skoster

Unit Title: A Thought Portage
by Sean Koster

Prefatory statement—
This unit has been inspired by the great beauty of nature and influenced by all the careful eyes of those who write about her. While this unit was created as an introduction into the difficult writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, it could also be utilized to introduce Thoreau, Whitman, or numerous other authors. This unit examines, or rather celebrates, the interconnection of literature and nature.
The unit will be split up into four parts, all of which intertwine. The poetry days alternate with all other parts of the unit. Part one, we will call Listening Point (LP), starts on day two and alternates with poetry for three days. Part two, which we will call A Season for Wilderness (season), starts during week two and alternates with poetry through week three. Part three, which we will call Emerson, starts at the beginning of week four and alternates with poetry through the end of that week, and then is the focus of week five. While all of these days alternate and take turns, a reading and writing workshop splits everyday of the unit in half. “In a workshop, social needs find a legitimate forum in students’ conferences about their writing and reading,” according to Nancy Atwell, In the Middle. Half of each day is devoted to the literature and activities, and half is focused on the reading and writing workshops, (see chart).

Unit Overview

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Week 1— Intro LP/ Poetry/ LP/ Poetry/
Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop

Week 2— LP/ Poetry/ Season/ Poetry/ Season/
Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop

Week 3— Poetry/ Season/ Poetry/ Season/ Poetry/
Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop

Week 4— Emerson/ Poetry/ Emerson/ Poetry/ Emerson/
Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop

Week 5— Emerson/ Emerson/ Emerson/ Emerson/ Emerson/
Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop

As you can see the unit is divided up into four parts. The first three weeks having alternate day activities, and each day being split in half. The first half for the class, group, and individual activities, and the second half as a reading and writing workshop. A poetry log will be an ongoing activity for the students for the first three weeks. The students will be given a booklet with five different sections of poetry, all with ample pages for writing, and all focusing on nature. On the poetry days, the students will be going over the poetry, and then using the writing workshop to create their own. During the first week and a half the students will be given the first five chapters of a novel created around the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, (BWCA), and will be asked to select from the other twenty three chapter titles and write their own chapter. Again the class will spend the first half of class dealing with activities and literary talks, and the second half of class will be a writing workshop. During the second week and a half the students will be given another novel about the BWCA that is structured with journal entries at the start of each chapter. After reading the introduction and the first three chapters, the students will then use the journal entries of chapters four and five and write two chapters interpreted from the journal entries themselves. Again the second half of the day is a reading and writing workshop. The last part of the unit will focus on Emerson, alternating during week four with a poetry or catch up day if needed, and then devoting the entire last week to Emerson. Again the days will be split into halves, to allow for the continuation of writing which will be due at the end of week five. This unit might also require a trip to the BWCA or any wilderness destination, (if time and money permit).
The students will ultimately study literature about nature from a variety of view points. They will read poetry, parts of novels, and essays which deal with nature, always looking at the different ways in which the poets and writers interpret the wilderness.
This topic is important because it deals with the students’ creative writing skills, and in doing so, it deals with the students finding their own voice. This topic is important because students from Minnesota can really take hold of a unit that focuses on the beauty of their own state. They will be able to understand why so many people flock to the BWCA every year to get out of the rat race pace of city life. They may question why so many people from the area forget it’s even there. They will be able to see through literature how nature affects writers and travelers alike.
Underlining this unit is the idea that when students are able to write and think critically with confidence, they have taken a huge step towards finding their own voice. One step would be to find a piece of nature which allows them to do this. This idea is expressed by one of the greatest authors and speakers of America’s Nineteenth Century, Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Class specification— This unit is designed for an Advanced Placement English class of 11th and 12th graders, but it could be implemented in some form for a creative writing class at a senior high level. This unit can easily be modified to fit any grade level and would be ideal for a middle school level if appropriate literature was used. The literature I have selected was what I had on hand, but numerous different cultural choices could be added to create a well-rounded multicultural unit. The unit theme itself can be changed in order to work in different areas of the country. Some other novels and literary works will be listed in the unit which also could be used.

Significant assumptions— In writing this unit, I have assumed that:
— Emerson is difficult at a high school level.
— this introduction to Emerson will make it easier.
— students have an intuitive desire to find their voice.
— writing poetry and short stories can help the students find their voice.
— nature is a huge source of inspiration for writers.
— the writers in my class will understand that nature is used for inspiration.
— creative writing and reading will teach students about English.

