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

60% Formative and Summative Assessments

• Essays and other writing
• Tests and quizzes
• Speeches and presentations

20% Daily class work, written and verbal

20% Homework

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 from the scoree earned
• Two school days late: Receives a 20% deduction from the score earned 
• After two school days, and up until the end of the unit, a 50% reduction is taken from the score earned

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. This means email or call the teacher for work 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 and the hero's journey (The Odyssey, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight)
• Comparing Shakespeare's text of "Romeo and Juliet" to various film texts
• Reading and writing mystery: short story (various selections), episodes of “Monk” or Hitchcock's "Rear Window"
• Reading and writing poetry (various selections)