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Grade 9 Curriculum Guide

  1. Genre-3.0 Literary Response and Analysis: Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. They conduct in-depth analyses of recurrent patterns and themes.
    1. Fiction
      1. Novels-Required: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
      2. Fable-HRW: "The Trapper Trapped" (p. 100)
      3. Folk Tale-HRW: "Appointment in Samarra" (p. 212) or "The Talking Skull" (p. 247)
      4. Fairy Tale-HRW: "The Princess and the Tin Box" (p. 244)
      5. Myths-Greek, Roman, Norse (See also VII Vocabulary Development)
        1. Mythology and You-115
        2. Myth and Their Meanings (HB)-165
        3. Myths and Their Meanings (PB)-75
        4. Myths and Folk Tales Around the World-73
      6. Epic-Required: HRW excerpts: The Odyssey by Homer
        1. The Odyssey of Homer-140
        2. The Odyssey w/Reader's Guide-220
    2. Non-fiction
      1. Essays
        1. Personal Narrative
          1. Autobiographical: "The Washerwoman"-HRW (p. 188)
          2. Biographical: "New Directions"-HRW (p. 328)
        2. Comparison/Contrast -HRW (p. 614-618)
      2. Autobiography-HRW excerpt: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings M. Angelou (p. 356)
        1. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (entire novel) and/or
        2. Non-fiction of choice for supplemental reading.
      3. Chronicle
        1. Newspaper Editorial: "Romeo and Juliet in Bosnia"-HRW (p. 860)
        2. News Feature: "Dear Juliet"-HRW 854
        only)
    3. Poetry (to support 3.0 Literary response and Analysis Vocabulary
      1. Poems from HRW Collection 8
      2. Poems from HRW Collection 9
    4. Drama-Required: Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare (HRW: Collection 13)
      1. Romeo & Juliet with Parallel Text-100
      2. Romeo and Juliet (Folger)-127
      3. Romeo and Juliet w/Reader's Guide-127
      4. Romeo and Juliet w/Reader's Guide (HB)-99

  2. Writing/Modes of Discourse-2.0 Writing Applications: Students combine the rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description to produce texts of at least 1,500 words each. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the research, organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0
    1. Exposition (pair with Listening and Speaking Standard 2.2)
      1. Process Analysis
        1. Writers Inc Language Series Program Guide Section 2
        2. "Claiming Breath"-HRW (p. 546)
      2. Comparison/Contrast
        1. "Writer's Workshop"- HRW ( p. 614 - 618)
        2. Writers Inc: Sections 112, 359, 360, 503, 548, 551
    2. Description-Objective/Subjective (Pair with Listening and Speaking Standard 2.6 a-c)
      1. Writers Inc: Sections 132, 135-138
      2. Writers Inc Language Series Program Guide Section 2
      3. Teacher's Resource Guide "Outline for Descriptive Essay"

  3. Literary Terms/Figures of Speech/Vocabulary Development-3.0 Literary Response and Analysis: Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. They conduct in-depth analyses of recurrent themes. 1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development: Students apply their knowledge of word origins to determine the meaning of new words encountered in reading materials and use those words accurately.
    1. 1.1, 1.2, 3.7 Language/Diction: allegorical, alliteration, connotation, denotation, description, figurative, ironical, literal, overstated (hyperbole), oxymoron, paradoxical, vulgarity
    2. 3.3, 3.6 Narrative Devices/Techniques: characterization, climax, conflict, crisis, deus ex machina, exposition, fable, fairy tale, falling action, first person, genre, third person, flashback, folk tale, foreshadow, initial incident, myth, narrator, oral tradition, plot, point of view, rising action, sub-plot
    3. 1.1, 1.2 Organization/Structure: description, comparison/contrast, process analysis, narration, spatial
    4. 3.1, 3.3 Argument: assertion, inference, rebuttal
    5. 3.8 Selection of Detail/Imagery/Figures of Speech: abstract/concrete, conceit, mood, tone
    6. 3.9, 3.11 Attitude/Tone: See "Tone Words List" in Teachers' Resource Manual
    7. 3.7 Figurative Devices: figure of speech, metaphor, personification, simile
    8. 3.11 Poetic Form/Structure: couplet, epic, iambic, iambic pentameter, line, rhyme scheme, sonnet, stanza
    9. 3.4 Presentation of Character: flat, round, main, minor
    10. 3.1 Dramatic Terms: acts, aside, dialogue, exposition, line, scenes, soliloquy, tragedy
    11. 1.9 Responding to Essay Prompts
      1. Teacher's Resource Guide-Responding to Prompts
      2. Writers Inc: Sections 502-509
      3. HRW (p. 991)

