English 9 is a one-year English course that lays a foundation of skills and knowledge in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Students will read a wide variety of texts, including short stories, poems, plays, and film, and students will respond to the texts they read in written and verbal form. Special emphasis is placed on writing using the Step Up to Writing method shared by the middle school.

Grading

25%            Homework and daily class work

25%     Essays and other writing

20%     Tests and quizzes

20%            Speeches and presentations

10%            Participation in helping class progress (discussions, activities, etc.)

Late work

The English department has a standard late work policy. Under normal circumstances where a student has NOT been absent:

• On time work: May receive up to 100%
• One school day late: Receives a 10% deduction
• Two school days late: Receives a 20% deduction
• After two school days: An automatic score of zero is assigned

In cases of excused absence due to illness or school related activities, students should consult with the teacher to negotiate a modified due date.

Absences

An absence does not excuse a student from doing work. A student must still demonstrate the knowledge and skills he/she missed on the day(s) of the absence. In case of absence, a student should consult the teacher and other students to discover what was missed.

Students arriving to class more than ten minutes late are marked absent, per school policy. Excessive late arrival (tardiness) will result in disciplinary action.

Topics of Study, Selected Texts

• Components of quality writing (Step-Up to Writing)
• Elements of fiction: short story (various selections)
• Mythology (The Odyssey, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”)
• Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet)
• Elements of mystery: short story (various selections), episodes of “Monk”
• APA research and source citation (research a poet)
• Effective speech-making (present research findings)