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Stearns Winter 2016: Adapted from – Understanding by Design Template 2.1 - © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe 2011

The Romantics and Individualism

Designed by: Hans A. Wittrock Length of Unit: 3 Weeks

Subject/Content/Texts to be Read: (Please See page 2.) Grade Level: 9 - 10

Unit Overview

This unit will introduce students to a variety of writers involved in the Romantic Period. The Unit will focus heavily on the reading

and analyses of poetry and eventually short stories. Students will see the range of styles which can be involved in the same literary

period or movement and understand what themes or concepts tie them together. There will also be a focus on how some elements can

transition from one movement to the next. The eventual message of the unit is to showcase American Romanticism for its particular

brand of individualism.

Stage 1 Desired Results

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Common Core State

Standards met:

READING:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-

10.2

Determine a theme or central

idea of a text and analyze in

detail its development over

the course of the text,

including how it emerges and

is shaped and refined by

specific details; provide an

objective summary of the

text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-

10.4

Determine the meaning of

words and phrases as they are

used in the text, including

figurative and connotative

meanings; analyze the

cumulative impact of specific

word choices on meaning and

tone (e.g., how the language

evokes a sense of time and

place; how it sets a formal or

informal tone).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-

10.1

Using a theme of American Romanticism, the unit’s works will include

William Wordsworth – “Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802”

William Blake – “And Did those Feet,” “Mock On, Mock On, Voltaire, Rousseau”

John Keats – “Bright Star,” “On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer,” “Ode to a Nightingale,”

Emily Dickinson – “There’s a certain Slant of light,” “I died for Beauty-but was scarce,” “Tell all the Truth

but tell it slant”

Walt Whitman – “Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking,”

Edgar Allan Poe – “Annabel Lee,” “The Raven,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,”

Unit Rationale:

The intertwining of literature with history is an incredible and yet often overlooked educational resource.

Where history teaches students what happened and provides insight into people’s mindsets and customs

during any given time period, literature often shows how people questioned or challenged those mindsets and

customs.

I initially planned to teach a unit on American Romanticism but soon realized that I could not fairly

address that topic without first introducing the English Romantics, particularly William Wordsworth.

Wordsworth and Blake are two important voices who set the stage for the Romantics by breaking earlier

poetic conventions and focusing on the importance of nature, innocence, and imagination. Keats discusses

the abstract which provides a great segue into the work of Emily Dickinson. Her work is often dark,

personal, obvious, vague, and sometimes even humorous. Sometimes one of her poems features all of this,

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Cite strong and thorough

textual evidence to support

analysis of what the text says

explicitly as well as

inferences drawn from the

text.

WRITING:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1

Write arguments to support

claims in an analysis of

substantive topics or texts, using

valid reasoning and relevant and

sufficient evidence.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1.a

Introduce precise claim(s),

distinguish the claim(s) from

alternate or opposing claims,

and create an organization that

establishes clear relationships

among claim(s), counterclaims,

reasons, and evidence.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1.b

Develop claim(s) and

counterclaims fairly, supplying

evidence for each while pointing

out the strengths and limitations

of both in a manner that

anticipates the audience's

knowledge level and concerns.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.2

giving the reader her individual view of abstract and even everyday concepts. Walt Whitman also enjoyed

celebrating the individual and what some would call the mundane. His seamless blending of imagination,

innocence, nature, the abstract, the everyman and also humor made him a pioneer of the American

Renaissance. Any sample of American Romanticism cannot be complete without mentioning Whitman and

his work would seem like a logical concluding point. However, to show the range of works included in

Romanticism, I decided it was necessary to showcase Edgar Allan Poe. His and Mary Shelley’s names are

of the most prominent when talking about Dark Romanticism. Working with Dark Romanticism at the end

of the Unit as opposed to placing it somewhere in the middle accentuates the range of romanticism an

reiterates the varied meaning of the word “romantic,” thus pulling students further away from their

misconceptions about the word. Also, Poe’s use of realism provides a nice segue into a unit on the Realists.

