groups to research, analyze, and answer the questions included in the lesson. After research, learners write a paper and include a bibliography. The students also...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Louisa May Alcott: Transcendentalism
Explore the impact of transcendentalism on the life of Louisa May Alcott and American society in this video [4:00] from the American Masters film Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind 'Little Women.' Emphasizing self-reliance, civil...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Examining Transcendentalism
Interactive instructional activity that allows learners to view the works and ideas of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau through the popular culture of their time. Students use multiple genres to grasp the concepts of...
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: American Transcendentalism: Ralph Waldo Emerson
This lesson from a unit on American Transcendentalism focuses on Ralph Waldo Emerson, one of the leading transcendentalists. It features a link to his biography, and to an excerpt from his essay "Self Reliance." It also offers a quiz...
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Spirit of Nationalism: Ralph Waldo Emerson
This features a brief biography of Ralph Waldo Emerson, an optimistic Transcendentalist author who's personal life was filled with tragedy. See "Ralph Waldo Emerson Activities" for related materials.
The Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson
Rwe.org: Timeline of Ralph Waldo Emerson
A chronology of events in the life of Ralph Waldo Emerson and his associates. Also includes information about Emerson's philosophy, speaking engagements, and publications.
Other
Biography: Ralph Waldo Emerson
This website from a professor at Brandeis University provides a biography on Ralph Waldo Emerson in which his childhood, writing career, and his transcendentalist views are discussed. Included are links to related essays and a list of...
University of South Florida
Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Lit2 Go: Ralph Waldo Emerson: History
The complete text of Emerson's essay, "History." The text can be read online or downloaded in MP3 or PDF format, or viewed as a webpage. In addition, the essay has downloadable support material which focuses on various reading and math...
Stanford University
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Ralph Waldo Emerson
At this website, read about the significant events in Emerson's life and learn about the major themes present in his writing.
Texas A&M University
American Transcendentalism Web
A scholarly site with many articles about American transcendental authors, their work, and philosophy.
Academy of American Poets
Poets.org: Ralph Waldo Emerson
This Poets.org entry for the 19th century American poet, essayist, and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) provides biographical information, a select bibliography, and contemporary photograph as well as links to related writers...
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University: Transcendentalism: Ideas and Thought
This resource provides information about American Transcendentalism, and biographies of people who followed this philosophy.
Cengage Learning
Houghton Mifflin: Emerson's Major Themes
Houghton Mifflin site has an entry that discusses major themes, historical issues, writing style, audience, and literary criticism for Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882). Contains discussion/study questions and a bibliography.
Lumen Learning
Lumen: American Romanticism: "Nature" by Ralph Waldo Emerson
This is the text of the essay "Nature" by Ralph Waldo Emerson, the foundation of transcendentalism, a belief system that espouses a non-traditional appreciation of nature. Transcendentalism suggests that the divine, or God, suffuses...
Washington State University
Washington State University: Literary Movements: American Transcendentalism
A site from Washington State University detailing the emergence of transcendentalism, and quotes from major authors of the time.
Lumen Learning
Lumen: Romanticism: "The American Scholar" by Ralph Waldo Emerson
"The American Scholar" is a speech given by Ralph Waldo Emerson on August 31, 1837, to the Phi Beta Kappa Society at Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was invited to speak in recognition of his groundbreaking work "Nature" in which he...
University of Michigan
American Verse Project: Early Poems of Ralph Waldo Emerson
Read and search for thirty poems by Ralph Waldo Emerson, taken from the book "Early Poems." Includes a brief biography of Emerson.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Transcendentalism, an American Philosophy
A good look at the first major American philosophy, transcendentalism. Read about the ideas that transcendentalists believed, and find out the members of the Transcendental Club. Many American authors of the time espoused the ideals of...
Lumen Learning
Lumen: Romanticism: "Self Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Self-Reliance" is an essay written by American transcendentalist philosopher and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. It contains the most thorough statement of one of Emerson's recurrent themes, the need for each individual to avoid...
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Culture of Common Man: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Excerpts From "Self Reliance"
Emerson's famous essay emerging from the Transcendentalist period that celebrates unfettered individualism.
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: American Literature and Composition: Transcendentalism
This is an introduction to the Transcendentalism period (1836-1860) in American Literature. It focuses on the beliefs and characteristics of transcendentalism and its leading authors: Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson and...