Standards to be met— I want my students to become active writers. I want my students to be able to write using a narrative while explaining events. I want my students to be able to analyze relationships of ideas, topics having to do with nature, and create a poetry log. I want my students to understand why a poet uses certain topics for inspiration. I want my students to evaluate an idea, topic, or theme of Emerson’s and express to me in their writings what it means to them. The standard that this fits is the standard “Arts Analysis and Interpretation” under the state standard of Arts: Art Creation. The students will develop their ability to think and write critically about literature, and study the theme of nature represented through a variety of literature.

Possible Whole-Class Activities:
— Discussion of one of the novels being used.
— Reading of assigned texts.
— Writing workshop.
— Choral reading of one of the poems being used.
— Analysis and discussion of an aspect of nature a poet could use.
— A trip outside to a near by wooded area for inspiration for their writings.
— Response to poems of teacher and classmates from poetry logs.
— Modeled writing.

Possible Small Group Activities:
— Writing workshop stations for poetry and chapter writings.
— Discussion of poems from the poetry booklet.
— Group critiques of classmates works.
— Paired reading of poetry.
— Guided writings for the chapters and poetry.
— Theme study of nature or BWCA.
— Read alouds.

Possible Individual Activities:
— Independent writing of poetry during the workshop time.
— Independent reading of the chapters or Emerson essays assigned.
— Writing of the weekly journal.
— Homework assignment; to go for a walk in the woods and write.
— Critiques of other students work from class.

Ongoing activities— The students will have their poetry logs to complete through out the whole five week unit. They will also have a journal entry to write at the end of every week, a response to the activities and to the writing. The students vocabulary list from Emerson will be tested on at the end of week four and again at the end of week five. An emphasis will be put on the students to try and mesh some of the words from the list in their own works, thus deeply ingraining them into their minds. The first drafts of the chapter writings will be due alternately at the end of weeks two and three. The final drafts will not be due until the end of week five.
Student Resources:
- Journal/notebook
- Computer access (hopefully in class computers are available for the students)
- Handouts; poetry logs, chapters from two books, and vocabulary list
- A creative and open mind
- Selections from Ralph Waldo Emerson, Stephen E. Whicher. Houghton Mifflin: Boston, 1957.

Unit Launch/ Anticipatory Set/ Set Induction—

Title: Introduction into literature dealing with nature. Unit Launch

Rationale: This lesson will get students to think about themselves in relation to nature. It will allow them to begin to build on the topic of nature and literature which will climax in weeks four and five with Emerson. The reason for the writing assignment is for the students to see themselves in nature and to practice drawing on past experience in nature or the outdoor environment.

Methods:
A. The students will start out with a short write about an experience that happened to them while in nature or the outdoors. The students will be asked to be very specific about what was around them at the time. This could be a hunting trip, fishing experience, a walk in the park, description of an animal they were watching, an observation of the sky, or a simple hike through the woods. (10 min.)
B. I will read them a short excerpt from Listening Point, by Sigurd Olson (38-39).

“At dawn all movement was gone and there was only stillness. While there was a faint glow in the eastern sky, the shores were black. As I stood there waiting and listening, dawns of the past rushed back to me, smells and sounds and feelings I had known— the golden rice fields of Basswood Lake when islands rested like battleships in the mist; Lake Superior, when its fullness threatened to overflow its shores; Kashapiwi, when the waters trembled between the cliffs; and many more. Most vivid of all was the memory of a dawn on the Churchill River far to the north. Why, out of all that complex of half-forgotten memories, this one should stand out more boldly than the rest, I do not know, but in a flash I was standing on a great ledge close to a swirling pool.
The east was reddening, the falls above and the rapids below tinged with color, the air surcharged with the vast excitement of plunging water. How pungent the smell of the fire that morning, how sharp its cracking, how good the cup of coffee before its blaze. There was no thought then of the rapids we must shoot, the portages ahead, or the miles we might have to paddle on stormy lakes. In the aliveness and in the poetry of that breaking day, nothing seemed impossible. We were part of a great river flowing toward Hudson Bay, part of its beauty and at one with its surging power.”

The students will be asked to talk in groups about the short narrative, and discuss how they might relate it to what they wrote. (10 min.)
C. I will read them a short excerpt from Ralph Waldo Emerson. (5 min.)
D. I will write a quote on the board from William Blake,

To see the world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower;
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.

The students again will relate what they wrote with what they have now read and heard. This could be a whole class discussion. How does Blake follow with Emerson’s thought? What images are similar between the three authors? (10 min.)
E. The last part of class will be spent giving the students the objectives for the unit. What is expected of them, and what is expected of me. A syllabus will be handed out with the unit, contract for grading, a vocab list from Emerson, and the poetry log and chapters to be read. At this time any questions about the homework will be answered. The homework assignment will be to read the chapters of Listening Point that were handed out, and come ready to discuss it in tomorrows’ class. (15 min.)