Works Cited

Literary Period Timeline http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/07/literary-history-

timeline.html

Mr. Osbourne British Enlightenment/Romantics video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4Jzp4Ywuek

Characteristics of Romanticism Handout

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson1142/CharacteristicsRomanticism

.pdf

Crash Course: Emily Dickinson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4WwhOdk_Eg&list=PL31CxPbJo-YdPpZkg_UuOVXQuIUS-

x4pW

Walt Whitman Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qomvlLxZ-v0

Iggy Pop reads “The Tell Tale Heart” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bansJgYiOXY

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Write informative/explanatory

texts to examine and convey

complex ideas, concepts, and

information clearly and

accurately through the effective

selection, organization, and

analysis of content.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.2.a

Introduce a topic; organize

complex ideas, concepts, and

information to make important

connections and distinctions; i

Stage II

Calendar: Outline of lessons, goals, & activities

Day Lesson Name Goal/Objective Activities Assessment

1 What is Romanticism? Create a familiarity with

what Romanticism is.

-Discussion

-In class reading

-Exit Slip

2 Blake: Angry Romance? Showcase different

emotions through a

darker side of

Romanticism

-In class reading and analysis

-Discussion

-Exit Slip

-Homework Assignment

3 Keats: Odes to the abstract Showcase -Discussion -Journal Day

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Romanticism’s use of

Strong senses

-In class reading -Exit Slip

4 Dickinson: An Isolated

Individual

Looking at the themes of

isolation and

individuality

Class Group Discussions and

Conferences

In-class reading

-Exit Slip

5 Your Turn: Review and

Compose

Demonstrate knowledge

of Topic by putting it

into practice

-Writing -Journal Day

-Creative writing (formal

assessment)

-Exit Slip

6 Walt Whitman Week: Day 1 Overview of Whitman

and “Out of the

Cradle…”

-Discussion

In-class reading

-Writing

-Journal Day

-Exit Slip

7 Walt Whitman Week: Day 2 Look for the senses,

emotions, and feelings

-Discussion

In-class reading

-Exit Slip

8 Walt Whitman Week: Day 3 Look for Nature -Discussion

In-class reading

-Journal Day

-Exit Slip

9 Walt Whitman Week: Day 4 Look for the Individual -Discussion -Exit Slip

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In-class reading

10 Walt Whitman Week: Day 5 Look for Imagination -Discussion

In-class reading

-Journal Day

-Exit Slip

11 The Dark Romantics -Discussion

In-class reading

-Journal Day

-Exit Slip

12 Edgar Allen Poe-try -Discussion

In-class reading

-Writing

-Exit Slip

13 Short Stories of Edgar Allen

Poe: The Murderous Individual

Exploring Dark

Romanticism and the

Individualism of the

Anti-hero.

-Discussion

In-class reading

-Writing

-Journal Day

-In class writing and

discussion.

-Exit Slip

14 Review Day Review Day Discussion -In class discussion

15 Exam Day To demonstrate an

overall understanding of

romantic concepts and

or how they display

themselves in the context

- Exam -In-class Essay Exam

(Journal Entry and Exit

Slip waved for exam

days)

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of the materials we have

read.

Daily Plans

Day 1

Title of today’s lesson: What is Romanticism?

Overview:

I will give a very brief overview of the Enlightenment period to discuss how the Romantic period arose. I will then explain

key themes and writers of the Romantic period, ending with a focus on individualism.

Learning Objectives

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it

emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings;

analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time

and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding: Students (and most people) seem to have a preconception of the

term “romantic” as pertaining strictly to expressing feelings of love. The term is much broader than that and this lesson will attack

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that misunderstanding.

Materials/Sources: Use bullet points to identify the resources that the teacher and students will use in the lesson. Attach all relevant

materials such as handouts, lecture notes, etc.

Characteristics of Romanticism handout – This is given out at the conclusion of class.

Wordsworth, William. “Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature

(Vol. 2).

Instructional Sequence:

Step One (introduction to class): Ask students what the word “romantic” means. Take about 5 mins accepting

definitions. Ask somebody to look up the word and find a more expansive definition. Ask students if they have a

memory or know someone who has described a memory as being better than it actually was. Explain to them that

this is being romantic, or “romanticizing the event.”

