Washington Irving in Context

Grade Appropriate:  9 - 12

Objectives:

• to introduce students to the many roles Washington Irving assumed in his lifetime
• to encourage students to consider Washington Irving's experiences in the context of what was happening historically and culturally in both the U.S. and Europe
• to help students consider themselves as multifaceted individuals

National Standards Connections:

This lesson plans meets the following learning standards as organized by the Mid-Continent Regional Education Laboratory (see Links for Web address).

Language Arts (6 - 12):
Applies reading skills and strategies to a variety of literary passages and texts.

History (K - 12):
Understands and knows how to analyze chronological relationships and patterns;  understands the historical perspective.

Art (K -  12):
Understands connections among the various art forms and other disciplines.

Suggested Time Allowance:

• two 45-minute discussion sessions
• one 45-minute reading session

Background for Teachers: (See About WI and Links for more information)

Though recognized and beloved as an author, Washington Irving's studies and artistic pursuits were not limited to literature.  Irving was an American author, as well as an amateur architect and landscape designer, family man, traveler, lawyer, historian, employer and gentleman farmer.  He lived during the late 18th through the mid-19th centuries when America experienced a tremendous period of economic, physical, and social growth.  Following the American Revolution, new concepts of what it meant to be an American were developed, along with a two-party political system and governmental documents (e.g. Declaration of Independence, the Constitution). In the early 19th century, the industrial revolution began transforming America from an agrarian nation of artisans, farmers, peasants and skilled laborers to an industrialized society of factories, large urban centers, and massive construction projects, such as the building of the transcontinental railroads.  These events served as inspiration for the writing by Irving  and other authors of the period (Bryant, Holmes, Emerson) as well as painters and musicians.
 

Vocabulary: (Complete list)

chronological:
items arranged in order of occurrence

multifaceted:
having numerous aspects or attributes

timeline:
a chronological outline of certain historical events and experiences

Activities / Procedures:

1.   Discussion:  Though recognized and beloved as an author, Washington Irving's   studies and artistic pursuits were not limited to literature.  Irving was an American author, as well as an amateur architect and landscape designer, family man, traveler, lawyer, historian, employer and gentleman farmer.  Print out the information provided in the About Washington Irving section that describes Irving's multifaceted life. Distribute copies to your students and read aloud together the background information.  Like Irving, your students are multifaceted in their interests and life experiences, and they share a multifaceted history. Ask your students to discuss the different attributes that make up their unique identities. Also, have them consider what political and social issues, as well as cultural movements (including pop culture, fine arts, literature) have occurred over their lifetime which may be considered significant enough to be part of their generations' timeline.

2.   Discussion: Washington Irving's experiences can be viewed in the context of   what was happening in history  and the arts. Print out the information provided in the timeline.  You might choose to print out the timeline for a specific time period (e.g. 1780 - 1800) or the complete timeline that describes events and  cultural experiences that occurred over Irving's lifetime (1780 - 1860). Distribute copies to your students and discuss how different events and experiences can occur simultaneously. Talk about how by examining the history, art,  literature,  and music of a specific period, one can develop a picture of what life was like during specific periods of the 19th century.

3. Reading Activity:  Ask your students to read Rip Van Winkle, one of Irving's most popular stories about a henpecked husband who awakens after 20-years of   sleep to find his world vastly changed (see References for suggested books).  Ask your students to notice Irving's use of actual historical events and personalities   in this story.  Suggested questions:  What events and people are used in this story   to tell us that it takes place in the late 18th century?  How have things changed in   Rip's town after 20 years?  
 

Assessment:

Through their involvement in several discussions, students will demonstrate their understanding of timelines and the multifaceted experiences of Washington Irving.  They will apply their "reading" skills to a variety of mediums.

Criteria for assessment include:

1. active involvement in discussions
2. descriptive language in discussions about how different historical and artistic experience relate to each other
3. ability to retell story using main characters and setting, and in correct sequence