  4. Cultural and Historical Contexts-3.0 Literary Response and Analysis: Students read and respond to historically, culturally, or socially significant works of literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science.
    1. Movements-3.12 Analyze the way in which a work of literature is related to the themes and issues of its historical period.
      1. Classical
      2. Humanism
      3. Renaissance
    2. Historical-3.12
      1. Origins of Literature
      2. Development of Literary Genre

  5. Grammar/Syntax/Conventions-1.0 Written and Oral English Language Conventions: Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions. 2.0 Writing Applications: . . . Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English.
    1. 1.1 Clauses-Introduce/Review and for writing style
      1. Main-Writers, Inc: Section 755 & 756; HRW 302, 432, 433, 1009
      2. Subordinate-Writers, Inc: Section 755 & 756
    2. 1.1 Phrases-Introduction/Review and for writing style; HRW 129, 143, 1006
      1. Gerund-Writers, Inc: Section 754
      2. Infinitive-Writers, Inc: Section 754
      3. Participial-Writers, Inc: Section 754
    3. 1.1 Punctuation-as related to understanding of clauses and phrases
      1. colons-Writers, Inc: Sections 599-604; HRW 1025
      2. semicolons-Writers, Inc: Sections 595-598; HRW 1025
      3. ellipses-Writers, Inc: Section 578
      4. hyphens-Writers, Inc: Sections 605 - 613; HRW 1030
    4. 1.3 Proper English Usage
      1. "Proper Grammar"-HRW pages 93, 231, 789
      2. "Proper Paragraph Structure"-Writers Inc: Sections 1-2, 115; Language Series Program Guide page 2.
      3. 1.2, 1.3 "Proper Sentence Structure"-HRW "Sentence Workshops": pages 117, 199, 255, 337, 391, 443, 467, 483, 619, 721, 873, 963, 1010, 1014, 1015
      4. 1.3 Diction-HRW 211; Writers Inc: Sections 040, 418
      5. 1.3 Syntax-Writers Inc: Section 134, 759 - 760; Teacher's Resource Manual

    (Supplementary Grammar Texts: English Language and Writing 9 (Holt) - 186 copies; English-Orange Level (McDougall Littell) - 461 copies)

  6. Speaking and Listening
    1. 1.0 Listening and Speaking Strategies: Students formulate adroit judgments about oral communication. They deliver focused and coherent presentations of their own that convey clear and distinct perspectives and solid reasoning. They use gestures, tone, and vocabulary tailored to the audience and purpose.
      1. Presentation Guidelines-Writers Inc: Sections 514 - 516; Teacher's Resource Guide
      2. Presentation Rubrics-Teacher's Resource Guide
    2. 2.0 Students deliver polished formal and extemporaneous presentations that combine the traditional rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description. Student speaking demonstrates a command of standard American English and the organizational and delivery strategies outlined in Listening and Speaking Standard 1.
      1. Oral presentations of required essays.
      2. 2.2 Process analysis, 2.6 Description, 2.2, 2.4 Compare/Contrast

  7. Vocabulary Development-1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development: Students apply their knowledge of word origins to determine the meaning of new words encountered in reading materials and use those words accurately.
    1. 1.3 Identify Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology and use the knowledge to understand the origin and meaning of new words.
      1. Greek and Roman Myths (Classical)
        1. Cupid and Psyche
        2. Echo and Narcissus
        3. Arachne and Athena
        4. Adonis and Aphrodite
        5. Perseus and Andromeda
        6. Daedalus and Icarus
        7. Midas and the Golden Touch
        8. Apollo and Cassandra
        9. Demeter and Persephone
        10. Hero and Leander
        11. Pandora's Box
        12. The Riddle of the Sphinx
        13. The Phoenix, Basilisk, Unicorn
      2. Norse Mythology
        1. Odin, Vili, and Ve
        2. Asgard, Valhalla, the Valkyrie
        3. Thor, Frey, Bragi, Heimdall
        4. Loki, Baldur, and the Giants
    2. Systematic Vocabulary Development
      1. Writers Inc: Sections 446 and 447
      2. Vocabulary developed from required and supplemental reading (in context)
      3. Vocabulary for responding to essay prompts: Teacher's Resource Guide, Writers Inc: Sections 502-509