Act 1. (10 minutes) Ask students what types of music they listen to. Specify that you don’t want artists, you want

genres or types of music. Ask: Where did (type) come from? Was it always there, or did artists hear another type

of music before and use something from that other type of music to make their own? Challenge them: Do rock and

blues have similarities? Do rap and jazz have similarities? What about jazz and techno? (Spend no more than 5

minutes on this)

Well just like music, writing and literature had a progression too. Different writers had similar styles that

progressed into the next thing. The difference with music and literature is that sometimes those styles, or movements aren’t

named or noticed till decades later. Let me direct you to this timeline.

(http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/07/literary-history-timeline.html) You’ll notice before Romanticism, there’s

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the period of Enlightenment. Has anyone heard the term enlightenment before? Amy ideas what that might mean? (Spend

no more than 5 minutes trying to follow students’ thinking on this. Point out that Ben Franklin is one of the authors listed

and lead them to the fact that he is known for being as great thinker.)

Act 2. (10 minutes) Let’s talk about the age of enlightenment. This is also known as “The Age of Reason” and it’s

a time of deep thought for writers. Writers are concerned with challenging what is around them and answering

questions. Ben Franklin and Isaac Newton are writing at this time, can anybody tell me something about either of

them? (fish for the kite/electricity story and the theory of gravity) There’s also a focus on questioning societal

norms. For instance, in Moliere’s play Tartuffe, religious hypocrisy is lampooned when it was previously

something that just wasn’t discussed. They also start to think about the rights of people. There’s an emphasis on

thinking, theorizing, and using imagination to try to understand the real. The rights of people and that imagination

is going to carry over into the next movement, sort of like old rock and funk records carried over to make the first

beats for early hip-hop and rap artists. This video might help. This guy talks a little fast. Please just say

“PAUSE!” if you’re confused by something. ( Start at 5:33. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4Jzp4Ywuek )

7:30, Talk about satire. Satire is almost like parody but different. Has anyone here seen the Wayans Brothers

movies? (Scary Movie or Dance Flick or any of those movies that make fun of other movies) That’s parody. It’s

obvious that those are comedies and that they are making fun of something. Now imagine if those movies took

themselves seriously and it was up to you to figure out that they were making fun of other movies. That’s kind of

how satire works. Although he wasn’t part of the Romantic movement, Ben Franklin sometimes used satire to

make his points. This is one example of how elements of one movement transfer into another like I talked about.

(resume video).

Act 3. (20 minutes) So Romanticism starts in England before it comes over to the US and it pretty much starts with

William Wordsworth. I’m going to show this short video about him.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d1Wlzco16I) Pass out “Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3,

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1802.” (https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/composed-upon-westminster-bridge-september-3-1802) We’re going

to read a different poem than he mentioned in the video but it’s still wordsworth. Let’s look at the language he

uses, the words. What do we notice? Compared to Shakespeare’s Sonnets let’s say? (Push them toward noticing

the simple, more rustic language) It’s plain and easy to understand even today, right?

Read the poem aloud with the class. Discuss the prevalent theme of nature. What is this about? What is being

appreciated? Notice “the smokeless air.” Why “smokeless?” Why point that out? (Follow student thinking, Point out that

the romantics were critical of industrialization and liked to exhibit the beauty of nature as a sort of backlash against

industrialization, which was becoming more prevalent)

Last Step (class conclusion): (10 minutes) So basically, we had The Age of Reason, or Enlightenment when writers

are getting a little preachy and pointing out mankind’s problems but also posing ways to fix them. There is a

fixation with progress. Then the Romantics come along and say “Yes, that’s all fine, but we also need to look at

ourselves individually and take time to appreciate the simple things around us. We don’t want to lose our humanity

in the name of logic and progress”

Hand out Characteristics of Romanticism chart. Go over each quality and push students to explain the

descriptions in their own words.

Exit Slips: (Last 5 minutes) Write down what you learned and what the most confusing part of the lesson was.

Hand in slips on your way out.

.

Assessment: In-class discussion and Exit Slips…

Handout:

Please see Characteristics.pdf (from readwritethink.org)

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Daily Plans

Day 2

Title of today’s lesson: Blake: Angry Romance?

