Henry David Thoreau’s time spent at Walden Pond was not a fluke; it was a carefully planned and executed choice to live deliberately according to Thoreau’s transcendental beliefs. I would use a study of Walden to connect to the Lao Tzu conversation on goal-setting as a pre-reading activity. Students can analyze why goal-setting is important and what is involved in make sure those goals can be achieved.
Level: Secondary English/Language Arts
Subject Area: American literature
Author: Jennifer Robertson