Evaluation: I know the students will be learning if...
1. They share their experiences with the class.
2. They take part in the class discussion.
3. They can compare, during the discussion, their own writings, the readings, and the quote.

Organization of the Unit:

Week 1: We will read a modern day Thoreau. Sigurd F. Olson’s Listening Point is an insightful book urging us all to find our listening points in nature and learn from life. What is the purpose of listening to the woods? How can nature speak to us in the city? The students will read the first five chapters which will be discussed in class. Then the students will choose amongst the titles of the last 23 chapters and begin to write a chapter of their own. About three class periods will be spent on Olson. On the alternate days of week one (Monday used for the unit launch), the students will be working in a poetry log. Each day the poetry will be from different authors, and all will focus on nature. On the first day of poetry I have selected poems by Robert Frost: “A Young Birch,” “Good Bye and Keep Cold,” and “Birches.” These poems were my choice to kick off the poetry section because Frost is a popular poet for high school classrooms. Why does Frost choose a birch? What is he saying about life? How would you change these poems? On the second day of poetry, I have chosen poems from Poems that Live Forever selected by Hazel Fellemen: William Blake’s “To Spring,” John Keats’ “To Autumn,” Ralph Emerson’s “The Snow Storm,” and Robert Frost’s “My November Guest.” How do these poems relate to your experience in Northern Minnesota? How does the drastic change of seasons play a part in your life as described in these poems? Keep in mind that the second half of everyday is spent reading and writing the assigned poems and chapters. The first journal assignment will be due on Friday. The response journals will keep me informed on what they are enjoying, what might need modifying, and what could be added to the unit to keep it exciting. What are some of your concerns about writing poetry? What poems have you read that relate to the poetry selected?

Detailed plans for two other days of the Unit— days two and three

Title: Listening Point

Objectives: The students will gain an understanding of the use of nature and language in Listening Point. The students will discuss how they all have places they like to go to think, and how their places relate to Olson’s. The students will start their chapters.

Methods:
A. I will read an excerpt from a chapter of Listening Point that was assigned to the class (8). (5 min.)
“As I sat there on the rock I realized that, in spite of the closeness of civilization and the changes that hemmed it in, this remnant of the old wilderness would speak to me of silence and solitude, of belonging and wonder and beauty. Though the point was only a small part of the vastness reaching far to the arctic, from it I could survey the whole. While it would be mine for only a short time, this glaciated shore with its twisted trees and caribou moss would grow in to my life and into the lives of all who shared it with me.
I named this place Listening Point because only when one comes to listen, only when one is aware and still, can things be seen and heard. Everyone has a listening-point somewhere. It does not have to be in the north or close to the wilderness, but some place of quiet where the universe can be contemplated with awe”.

B. We will discuss the excerpt with the whole class and talk about how nature influences his work, and how it relates to their place of peace and thought, (if at all). (5 min.)
C. We will break into groups and find the most beautiful and descriptive passages from what they read. The groups will then take the passages and form a poem out of broken sentences and short phrases from them. (15 min.)
D. The class will take turns sharing the poems with the class. (5 min.)
E. The last part of class will then be the reading and writing workshop. The students will break into groups, or work individually, and start on their own chapters of Listening Point. (19 min.)
F. The next days poetry assignment will be pointed out in their poetry log. (1 min.)

Evaluation: I know the students are learning if:
1. They take part in the group activity and create a poem from the text.
2. They can share their questions, comments, and poem with the class.
3. They take part in the writing workshop, and stay on task during that time.

Homework: I will assign the next days poetry from the poetry booklet. Be ready for discussion in class.

Title: Frost

Objectives: The students will gain an appreciation for Robert Frost. They will see how he uses topics of nature to relate to the real world. The students will start their own poetry log.

Methods:
A. We will start by doing a choral reading of Frost’s poem “Birches”. Sections of the room will read different parts. I will start the reading out with the first few lines to model. (5 min.)
B. We will have a literary discussion about the poems assigned.   Why do Frost’s poems flow when read aloud? How do you think Frost’s surroundings influenced what he wrote about?   (20 min.)
C. We will do some theme brainstorming before they are cut loose with their poetry writing.          (5 min.)
D. The writing workshop will take up the rest of the hour. The class would have the option of using the computer room during this time during any and all workshop periods, (if applicable).      (20 min.)

Evaluation: I know the students are learning if:
1. They take part in the choral reading with the rest of the class.
2. They can share their questions and comments with the class about Frost’s poetry.
3. They take part in, and stay on task, during the workshop period.