Overview: Exploring the themes of Blake poetry and how his outrage fits in with romanticism.

Learning Objectives –

Through Close Reading…

• Students will be able to determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of

the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

(CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2)

• Students will determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative

meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time

and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone). (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4 )

Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding: “What does this have in common with Wordsworth?”

“It seems like anything can be Romantic.”

Materials/Sources:

Blake, William - “Mock On, Mock On, Voltaire, Rousseau,” “And Did those Feet,” “The Chimney Sweeper”

Instructional Sequence:

Step One (introduction to class): (5 - 10Mins) If you remember yesterday, we talked about the romantics trying to point out the

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beauty of nature over the progress of industrialization. William Blake is another English Romantic and he liked to bring up

industrial imagery in a somewhat disparaging way. He also talks about children a lot. The ideas of children as something

innocent and playful, and letting kids be kids are kind of a modern thing. In Blake’s time, kids were workers. They did all

kinds of hard, dangerous work alongside men and women on farms, in factories, all over. Blake saw a value in childhood and

wanted others to see it as well. (Mini-discussion) Can this idea tie in with nature? Aren’t humans a part of nature? Is a child’s

natural instinct fit for working in factories and doing things like that? After we go over yesterday’s exit slips, we’ll talk about

that. (Clarify concerns from the exit slips. I will have singled out the most important concerns the night before. This will be

the general practice as going through every student’s exit slip from every class. Almost every single night could be tedious,

and many of the responses are likely to be the same. )

Act 1. (20 mins.) Let’s look at Blake’s poem “Mock On, Mock On, Voltaire, Rousseau.”

(http://www.bartleby.com/333/266.html) Remember when I talked about the movements and the writers of The

Enlightenment? Wordsworth and Blake, like many famous writers, were aware that they wanted to do something different.

They wanted to say something different. Does anybody know anything about Voltaire or Rousseau? Have we seen any of

those names before? (Have the timeline from Day one up and see if anyone notices.

(http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/07/literary-history-timeline.html) Point out that they are writers of the

enlightenment and refer back to the talk of satire from the enlightenment video we watched the day before. ) Before we get

into this, why do you think Blake would mention them in a title like this. Mind you, I think they’re both dead by the time

Blake is writing this. (Steer them toward ‘It’s a challenge.’) Ok. Let’s read. Read “Mock On…” Ok, what is this about?

(Briefly discuss theories) What about the phrase “Mock On?” What is mockery? Did we talk a little bit about that yesterday

in different words? (Parody, satire) Let’s look at the unfamiliar here. (Explain Democritus, Newton’s Particles of light.) Let’s

read this line by line and piece it together. Analyze poem together. Discuss meaning and the romantic notion of prizing nature

over science/progress. OK, let’s move on to our next poem.

Act 2. (20 mins) This one has the industrial critiques I was talking about. Let’s read it together. Read “And Did Those Feet,”

(http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/and-did-those-feet-in-ancient-time/). After we read it, pair up with the person next to you

and go line by line like we just did. Try to find the critiques of industry in this. I’ll give you about 10 minutes to do that and

then we’ll discuss. (In discussion, make sure to draw attention to the natural imagery and the “dark satanic mills” of

industry).

Last Step (class conclusion): (5-10 mins) What we’ve done today is called close reading. We went over lines and asked

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questions. Why does Blake choose the words and references he does? Tonight when you go home, read Blake’s “The

Chimney Sweeper,” (http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/43654) and write a short paragraph,

maybe a half a page about what you think he’s saying. Is there an industrial subtext to this? If so what do you think it may be?

We talked about it earlier today but you may want to look up some information on child laborers in London (this was a long

time ago) and see if that changes your thoughts on this poem. (The usual Exit Slips assignment)

Assessment:

Analysis homework

Exit slips

Daily Plans

Day 4

Title of today’s lesson: Dickinson: An Isolated Individual

Overview: A look at the isolation, individualism of Dickinson’s poetry

Learning Objectives

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it

emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings;

analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time

and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1

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Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn

from the text.

Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding: Students often find her eccentricity more interesting than the

poetry itself.