  8. Reading Critically-3.1 Articulate the relationship between the expressed purposes and the characteristics of different forms of dramatic literature; 3.2 Compare and contrast the presentation of a similar theme or topic across genres to explain how the selection of genre shapes the theme or topic.
    1. Literature/ Grade-Level Appropriate Text
      1. Levels of Questions (See Bloom's Taxonomy in Teacher's Resource Guide)
      2. SOAPSS (See Teacher's Resource Guide)
    2. Reading Critically
      1. Writers Inc-Sections 440 - 445
      2. 3.11 HRW-"Extending the Theme" sections
      3. Teacher's Guide: Literary Analysis

  9. Supplemental Reading-2.0 Reading Comprehension: . . . by grade twelve, students read two million words annually on their own, including a wide variety of classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, and online information.
    1. Literature Circle Selections (Daily 15-minute Sustained Silent Reading Suggested)
      1. Change
        1. The Bean Trees-Barbara Kingsolver
        2. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent-Julia Alvarez
        3. All The Pretty Horses-Cormac MacCarthy
        4. The Education of Little Tree-Forrest Carter
        5. Pygmalion-George Bernard Shaw
      2. Borders
        1. Ender's Game-Orson Scott Card
        2. The Chosen-Chaim Potok
        3. Under the Feet of Jesus-Helena Maria Viramontes
        4. Animorphs-Katherine A. Applegate
        5. Parable of the Sower-Octavia E. Butler
      3. Cultural Conflict
        1. China Boy-Gus Lee
        2. Yellow Raft in Blue Water-Michael Dorris
        3. The Joy Luck Club-Amy Tan
        4. The Color of Water-James McBride
        5. The Tiger's Daughter-Bharati Mukherjee
      4. Adolescent Struggles
        1. Lottery Rose-Irene Hunt
        2. Crooked Little Heart-Anne Lamott Pantheon
        3. Shadow of the Dragon
        4. Jesse-Gary Soto
        5. In Country-Bobbie Ann Mason
    2. Summer (to be determined) and Supplemental Reading and Texts in Bookroom

      Characters in Conflict 241
      The Diary of Anne Frank 50
      Coming of Age Vol. 1 100
      Animal Farm 94
      Bless Me, Ultima 118
      A Book of Drama 90
      A Christmas Carol 36 & 98
      Children of the River 70
      Currents in Poetry 185
      Great Expectations 167
      Les Miserables 116

      		The Martian Chronicles 181
      The Miracle Worker 63
      My Antonia 128
      Nisei Daughter 122
      The Pearl 100
      The Red Pony 130
      The Diary of Anne Frank 50
      Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry 118
      To Kill a Mockingbird 178 & 61
      Wuthering Heights 23

  10. Notetaking Unit
    1. Cornell Notetaking: Teacher's Resource Manual
    2. Writers Inc: Sections 482-485

Suggested Timeline for Grade 9 Literature Study:

Quarter One:
fable, folk tale, fairy tale, myths
Classroom Procedures Manual (Technical Writing)

Quarter Two:
Epic-The Odyssey by Homer
Process Analysis (Expository Essay)

Quarter Three:
Drama-Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Comparison/Contrast (Expository Essay)

Quarter Four:
Novel-To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Descriptive Essay

All required writings are to be kept in student folder or portfolio.

 

Bibliography

Elements of Literature Third Course; Holt, Rinehart and Winston; 2000

Writers Inc; Write Source Great Source Education Group; 1996

Reading/Language Arts Framework for California Public Schools; California Department of Education; 1999

Performance Standards and Assessments Criteria in English Language Arts for California High School Graduates; Intersegmental Coordinating Committee; July 1999

Teacher's Resource Manual for Grade 9; Mark Keppel High School English Department; 2000

Recommended Literature Grades Nine Through Twelve; California State Department of Education; 1989

Strategic Teaching and Learning: Standards-Based Instruction to Promote Content Literacy in Grades Four Through Twelve; California State Department of Education; 2000