Classroom Resource

Examining Transcendentalism Through Popular Culture

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

After a brief introduction to the transcendentalist movement of the 1800s, students develop a working definition of transcendentalism by answering and discussing a series of questions about their own individualism and relationship to nature. Over the next few sessions, students read and discuss excerpts from Emerson's “Nature” and “Self-Reliance” and Thoreau's Walden. They use a graphic organizer to summarize the characteristics of transcendental thought as they read. Students then examine modern comic strips and songs to find evidence of transcendental thought. They gather additional examples on their own to share with the class. Finally, students complete the chart showing specific examples of transcendental thought from a variety of multimodal genres.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.R2

Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.9.R2

Vocabulary

  • Literary texts
  • Literal understanding
  • Figurative understanding
  • Text
  • Purpose
  • Situation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Strategies to analyze literary text to develop a literal and figurative understanding.
  • Literary texts have different intended meanings depending on the genre, purpose, and situation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Develop literal and figurative understanding of literary texts appropriate to the text, purpose, and situation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Literary texts can be understood on both a literal and figurative level.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.R3

Utilize active listening skills in formal and informal conversations, following predetermined norms.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.9.R3

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Formal conversations
  • Informal conversations
  • Predetermined norms

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Strategies to identify formal and informal settings.
  • Engage in formal and informal conversations.
  • Predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during formal and informal discussions.
  • Practice predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow predetermined norms which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.3

Analyze how an author’s cultural perspective influences style, language, and themes.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.9.3

Vocabulary

  • Cultural perspective
  • Style
  • Language
  • Theme

Knowledge

Students know:
  • An author's cultural perspective influences the style, language, and themes of their work.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify the style, language, and theme of text.
  • Analyze how an author's cultural perspective influenced the style, language, and theme of their work.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • An author's cultural perspective affects word choice, style, theme, and other aspects of a text.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.4

Analyze how authors use characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning in a variety of texts.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.9.4

Vocabulary

  • Characterization
  • Connotation
  • Denotation
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Analyze how characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.11

Participate in collaborative discussions involving multiple perspectives, responding and contributing with relevant evidence and commentary.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.9.11

Vocabulary

  • Collaborative discussions
  • Perspectives
  • Relevant information
  • Commentary

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The format and process for respectful, collaborative discussions.
  • Strategies to incorporate relevant evidence to support a perspective in a collaborative discussion.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Participate in a class discussion in a respectful and collaborative environment.
  • Use evidence to support perspectives in a collaborative discussion.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Using evidence to support a perspective is necessary in a respectful, collaborative discussion.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.23

Use audio sources to obtain useful and credible information to answer a question, solve a problem, or defend a position.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.9.23

Vocabulary

  • Audio sources
  • Useful information
  • Credible information

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Credible information is accurate and reliable.
  • Information learned through listening can be used to answer a question, solve a problem, or defend a position.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Assess the credibility of information from an audio source.
  • Respond to information obtained through listening by answering a question, solving a problem, or defending a position.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Listening actively can help them determine if the speaker's ideas are useful and credible to the given occasion.
  • They can use the information they learn from listening to others speak for a variety of purposes.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.R2

Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.10.R2

Vocabulary

  • Literary texts
  • Literal understanding
  • Figurative understanding
  • Text
  • Purpose
  • Situation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Strategies to analyze literary text to develop a literal and figurative understanding.
  • Literary texts have different intended meanings depending on the genre, purpose, and situation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Develop literal and figurative understanding of literary texts appropriate to the text, purpose, and situation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Literary texts can be understood on both a literal and figurative level.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.R3

Utilize active listening skills in formal and informal conversations, following predetermined norms.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.10.R3

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Formal conversations
  • Informal conversations
  • Predetermined norms

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Strategies to identify formal and informal settings.
  • Engage in formal and informal conversations.
  • Predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during formal and informal discussions.
  • Practice predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow predetermined norms which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.3

Analyze how an author’s cultural perspective influences style, language, and themes.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.10.3

Vocabulary

  • Cultural perspective
  • Style
  • Language
  • Theme

Knowledge

Students know:
  • An author's cultural perspective influences the style, language, and themes of their work.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify the style, language, and theme of text.
  • Analyze how an author's cultural perspective influenced their work's style, language, and theme.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • An author's cultural perspective affects word choice, style, theme, and other aspects of a text.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.4

Interpret an author’s use of characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning in a variety of texts.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.10.4

Vocabulary

  • Characterization
  • Connotation
  • Denotation
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Interpret how characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.11

Participate in collaborative discussions involving multiple perspectives, responding and contributing with relevant evidence and commentary.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.10.11

Vocabulary

  • Collaborative discussions
  • Perspectives
  • Relevant information
  • Commentary

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The format and process for respectful, collaborative discussions.
  • Strategies to incorporate relevant evidence to support a perspective in a collaborative discussion.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Participate in a class discussion in a respectful and collaborative environment.
  • Use evidence to support perspectives in a collaborative discussion.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Using evidence to support a perspective is necessary for a respectful, collaborative discussion.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.23

Use audio sources to obtain useful and credible information to answer a question, solve a problem, or defend a position.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.10.23

Vocabulary

  • Audio sources
  • Useful information
  • Credible information

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Credible information is accurate and reliable.
  • Information learned through listening can be used to answer a question, solve a problem, or defend a position.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Assess the credibility of information from an audio source.
  • Respond to information obtained through listening by answering a question, solving a problem, or defending a position.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Listening actively can help them determine if the speaker's ideas are useful and credible to the given occasion.
  • They can use the information they learn from listening to others speak for a variety of purposes.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.R2

Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.11.R2

Vocabulary

  • Literary texts
  • Literal understanding
  • Figurative understanding
  • Text
  • Purpose
  • Situation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Strategies to analyze literary text to develop a literal and figurative understanding.
  • Literary texts have different intended meanings depending on the genre, purpose, and situation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Develop literal and figurative understanding of literary texts appropriate to the text, purpose, and situation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Literary texts can be understood on both a literal and figurative level.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.R3

Utilize active listening skills in formal and informal conversations, following predetermined norms.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.11.R3

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Formal conversations
  • Informal conversations
  • Predetermined norms

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Strategies to identify formal and informal settings.
  • Engage in formal and informal conversations.
  • Predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during formal and informal discussions.
  • Practice predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow predetermined norms which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.1

Read, analyze, and evaluate complex literary and informational texts written from various points of view and cultural perspectives, with an emphasis on works of American literature.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.11.1

Vocabulary

  • Analyze
  • Evaluate
  • Complex literary text
  • Complex informational texts
  • Points of view
  • Cultural perspectives
  • American literature

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to read, analyze, and evaluate complex literary and informational texts.
  • Strategies to identify and describe various points of view and cultural perspectives.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read complex texts.
  • Analyze elements within complex texts.
  • Evaluate text based on specific criteria provided by teacher.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Texts written from various cultural perspectives and viewpoints can provide them with valuable information about the thoughts, opinions, and experiences of others.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.3

Analyze how an author explicitly exhibits his/her cultural perspective in developing style and meaning.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.11.3

Vocabulary

  • Analyze
  • Cultural perspective
  • Style
  • Meaning

Knowledge

Students know:
  • An author's cultural perspective influences the style and meaning of their work.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify the style and meaning of text.
  • Analyze how an author explicitly exhibits his/her cultural perspective in a text.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • An author's cultural perspective affects word choice, style, theme, and the overall meaning of a text.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.4

Analyze how an author uses characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.11.4

Vocabulary

  • Analyze
  • Characterization
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view
  • Create
  • Convey

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.
  • Methods to analyze characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Analyze how characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.14

Participate in collaborative discussions involving multiple cultural and literary perspectives, responding to, contributing to, building upon, and questioning the ideas of others with relevant, appropriate evidence and commentary.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.11.14

Vocabulary

  • Collaborative discussions
  • Cultural perspectives
  • Literary perspectives
  • Relevant, appropriate evidence
  • Commentary

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The format and process for respectful, collaborative discussions.
  • Strategies to incorporate relevant evidence to support a perspective in a collaborative discussion.
  • Methods for responding, contributing to, building upon, and questioning the ideas of others with relevant, appropriate evidence and commentary.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Participate in a class discussion in a respectful and collaborative environment.
  • Respond to, contribute to, build upon, or question the ideas of others in a collaborative discussion.
  • Use relevant, appropriate evidence to support perspectives in a collaborative discussion.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Using evidence to support a perspective is necessary for a respectful, collaborative discussion.
  • There are multiple ways to respond to others in a collaborative discussion, including answering questions, asking questions, or adding to others' ideas.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.26

