American
Literature Curriculum
PREMISE: Students should have
knowledge of the unique nature of American literature and its development as
well as the influences upon that development.
They should be aware of the writers of each period as real people and
not just words on the printed page.
They should be able to make connection between early literature and
America’s present day literature.
GOAL: To make students aware of:
1.
The
development of a unique national literature during the 1700’s and 1800’s
2.
The
influence of the society on that literature
3.
The
place of women in society and their influence on the development of a national
literature
4.
The
link between the American literature of the past and present day literature
5.
The
link between man and nature and its significance today
6.
The
responsibility of man to himself, the environment and society at large
7.
The
regions of the country during that time period and the type of literature
that developed and why—specific to the New England
Colonies, Middle
Colonies, Southern Colonies
8.
The
connection between all people in all time periods—the influence that
people
from the past have upon our culture today by ideas that have been
brought
forward and still apply today
9.
The
fact that they possess a body of prior knowledge which they can access to
make
their tasks easier
10.
The
changes in literary style of American writers
11.
That they possess very valuable prior
knowledge which they can access
THEMES: Even though one basic theme
is stated for each unit, all themes will be
considered.
1.
Relationship of Man to
Nature—his
struggle to understand it and his search
for his
identity (Native American Literature, Puritan
Sonnets)
2.
The Search for Identity (in
this case-as a Nation)
3.
The Search for Ones Place in
Society his attempt to reconcile himself to
society’s demands without
losing his identity –
A. Rebellion vs Conformity—Thoreau, Emerson, Fuller etc.
3. The American Dream
4. Exclusion from the American Dream
5 Individualism (Characters in The Crucible)
6. Freedom
7.
The Journey –for the colonists to
spiritual and physical freedom (William
Bradford- what was difficult about their
journey—what is difficult about a
Student’s journey
8.
Moral Struggles—their
need to define their place in the new world in
relationship to the old world and their beliefs and
in relation to each other
9. Putting Down Roots—(in a new
world)
10.TheHorrors
and Glories of War—Revolutionary War
11.Woman’s
Place in the World—especially in America
12. Facing
One’s Destiny
13. Finding
Harmony and Peace in Nature
14. Confronting
Racism, Prejudice and Intolerance
(The Great Gatsby, The
Crucible,
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Huckleberry Finn and
others)
LEARNING
STRANDS
FROM CURRICULUM FRAMEWORKS
Reading and Literature :8.6, 8.7, 9.8 9.9, 10.5,
10.6, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.6,
11.7, 12.5, 12.6, 13.5, 13.6, 14.5,
14.6, 15.7, 15.8, 15.9, 17.9, 18.5, 18.6
Composition: 19.8, 19.9, 20.6, 20.7,
21.9, 21.10, 22.8, 22.923.5, 23.6
Research: 24.5, 24.6, 25.5, 25.6
A.
Students
will have a reading assignment every
night (Mon-Fri )and will be required to take notes.
B.
Students
will do journals at least twice a
week. The topics will be quotes from
various authors before we are scheduled to read that author. Thoreau
and Emerson quotes will be used extensively . These journals will be used for formal composition writing and
class discussions or sharing of work.
D.
Frequent
quizzes will be given on reading
assignment to assess comprehension.
E. Class discussions will revolve around the selection: its theme, the students reaction to it, its significance to them, its relevance to their lives today etc.
F. Discussion of any literary devices in the selection will also be part of the class work. They shall also compare the works of the authors to those authors in their own time period and to writing from other time periods
G. Research by students on short topics that apply to the work we are studying will be assigned periodically
H. The students will be asked to access their body of prior knowledge in various
ways before beginning each new unit.
I. Each writer will be studied in a conventional way, but special attention shall
be paid to themes of nature and man’s search for his(HER) identity when
appropriate
J. Compositions, in compliance with the frameworks, will be used as an
assessment tool in regard to the information required of the students—
expository writing, persuasive writing, narrative writing, essays and
letters—Their exact use in the curriculum has not been detailed as they will
be constructed as the course unfolds.
K. For each unit there will be a culminating activity to link the students to the
writers.
