module
Democracy Through Literature
The lessons in this module develop thoughtful readers who approach challenging texts as travelers, bringing both cognitive empathy and critical analysis to their journeys. In these lessons, students explore The Scarlet Letter, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and The Crucible through the lens of the Declaration of Independence, examining how the Declaration informed and influenced American authors across different historical moments.
Units
Lesson
Literary Doorways Through Time
The first opening lesson in our Democracy Through Literature unit uses visual literacy and close reading to help students understand how authors from different eras wrote about and responded to their specific time and place.
Lesson
Books, the Declaration of Independence, and the Founding of the American Mind
The second opening lesson in our Democracy and Literature unit explores how reading shaped the writers of the Declaration of Independence. Students examine how attention influences expression while learning to empathize with and critically analyze varying perspectives.
Lesson
Unraveling Truths Through the Scarlet Letter
This opening lesson explores how the Declaration of Independence influenced Nathaniel Hawthorne. Students build a foundation for understanding layered perspectives in his work and how the Declaration set the stage for literary conversation.
Lesson
Coming to Terms with Equality Through The Scarlet Letter
The second lesson asks students to compare 2 works by Hawthorne and write an analysis essay. Students explore nuanced interpretations of his viewpoint and reflect on how his writing reveals historical challenges of applying the Declaration’s principles equally and universally.
Lesson
Claiming Unalienable Rights Through The Scarlet Letter
The third lesson examines the role of symbols in deepening our understanding of characters’ choices. Through visual literacy, discussion, and a synthesis essay, students explore Hester’s journey in light of the Declaration’s principle of unalienable rights.
Lesson
Negotiating Consent of the Governed in The Scarlet Letter
The final lesson of this unit explores “consent of the governed” by making connections between settings and character development. Students compare the forest and civil society, then collaboratively show how these settings represent negotiations of personal freedom and consent.
