author: Christine Carosella

unit's subject: Language Arts

school: Ephraim Curtis Middle School, Sudbury, MA

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Using Henry David Thoreau in nature and writing: Place-Based Lesson Plan

Objective: Students will appreciate and better understand nature by reflecting on Henry David Thoreau’s quotes, making observations of the outside world, and using nature in their writings.

Overview: The following lesson plan is intended for 8th graders in a Language Arts classroom. It is a lesson which integrates Henry David Thoreau’s writings with students’ own poetry and prose. I plan to use it at the end of my short story unit in mid-November. I have written this lesson for the course of 5 to 6 days, however, it will probably take longer because students need ample time to write in class and at home. The abilities of your students will determine the entire time frame of the lesson.

author: Lisa Cody

unit's subject: Science and Interdisciplinary

school: Eliot Montessori Middle School, Natick, MA

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Yearly Place-Based Theme

The main focus of this lesson plan is to implement the Bioregional Survey with an emphasis on the importance of Henry David Thoreau to form an interdisciplinary place based curriculum. By giving the students a history of Thoreau’s life and belief system the students can be inspired to get involved with their surroundings. Thoreau is an example of how people are affected by their community. The survey is a tool that can engage the students to think about how their community was formed and what it contains. Exposing the students to Thoreau’s writing can help them understand how connected and influenced he was by his community and environment. Students can explore specific quotes from Thoreau’s writing that they personally connect with to lead weekly discussions or personal reflections. Students can also find some quotes that are associated to the Bioregional survey in order to keep Thoreau threaded into the curriculum.

author: Jan Davagian

unit's subject: Life Science and Interdisciplinary

school: Sutton Middle School, Sutton, MA

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Exploring The Cedar Swamp Nature Trail… … Hearing the Voice of Thoreau

Careful observation and the ability to accurately collect and organize data are important skills for the budding scientist to develop. This series of activities focus on the creation of a journal to record the results of various environmental studies in a natural area adjacent to the school. Each lesson is introduced with a Thoreauvian quote and time is allowed for literary and artistic interpretation. The quotes provide a framework for the theme of the activity and an entry point for students who may otherwise not be easily engaged in scientific inquiry.

author: Janet (Nan) Fleming

unit's subject: Interdisciplinary

school: Wilson Middle School, Natick, MA       

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                                                    Naturally Natick

                                                                    Walden Within

                                                                                 Concord Connections

This unit is intended for the 5th grade and reflects the best of the place-based learning. The objective of this unit is to develop an awareness of the importance of nature through the story and writing of H. D. Thoreau; to develop a feeling of stewardship toward the land; and to recognize the connection between "self" and nature through metacognitive thinking.

author: Stephanie Garrett and Chris Rogers

unit's subject: Interdisciplinary

school: Mill Pond Intermediate School, Westborough, MA

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A View from the Headwaters Project

What would Henry think if he had the opportunity to observe sixth graders at Mill Pond Intermediate School in Westborough, Massachusetts have lively discussions about drinking in “the tonic of wildness”? How would he feel if he saw students of 2004 ravenously learning about water quality as they test the temperature, PH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and stream flow? Would Henry smile if he were there to witness the sheer joy in a sixth grader's face as they discover, through their nature journaling activities, that the Chestnut tree was not eradicated from the earth? How would Henry feel if he saw a year long experiment in living performed by sixth graders? We think Henry would be deliriously happy! Our unit, ‘A View from the Headwaters’ exposes our sixth graders to just these sorts of educational activities.

author: Elaine Santos

unit's subject: Interdisciplinary

school: Mullein Hill Christian Academy, Lakeville, MA

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Where is Walden?..

Nature Journal Elective

This unit uses journaling as an outlet for expression and observation. The purpose of this elective is to promote and nurture self education and discovery. To give practical uses to skills learned in the classroom. To encourage passion for place, self, and neighbors and to motivate active involvement with their community. Ideal time frame - Two days a week after school. Each participant will choose at least one idea, discovery, pressed specimen, journal page or series of pages to put into a community school journal. The school journal will be a collection of works by all participating students throughout the school year.