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a High School English Teacher
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Have them calculate how much it would cost to build a house in the woods…
If you have natural areas, hold class outside at every chance. Use directed walks to get them to appreciate different aspects of nature. Oh, and make them leave their phones behind whenever you go outside. Discuss/write about how a person could go off the grid today and what that might look like.
My mentor wrote every students name on the board (grade10) which sparked their curiosity, of course, “Why is My name on the board? I didn’t do anything!” etc… Then she challenged them each to “THOREAU IT ALL AWAY & live simply” without using their cell phones. Each day students would come in and share how well they succeeded at this. HaHaHaHAHA!!! You can imagine they all failed, but the point of “0n Walden Pond” was made clear. 🤩
Ah I remember when I used to teach this unit. I'd always make a point of walking my class out to a grassy area with some trees for reading/discussion. Lots of circle sitting and drawing on my camp counselor experiences. We used to even have a field trip to an environmental education center, but the school started cutting back on field trips not long ago. I think there are now interactive tablet/pc games like "Walden" that might capture students' attention now.
Those are such great ideas! I will share with our teachers of 11th grade. 🌳 🌹 ☀️
I would tie their beliefs into the current events of their day, especially slavery and the Civil War.
How did their philosophy drive their actions when it came to the most important issues of the day... or was there a conflict? Was transcendentalism useful and applicable to the issues facing the nation? How did each of them apply transcendentalism (or not) to their response to what was going on?
Then discuss whether transcendentalism is more or less realistic now than it was back then
When I did Thoreau & Emerson, I described him as the "ultimate ditcher" - that guy had mad skills to be able to go rogue in the wilderness (I teach in an urban area so Walden Pond is nowhere). I'd make the whole thing about types of escapism and finding yourself through that. Have the kids discuss and create "fantasy" (or real, whatever) places they would go if they had to be alone for XXX years. They can do poems about this place they create, and parameters can include specific natural choices. Maybe have a "gallery" walk or something for everyone to share.
Good luck!
If you could find copies of REALLY vintage “Funky Winkerbean” by Tom Batiuk, you could have students read panels of the cartoon (usually there was a plot extended over several days) to have your students see how Thoreau’s ideas crossed over. The name of the college in the series is Walden.
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I like the simplicity approach.
Tie their love of nature into climate change and people like Julia Butterfly Hill. I was nervous about sharing a story about her, but it was the most motivational story for students. They asked for more stories about environmental issues and people trying to fight destruction. What would Emerson and Thoreau be doing now? Thoreau's night in jail! I told students these were controversial topics, and they could agree or disagree. They were very interested.