Materials/Sources:

Dickinson, Emily “There’s a certain Slant of light,” “I died for Beauty-but was scarce,” “Tell all the Truth but tell it slant”

Instructional Sequence:

Step One (introduction to class): (5-10 mins) (Go over previous day’s exit slips.) Yesterday we talked about John Keats and

how he drew attention to senses and/or feelings. These are abstract concepts, or things that cannot be physically seen.

Today we’re talking about Emily Dickinson and among other abstract concepts, her work often centers around death and the

truth.

Act 1. (20 Mins) Have the students watch this John Green video about Emily Dickinson and take notes ( start at 0:56,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4WwhOdk_Eg&list=PL31CxPbJo-YdPpZkg_UuOVXQuIUS-x4pW stop at 5:28 )

Discuss the idea of “Mine.” What’s a popular song right now? What does it mean to you (one particular student)? What

about you? (Try to get a few different responses) So we all hear the same song. We can all buy it, listen to it, sing it. It’s

the same song but, as individuals, each of us gets something different from it. When you talk about that: how it means

something to you, that’s an example of individualism. You’re celebrating your individuality. How many people are going

to experience death at some point? Everybody, right? How many people have some sort of concept of the truth? It might

not be your truth, but everyone knows what truth is, right? These are things everyone knows, but everyone has their own

ideas or interpretations of what they are

Read There’s a certain Slant of light,” http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/45723, I died for

Beauty-but was scarce,” http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/i-died-for-beauty/, and Tell all the Truth but tell it slant”

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http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/56824 aloud in class. Ask students which one they’d like to

go over most. Discuss that poem.

Options for starting discussion:

“There’s a … light” - What kind of imagery is in this poem? What does she mean by “[…]A slant of light[…]

that oppresses like Cathedral Tunes? Why Cathedral Tunes? What kind of tunes would play in a cathedral? Why

“Heavenly Hurt?” What are some themes here? What do we think this is about?

“I died for Beauty…” - What does “scarce” mean here? It’s not the typical meaning we use. What is going on

here? What kind of imagery or themes do we see in this? What is ‘dying for beauty?” What kinds of things do

the Romantics find beauty in? (Nature) Is death a “failure?” I’m referring to the line “He questioned softly ‘Why

I failed’?”

“…tell it slant” – Truth seems to be at the center of this poem, right? What are some things people say about the

truth. What are some kinds of truth? (looking for “harsh truth”/”ugly truth.”) What is the circuit she is talking

about? (Circle of friends?) What is this business about “Lightning to the Children?” Have you ever heard the

expression “break it to me easy?” I think that’s the overall message of this poem. Tell the truth but be gentle with

it. Does anyone else see this?

Act 2. (15 Mins) Split the class into two groups and have each group appoint a representative. The representatives will flip

a coin to see which of the two remaining poems his or her group gets. The representative is in charge of leading the group’s

reading of the poem. They then analyze and discuss ideas about the poem together.

Act 3. Split the next 15 – 20 mins between the two groups so they can do a short presentation about how they interpreted the

poems. Challenge interpretations when necessary. Ask the class what similarities they saw between the two poems.

Last Step (class conclusion): Last 10 minutes – So we have almost have a sense of personification given to death,

depression, and the truth in these poems. Does it seem to you like Emily Dickinson spent a lot of time in her own head?

Why do you or don’t you think so? Instead of the usual Exit Slip assignment, take some time to answer that, and make sure

you use lines from the poems to support your answer.

Assessment: In-class Group presentations.

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Daily Plans

Day 5

Title of today’s lesson: Your Turn: Review and Compose

Overview: Simultaneous review and writing assignment.

Learning Objectives –

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it

emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

CSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1.b

Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a

manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level and concerns.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.4

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.3.d

Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or

characters.

Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding: “I can’t write poetry”

Students may focus on the poem rather than the criteria for the poem, placing creativity over form. I will need to make it clear that I

am much less interested in the craft of their poetry than I am in seeing how the previous lessons inform the kind of poems they

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write.

Materials/Sources:

Characteristics Handout from Day 1.

Copies of poems from previous lessons (to use as inspiration. These will have been handed out before.)

