Romantic Landscapes and Self Reliance: November 29, 2017

Focus: What does it mean to be self-reliant, and why did the Transcendentalists value self-reliance

1. Warming up by exploring American Romantic art and connecting back to "The Castle Builder"

2. Viewing a satirical criticism of millennials and their lack of self-reliance and creating a "Self-Reliance" post

• Before watching: What does it mean to be self-reliant? Create your own definition.

• While watching: To what extent is the video's criticism accurate? Do you think millennials lack self-reliance? What enables this?

• After watching: Based on your definition, would you describe yourself as self-reliant? Why or why not?

3. Taking time to read "Self-Reliance" and journal/blog

If you finish early, click HERE for a recent article about helicopter parenting.
Reading...

• Read Emerson's "Self-Reliance" (there's a vocab sheet if you're getting stuck).

• Let your eyes skim over the lines that don't interest you as much.

• Let your eyes settle on the lines that resonate with you. Underline them.

Journaling...

• Find 3-5 lines from the essay you appreciate/love/agree with. Enter them in your blog journal.

• For each line you've chose, reflect and react. You can simply write, you can create a short video, you can draw and upload your drawing, or you can include a combination of photographs and writing. 

• Use your reaction to figure out why you're connecting to the lines you've chosen. Why does this matter to you? Why should this matter to everyone?

• "To speak truly, few adult persons can see nature...The sun illuminates only the eye of the man, but shines into the eye and the heart of the child." -- from Emerson's "Nature"
•  I chose this image of my three-year-old and five-year-old, bundled up in sweaters, jackets, and hats, because they beg me each morning and afternoon to go outside. They enjoy the quiet darkness of a winter morning. They can't wait to kick their legs on the swings in the summer. In the fall, they chase leaves, In the spring, they taste rain and leave sloppy footprints in the leftover snow. When did I stop going outside to play? 

4. Wrapping up with a quick mini assessment on yesterday's grammar lesson

HW:
1.  Assigned book club reading and syllabus-creating for Thursday.

2. If you were absent when we listened to our memoir feedback and completed the reflective sheet in class, please make sure you have submitted it to me; IF I DON'T HAVE IT BY FRIDAY, I WILL ENTER YOUR ESSAY GRADE AS A ZERO.


3. For Friday: Selecting a new one-minute speech topic or revising the one that you had before break; you will deliver your one-minute speech in front of the class this Friday. The most important thing: Focus on improving one aspect of your speech delivery that you identified as a weakness before break.