Children's Book Author Barbara Kerley
Teacher's Guide for Walt Whitman: Words for America
1. Walt loved to experiment with language. When he was excited about what he wrote, he said that his "heart thumped double-beat." As a class, create other ways someone could express the feeling of excitement. Ask students to come up with their own way to say they are happy, angry, or sad.
2. Walt wanted to capture the spirit of America in his poems. As a class, brainstorm what ideas/objects best represent the spirit of America. Then invite students to write their own poems about America.
3. Walt loved to ramble. While he rambled, he often took notes in handmade, pocket-sized notebooks. Make small notebooks by cutting a few pieces of paper, punching a couple holes in one edge, and binding the pages together with a piece of ribbon or string. Then go on a class ramble and have students take notes on what they see and who they meet. To see examples of Walt's own notebooks, visit the Library of Congress website. For examples of his hospital notebooks, see Notebook #94, images 14 and 39.
4. Back in the days before television, people learned about war through maps, which gave detailed sketches of battles. Make an overhead to share with students of a battle map, such as the one of the Battle of Gettysburg. Share details of the battle with students as the class explores the map. See The History Place website for more information on the battle.
For more classroom ideas on using Civil War maps, see the Library of Congress' site for teachers.
1. Walt loved to experiment with language. When he was excited about what he wrote, he said that his "heart thumped double-beat." As a class, create other ways someone could express the feeling of excitement. Ask students to come up with their own way to say they are happy, angry, or sad.
2. Walt wanted to capture the spirit of America in his poems. As a class, brainstorm what ideas/objects best represent the spirit of America. Then invite students to write their own poems about America.
3. Walt loved to ramble. While he rambled, he often took notes in handmade, pocket-sized notebooks. Make small notebooks by cutting a few pieces of paper, punching a couple holes in one edge, and binding the pages together with a piece of ribbon or string. Then go on a class ramble and have students take notes on what they see and who they meet. To see examples of Walt's own notebooks, visit the Library of Congress website. For examples of his hospital notebooks, see Notebook #94, images 14 and 39.
4. Back in the days before television, people learned about war through maps, which gave detailed sketches of battles. Make an overhead to share with students of a battle map, such as the one of the Battle of Gettysburg. Share details of the battle with students as the class explores the map. See The History Place website for more information on the battle.
For more classroom ideas on using Civil War maps, see the Library of Congress' site for teachers.