Instructional Sequence:

Step One (introduction to class): (5 – 10 mins) We’ve spent almost a week discussing a few of the Romantic poets but I

want you to understand the themes that make this poetry romantic. After we go over some of yesterday’s exit slips, let’s

talk about what we’ve learned. (Go over exit slips)

Act 1. (15 Mins) Ok. Who can explain Romanticism to me? (Try to get as many explanations as possible. Write them on

the board, good or not. Ask guiding questions to rule out the ones that aren’t thorough enough.) Here’s the thing with

Romantic Literature, guys: It’s not always easy to nail down. Get out your handouts from Monday (Characteristics.pdf).

Take a minute to look them over (give them literally 2 minutes) Ok, flip those over. Who can explain the Romantic focus on

nature to me? (go through all of the characteristics on that sheet. Ask guided questions when they seem off track. With

each characteristic ask for an example from one of the poems we’ve read.

Act 2. (20 mins) Ok, I’m going to give you a little more journal time than usual today and here is why: You are each going

to compose a Romantic poem of your own. Be sure to stick to the characteristics on the handout. Now you can also bring in

characteristics from other things. You just have to display at least two of these characteristics in your poem. Try to make it

at least eight lines long. Afterward, write a short paragraph about what elements of romanticism you incorporated into your

own poem. Take some time to think about this. You’ve got 20 mins.

Act 3. (10 mins) At the end of 20 minutes ask if anyone would like to share their poems. After someone shares, ask other

students who can point out the romantic elements.

Last Step (class conclusion): Thank students, have them do the usual exit slips and drop off their journals on the way out. If

they did not finish, they can take it home over the weekend. Also instruct them to read Walt Whitman’s “Out of the Cradle

Endlessly Rocking” over the weekend. Explain that Walt Whitman is a very important poet as he was instrumental in

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creating the American Writer archetype so we’ll spend the entire next week dealing with him.

Assessment: Poetry assignment. Formal assessment.

Daily Plans

Day 6

Title of today’s lesson: Walt Whitman Week: Part 1

Overview: We take a look at Walt Whitman and what it really means to be an American Romantic.

Learning Objectives –

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it

emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings;

analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time

and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1

Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from

the text.

CSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1.b

Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a

manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level and concerns.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.4

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

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Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding: More than one voice in a poem. Older language. “American

Identity.”

Materials/Sources:

Whitman Video

Whitman, Walt “Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking,” http://www.bartleby.com/142/212.html

Instructional Sequence:

Step One (introduction to class): (5 – 10 mins.) How many of you read the Whitman poem over the weekend? Be honest.

How many of you were confused the first time you read it? (Raise your own hand to create solidarity.) This is going to be a

complicated week with a very long poem. Go over exit slips and give a general assessment of journal assignments. (Journals

will have individual responses and grades written inside.)

Act 1. Give a brief overview of Walt Whitman and his reputation as one of the quintessential American Renaissance writers.

Watch a short video about Walt Whitman and the American Renaissance. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qomvlLxZ-v0 ,

stop video at 1:01 ) Listen! “I celebrate myself.” He starts his book this way. What do you think that says? Did Whitman just like that

particular poem so he made it the opener of his book, or do you think he was trying to say something here?

Remember Emily Dickinson last week? Remember the whole “mine” thing in “Before I got my eye put out?” Remember how she

showed ownership of things that belonged to everyone? You can’t actually own those things but you can have an individual idea of them

that belongs to you. Whitman likes to play with these ideas of individualism, sometimes using it backwards. By that I mean that

sometimes, in celebrated the individual, he is actually celebrated common ties among people.

Act 2. Have students scan through “Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking” looking for unfamiliar terms. Pick one yourself

first to build unity. Write the terms on the board and go through their meanings. Read “Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking,”

http://www.bartleby.com/142/212.html aloud with students. Stop to ask about the italics part (the bird) Why is this in italics?

You want to pay attention when poets do this because it usually signifies a separation of from the poet or speaker’s voice.

Act 3. Discuss Themes found in the poem. Start out broad. What are some of the themes you see in this? Where do you see

that? Is that relevant to the Romantic characteristics? Do we see anything that seems not to fit with Romantic characteristics?