II. Format
The students will be introduced to American literature through a study
of the American colonies. The
characteristics of each region and the reasons for settlement of each region,
the New England Colonies, The Middle Colonies, and The Southern Colonies, will
be discussed. The authors from each
period will be grouped together according to the colony they inhabited and
their cultural differences will be emphasized as well as the type of writing
that was produced in each region.
Throughout the course, cultural differences and varied abilities will be
celebrated.
III. Modes to Address Learning
Styles
A. Visuals
1.
Films/videotapes
2.
artwork/posters
3.
students
drawings in response to writings
4.
other
art work
B .Writing
1.
Journals
2.
Creative
writing as response
3.
Analytical
responses
4.
Open
responses(like MCAS)
C.
Oral/dramatic Responses
1.
Read
around/poetry/plays
D.
Electronic/Web Work
1.
Research
2.
Designed
searches
3.
Cyber
guides
E.
Group Work
1.
Mix
of Size
a.
pairing
frequently—assigned by teacher with specific purpose
1.
response
to reading
2.
analytical/critical
3.
prewriting
4.
peer-editing
post writing
5.
Post
writing/prior knowledge
b.
groups
of 4
c.
groups
of 6
F. Student
Presentations
1.
In
response to Reading
2.
As
a culminating exercise
3.
As
a result of research
F.
Genres for Each Unit
1.,Diary—jounals
2. Poetry
3.Novel (primary)
4.
Short
Story—contemporary
5.
Visuals-films,
teleplay, artwork including comic strips
6.
Children’s
fables—storybook, legend, etc
7.
Articles,
essays, contemporary
8.
Scene—from
play
UNIT I: The
Native American Period
A. AMERICAN INDIAN CULTURE AND WRITINGS: Theme: Relationship of
Man to Nature
To begin this study of American
literature we must learn about the American Indians as they are a recurring
them throughout our national literature.
The following material will be presented to the student for several
reasons:
A.
To
show the types of individuals with whom the settlers interacted
B.
To
point out how related their lives were to all members of the human family
C.
To
give the students a better picture of the majesty and breadth of the Indian
writings
D.
To
begin to introduce the themes of the bond that ties all mankind together and
our link to nature as well as its influence on us
There will be a brief discussion regarding the origin of the American Indian,
references to the land bridge etc. The students will be alerted to the fact that they will be required to write a composition upon the completion of the Indian works. The students will be instructed to be especially aware of literary devices beyond what I request from them. It will be noted that these same literary devices are used in some form in almost every culture, another common link.
1. “Iroquois Constitution”
A.
Main
idea of selection
B.
Discuss
need for some kind of order for society
C. Types of leaders necessary
D.
Discuss
that Thomas Jefferson is said to have studied this selection prior to the
writing of our constitution.
E.
Example
of a Journal topic: “That government is best which governs
least.” Thoreau
3. Medicine Songs transcribed from Indian Originals by Mary Austin
“The Heart’s Friend” (Shoshone Love Song)
. “A Song In Time Of Depression” (Piaute)
“Impressions of an
Indian Childhood”
“The Beadwork” ( story)
A.. Main idea of each
selection
B. Type of impression these
works create about the
American Indian
C. Comparison of their lives with ours (topic, love,
youthful
ways of having fun)
D.. Conclusion regarding common feelings in all people
4. Indian Legend “Iktomi
and the Muskrat”
B.
Students
attempt to either create a legend or record one with which they are familiar
C. Comparison with the fairy tales they might have read as children
3.
Indian Myth Poems—compiled by Hartley Alexander—link to
Fables, Washington Irving
and Cooper
a. “The Cities of the White Men”
A.
the
tone of the poem
B.
the
message that the writer seems to convey
C.
Discussion
of myths—Do we have myths in our culture? What other cultures that they know
do?
a. “The Blizzard”
A.
the
tone of the poem
B.
the
speaker of the poem
C.
the
main idea of the poem
D.
imagery
E.
personification
F.
the
animal which will survive and why
G.
Our
relationship to the subject and its description of nature
5. “The Origin of Death”
A.
the
tone of the poem
B.
the
reason men die
C.
the
father and mother symbolism
A. the tone of the poem
B.
the
picture drawn of nature
C.
the
importance of the sun to the people
D.
similes
E.
personification-
F.
