Whitman's work is, he said, meant to be spoken rather than read. With that in mind, it is essential that either you or the students read the poetry aloud in class. Students can also be asked to read the work in small groups. Whitman's cadence should be heard as well as seen.
The thought questions in this lesson plan provide material and ideas that students can use to write short original essays and to develop their powers of thought. For the sake of improving the power of expression, teachers should encourage students to write on topics that have been discussed in class, this time in the more formal writing style expected in a literary essay. At the same time, students should not be...
