The Rhodora
A poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1876) was an American essayist, poet and philosopher, a central figure in the Transcendentalist movement. 'The Rhodora' was first published in 1839. This text reflects its era; a few period terms have been modernised. The poem is a meditation on beauty and purpose in nature: the speaker finds a wild flower blooming unseen in the woods and concludes that beauty is its own excuse for being. Emerson invites the reader to see wonder in small, overlooked things and to trust that the same Power that made the flower also guides us.
- Band
- Green · Independent readers, earlyTypical starting range: ages 9–11
- Length
- medium · about 770 words in 4 sections · 3 pictures
- Source
- Poems, Ralph Waldo Emerson
- First published
- see the About page in the reader
- Regions
- Canada · United States
Included formats
- · Web reader and PDF
- · EPUB for e-readers
- · Home-print sheet
- · Folded booklet
- · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
- · Worksheet
- · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
- · Read-aloud script
- · Teacher’s Edition (members)
Lesson at a glance
- Reading
- about 9 minutes at this band
- Pause questions
- 2
- Words to Know
- 8
- Quick Check
- 10 questions, with the answer key
- Let’s Talk
- 2 questions for afterwards
- Worksheet
- questions, an activity and a drawing prompt
About 35 minutes with one story, all of it.
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The same story
Other bands of this story
This story is ready now at the Green band only. Other bands can be made to order for members after launch.