Emerson’s Transcendentalism

Transcendentalism Evidence of your learning: Completed Reflection. Objectives: Define Transcendentalism. Identify key beliefs of transcendentalism. Evidence of your learning: Completed Reflection.

What is Transcendentalism? A philosophical movement that sought to have individuals "transcend" or “break through” to a higher spiritual level. To achieve this goal, the individual had to seek spiritual, not material, greatness and the essential truths of life through intuition. Explain Transcendentalism to your partner. (AC, BD)

Where does Transcendentalism come from? The term Transcendentalism was derived from the philosopher Immanuel Kant, who called all knowledge transcendental. In other words, knowledge came not from knowing about objects or life but from the way we experience objects and life.

Key Beliefs of Transcendentalism Natural Interconnectedness: People and nature are connected and reflect each other. “You know your individual nature through communion with nature.” Individuality: Be true to YOURSELF! Individuals should not conform blindly to beliefs imposed on them by society. Trust your intuition over belief systems built to control you. Spiritual self-reliance: Do not trust dogma or institutions. Nothing is more sacred than the integrity of our own individual mind. “You are sacred, because your spirit holds the divine within it. Religion or church cannot teach you about your spirit.” Explain key beliefs of transcendentalism to your partner. (AC, BD)

Sun is shining, the weather is sweet Make you want to move your dancing feet To the rescue, here i am Want you to know just if you can Where i stand (wenesday morning) Tell myself a new day is rising (thursday evening) get on the rise A new day is dawning (friday morning) here i am (saturday evening) want you to know just Want you to know just where i stand When the morning gathers the rainbow Want you to know i'm a rainbow too So to the rescue, here i am Where i stand, know, know, know, know, know We'll lift our heads and give jah praises (repeat) Where i stand, no, no, no, no, where i stand Sun is shining, sun is shining “Sun is Shining” by Bob Marley Sun is shining, the weather is sweet Make you want to move your dancing feet To the rescue, here i am Want you to know, y'all, where i stand (monday morning) here i am Want you to know just if you can (tuesday evening) where i stand (wenesday morning) Tell myself a new day is rising (thursday evening) get on the rise A new day is dawning (friday morning) here i am (saturday evening) want you to know just Want you to know just where i stand When the morning gathers the rainbow Want you to know i'm a rainbow too So, to the rescue here i am Where i stand, know, know, know, know, know We'll lift our heads and give jah praises We'll lift our heads and give jah praises, yeah

Ralph Waldo Emerson Objectives: Develop background knowledge on Ralph Waldo Emerson, the “father” of American Transcendentalism. Respond to Transcendental ideals by participating in Graffitti Wall Discussion.

After you watch preview video, use circle map info to write background paragraph. Use the following paragraph frame: _______can be described as ______. He was born ________ and spent most of his life________. While ________, he became interested in ________. Additionally, ________________. His writing attempts to ______________ by _______________. As you watch video, fill in circle map with important information about author’s background. Ralph Waldo Emerson Have students use circle map to write a paragraph on Jonathan Edwards.

Graffiti Wall Part 1 Choose three of the following questions to respond to. How are you affected by nature? Do you find comfort in it? What is the role of nature in your life? Do you see your moods reflected in nature? What is meant by an individual's spiritual side? How do you define it? Is there a connection between the individual's spirit and nature? If so, what is that connection? What does it mean to know something intuitively? For example, has a parent or a sibling ever known something was wrong with you without having talked with or seen you? What do we mean when we say "I just know it"? How do you demonstrate that you are an individual? Do you think independently of others or do you follow the crowd? Write your response to the question on the post-it note. Stick your response on the appropriate wall. Have a seat.

Graffiti Wall Part 2 Read the responses to each of the questions. Choose three responses which you felt were most insightful. Record them in your notebook. Have a seat.

Philosopher Props BASIC : The most insightful comment I found… SUFFICIENT: I agreed with the comment that _____________ because _______________________. SOPHISTICATED: The statement that _____________ inspired me to _______________________________.

How does Emerson use imagery to support Transcendentalist beliefs about society and nature? Objective: After reading an excerpt from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay “Nature,” students will analyze the use of imagery to support his beliefs about society and nature. Natural Interconnectedness, Individuality, and Self-Reliance Debrief Read and annotate “Nature” by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tone: the attitude a writer takes toward the subject of a work Objective (Informational) v. Subjective (Emotional) Tone is dependent on diction (word choice) and style.

TONE TOOL: Use this to help you identify specific tone of a text. Step 1: Is it neutral, positive, or negative? Step 2: Go through the list and find appropriate and specific word. Let’s practice…

First read… Number the Paragraphs. Look at the title and use your background knowledge to predict what author will be arguing in this essay. Quick-Read: 3 minutes Skim through the article and circle KEY words that convey TONE and seem important to what he will be arguing or communicating.