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Last Step (class conclusion): Talk about Whitman’s quest to create an identity for the American writer.

Journal Entry: Write a short paragraph about an element of Romanticism you saw in this poem. Turn in journals with exit

slips.

Assessment: Discussion, informal

Journal, semi-formal

Daily Plans

Day 9

Title of today’s lesson: Walt Whitman Week: Part 4

Overview: We continue our micro-focusing on particular romantic aspects of Whitman’s poem.

Learning Objectives –

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it

emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings;

analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time

and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1

Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from

the text.

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Materials/Sources:

Whitman, Walt “Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking,” http://www.bartleby.com/142/212.html

Instructional Sequence:

Step One (introduction to class): Ask students if they can explain the American sense of Individualism in this poem. (go over

exit slips, Journal entries.

Act 1. Spend half of today’s discussion going over the Common man/common experience aspect of Romanticism and how it applies

to this work. Who is the everyman?

Act 2. Spend the other half going over its celebration of the individual.

Act 3. Ask students to write about what “celebrating the individual” means to them, using examples from Whitman. One ten sentence

paragraph, due tomorrow (Friday).

Last Step (class conclusion): Go over concepts talked about in class and allow time for exit slips.

Assessment: Formal writing assignment

Informal exit slips.

Daily Plans

Day 12

Title of today’s lesson: Edgar Allen Poe-try

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Overview: A view of the Gothic imagery and unconventional Romantic elements found in Poe’s work

Learning Objectives

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1

Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding:

Older language usage. Discussion of unfamiliar terms along with writing them on the board before reading should help.

Materials/Sources:

Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Raven”

Instructional Sequence:

Step One (introduction to class): Talk a little bit about Poe and how he’s known as a sort of horror writer. Also mention that

Maryl Shelly’s Frankenstein can be considered a Romantic work. Ask what characteristics of Romance might be found in

horror. Talk about imagination.

Act 1. (20 mins.) Have students scan through “The Raven” looking for unfamiliar terms. Pick one yourself first to build unity.

Write the terms on the board and go through their meanings. Read “The Raven” http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-

and-poets/poems/detail/48860 with students. Ask them what happened? Discuss their theories and refer them back to the text

for evidence.

Act 2. (25 mins.) Writing Assignment: Have students write a paragraph in Journals (about 10 sentences) on what this poem is

about and why they think, using textual evidence.

Last Step (class conclusion): Turn in journals and exit slips. Remind them of Friday’s exam.

Assessment: Writing assignment (formal) Discussion and exit slips (informal)

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Daily Plans

Day 13

Title of today’s lesson: Short Stories of Poe: The Murderous Individual

Overview: A reading and analysis of the Dark Romantic work “The Tell-Tale Heart” including a brief visitation with the concept of

the anti-hero.

Learning Objectives:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it

emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings;

analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time

and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1

Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn

from the text.

Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding:

Materials/Sources:

Tell-Tale Heart Reading: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bansJgYiOXY )

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Poe, Edgar Allan, ‘The Tell-Tale Heart”

Instructional Sequence:

Step One (introduction to class): (5 minutes) I’m hoping that you all read the Tell-Tale Heart last night. If you did not we’re

going to read it in class today but for the purpose of analyzing literature it always helps to read things more than once. That

being said, let’s go over yesterday’s exit slips. (Clarify concerns from the exit slips. I will have singled out the most

important concerns the night before.)

Act 1. (20 Minutes) Yesterday we read Poe’s poetry. His stories have much of the same themes and language but they’re a

little more straightforward and often center around anti-heroes, or Read “The Tell-Tale Heart” aloud in class or possibly

have students read along w/ this reading (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bansJgYiOXY ) (Ocassionally stop the story

to explain any unfamiliar language or details that might be confusing.)

