For Teachers

Welcome to the Project!

More Day to Dawn is designed as an opportunity for your students to explore great thinking. On its simplest level, students will read and discuss excerpts from the writing of Henry David Thoreau, scientist, social critic, and philosopher. They will be asked to identify people who share some of Thoreau's ideas and put them into practice today. As the final activity, students will select one person who best exemplifies Thoreau's keen eye and spirit and nominate him/her for the "More Day to Dawn" award.

The award itself consists of having the student's nomination posted at this site for the nominee and others to see and appreciate. To protect student privacy, I will publish only the writer's first name and no other identifying information. Sorry I can't offer cash, certificates, or gold stars; I hope simple recognition will suffice.

This project addresses several levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, a variety of literacy skills, multiple intelligences, and 25 Indiana state proficiencies. Have fun with it, and I'd love to hear stories of how it works in your classroom! (Use the "Contact" link at the bottom.) Conversely, if there is a part that just doesn't work, I'd like to know that, too. (Same "Contact" link.)

As Thoreau once said, "...it matters not how small the beginning may seem to be: what is once well done is done forever."

Title: More Day to Dawn

Abstract: Students study Thoreau as a naturalist, a social observer, and a philosopher. They analyze and reflect on selected texts. Then they select someone from their community who demonstrates modern application of Thoreau's ideas and nominate that person for the "More Day to Dawn" award.

Grade level & subject: High school American literature
This unit would work well with students in grades 10, 11, or 12.

Clear Objectives and Duration
Students will read, analyze, and discuss excerpts from three essays by Thoreau: "Spring" (from Walden), "Civil Disobedience," and "Walking." Reading, analysis, and reflective writing should take 4-5 days for each text. Another 3-4 days will be needed to write the culminating piece, a nomination for the More Day to Dawn Award. (The "award" consists of posting the nomination on the website.)

Time frame for overall unit: 3-4 weeks

Lesson one: Thoreau as naturalist ( from Walden) Time frame: 4-5 days

Lesson two: Thoreau as social critic ("Civil Disobedience") Time frame: 4-5 days

Lesson three: Thoreau as philosopher ("Walking") Time frame: 4-5 days

Lesson four: Thoreau today Time frame: 3-4 days

Lesson details, including activities, readings, texts

Each lesson is constructed along similar lines.

1. A prereading activity introduces students to the perspective to be explored in the lesson (naturalist, social critic, or philosopher/spiritual being).
2. Students read a text provided onsite and respond to post-reading questions. Teachers may determine whether to use writing, class discussion, or a combination of approaches.
3. Having identified the beliefs Thoreau puts forth in this piece of writing, students select someone they know who is like Thoreau in some way. They write at least 250 words about this person. (It is not necessary for the assignment to be much longer than that, since this is a prewriting task for a long assignment later.)

At the completion of these lessons, students return to the 3 pieces of writing about 3 people. They select one of these three pieces to polish and extend, creating a nomination for the "More Day to Dawn" Award. They e-mail their nominations to this site, where they will be posted. This handout may be helpful.

List of materials/equipment, including worksheets/handouts

All materials are available through links on the Website.

• Text of "Spring", a chapter from Walden
• Edited text of "Civil Disobedience"
• Edited text of "Walking"

Rubrics

Writing Assignment Rubric

Indiana Standards

Bibliography

All texts are by Henry David Thoreau: Walden, "Civil Disobedience," and "Walking."