Second: ANNOTATE Teacher reads TWO PARAGRAPHS AT A TIME. Leaves one minute for student to do the following: Underline sentences that help you understand the author’s argument and purpose. Use the following questions to guide your annotations. What is the author’s central argument? Purpose? What is the author’s tone? What word choices does he make to communicate the appropriate tone? How does the author use IMAGERY & FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE to support his argument and accomplish his purpose? Do you agree with him? Why or why not?

After your 2nd read… What is the author’s purpose in writing this text? In other words, what is he trying to accomplish? What is his central claim or argument? Simple: The text argues that ____________ _______because______. Sufficient: According to ______, ____________. Sophisticated: In the text , “________,” _____ asserts/ proposes/ claims _______________.

Third read: MARGINALIA Explain your annotations: * Identify and Summarize Main Ideas: i.e. This explains that___. ✔ Evidence used to support argument: i.e. This demonstrates/ illustrates/conveys. ? Clarify questions and confusion: i.e. I don’t understand ____. What does ___ mean? I wonder why____.

Says-Means-Matters to cite and analyze use of imagery in the text

The Symbolism of the Transparent Eyeball There I feel that nothing can befall me in life, -- no disgrace, no calamity, (leaving me my eyes,) which nature cannot repair. Standing on the bare ground, -- my head bathed by the blithe air, and uplifted into infinite space, -- all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent eye-ball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or particle of God.

October 28, 2011 Objective: After reading and discussing an excerpt from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay “Self-Reliance,” students will identify figures of speech used to support his main philosophical ideas about individualism and non-conformity. What are figures of speech? What is the main idea of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay “Self-Reliance”? EVIDENCE OF LEARNING: Annotations & Says Means Matters

Share your Reflection REFLECTION: Implicit in the fourth paragraph is an assumption that city life can help us feel the currents of the Universal Being? Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why or why not?

Figures of Speech FIGURES OF SPEECH: Words that compare two unlike things in order to describe and create an image for the reader. Metaphor: comparison does not use like or as. Something is another. Simile: Comparison that uses like or as. Personification: Object is given human like qualities.

Self Reliance: Reflection What does Emerson say about self-reliance? Underline metaphors, similes, personification. How does he use figures of speech to support his main idea?

Graffiti Wall Part 1 Choose three questions you feel that you could answer confidently. Write the answer on the post it. Post them under the appropriate questions

Objective: 1. After identifying challenges of reading Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essays, student will participate in a gallery walk to clarify difficulties. 2. Students will review for quiz on Ralph Waldo Emerson by participating in White Board Review.

Graffiti Wall Part 2 Choose three questions you feel that you have trouble answering or understanding. Write them in your notebook. Go to those stations and find your peers’ insights on those questions. Write down the answers and return to your desk.

THREE QUESTIONS I DO NOT FEEL CONFIDENT ANSWERING ARE: Best Answers: 2. Question 3. Question

According to Emerson, how is nature connected to people’s moods? What effect does nature have on Emerson? What does he mean when he says "I become a transparent eyeball"? In what ways does Emerson connect nature, humankind, and God? How does Nature serve as a teacher? What can human beings learn from nature? How does this learning affect the individual's spirituality? Find a quote where nature is portrayed as noble or as a source of comfort? Why does Emerson see society as the enemy of individuality? What does Emerson mean when he says that "envy is ignorance and imitation is suicide"? What does Emerson want each individual to recognize about him/herself? What does he say about "power" and "work"? What is nonconformity? What did that word mean to Emerson? What is a "foolish consistency"? How does it get in the way of genius?

Graffiti Wall Part 3 BASIC: Something that I understand about Ralph Waldo Emerson’s philosophy ___________________________. SUFFICIENT: I agree/disagree with Transcendental philosophy because ___________________________. SOPHISTICATED: The transcendental belief that _____makes me reflect on _____________________ because ___________________________________.

Whiteboard Review _____9. Emerson makes the comparison between the kernel of corn and human effort in order to show that people must work hard because they can’t survive without food. (paragraph 1 line 3) _____10. For Emerson, the truth we must all accept is that we must stay childlike to appreciate the world. (paragraph 2 line 3) _____11. Emerson’s opinion of society is that in conspires to deny people their freedom. (Paragraph 3 line 2) _____12. Emerson believes that staying pure and wise in spirit is what makes someone a fully realized person. (paragraph 3) _____ 13. Emerson believes that society always has humanity’s best interests at heart. _____15. The purpose of the essay titled nature is to explain and analyze how nature works. ___ 16. The best summary of Emerson’s philosophy is be true to yourself.

How to write a transcendental poem STEP 1: Choose the best 10 sentences from “Nature” and write them in leaving enough space to be able to cut between words. STEP 2: Choose the best 10 sentences from “Self Reliance” and write them in leaving enough space to be able to cut between words. STEP 3: Cut each sentence into at least three parts. STEP 4: Arrange the words into a poem that expresses a transcendental belief spiritual self-sufficiency, individuality, and natural interconnectedness.

Example: If the start should appear one night in a thousand years how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generation the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown.