A GREAT LITERARY CONCEPT
Performance Standard 1B.J
Students will read selections from the essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson (“Nature”, “Self Reliance”, “Fate”) and from
the novel Walden by Henry David Thoreau. They will then develop an analysis of the readings with an emphasis on
the similarities in content, focus, and explanation of the concepts of Transcendentalism which these authors espouse.
When possible, students will link their analysis with their own understanding of how the world and people interact
accordingly:
• Identifying Transcendentalism concepts: identify Transcendentalism concepts.
• Defining/supporting references to authors’ works: define/support concepts with references to the authors’
works; include explanations of all references that support the student’s analysis of concepts.
• Analyzing of authors’ styles: (essay vs. novel) note differences in style between essay and novel formats;
analyze differences and draw a conclusion about effectiveness.
• Identifying present day application of concepts: identify present day occurrences of Transcendentalist concepts;
describe occurrences and link to the Transcendentalist philosophy.
Procedures
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
In order to apply reading strategies to improve understanding and fluency (1B), students should experience
sufficient learning opportunities to develop the following:
• Relate reading to self, world, and other texts and experience and make connections to related information.
• Use both implicit and explicit information to form an interpretation of text.
• Define the characteristics and structures of a variety of complex literary genres and analyze how genre
affects the meaning and function of the texts.
• Compare the author’s strategies and organizational patterns in a variety of compositions.
• Analyze and compare a variety of texts for purpose, structure, content, detail and effect.
Have students review and discuss the assessment task and how the rubric will be used to evaluate their work.
Students will read selections from Emerson and Thoreau from any good American literature text.
Students will be familiar with the concepts of Transcendentalism.
Students will identify fundamental concepts that define the movement known as Transcendentalism and will
identify passages from both authors’ works which show the authors’ understanding and/or use of those
concepts.
Students will write a comparison paper that analyzes the authors’ treatment of these concepts in their writing.
• The analysis should include comments about the differences in the way each author presents his
understanding of each concept.
• The analysis should include modern day applications of these concepts, when possible.
Evaluate each student’s performance using the rubric. Add each student’s scores to determine the performance
level.
Examples of Student Work follow
Time Requirements
• One to two class periods
ASSESSMENT 1B.J
Resources
• Excerpts from Emerson’s essays and Walden
• Research materials, including electronic
resources where available
• A Great Literary Concept Rubric
A GREAT LITERARY CONCEPT
(Note: this rubric is specific to the Emerson/Thoreau assignment)
NAME ______________________________________________
Exceeds
Meets
4
3
15 - 16 total points
11 - 14 total points
DATE _______________________________
Approaches
Begins
7 -10 total points
4 - 6 total points
Transcendentalism
Concepts
• Four or more
Transcendentalism
concepts are
identified.
References to
Authors’ Works
• Each concept is
defined/supported with
references to the
authors’ works.
• Explanations of all
references accurately
support the student’s
analysis of concepts.
Analysis of Authors’
Styles (essay vs. novel)
• Student correctly
notes four or more
differences in style
between essay and
novel formats.
• Student analyzes
each difference and
draws a conclusion
about its effectiveness.
• Three
Transcendentalism
concepts are
identified.
• At least two or
three of the concepts
are defined/supported
with references to the
authors’ works.
• Explanations of
most references
accurately support the
student’s analysis of
concepts.
• At least one or two
concept definition/
support is attempted.
• Explanations may
not accurately support
the student’s analysis.
• Student correctly
notes three differences
in style between essay
and novel formats.
• Student analyzes
each difference and
draws a conclusion
about its effectiveness.
• No discernable
attempt to
define/support a
concept is made.
• Explanations, if
present, are vague or do
not apply.
• Student notes no or
one difference in style
between essay and
novel formats.
• Student attempts to
analyze the difference
OR
• Analysis missing.
2
• Two
Transcendentalism
concepts are
identified.
1
• No or one
Transcendentalism
concept is identified.
• Student notes two
differences in style
between essay and
novel formats.
• Student attempts to
analyze at least one of
the differences.
Present Day
Application of Concepts
• Student identifies
several present day
occurrences of
Transcendentalist
concepts.
• Each occurrence is
accurately described and
linked to the
Transcendentalist
philosophy.
• Student identifies
several present day
occurrences of
Transcendentalist
concepts.
• Each occurrence is
described, and an attempt
is made to link it to
Transcendentalist
philosophy.
• Student identifies
one present day
occurrence of
Transcendentalist
concepts.
• A description of the
occurrence and its link to
Transcendentalist
philosophy may be
attempted
OR
• Description/link
absent.
• Student does not
identify a present day
occurrence of any
Transcendentalist
concept.
Score
ASSESSMENT 1B.J
"Meets" (page 1)
"Meets" (page 2)
"Meets" (page 3)
"Meets" (page 4)
"Meets" (page 5)
"Exceeds" (page 1)
"Exceeds" (page 2)
"Exceeds" (page 3)
"Exceeds" (page 4)
"Exceeds" (page 5)
"Exceeds" (page 6)
"Exceeds" (page 7)
"Exceeeds" (page 8)
"Exceeds" (page 9)
"Exceeds" (page 10)
"Exceeds" (page 11)
"Exceeds" (page 12)