Walt Whitman: Poems Lesson Plan

Whitman's Homosexuality

Kind of Activity:

Research

Objective:

Students will research Whitman's homosexuality and learn about what it was like to be homosexual in the 19th century.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.1

Structure:

It is now generally accepted amongst literary historians that Whitman was a gay man. For this activity, students will research what life was like for LGBTQ individuals in the 19th century in America. First, direct them to check out this website from The Library Company of Philadelphia: https://librarycompany.org/gayatlcp/index.html.

Then, ask students to continue to research individually, focusing on trying to put together a...