Homework: Come to class with questions for discussion about Listening Point.

Weeks 2 and 3: The beginning of week two will end the Listening Point section and start the section on A Season for Wilderness. The book itself is a journal of a summer in canoe country. Michael Furtman and his wife volunteered in the National Forest Service for a summer and kept a journal. As an author, Michael expanded on each entry to create a detailed and interesting account of their adventures. We will read the first three chapters and use the journal entries, that start each chapter, as a guide as we start to write chapters four and five. What problems might we face along the way? How does the wilderness effect us city folk? How do his surroundings effect the way in which he writes? The poetry section during week two will start off with a poet I believe will grab the students attention and drive them to create. The artist I have chosen is the singer, song writer, and poet, Jewel Kalcher. The poems I have chosen, from her book a night without armor, are: “As a Child I Walked,” “The Slow Migration of Glaciers,” “The Tangled Roots of Willows,” “Wolves in the Canyon,” and “God Exists Quietly.” Jewel uses imagery of her home state of Alaska. She finds deep roots in her home land, and speaks freely about growing up with nature. I believe the students will really enjoy this section. The second poet during week two is James Kavanaugh. His book, Quiet Water, is Emersonian in ways, and will help the students think in that wordy, airy and almost spiritual thought. The poems I have chosen: “Some Walk Through Life,” “Life Stretches Ahead,” “In the Center of Your Soul,” “Walk Easy on the Earth,” “Somewhere Along the Way,” “The Quiet Mornings,” “I Have Walked,” and “Laughing Down Lonely Canyons.” What does this author make you think about? How does he approach nature and life? The second journal entry will be due on Friday of week two, along with the first draft of the chapter in Listening Point from week one. What did you think of the poetry written by one of your generation’s most famous recording artist? How do you think Jewel’s poetry relates to her music? Would you like to use one of the poetry days to study song lyrics? If so, who would you like to study that stays within the theme of nature?
Week three will continue with activities and readings surrounding A Season for Wilderness. Other books that could be used to make mini-lessons or activities might be; Gunflint Reflections on the Gunflint Trail by Justine Kerfoot, Friendship Fires by Sam Cook, Inheriting the Land by Vinz and Tammaro, or A Place in the Woods by Helen Hoover. The poetry section in week three starts out with Emily Dickinson. Her poems: “A Narrow Fellow in the Grass,” and “A Bird Came Down to Walk” are just a couple I could use. The second poetry day will be picked by the students and their interests, and may even be their own poems. The third journal entry will be due at the end of this week, along with the first draft of their first chapter in A Season for Wilderness. How is your chapter writing working out, and how can I help you in my lessons? What is the hardest part about writing the chapters? Friday will also be the day which the first vocabulary test is given.

Week 4: We will dive into Emerson at the beginning of this week and focus on his use of nature. We will start out with his essay “Self Reliance.” A heavy amount of group work and in class reading will be used in order to help the students through his work. How does Emerson relate to the works with which we’ve previously studied? How well do his thoughts and ideas hold true in the Twentieth Century? We will look at references like, “The first in time and the first in importance of the influences upon the mind is that of nature.” I believe Emerson will help my students find their literary voice. There will also be a short response to the readings due at the beginning of the Emerson days. On the poetry days of week four we will again study poems of choice from the class. This will give them ownership of this part of the unit. This will be the last week of alternating days, although the days themselves will still be split into halves to allow for the writings to continue. The second of the vocabulary tests will be given on this Friday for the students who have not gotten the required amount correct. One more journal entry will be due. Are you having any problems with Emerson? What could I do to help you understand his work better?

Week 5: We will devote week five entirely to Emerson and his essay “The Poet.” If any days are needed to catch up on the writings, one whole day can be used. At the end of this week the final drafts of all chapters from both sections and the poetry will be due. No test will be given for the Emerson readings except for the vocabulary test. There will be responses due at the beginning of class for the assigned readings. Some other Emerson essays which could be tackled might be “The Transcendentalist,” “The American Scholar,” or “Nature.” The last journal entry is due on Friday. What could I do better in future years as a teacher of this unit? What was the most memorable part of the past five weeks?

Vocabulary List — to be tested on at the end of weeks three and four.
admonition palmistry mesmerism

rhapsodist Firmament bards

deliverance Chaos piquancy

oracles prattle abdicate

disdain conciliate Lethe

nonconformist titular ephemeral

philanthropist succumb intrinsic

usurping aversion magnanimity

trifle Deity hobgoblin

homage squalid posterity

interloper mendicant sycophantic

gaudier reverence hieroglyphic

causation rogue Calvinism

betwixt Quakerism impediment

potentate sovereign vagabond

credulous amelioration reverently

disencumbering purges Phenomenal

covet exuberance inanimate

progeny ascension inebriated

PERFORMANCE PACKAGE

Performance Package Minnesota Profile of Learning

Content Standard: Literary and Art Creation and Performance
Level: High School

Title of Package/Activity: A Thought Portage
Summary Statement of Content Standard: Create and/or perform artistic presentations in dance, creative writing, music, theater, visual arts, literary arts or media arts.

