Higher Education Back to School Lesson

This lesson was designed to be used on the first day of a year-long 11th-grade American Literature course. The lesson includes a poetry packet with 7 poems by diverse American authors. Each of the poems raises important questions about what "America" represents. A land of freedom and equality? A refuge for immigrants? A diverse and inclusive nation? Or a land with entrenched inequality? A saber-rattling evil empire?

Here is a list of the poems:

1. Ada Limón, "A New National Anthem" (2018) — our new Poet Laureate!

2. Emma Lazarus, "The New Colossus" (1883)

3. Walt Whitman, "I Hear America Singing" (1860)

4. Langston Hughes, "I, Too" (1923) — responding directly to Whitman!

5. Claude McKay, "America" (1921)

6. James Lasdun, "The Question" (2012) — is America "good or bad"?

7. Tony Hoagland, "America" (2003)

This resource also comes with a classwork packet that features discussion questions on the poems by Ada Limôn, Emma Lazarus, and Langston Hughes. The discussion questions come on three handouts, each of which contains 7 questions about a particular poem. Each handout also has a quick write where students can answer one of the questions in writing.

How might the concept of "America" represent a set of ideals and promises? Has this nation lived up to its ideals and promises? How might the idea of America be different from the reality?

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Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

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Rigorous Resources is your one-stop shop for resources on American literature. Every unit was designed by a Ph.D. with a research specialization in American literature. Feel free to check out these complete units on canonical texts by diverse American authors:

Complete Unit on Tommy Orange's There There

Complete Unit on Arthur Miller's The Crucible

Complete Unit on Frederick Douglass's Narrative

Complete Unit on F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

Complete Unit on Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God

Complete Unit on Nella Larsen's Passing

Complete Unit on J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye

Complete Unit on Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun

Complete Unit on Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye

Complete Unit on Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese

A group-based creative intervention explores self-esteem helping teenagers and adults develop personal insights about their sense of belonging in the world.

This is a hands-on activity which only requires group members to have a piece of paper and pens or colored pencils. The activity takes approximately 30 minutes long with additional time needed post activity for the reflection questions and rating statement worksheets.

This activity would be perfect as an introduction into our "Pillars of Success" Workbook which you can find here: PILLARS OF SUCCESS - SELF CARE WORKBOOK FOR TEENAGERS AND ADULTS (TeachShare.com)

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This teacher lesson template comes in 3 different set up variations. Use Microsoft Word to add textboxes and include whatever is needed to knock your lesson out of the park!

Areas that you can fill in on these teacher lesson templates are as follows:

Teacher

Date

Class

Class Period

Standards

Essential Question

Objectives

Materials

Procedure

Homework

Accommodations

You may also be interested in the following products:

Lesson Plan Template #1

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Lesson-Plan-Templates-8487286

Plan Book Templates

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Plan-Book-Template-8492684

This plan book template is a great resource to help you organize your daily and weekly plans using Microsoft PowerPoint

If you are interested in a custom plan book with colors for the heading that match your school or your classroom theme, please message me, and I can post once created.

This product includes two weekly templates to choose from.

You may also be interested in the following products:

Lesson Plan Template #1

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Lesson-Plan-Templates-8487286

Lesson Plan Template #2

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Lesson-Plan-Templates-8487440

If you download this product, and you liked it, please leave me a positive review! :)

This plan book template is a great resource to help you organize your daily and weekly plans using Microsoft PowerPoint

If you are interested in a custom plan book with colors for the heading that match your school or your classroom theme, please message me, and I can post once created.

This product includes 1 weekly template. The class and subjects can be changed.

You may also be interested in the following products:

Lesson Plan Template #1

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Lesson-Plan-Templates-8487286

Lesson Plan Template #2

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Lesson-Plan-Templates-8487440

Plan Book Template:

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Plan-Book-Template-8492684

If you download this product, and you liked it, please leave me a positive review! :)

This teacher lesson template comes in 3 color variations. Use PowerPoint to add textboxes and include whatever is needed to knock your lesson out of the park!

Areas that you can fill in on these teacher lesson templates are as follows:

Teacher

Subject

Date

Class

Period

Lesson Topic

Essential Question

Objectives

Materials

Technology

Procedures

Assessment

Homework

Accommodations

You may also be interested in the below products:

Lesson Plan Template #2

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Lesson-Plan-Templates-8487440

Plan Book Templates

https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Plan-Book-Template-8492684