19th Century Poets Teacher Resources

Although some African American abolitionists—such as Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass—are well known, others, like Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, remain in the shadows of history. Harper was a poet and activist who played an...

An extensive review of European dynamics in the mid-to-late 19th century, this presentation clearly outlines the steps taken to unify Italy as well as Germany, and all the implications and effects therein. The slides set a strong context...

After learning the main ideas of the Decadent movement, high schoolers work in small groups to read and translate poems by the French poet Charles Baudelaire using basic etymology skills. They then read the accurate English translations...

Pupils study transportation in mid-19th-century Brooklyn. They look at several photographs of Brooklyn transport from the era and read Walt Whitman's poem "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry." In addition to making critical observations and...

Students discover how immigrant cigar makers in this section of Tampa, Florida adapted to life in the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th century while maintaining their ethnic identity. They design brochures describing the Ybor City.

Introduce viewers to the five "I"'s of Romanticism—imagination, intuition, idealism, inspiration, and individuality—with a colorful presentation that details the concepts of the American Romantic movement and features American poets,...

Personal correspondence in the form of letters is not as common as it once was. This resource presents an opportunity for you to introduce your class to letter writing and cover topics in social studies. Learners read a letter written in...

Students listen to the story of Dave a talented potter who overcame obstacles to create incredible pieces of sculpture.  In this pottery lesson, students are introduced to the poetic and lyrical story of an artist who transcended dire...

Construct from a canvas of words, lyrical expressions that your budding poets can share and post.  Based on refrigerator magnet poetry, creative writers can develop their poetry independently, or from a given prompt from their instructor.  

Everything you wanted to know about Emily Dickinson in 10 minutes. John Green’s rapid pace and hyperkinetic personae may not appeal to all viewers, but the video is, as advertised, a crash course in Dickinson’s life and her poetry. A...

Analyze the depth and beauty of American Literature by reading Emily Dickinson's letters and poems. The class analyzes Dickinson's poetic style and discusses Thomas Wentworth Higginson's editorial relationship with Dickinson. They pay...

The expanded timeline of Emily Dickinson's life is displayed on these slides. A plethora of information is presented covering main events, Dickinson's limited relationships, and her poetry. The majority of the slides contain the text of...

A carefully crafted three-day lesson integrates poetry and visual art. By analyzing and comparing Langston Hughes' poem "Mother and Son" and Romare Bearden's collage "The Dove," readers explore the theme of hope. The lesson activates...

Learners examine different poems from Emily Dickinson. They practice listening for meter in the poems and make connections between the texts. They also practice their own creative writing skills.

Students analyze the poems of Emily Dickinson and write their own nature poem. In this poetry analysis lesson, students read Dickinson poetry and analyze the use of imagery, sound, and metaphor. Students write their own nature poem using...

In this poetry discussion activity, students consider the elements of poetry as they respond to 6 short answer and essay questions based on the poem "My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun –."

Introduce your class to the elements of Romanticism with these slides. The foundations of the movement, the roles of imagination and nature, and the value of art are all highlighted. Features of Romanticism are explained such as...

Students examine the painting, The Combat of the Giaour and Hassan based on a poem by Lord Byron. They compare how Romantic artists and writers made choices about visual elements and language to depict their subjects.

Students read and explore one of Emily Dickinson's nature poems, "A Bird Came Down the Walk-" through interaction with a variety of art forms. Clips of a hymn to hear meter and the viewing of bird images exposes them to the language and...

Learners read and analyze the anti-slavery poem, "Christmas Bells" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. They discuss the content and form of the poem, write an essay, write an original poem, examine how this anti-slavery poem was converted...

On every July 4th, we watch fireworks and celebrate our independence, but how is the history of the American Revolution preserved? Four social studies instructional activity guide learners through different memorials, commemorative...

Key concepts, major writers, and historical events related to Transcendentalism are explored in a student-produced PowerPoint about this movement. The presentation could be used as an introduction to a unit or as a model that class...

Fifth graders analyze many examples of African-American poetry and examine how different poems reflect the cultural experiences of African-Americans. The poems and spirituals chosen are very effective for public presentation.

Third graders gain an appreciation for writing, analyzing, reading and listening to poetry, viewing poems as a motivation for studying Japanese culture and tradition. They study and create their own haiku and tanka poems with illustrations.