Locate and acquire audible information to answer a question, solve a problem, or defend a position, utilizing active listening to assess its usefulness, relevance, and credibility.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.11.26

Vocabulary

  • Audible information
  • Active listening
  • Usefulness
  • Relevance
  • Credibility

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Strategies to locate and acquire audible information.
  • Criteria to determine the usefulness, relevance, and credibility of an audible research source.
  • Credible information is accurate and reliable.
  • Information learned through listening can be used to answer a question, solve a problem, or defend a position.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Locate and acquire useful, relevant, and credible audible information in the research process.
  • Determine the usefulness, relevance, and credibility of an audible research source.
  • Use research findings to answer a question, solve a problem, or defend a position.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Listening actively can help them determine if the speaker's ideas are useful and credible to the given occasion.
  • They can use the information they learn from listening to others speak for a variety of purposes.
  • It is necessary to determine the relevance and credibility of an audible research source before using it as evidence to answer a question, solve a problem, or defend a position.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.R2

Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.12.R2

Vocabulary

  • Literary texts
  • Literal understanding
  • Figurative understanding
  • Text
  • Purpose
  • Situation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Strategies to analyze literary text to develop a literal and figurative understanding.
  • Literary texts have different intended meanings depending on the genre, purpose, and situation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Develop literal and figurative understanding of literary texts appropriate to the text, purpose, and situation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Literary texts can be understood on both a literal and figurative level.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.R3

Utilize active listening skills in formal and informal conversations, following predetermined norms.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.12.R3

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Formal conversations
  • Informal conversations
  • Predetermined norms

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Strategies to identify formal and informal settings.
  • Engage in formal and informal conversations.
  • Predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during formal and informal discussions.
  • Practice predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow predetermined norms which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.3

Evaluate how an author explicitly exhibits his/her cultural perspective in developing style and meaning.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.12.3

Vocabulary

  • Evaluate
  • Cultural perspective
  • Style
  • Meaning

Knowledge

Students know:
  • An author's cultural perspective influences the style and meaning of their work.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify the style and meaning of text.
  • Evaluate how an author explicitly exhibits his/her cultural perspective in a text.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • An author's cultural perspective affects word choice, style, theme, and the overall meaning of a text.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.4

Evaluate an author’s use of characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.12.4

Vocabulary

  • Evaluate
  • Characterization
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view
  • Create
  • Convey

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.
  • Methods to evaluate characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Evaluate how characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.14

Actively engage in collaborative discussions about topics and texts, expressing their own ideas by respectfully contributing to, building upon, and questioning the ideas of others in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.12.14

Vocabulary

  • Collaborative discussions
  • Pairs
  • Diverse groups
  • Whole class settings

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The format and process for respectful, collaborative discussions in a variety of settings.
  • Methods for expressing their ideas, contributing to and building upon others' ideas, and questioning the ideas of others.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Participate in a collaborative discussion in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings.
  • Express their own ideas, contribute to and build upon others' ideas, or question the ideas of others.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • They can better understand a topic or text by discussing their ideas with others.
  • There are multiple ways to respond to others in a collaborative discussion, including answering questions, asking questions, or adding to others' ideas.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.26

Locate and acquire audible information to answer a question, solve a problem, or defend a position, utilizing active listening to assess its usefulness, relevance, and credibility.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.12.26

Vocabulary

  • Audible information
  • Active listening
  • Usefulness
  • Relevance
  • Credibility

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Strategies to locate and acquire audible information.
  • Criteria to determine the usefulness, relevance, and credibility of an audible research source.
  • Credible information is accurate and reliable.
  • Information learned through listening can be used to answer a question, solve a problem, or defend a position.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Locate and acquire useful, relevant, and credible audible information in the research process.
  • Determine the usefulness, relevance, and credibility of an audible research source.
  • Use research findings to answer a question, solve a problem, or defend a position.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Listening actively can help them determine if the speaker's ideas are useful and credible to the given occasion.
  • They can use the information they learn from listening to others speak for a variety of purposes.
  • It is necessary to determine the relevance and credibility of an audible research source before using it as evidence to answer a question, solve a problem, or defend a position.
Link to Resource
http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/examining-transcende…

CR Resource Type

Lesson/Unit Plan

Resource Provider

ReadWriteThink
Accessibility
License

License Type

Custom

Custom License Type (URL)

http://www.readwritethink.org/util/legal.html

Comments or Notes

ReadWriteThink is a free resource with links to additional interactives, videos, and printables.

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