English with Mrs. Lamp

I’ve been teaching 11th Grade American Literature for 13 years, and I’ve come to see it as a wonderful opportunity to help students understand the cultural and historical fabric of America. One of the units I’ve kept in my rotation is American Romanticism. Why? It’s a literary movement that shaped our nation’s identity and continues to influence American thought today. Plus, the kids LOVE the poems in this unit. I would feel so bad if they didn’t get the chance to read them!

You can check out my 2-3 week unit here 🙂

American Romanticism, which flourished from about 1830 to 1860, emerged during a time of rapid change and expansion in the United States. This period saw the country grappling with issues of national identity, westward expansion, and the growing divide over slavery. The Romantic writers of this era responded to these changes by emphasizing individualism, emotion, and a connection to nature – themes that resonate strongly with teenagers navigating their own identities.

Here’s why American Romanticism deserves a prominent place in your 11th grade ELA curriculum:

1. It introduces students to foundational American voices. Writers like Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and William Cullen Bryant aren’t just important for their literary contributions – they helped shape the American psyche. Their works provide insight into the hopes, fears, and values of 19th-century America. By exploring poems like Longfellow’s “The Cross of Snow” and “The Village Blacksmith,” or Bryant’s “Thanatopsis” and “The Prairies,” students gain a deeper understanding of the Romantic perspective. (I like to start the year with Puritan Lit, where we do a similar approach: “Let’s figure out these people’s beliefs & values by reading what they wrote!”)
2. It explores the concept of American identity. As our nation continues to grapple with questions of what it means to be American, the Romantics’ exploration of this theme remains relevant. Their celebration of individualism and self-reliance still echoes in our national character. Poems like Longfellow’s “A Psalm of Life” & “The Village Blacksmith” offer excellent opportunities for students to reflect on these enduring values.
3. It emphasizes the power of nature. In our increasingly urbanized and digital world, the Romantics’ reverence for nature can inspire students to consider their own relationship with the natural world. Bryant’s “The Prairies” and “To a Waterfowl” are perfect examples of this theme, offering rich imagery and symbolism for analysis.
4. It allows us to encounter important literary techniques. Romantic literature is rich with symbolism, imagery, metaphor and other literary devices. Diving into these elements of the poet’s craft can really help enhance students’ analytical skills. By focusing on poetry analysis during my unit, I help students develop the critical reading skills they need to succeed.
5. It encourages emotional intelligence. The Romantics’ focus on feelings and inner experiences can help students develop empathy and self-awareness. Personal response activities, such as the journal prompts reflecting on the themes of Romantic poetry that I include in my unit, can help foster this emotional growth.

To effectively teach American Romanticism, it’s crucial to have a well-structured unit that not only engages students but also develops their critical thinking skills. A comprehensive 2-3 week unit can provide the perfect framework for this exploration. Here’s how such a unit might be structured:

Week 1: Introduction to Romanticism

• Begin with a video introduction and notetaking activity to grab students’ attention and provide an overview of the movement.
• Use background readings on Romanticism, paired with notetaking lessons, to build context.
• Assign a personal response activity with journal prompts to encourage reflection on Romantic themes.
• Introduce Longfellow with a biographical reading, then dive into some of his most famous & effective poems, like “The Cross of Snow” and “The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls.”
• Incorporate vocabulary-in-context activities to support comprehension.
• Use in-depth reading questions to guide analysis and discussion.

Week 2: Deepening Understanding

• Transition to Bryant’s works, including “Thanatopsis” and “The Prairies.” Introduce this section with a biographical reading & more notetaking practice, and then get into these two longer poems.
• Continue to introduce key vocabulary & encourage students to use their literary terms as they analyze the poems & discuss with one another.
• Finish the unit with a poetry analysis activity like an essay, 1-pager, or a poetry-geared graphic organizer!

Week 3 (Optional): Extended Learning

• For classes with more time, include a final project such as a movie project based on Romantic short stories like “The Devil and Tom Walker” or “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” My students LOVE the chance to work with a small group & retell a famous short story from the American Romantic period!

Throughout the unit, it’s important to focus on active reading strategies, historical context analysis, and literary device identification. These skills not only support students’ understanding of Romantic literature but also prepare them for more advanced literary study.

A well-designed unit should also offer opportunities for differentiation. This might include providing teacher outlines & notes as study guides for IEP learners, offering a video introduction for visual/audio learners, and including alternative assessment options like a graphic organizer for poetry analysis vs. a formal essay. My unit on TPT includes all of these options. I also make sure to SLOW DOWN & formally teach highlighting, annotation, and notetaking as part of the unit.

By teaching American Romanticism through a structured, comprehensive unit, we’re not just covering a literary movement to “check it off” our list – we’re helping our students understand the roots of American culture and identity. We’re giving them tools to interpret their world and understand where we’ve been & how we got to where we are now. I love teaching ELA through literary movements because it’s one of the easiest ways for me to ensure I am fostering critical thinking, cultural awareness, and personal growth in my students.

In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, the themes of American Romanticism: the value of nature, the importance of individuality, the power of emotion and imagination – are more relevant than ever. By bringing these ideas into our classrooms we’re helping to shape thoughtful, reflective citizens who can appreciate the complexity of the American experience.

That’s why American Romanticism isn’t just important – it’s essential for every 11th grade ELA classroom. With the right resources and approach, we can make this crucial period in American literature come alive for our students, connecting the past to their present and future!

How do you teach Romanticism? What texts do you use? Do you connect it to a Transcendentalism unit or a Gothic/Dark Romanticism unit? (COMING SOON–MY TRANSCENDENTALISM & GOTHIC UNITS!)