PBS
Henry David Thoreau: Author, Philosopher, and Abolitionist
What would Henry David Thoreau think of life in 21st-Century America? Pupils investigate the abolitionist using primary and secondary materials. They analyze what Thoreau would think of the changes to American lifestyles since the time...
Simon & Schuster
Classroom Activities for Walden and Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau
An 11-page packet contains three activities designed for readers of Henry David Thoreau's Walden and Civil Disobedience. In one exercise, groups debate whether Thoreau would today be considered liberal or conservative. For another,...
Penguin Books
A Teacher's Guide to the Signet Classics Edition of Walden and "Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau
According to Henry David Thoreau, every citizen must object to unjust laws. The teacher's guide to Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" begins with a detailed essay synopsis to help readers understand Thoreau's rationale in the challenging...
Curated OER
A Year in Review: The Memoir
If you are planning a unit on memoir and autobiographical narrative, you should consider this resource. Using Internet research skills, pupils review works by James Frey and Henry David Thoreau. In response to these works, learners...
Curated OER
Thoreau, Emerson, and Transcendentalism
Tackle Transcendentalist literature with these questions. This resource provides 14 essay questions that cover different works by Thoreau and Emerson. Class members may also access an online quiz on the selection using the link at the...
Curated OER
Henry David Thoreau's Philosophy
Students research and report on the life and times of Henry David Thoreau. In this Thoreau research instructional activity, students visit the given website and freewrite about Thoreau's life and home. Students work in groups to research...
Walden Woods Project
19th Century Lessons for 21st Century Lives
The words of Henry David Thoreau on Civil Disobedience seem particularly relevant today, as are his writings and those of other transcendental thinkers who ask what it mean to live deliberately and what are the responsibilities of...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.10
Assess whether your class members can comprehend complex informational text with a series of drills based on selections from Emerson, Thoreau, and G.K. Chesterton. The exercises could also be used for group work or a full-class discussion.
Curated OER
The Legacy of Emerson and Thoreau
Eleventh graders are introduced to Transcendentalism through the writing of Emerson and Thoreau. They keep a journal in which they respond to quotes and prompts. Students write longer essays on conformity, being alone and a "field...
Curated OER
Revisiting Walden Pond in 2003
Students make lists of things they would take with them if they were about to set off to live for a year in the woods. They read Thoreau's Walden Pond and compare and discuss their lists and the actual list of items Thoreau took with him...
Curated OER
Henry David Thoreau
Students explore the life and philosophy of Henry David Thoreau. Students watch a slide show on Henry David Thoreau. They visit a quiet, tranquil location and observe nature. After reading and discussing Thoreau's works, students create...
Curated OER
Walden
Students participate in a panel discussion on materialism, assuming the identities of Henry David Thoreau and other experts on materialism. In this Walden instructional activity, students create a panel discussion of prominent people,...
Curated OER
Finding Walden: Using Henry David Thoreau in Nature And Writing
Eighth graders appreciate and better understand nature by reflecting on Henry David Thoreau's quotes, making observations of the outside world, and using nature in their writings of stories and/or poems.
Curated OER
Finding Comfort in an Unfamiliar Landscape
Young scholars recognize the writings of a prominent American writer. They analyze written text making connections to personal prior experience. Students discuss in small and large groups their findings. They organize ideas in writing...
Curated OER
Approaching Walden
Eleventh graders examine their natural surroundings as a way to begin thinking about an abstract idea. They analyze and compare or contrast the rhetorical stategies of two essayists. Students interpret and evaluate images culled from...
Curated OER
Thoreau, Emerson, and Transcendentalism
In this online interactive reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 13 multiple choice questions based on the Transcendentalist literary movement. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
Curated OER
Unit on Henry David Thoreau
Learners investigate the writings of Thoreau in order to better comprehend his impact on American Literature and unique writing style. Working to evaluate the different pieces of writing, they read the essays in order to create their own...
Curated OER
Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum
Henry David Thoreau and Linda Ronstadt? Ann Tyler and Pete Townshend? Joyce Carol Oates and Pearl Jam? This richly detailed plan pairs classic literature with contemporary music and asks learners to analyze how the theme of conformity is...
Curated OER
Walden: Study Questions and Essay Topics
In this Walden worksheet, students discuss the experience of Thoreau at Walden Pond and evaluate the importance of the experiment. Students write essays which discuss the details, the genres, the mythological references, and the author...
Curated OER
Living Thoreau As A Means Of Approaching Walden
Students investigate the essays and life of Thoreau in order to appreciate his point of view and understand his way of thinking. They participate in various activities and writing assignments to gain a similar perspective. Students write...
Curated OER
"Approaching Walden: From Emerson to Thoreau"
Students examine selected local leaves in greater detail in the classroom by using more analytical drawing techniques. They use Thoreau's drawing of a Scarlett Oak as their model. Students choose a leave from a box of leaves removed...
Curated OER
Approaching Walden: Paths to Emerson and Thoreau
Students explore readings from Emerson, Thoreau and Melville. In preparation for writing, students sit in a quiet, tranquil location and observe their surroundings. Later, they recreate the experience by putting it into words. ...
Annenberg Foundation
Migrant Struggle
The American Dream is a goal that many pursue, but is it truly attainable for all people? An in-depth lesson explores the plight of migrants in twentieth-century America. The resource includes a video and author biographies and...
Curated OER
Place In The World
Twelfth graders explore their social, cultural and political surroundings. They explore the responsibility and power individuals have as writers. In groups, 12th graders examine the works of Henry David Thoreau. After spending time...