Act 2. (15 minutes) So now that we’ve read this story, I want you to pair up in groups, take a sheet of paper out and fold it

in half. Decide which one of you is going to go first. (give them a minute to decide, then make sure they’re ready.) OK,

whoever is going first, give your paper to the other person. Take about 3 minutes to think of anything you can that makes

this story Romantic. The person w/ the paper has to write it down on one half of the paper. After that, you’re going to

switch places and do this again on the other half. Make sure you right down the name of the person dictating and sign your

name too. (After this, take about 10 minutes to discuss ways in which this is a Romantic text. Press students for which

characteristic they see and where in the text they see it. Make sure to also ask about characteristics they do not bring up).

Act 3. (5 minutes) Now I don’t know if you remember back when we started this whole unit about Romantics I said that

elements of these movements can often be found in other movements? This is just a small preview for a later unit but one

of the next movements is called Realism and it’s all about capturing reality. Does anything seem real about this text? Look

at the language and the way Poe describes certain things. (Steer them toward talking about the violence , brutality, and

frankness of the text. Poe doesn’t say “My blade made short work of the body.” He says “I cut off the arms and legs,” and

mentions using buckets to catch all the blood. This is a messy, grizzly act and he wants to show you that.”) Don’t worry too

much about this for now, but that kind of attention to reality might be something to think about after we get past this unit’s

exam.

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Last Step (class conclusion): (5 minutes) So in a strange way, would you say this dark American text also prizes the

individual? The narrator is quite proud of himself until he snaps at the end, right? It might be sick, but he set out to

complete a task and he did it. Exit Slips (5 mins.)

Assessment:

- Paperwork from Act 2 (Informal)

- In-class Discussion

Daily Plans

Day 14

Title of today’s lesson: Review for Exam

Overview: A recap of Romantic themes, the Authors we’ve read, and Essay formats and techniques.

Learning Objectives

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it

emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings;

analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time

and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

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Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding:

Student burnout. Students forgetting the 2 week old material.

Materials/Sources:

All sources previously used throughout unit.

Instructional Sequence:

Step One (introduction to class): (5 to 10 minutes) (Clarify concerns from yesterday’s exit slips. I will have singled out the

most important concerns the night before. Try to keep this to 5 minutes. Begin review lesson.) I have a question: Of the

poets we’ve been reading, everybody uses feelings, but if I want to read something with a real sense of emotion, which poet

might I go to first? (expect Keats, but entertain the idea if they pick someone else). Ok, which poet often draws attention to

the value of children/childhood more so than the others? (Looking for Blake, discuss). Alright, which poets seem to have

darker styles? If you could only choose one to call a “Dark Romantic,” who would that be? Who has questions about any of

this stuff that I haven’t answered yet?

Act 1. (15 minutes) Give a matching and multiple choice quiz about who wrote which poems and the characteristics of

Romanticism. Correct it in class and this will be a sort of study guide.

Act 2. (25 minutes) Make a Venn diagram on the board and pick two poets from the unit randomly. Spend a few minutes

with students asking them how the poets are the same, and how they are different? Repeat until you’ve gone through all 6

poets Use each poet at least once. Strongly advise students to take notes.

Act 3. (10-15 mins) Make a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the British and American Romantics. Tell them to take

notes.

Last Step (class conclusion): Remind them to study for their exam tomorrow and wish them luck. No exit slips today.

Assessment: Informal Discussion

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Daily Plans

Day 15

Title of today’s lesson: Romantics Exam/Essay Day.

Overview: An overall assessment of what has been learned over the past three weeks.

Learning Objectives

• Students will be able to

Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

(CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1)

Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear

relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1.a)

Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a

manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level and concerns. (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1.b)

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the

effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.2)

Instructional Sequence:

1. (5 mins.) Last minute Questions: Does anyone have questions about any of the concepts we’ve gone over for the past few

weeks?

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2. Take Exam (Detailed below)

Assessment:

Choice of exam questions:

a) Compare or contrast 2 of the Romantic Poets or Authors we’ve learned about. Which characterists of Romanticism do they

share? How are they different?

OR

b) Discuss differences in the writing styles of the American writers (Dickinson, Poe, and Whitman) as opposed to the British writers

(Blake, Keats, and Wordsworth). You must have a thesis.

Your essay should be at least 3 paragraphs.

Note: (If you finish your exam early, compose a list of things you have learned about these last three weeks during our unit on the

Romantics and individualism.)