Language Arts 9

Semester A

Course Description

English for grade 9 is an integrated curriculum. Each unit contains thematically related lessons in five domains: reading and the study of literature, reading informational text, writing, speaking and listening, and language study, which includes word knowledge and grammar skills.  Topics are presented in ways that help young adolescents relate literacy skills to other aspects of their lives.  Writing assignments include narrative, expository, and persuasive/argumentative modes and emphasize the use of and details and reasoning to support ideas. Speaking and listening lessons in Semester A emphasize collaborative discussion skills and peer review. Vocabulary development instruction is integrated into literature and informational text lessons. Each unit ends with an authentic assessment that presents students with a real-world scenario requiring some of the skills they learned in the unit.

Major Concepts

• Reading skills and strategies
• Literary elements and devices
• Reading informational text
• Text structures
• Writing narratives and information
• Collaborative discussion
• Peer review
• Word attack skills

Semester B

Course Description

Like semester A, semester B consists of integrated units focused on a theme or mode of study. Literature study in semester B focuses on the analysis of different forms of literature and on comparative studies of world literature and literature delivered in different media. Writing and informational text lessons guide students through the stages of research and demonstrate how to evaluate, integrate, and share the information gathered during research. Students are required to share their ideas and analysis using several different modes, including oral and multimedia presentations.

Major Concepts

• Literary forms
• Comparative literature
• Literary analysis
• Evaluating arguments
• Research process and skills
• Forms of media and multimedia

Requirements

Grade Level
9

Materials
Required Novels:

• Romeo and Juliet (Semester A)
• To Kill a Mockingbird (Semester B)

Optional Novels (Choose 1 per semester):

• The Old Man and the Sea
• House on Mango Street
• Fahrenheit 451
• The Odyssey
• Ender's Game
• Speak Of Mice and Men

Duration
2 Semesters

Prerequisites
None

Technology

• Use of audio recording software
• Use of multimedia presentation software
• Internet searches for research purposes