Before having students read Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau (or an excerpt), I would start a discussion using the conversation about responsibility from Dr. Seuss. This discussion will get students thinking about the role of the individual and how one person can have a profound effect on others. Thoreau’s essay argues that every individual has a civic responsibility to challenge and disobey unjust laws. To wait for others to do the real work is a failure on the part of the individual.
Level: Secondary English/Language Arts
Subject Area: American Literature
Author: Tiffany Heitman
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