English 1

Ninth grade English is designed to provide students with a variety of opportunities to progress in reading, writing, thinking and speaking.  The units studied are divided into four time frames and are integrated with each other throughout the course of the school year.

I. Literature
    A. Short stories
        1. Plot
        2. Character
        3.  Point of View
        4.  Setting
        5.  Theme
    B. Drama
        1.  Romeo and Juliet
        2.  Out of Control
    C. Novel
        1. A Separate Peace  Knowles
        2. Facing Up    Brancato
        3. Great Expectations  Dickens
 Methods of study include reading, class discussion, vocabulary development, composition, study guides, quizzes, and tests.
    D.  Reader's Workshop
        1.  Student-selected readings and related projects

II.  Composition
    A. Writing paragraphs
        1.  Descriptive
        2.  Narrative
        3.  Persuasive
        4. Expository
    B. Writing about literature (textbook projects)
    C. Writing a short story
    D. Writer's Workshop
        1.  Student-selected writings and related projects
    E.  Research project: Romeo and Juliet
Methods of study include modeling, frequent writing assignments, specific feedback to individuals and whole group, self-editing, and peer response.

Note: When multiple writing assignments occur in a given week, students will select the one they wish evaluated by the teacher.

III.  Grammar
    A.  Parts of speech
    B.  Parts of a sentence (including fragments and run-on sentences)
    C. Subject-verb agreement/usage
    D.  Pronoun-antecedent agreement/usage
    E.  Modifiers (comparison, placement)
    F.  Mechanics (capital letters, commas, quotation marks, apostrophes)
Methods of study include textbook exercises, class participation drills, worksheet review, self-editing of compositions, quizzes and tests.

IV.  Speaking and listening
    A. Preparation and presentation of a four minute informative speech
    B.  Speech evaluation
Methods of study include textbook examples, speech checklist, library research methods, video examples, and actual presentation.