Who
is he
7. Contemporary
Piece—“A White Heron, Sarah Orne Jewett or :Looking Back on Girlhood,”
Sarah Orne Jewett—depends on the group
We will have a discussion of information gathered from our study of the Native Americans through some
of their literature. The students will
be assigned a composition: What conclusions have you drawn about the
American Indians? Use quotes from the works
you read to illustrate you point.
Unit II The Colonial Period-
Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine-(which was part of Ma. At the
time)
1.
The Pilgrims:
General information on their search in
a new land, their intentions and their impact in this new land.
2. The Puritans:
1.
A
detailed study of their political, religious, and educational beliefs as well
as the place of women in their society and their family structure.
2.
A
look at the witchcraft trials in preparation for the reading of The
Crucible---Students
will be required to gather some of this information, write an essay, and be
prepared for a class discussion.
3.
Readings
from
3. Authors of New England
A.
William Bradford –biographical information
A reading from “The History of
Plymouth Plantation”
B.
Sarah Kemble Knight—her
accomplishments which were remarkable for a woman of her times
A reading from “Traveling in the New
Land”
C.
Cotton Mather—biographical
information-clergy’s role
“The Trial of Martha Carrier”
D. Jonathan Edwards—biographical information,
discussion of
Calvinistic beliefs
A
reading from “Sinners in the Hands of an
Angry God”
E.
Anne Bradstreet—biographical information
with an emphasis on the
fact that she wrote a love poem –departure from
religious poetry
Information
on The Tenth Muse- not likely to be
accepted by
her society
“To
My Dear and Loving Husband,” “Upon the Burning of
Our House”
F.
Edward Taylor-brief biography
“Housewifery” religious aspects, symbols etc.
G. Phillis Wheatley -“To S.M., A Young African
Painter on Seeing His Works”
H. Philip Freneau-poetry largely associated with
the American revolution
“The Wild
Honeysuckle”
I. Play Under Study-----one month is provided
for this study
The Crucible—Henry Miller
New York, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, Delaware
1.
Introduction-
A. Information regarding the purposes and lifestyles
of the people who lived in this region—
B. cultural diversity and acceptance of all religions
C. Main method of making a living
D. Types of writing—comparison with the literature of the New
England Colonies
2.
Authors of the Region
A.
William Byrd—biographical
information
A reading of “Bears”
B.
Benjamin Franklin—extensive biographical
information
Reading of the following works:
1.
“
Moral Perfection” from The
Autiobiography
2.
A Witch Trial at Mount Holly
3.
“The Whistle”—a comparison with the Indian
child’s story
C.
Thomas Jefferson---biographical information
A reading of “The
Declaration of Independence”
1.
A
comparison to the Iroquois Constitution
D.
Thomas Paine—biographical information
A reading from
“The American Crisis”
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia
1. Introduction
A.
Methods
of earning a living
B.
Philosophy
C.
Bond
servants and African Servants
2. Authors
A.
Robert de La Salle—explorer
“Making Peace with the Illinois
Indians”
B.
Alvar Nunez de Cabeza de
Vaca-explorer-captured
by
Indians A
reading from “The Narrative of His
Journey”
A reading from “The New Land”
1. discussion of background
of John Smith.
2.discussion of the differences in his use of
language
3. first reading topic sentences only
4 .discussion of main idea
gleaned from the topic sentences
D.
The Captivity Narratives
“Snatched Away” by Mary Tallmountain
Unit III. The Revolutionary Period 1760-1800
A .Introduction-Theme: The Struggle for Freedom
The students will be made aware of the happenings in the area and the desire for the colonies to be free from England. and influenced all their writings. The following topics will be explored:
1.
the
increase in wealth and population of the country
2.
inventions
and their influence on the country and its writers
3.
main
industries
4.
plight
of the Indians
5.
the
abolitionist groups and their influence
6.
the
lack of an American national literature
7.
Europe’s
opinion of American writers
8.
how
American writers established themselves
9.
the
characteristics of American writing that made it different from European
literature
10.
how
the American writers created a picture of the issues which faced America
B Authors
1.