Grade 9 Syllabus
Freshmen
QUARTER 1:
INTRODUCTION: rules and expectations, syllabus, get to know you activities, introduction to the Collins Writing Program, paragraph structure/sample writing piece, grammar sheet, Mad Libs activities, and grammar quiz. We will also initiate SSR (Sustained Silent Reading) and select a novel from the library (bring one from home or borrow one from me as well).
SUMMER READING: small group discussions/presentation and creative writing
*Honors: individual visual project, mini presentation, and type 4 essay
SHORT STORIES: elements of short stories, story plot outline, and essay format. For each short story there will be a vocabulary quiz, grammar focus activity, study guide questions, and small project/group work. At the end of this unit there will also be a type 4 essay and unit test.
These are the stories we will be reading:
1. “The Most Dangerous Game”4. “Marigolds”
2. “The Colomber”5. “The Ransom of Red Chief”
3. “Poison”
*Honors: will read 4 out of the 5 of the above stories as well as two additional stories from the theme Expect the Unexpected (“The Gift of the Magi” and “The Cask of Amontillado”). Study guide questions and short group/individual projects can be expected. A take-home test and type 3 essay will follow.
QUARTER 2:
GREEK MYTHOLOGY & THE ODYSSEY: Introduction to the epic poem, epic hero, mythology, and myths, myth presentations, create your own god/goddess project, creative writing, read The Odyssey, selected vocabulary, grammar focus activities, understand character and place names, map project, Part 1 and Part 2 quizzes (averaged together for a unit test grade), Odysseus vs. Suitors debate, and type 4 thematic essay.
*Honors: will also complete a research project on a god/goddess of their choosing, several creative writing activities, read an excerpt from Oedipus and write an additional type 3 essay on tragic heroes.
QUARTER 3:
SHAKESPEAREAN DRAMA & ROMEO AND JULIET: Introduction to Shakespeare and drama, dramatic conventions, vocabulary/words from Shakespeare’s era (to review and become familiar with), grammar focus activities, four act projects (Acts IV and V will be combined), translate Shakespeare’s language into modern day language, view the Zeffirelli version (prior to quizzes, as a review) and modern movie version (at completion of unit), study guide questions, act projects, creative writing, Shakespeare's Soundtrack activity, and thematic type 4 essay. There will be a quiz after each act; the five quizzes will be averaged as a test grade.
*Honors: Instead of a thematic type 4 essay, a research paper on some aspect of the 16th century will be completed.
QUARTER 4:
POETRY: introduce specific poetic devises, connect poetry to music, favorite song presentations, read poems as examples of poetic devices, create our own examples of poetic devices, practice different creative writing activities, and analyze the meaning behind poems. All work will be organized into a portfolio to be handed in.
*Honors students can expect an increased amount of both creative writing activities and poem analysis.
**Two supplemental reading novels will also be assigned. One will be specifically assigned, while the other will be a free choice selection. Honors students will have three supplemental reading novels, two of which will be specifically assigned, while the third will be a free choice selection. Students can expect a different project to accompany each of the supplemental reading novels.
** Each student will have a folder kept in the classroom. Any test, quizzes, projects, essays, old class materials, etc will be kept within it. Quizzes, tests, and any written work will be logged within the folder in order to track progress. The student will be able to take the folder with him or her at the end of the year as a review for the final exam.