Lafayette Parish School System
English Language Arts Curriculum Map
English III, Unit 3: The National Period in American Literature
October 26 – November 29 (4 weeks)
Unit Guiding Questions
1. Can students identify the major influences of the National Period and how they are reflected in the
literature of the time?
2. Can students analyze how the characteristics of a folktale help to establish a recurrent theme in the
stories of Washington Irving?
3. Can students analyze and synthesize how the distinctive qualities of Romantic writing are reflected in
a poem by William Cullen Bryant?
4. Can students show how the work of Edgar Allan Poe displays the effects of an author’s life and
culture?
5. Can students identify the characteristics of Transcendentalism and explain how Ralph Waldo
Emerson’s discussion of nature and mankind represents views of comments on life?
6. Can students analyze the philosophical arguments in the writing of Henry David Thoreau and explain
how these arguments are relative to contemporary situations?
7. Can students identify the major elements in a short story or novel and use them to draw conclusions
and make inferences about ideas presented in the fiction of Nathaniel Hawthorne?
Unit Description
This unit focuses on interpreting
and analyzing the literature of the
National Period, with the goals of
understanding the impact of
cultural and philosophical
context on the literature of the
time
interpreting and analyzing the
literature, noting its relevance
to contemporary life
analyzing the effects of literary
elements and devices,
particularly those related to the
primary genres of the period—
Essential Skills and Concepts
Standards 1, 6, 7
Essential GLEs
1a, 1b, 3a, 3b, 3d,
5, 6, 7a, 7c, 7e,
9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e,
9f, 9h, 11, 12
Condensed GLEs
1c, 8d
Standard 2 & 3
Essential GLEs
14a, 14b, 14c,
14d, 16a, 16b,
16c, 16f, 20a, 21,
23d, 24
Important GLEs
Ongoing Activities 1-4
Reading fluency and comprehension
Vocabulary development
Learning Logs and Quick Writes
Language Development (Editing)
Activities 5-13 (reading, researching, writing,
and creating)
3a-b, d Draw conclusions and make
inferences in fiction/nonfiction, public
documents, film/visual texts;
debates/speeches
5 Analyze and critique the impact of historical
periods, diverse ethnic groups, and major
Literacy Strategies
Graphic Organizers
Learning Log
SPAWN
Split-Page Notetaking
QtA
Opinionnaire
RAFT
Student Outcomes/ Products
Announce to students at the
outset:
The major product for the unit is an
analytical essay. A rubric and due
date for the product should be
presented at the start. Reading
literary works of the period should
contribute to understanding
Romanticism and
Transcendentalism, and an analysis
of the impact these movements had
on the American identify.
ELA Curriculum Map
English III, Unit 3: The National Period in American Literature
Unit Description
short stories, novels, essays,
and poetry—and writing
supported responses
understanding the literature as
a reflection of a growing
national identity
Characteristics of American
Romanticism:
deep appreciation of nature,
and an idealization of the rural
life and of the wilderness,
where man can live closer to
nature
awareness of and respect for
the past, seen as a more
“natural” time
belief that absolute truth lies
behind reality and is intelligible
through the contemplation of
nature
celebration of the individual
interest in the supernatural
conviction that emotion,
intuition, and imagination are
superior to reason
Characteristics of
Transcendentalism:
belief that God is present in
every aspect of nature
conviction that everyone is
capable of apprehending God
through the use of intuition
belief that all of nature is
symbolic of the spirit
belief in progress and the
perfectibility of mankind
conviction that self-trust and
Essential Skills and Concepts
philosophical, political, religious, ethical,
social influences
Standard 4
6
Analyze and explain the significance of
Essential GLEs
literary forms, techniques, characteristics,
25, 26a, 26c, 27a,
and recurrent themes of major literary
27b, 27c, 27d,
29a, 30b, 31b
periods
7a, c, d Analyze and synthesize distinctive
Standard 5
elements (e.g., structure) of essays and
(none)
memoirs, of lyric and narrative poetry, and of
short stories and novels
9a-f, h Understand information using a variety
of strategies: interpret and evaluate
presentation of events and information;
evaluate the credibility of arguments in
nonfiction works; evaluate the author’s use of
complex literary elements; compare and
contrast major periods, themes, styles, and
trends within and across texts; make
predictions and generalizations about ideas
and information
11 Analyze and evaluate philosophical
arguments
12 Analyze and evaluate works of literature in
terms of an author’s life, culture, and
philosophical assumptions
14a-d Develop complex compositions, essays,
and reports that include a clearly stated
central idea/thesis statement; a clear, overall
structure; supporting paragraphs organized
in logical sequence; transitional words,
phrases, and devices
16a-c, f Develop complex compositions using
writing processes such as selecting topic and
form, prewriting, drafting,
proofreading/editing
20a Write interpretations/explanations that
connect life experiences to works of literature
21 Apply parallel structure
23d Apply commas after introductory adverb
22a, 22b
Student Outcomes/ Products
NOTE: While the major product for
the unit seems to be an analysis of
the qualities of Romantic writing in
“Thanatopsis,” teachers might
instead substitute a modification of
the journal entry from Activity 12, as
it leads students to connect ideas of
the period and their impact over time,
which more closely addresses the
major goals of the unit.
Analysis Essay:
Students will write an essay
analyzing Romantic or
Transcendental influences on the
American identity. The analytical
essay should include:
an introduction that gives general
background on Romanticism or
Transcendentalism and presents
the main idea in a clear thesis
statement
a body which connects specific
unit texts which demonstrate the
characteristics of Romanticism or
Transcendentalism, supported
with documented quotes to
contemporary persons and/or
events, showing how the
ideology of the period impacts
the American identity, translating
into thought and action at a
subsequent point in time
a conclusion which assesses the
thesis and provides a personal
reaction.
Other products or processes to
scaffold the analytical essay:
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ELA Curriculum Map
English III, Unit 3: The National Period in American Literature
Unit Description
self-reliance are to be valued at
all times
NOTE: During the unit, students
process content and demonstrate
understanding through learning
logs, quick writes, graphic
organizers, and discussion. Sharing
in pairs, small groups, and whole
class configurations deepens
understanding of skills and
concepts.
Essential Skills and Concepts
clauses and long introductory phrases
24 Use a variety of resources to verify word
spellings
25 Use standard English when speaking in
formal presentations and informal group
discussions
26a, c Select language appropriate for
delivering reports in class and for
participating in class discussions
27a-d Listen to detailed oral instructions and
presentations and carry out complex
procedures, including reading and
questioning and writing responses
29a Deliver presentations that include:
language selected to suit a purpose and
audience
30b, Use active listening strategies, including:
monitoring messages for clarity
31b Deliver oral presentations that analyze
information in texts and media
Student Outcomes/ Products
skits or “infomercials” on period
authors (Activity 5)
analysis of
Romantic/Transcendental
characteristics of unit readings
(Activities 6-8 and 10-13)
investigation of contemporary
innovators and nonconformists
(Activity 9)
Looking forward: At the end of
each unit, students should reflect on
the works studied, brainstorming
several major qualities that each text
displays about Americans at a
particular time and place to prepare
for the final essay of the course (Unit
7, Activity 7).
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