Please be sure to see me with any questions you may have as you work! Remember to collaborate and share the responsibility as a group.
Introduction
Have you ever wanted to abandon mainstream society and just move away from it all? Or maybe you're the kind of person who feels like you should never have to rely on others, like everything you need is within yourself? Or MAYBE, you just feel like if we all spent some time in nature our problems would be solved? If you've ever thought any of these things, you may be a Transcendentalist at heart! What's a Transcendentalist, you ask? That's what you're about to find out!
As a group you will search through the resources below to learn all about Transcendentalism, its major beliefs/values, and famous figures of this literary movement. Then, you'll present your knowledge by analyzing a piece of literature with a lens on its transcendentalist themes.
Task
Task:
1. Explore each source below and answer the discussion question paired with each source as a group. Your group will be responsible for submitting one final copy of discussion question responses.
2. Choose a Poem/Essay to read from the final link, and annotate the document as you analyze its Transcendentalist elements.
3. Submit a one-paragraph written response as a group, detailing what makes this piece fit in the Transcendentalist movement.
Process
Source 1: https://www.britannica.com/event/Transcendentalism-American-movement
Question: In your own words, describe the Transcendentalist Movement in 3-4 sentences.
Source 2: https://www.history.com/topics/19th-century/transcendentalism
Question: What role did Brook Farm play in bringing many Transcendentalist Authors together?
Source 3: https://www.biography.com/authors-writers/henry-david-thoreau
Question: In what ways was Henry David Thoreau an influential figure in the Transcendentalist movement?
Source 4: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/ralph-waldo-emerson
Question: Who was Ralph Waldo Emerson and what were his contributions to the Transcendentalist movement
Source 5: https://americanliterature.com/transcendentalism-study-guide/
*Choose one of the works listed in the source above for your final task
Evaluation
|
Exemplary |
Proficient |
Progressing |
Unsatisfactory |
|
|
Discussion Questions |
Each question is answered thoughtfully, in a short paragraph, and references many details from the source given. |
Each question is answered thoughtfully, in a a few sentences, and references a couple of details from the source given. |
Each question is answered, but may be lacking detail and/or does not reference details from the source given. |
Questions are not fully answered |
|
Annotations |
Chosen text is annotated thoroughly from start to finish with a focus on elements of Transcendentalist beliefs/themes. |
Chosen text is annotated adequately from start to finish with a focus on elements of Transcendentalist beliefs/themes. |
Chosen text is annotated sparsely with somewhat of a a focus on elements of Transcendentalist beliefs/themes. |
Annotations are missing or incomplete. |
|
Analysis Paragraph |
Final paragraph thoroughly analyzes the chosen text for its place in Transcendentalist literature and uses multiple pieces of textual evidence to support analysis. |
Final paragraph adequately analyzes the chosen text for its place in Transcendentalist literature and uses some textual evidence to support analysis. |
Final paragraph adequately analyzes the chosen text for its place in Transcendentalist literature but does not use textual evidence to support analysis. |
Analysis is incomplete/inaccurate |
Conclusion
You've made it to the end! Now you know all about Transcendentalism, and you may even be one! As we prepare to read our next full-length text, Into the Wild, we'll use this newly learned information to set the stage for the main character, Chris McCandless's upcoming adventure. He connected deeply with the Transcendentalists and will make many references to Thoreau and Emerson, so be on the lookout!