Description of Student Performance: (tasks)

Task 1: Write a poetry log using a theme of nature.

Task 2: Write chapters of certain novels using a free flowing narrative style.

FINAL ACHIEVEMENT: Use the following scoring criteria when evaluating
student performance.

Scoring Criteria
4 - Performance on this standard achieves and exceeds expectations of
high standard work.
3- Performance on this standard meets the expectations of high standard
work.
2 - Work on this standard has been completed, but all or part of the
student's performance is below
high standard level.
1 - Work on this standard has been completed, but performance is
substantially below high standard level.
No package score is recorded until ALL parts of the package have been completed.

Poetry log is due at the end of week five.

PERFORMANCE PACKAGE TASK 1
Poetry log

Content Standard: Arts: Art Creation and Performance
Topic: Poetry: a creative writing log
Amount of time: five weeks

Specific Statements from the Standard:

What students should know:
1. How themes are carried out through writing a poem or set of poems.
2. Creative thought is with in us all.
3. Why a poet uses certain topics for inspiration

What students should do:

1. Be able to analyze relationships of ideas, topics having to do with nature, and create a poetry log.
2. Develop their ability to think and write critically about literature, and study the theme of nature represented through a variety of poetry.
3. Demonstrate a personal voice.

Product: A poetry log with a group of poems they have written over the five week period.

Task Description: Interpret a theme from a group of poetry and write from that theme. Include wording or images from that group if necessary, but not mandatory. Compile the poems into a poetry log over the five week unit.

FEEDBACK CHECKLIST FOR TASK 1

The purpose of the checklist is to provide feedback to the student about
his/her work relative to the content standard. Have the standard
available for reference.

E=Excellent
S=Satisfactory
N=Needs Improvement

Student Teacher
Theme and Content

______ The theme from the poetry of that week is showed in the students work. ______

______ The poems themselves use similar imagery. ______

______ The poetry uses nature as it’s major theme. ______

______ Writes effectively using poetry and prose. ______

Overview

______ Stays on task during the workshop section of the unit. ______

______ Helps others in the poetry section with ideas on their work. ______

______ Takes part in all literary discussions during class. ______
OVERALL EVALUATION ______

Overall Comments (information about student progress, quality of the
work, next steps for teacher and student, needed adjustments in the
teaching and learning processes, and problems to be addressed):

Assessment:
The students will be doing an ongoing assessment of their writings in the writing workshop. They will evaluate their own work and the work of others. I will not be giving letter grades for their poems or chapters. This would only stifle their creativity.

The students will have a contract for grade system for the unit. No one will be able to contract for less than a C.

C contract— 2 poems a week for the four week section on poetry (8 poems total)
Minimum of a 3 page chapter for Listening Point
Minimum of 3 pages for each of the chapters in A Season for Wilderness
Class participation during discussion
Group participation
Use of workshop time constructively towards the writing assignments
Responses to Emerson during week four and five
One journal turned in for every week
70% correct on the vocab test

B contract— Everything in contract C plus...
3 poems a week for the four week section on poetry (12 poems)
Minimum of a 4 page chapter for Listening Point
Minimum of 4 pages for each of the chapters in A Season for Wilderness
80% correct on the vocab list

A contract— Everything in contract B plus...
4 poems a week for the four week section on poetry (16 poems)
Minimum of 5 page chapter for Listening Point
Minimum of 5 pages for each of the chapters in A Season for Wilderness

Teacher resources:

Versed in Country Things. Frost, Robert. Bulfinch: Boston, 1996.

a night without armor. Kalcher, Jewel. Harper Collins: New York, 1998.

Quiet Water. Kavanaugh, James. Steve J. Nash Publishing: High Land Park, 1991.

Poems that Live Forever. Fellemen, Hazel. Double Day: New York, 1965.

The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. Johnson, Thomas. Little Brown: Boston, 1960.

Selections from Ralph Waldo Emerson. Whicher, Stephen. Houghton Mufflin: Boston, 1957.

Listening Point. Olson, Sigurd F. Alfred A. Knopf: New York, 1996.

A Season for Wilderness. Furtman, Michael. Northword: Minocqua, 1989.