Activity Overview
In this activity, students can create a timeline of the literary movements in American literature. Students will use a timeline to portray the major movements in form and genre from Puritanism to Modernism. Having students use elements, like characters and settings, that are indicative of the time period to depict life in the era will help them understand the experience of people from that period. Students will also connect changes between the periods. For example, students will notice that Puritanism had a strong belief and reliance on God, whereas its successor, the Age of Reason, shifted focus to understanding through logic and science.
When giving directions, take care not to stifle student creativity. Allow them to select the information they feel will be most important to know. In the description boxes, students can answer a variety of questions about the time period.
Example questions include:
- What were the main beliefs of the people during this movement?
- What significant events prompted people's rationales to change?
- What aspects of culture derive from this movement?
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a timeline depicting the different American literary movements.
- Use the template provided by your teacher
- For each cell of the timeline, title the different literary movements
- In the description boxes, describe the literary movement and how it affected culture and beliefs
- Illustrate each literary movement or time period with appropriate scenes, characters, and items
Lesson Plan Reference
- [ELA-Literacy/RL/11-12/9] Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics
- [ELA-Literacy/W/11-12/6] Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information
- [ELA-Literacy/SL/11-12/2] Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data
- [ELA-Literacy/SL/11-12/5] Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 33 Points | Emerging 25 Points | Beginning 17 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Events and Dates | The events chosen for the timeline are significant and important to the overall understanding of the time period. The dates provided are correct. | Most of the events chosen for the timeline are significant and important to the overall understanding of the time period. Most of the dates provided are correct. | Some of the events chosen for the timeline are significant. There may be missing events, or events that are irrelevant. Too many dates may be incorrect. |
| Explanations/Descriptions | The explanations or descriptions provided for each event are accurate and provide insight into the significance of the events. | The explanations or descriptions provided for each event are mostly accurate and attempt to provide insight into the significance of the events. | There are several glaring inaccuracies in the explanations or descriptions of the events. There may be little or no insight int the significance of the events, or the information provided may be too limited or missing. |
| English Conventions | There are 0-2 mistakes in spelling, grammar, and mechanics. | There are 3-4 mistakes in spelling, grammar, and mechanics. | There are 5 or more mistakes in spelling, grammar, and mechanics. |
How to Help Students Analyze Different Periods and Types of American Literature
Discuss Literature
Begin the discussion by generally talking about literature. Teachers can ask students what literature is, if they are aware of any different types of literature, the impacts of literature, and how literature influences societies. All these questions will create an interesting atmosphere for the discussion and give the teachers a starting point to build the lecture.
Focus on American Literature and Literary Movements
Once the students are more familiar with the background and context of the discussion, introduce the main topic of the discussion. Teachers can first introduce American Literature and keep the students engaged in the discussion by asking if they are aware of any famous American authors or literature. List all the periods of American Literature and discuss the types of literary movements within the context.
Examine Central Ideas
Encourage your students to find motifs, symbols, and repeating themes in each era's literature. Talk about how these represent the issues of the day. By focusing on some specific authors of types of literature, students can also analyze the themes and influences in detail and perform their own research.
Analyze Style and Language
Talk about the literary devices, vocabulary, and writing styles used by writers from each era. Examine and contrast the approaches to storytelling taken by various eras. To give more background and viewpoints, include primary materials from each era, such as speeches, letters, and historical records. As an activity, each student can analyze one piece of primary source according to their own interest and share their analysis with the rest of the class.
Encourage Discussions
Organize conversations in groups so that students may explore the literature and provide their opinions and thoughts. Teachers can assign several group and individual activities to help students understand different concepts better and more effectively. Encourage the students to think from several perspectives.
Frequently Asked Questions About Timeline of American Literary Movements
Which important literary trends emerged in America and when?
The Romantic Period (1800–1860), the Colonial Period (1607–1765), the Realist/Naturalist Period (1865–1914), the Modernist Period (1914–1945), and the Contemporary Period (1945–present) are a few significant American literary trends.
What effects did historical occurrences have on American literary movements?
The topics, forms, and concerns of American literature over these different periods were greatly influenced by historical events such as the American Revolution, the Civil War, and both World Wars.
What distinguishing features did the Contemporary Period have over earlier literary movements?
A great range of voices and styles characterize the Contemporary Period. It represents the richness and diversity of American culture by encompassing a wide range of genres, issues, and viewpoints.
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