Name:______Date:_____

English Language Arts Grade 9 Course Outline

Teachers:

Ms. Monaco (Room 203)hone: 888-4080

Mrs. Nagle (Room 211)hone: 888-4080

Mrs. Guerrero (Room 213)hone: 888-4080

Course Description:

This course is designed to provide opportunities for freshmen level English students to engage in an in-depth examination of literature (both fiction and non-fiction) and the writing process as required by the Common Core Learning Standards. Opportunities will be provided for the students to examine practical and creative applications of the course content in order to enhance reading and writing development.

Supplies needed:

+Composition notebook (any color)+ Lined paper (1 pack)+Highlighter (optional)

+1 three-ring binder - 1 inch+ Blue or black pens+Post-its (optional)

Classroom Expectations:

1.)Be on-time and be prepared (have a pass if you’re late).

2.)Use appropriate language and no bullying.

3.)Stay focused: no grooming, no eating or drinking, no horseplay.

4.)Keep hands to yourself; do not throw any objects.

5.)Always put forth your best effort.

Teachers will adhere to the following policies as outlined in the HSCS Student Handbook: Use of Inappropriate Language, Plagiarism, Dress Code, Cell Phones, Bathroom Passes, Food & Drink consumption, and Attendance.

Absent Policy:

●STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING UP ALL MISSED WORK.

●Students will inform the teacher of an absence via email and look online at Ms. Monaco’s website for missed work.

●Students will meet with teachers after school during Enrichment (3:02 - 3:40pm) to make up missed work.

If the work is not completed by the teacher-issued due date because of a medically related extended absence, the student will be required to complete and alternative assignment at the discretion of the teacher.
Homework Policy: the student will always have homework.

●20 minutes of reading per night (books, newspaper, legitimate online news sources).

●Online vocabulary assignments - 1 per unit (Vocabulary.com).

●Any assignment that was not completed during class that day must be completed for homework.

Assignments Policy:

●All work must be completed by the DUE DATE!

●Any student earning an unsatisfactory grade on an assignment will make corrections and resubmit their work.

●All re-submitted work is due one week after it is assigned - no extensions will be given.

Grading Policy & Scale:

Assignments and Weights / Grades
●Formative Assessments - 30% of total grade
●21st Century Skills - 30% of total grade
●Summative Assessments - 40% of total grade / ✔++ Distinguished
✔+ Mastery
✔ Satisfactory
✔- Unsatisfactory

Course Outline:

Unit Topic: / Texts we will read:
Ongoing Independent Reading:
●Students are expected to read at home for 20 minutes per night.
●Students should select books at their “just right” level.
●Students should select books that reflect their personal interests.
●Students should obtain a Public Library Card to borrow books. / Example of young adult fiction include:
All the Bright Places (Jennifer Niven), An Abundance of Katherines (John Green), The Boyfriend List (E. Lockhart), Burned (Ellen Hopkins), Crank (Ellen Hopkins), DUFF Designated Ugly Fat Friend (Kody Keplinger), The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (E. Lockhart), Eleanor and Park (Rainbow Rowell), The Fault in Our Stars (John Green), The First Part Last (Angela Johnson), Forgive Me Leonard Peacock (Matthew Quick), Identical (Ellen Hopkins), Impulse (Ellen Hopkins), If I Give You the Sun (Jandy Nelson), If I Stay (Gayle Foreman), It’s Kind of a Funny Story (Ned Vizzini), Imani All Mine (Connie Rose Porter), Love Letters to the Dead (Ava Dellaira), Make Lemonade (Trilogy - Virginia Euwer Wolff), Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Jesse Andrews), Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac (Gabriel Zevin), Paper Towns (John Green), Perks of Being a Wallflower (Steven Chbosky), Speak (Laurie Halse Anderson), Thirteen Reasons Why (Jay Asher), Twisted (Laurie Halse Anderson), We Were Liars (E. Lockhart), Where Things Come Back (John Corey Whaley), Where She Went (Gayle Foreman), Will Grayson, Will Grayson (John Green and David Levithan), Zac and Mia (A.J. Betts)
*Students who borrow HSCS texts are responsible for signing out books and returning the texts in good condition*
Short Stories Unit / Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl and other fiction.
Shakespeare Unit / Romeo and Juliet - “No Fear Shakespeare” text
Argumentative Writing Unit / Texts will be supplied by the teacher.
Drama (Play) Unit / “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry
Research Project / Digital Literacy Sources
Narrative Unit / The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois, “Sweetness” by Toni Morrison, “Little Things are Big” by Jesus Colon, and other non-fiction texts

**If the course content in anyway conflicts with an individual’s belief system or makes a student uncomfortable, the student is asked to privately with the teacher so that they can be excused from the conversation, text, or learning activity. The teacher will contact the student’s parent/guardian to discuss and agree on alternative assignment.**

Classroom Website:

●Students are required to follow Ms. Monaco’s Google Classroom website (this will be covered in class).

●Parents are encouraged to subscribe to Ms. Monaco’s Google Classroom website to stay informed about ELA 9.

●All assignments and important updates will be posted to the Google Classroom website.

Student Signature:______Date:______

Parent Signature:______Date:______

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