DewaltRationale


 * __ The Modern Age of Literature __**


 * Rationale **

While it may not be so modern to us nowadays, this time period of literature was so influential to our country and who we are today. It is one of the most important for students to study and even though the times have changed, there are countless lessons and themes that are still relevant to our lives today. The period covered the years of 1915 all the way to 1946 and even had an important sub-category of literature, The Harlem Renaissance. The greatest aspect of studying The Modern Age of Literature is not only because of how great the authors, poets, and playwrights were, but also because as a teacher I am able to incorporate American history to my lessons. The students are actually learning double the subject matter and then if a student might not be as interested in the English literature aspect of my lessons, they may connect more so with the history that surrounds the topics. The period is known well for its “confusion and disillusionment,” and we will delve deep into these works in order to understand why people said this. So why should we study this period in a Language Arts class rather than a history? Well, because literature of the times expressed what was occurring better than any other way. Students can connect themselves to the characters greater than if they just read about the topics in textbooks. The big question of the unit is how is it themes are ideas of our previous generations still applicable to our current lives. How is it that we are still experiencing problems that occurred around the war generations decades later? Why is it that symbols that were used in these works of literature can still be found in our lives? All of these questions plus many more will be answered by the end of this unit plan and students will foster a new appreciation for these writers and the works that they produced. Some may even now have the desire to read other works of the Modern Age and discover more lessons to be learned as future Americans.

This unit plan will encompass like I previously said, some of the greatest writers America has ever seen. We will start with a poem by Robert Frost and E.E. Cummings, then skip ahead to some poems by Langston Hughes (Harlem Renaissance), and finish with playwrights Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller. All of these literary works are important to read and analyze in order to fully comprehend this time period. The poetry and plays will have students do more than just read and write; they will be the characters and take the stage with their own impressions of the characters and authors’ intentions. Throughout this unit based on American Modern Age literature, students will keep reading journals in which they will reflect daily on what they are reading and the discussions that we will have in class. One of the most important things for students to do is to reflect on what they are learning and writing out their thoughts helps them to work on their communication skills and remember more of the information when it comes time to write a final paper. Students will also be involved heavily in class discussions, debates, and will complete a creative project throughout the unit. By active participation, students will learn to the fullest extent and I will be able to see who is keeping up with the reading and if I may need to go back and reteach certain aspects and lessons. Also, by incorporating different assessments in fields of writing and creativity, I am allowing students to represent their learning in different ways. I truly believe that this unit plan will help students to foster an appreciation for this important literary time period that defined America today.

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