Readings
The readings will encourage students to recognize common themes, perspectives and styles used by writers that describe nature experiences. The combination of William Wordsworth, Emily Dickinson, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s, W.B. Yeats, contrasted against Momaday and Luci Tapahonso reveals a captivating exploration of nature. We will also touch on prose creations by Rachel Carson and Patricia Klindienst. All these writers underscore a deep appreciation for nature's beauty and its relevance in our lives. They remind the reader of the intricate relationship between humanity and the environment, urging us to cherish and protect the natural world; we gain a renewed understanding of the enduring importance of nature.
Poetry Selections
Each poem brings its unique perspective and poetic style to depict the beauty and significance of the natural world. Emily Dickinson's "Experiment to Me" exhibits her meticulous and keen observations of nature, capturing the intricacies and wonders of even the tiniest creatures. Through her poetic lens, she invites us to marvel at the mysteries of the natural world and recognize the profound details that often go unnoticed. She starts out in the poem, “Experiment to me is everyone I meet if it contains a Kernal?” Through the speaker’s openness to learning and curiosity about others, she invites us to gain new knowledge and insight in every person we may meet.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, in "The Mountain and the Squirrel," employs the imagery of the mountain and the squirrel engaging in a playful dispute to impart a moral lesson. The poem encourages us to embrace simplicity and contentment, reminding us that nature has much to teach about living harmoniously and finding joy in life's simple pleasures. In this poem the mountain and the squirrel had a quarrel, and the former called the latter, "You prig." Emerson goes on to write, “You are doubtless very big.” A young reader can imagine these two characters in playful banter.
In Yeats’ "To a Squirrel at Kyla-Na-No," this poem expresses his admiration for the carefree existence of a squirrel. Yeats declares, “Come play with me; Why should you run Through the shaking tree as though I would a gun to strike you dead? When all I would do Is to scratch your head and let you go.” His verse suggests a longing for freedom and simplicity, drawing parallels between the squirrel's life and the desires of the human spirit. He emphasizes the profound connection between humans and the natural world.
In Margaret Atwood's "Vultures," students will have the opportunity to explore the rich metaphors and multiple voices present in the poem, prompting them to reflect on their own place within nature and their responsibilities towards it. Atwood uses brilliant imagery in the poem. For example, here is a verse: “Then they are hyenas, raucous around the kill, flapping their black umbrellas, the feathered, red-eyed widows whose pot bodies violate mourning, the snigger at funerals, the burp at the wake.” Students will be asked the meaning of the broader question Atwood is posing to all of us about our responsibility to the natural world in the last line of the poem: “Well, heart, out of all this carnage, could you do better?”
Native American Selections
In our exploration of Native American poetry, we will delve into the captivating works of two prominent Native American poets, N. Scott Momaday and Luci Tapahonso. Their poetic masterpieces beautifully weave together themes of nature, the spiritual realm, and humanity, providing profound insights into the intricate connections between Indigenous cultures and the Earth.
The poems we will examine include Momaday’s “The Way to Rainy Mountain” and selections from his book, Earth Keeper, as well as Tapahonso’s “This Is How They Were Placed for Us.” Through classroom discussions, we will explore the interconnectedness between these poetic elements, encouraging students to immerse themselves in diverse perspectives.
Momaday’s Earth Keeper celebrates the Earth as a sacred entity, a wellspring of wisdom. He eloquently describes the Native American past as an integral part of their present lives, leaving a haunting and indelible imprint on their memories and way of seeing the world. In Momaday’s Earth Keeper, the Earth is celebrated as a circle entity, a source of wisdom that holds significant importance. In our classroom discussions, we will delve into the significance of memory within the context of familial bonds and our profound connection to the Earth and understanding of our role as a steward of our common home.
“The Way to Rainy Mountain” takes us on a captivating journey into Momaday’s Kiowa heritage, tracing the path of his ancestors from ancient times to present. Through vivid imagery, Momaday depicts the profound bond between the Kiowa people, their ancestral land, and its spiritual significance. He will uncover the interconnectedness between his people and nature. The poet emphasizes that the Native American past informs and influences their present lives, lingering in their memories.
Environmental Awareness Selections
Wrapping up the unit, we will turn to Rachel Carson’s Sense of Wonder, as well as Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard, and Patricia Klindienst’s The Earth Knows My Name, which provide deep insights into the transcendence, wonder, and awe that nature can inspire within us. These final three writers will help students identify their own personal response to nature and address the larger questions that present itself within these readings: “What kind of natural world would our students like to see?” and “What can they do to safeguard their home?”
Comments: