English 9
Mr. Wilson
Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School
English 9 Syllabus
I. Overview
This course will introduce students to the reading, writing, speaking and listening concepts fundamental to high school English. Readings will include a variety of genres, time periods, highlighted by an in-depth study of at least one play by Shakespeare in the spring of the academic year. Writings will include the personal essay, poetry, fiction, and in the second quarter, the completion of a well-documented research paper.
In addition to shorter and longer speaking assignments, students will memorize a recite before the class major work of poetry in the fourth quarter.
II. Objectives
Overall the course content is designed to help students read with an understanding of an author’s main idea with sensitivity to technique, style, and inference; to write effectively, applying knowledge of the elements of fiction and nonfiction; to aquire new vocabulary and use it correctly in reading and writing; to make oral presentations that demonstrate appropriate consideration of audience, purpose and style.
III. Methods
Instructional methods include short lectures, group projects, discussions, in- class journal exercises, guest speakers and field trips.
IV. Grading and Expectations
Grades are weighted according to the following: Participation 25%; written assignments 25%; tests 25%; projects 25%. Grading standards are as follows:
A -Excellent; superior, surpassing.
B -Satisfactory; conforming to a standard.
C -Fair; sufficient but not ample.
D -Poor; less than adequate, inferior in quality.
F -Failing; deficient, below minimum expectation.
Homework is expected to be completed on time. Late assignments will be reduced one grade per class day; after five days no credit will be given except by prior consent of the teacher. Students who are absent from school for any reason are responsible for contacting the teacher about missed lessons or assignments. Current assignments and resources are available at my web page link at mvrhs.org.
Overall classroom behavior expectations can be summarized by my own “Three R’s”: Respect, Responsibility and Reciprocity. Students are expected to be fully attentive from the opening to the closing bell. Students should not wear clothing that interferes with the ability to see or hear, or be seen and heard by others, or in any way impairs the learning environment of the classroom. No electronic devices will be allowed in class except those deemed necessary by the teacher,
V. Texts
The primary text is Writers’ INC, published by Write Source Publishing.
FIRST QUARTER:
The Three R’s- Respect, Responsibility, Reciprocity
Syllabus
Writing rubric
Writing about a person- Pet Perspective, bio poem assignments
Review of the writing process
Paragraph shift
Unit 1: Introduction to the study of Vocabulary and the English Language
Using prefixes, suffixes and roots to decode words
Etymological abbreviations
Vocabulary lists and quizzes 1-4
How to take an essay test; essay test terms
Unit 2: Essay What?: Art of the Personal Essay
What is an essay?
Parts of an essay
Four modes of discourse- description, narration, exposition, and persuasion
Writing an effective thesis
Essay opening options
Personal essay assignment- topics and modes vary
MUG shot language drills
Gerunds and other parts of speech- Madlib assignment
Recognizing and punctuating compound sentences
Readings: professional and student essays, short stories, novels
Second Quarter: Principles of Research Gathering and Writing
Unit 3: The Research Paper
Formulating a research question
Evaluation the reliability of a research source
Using the library- research materials and sources
Using and annotating note cards
Making an outline
Incorporating research into writing
Acknowledging sources
Using quotation marks
MLA style parenthetical references
Making a “Works Cited” page
Research paper assignment
Vocabulary lists 5-7
MUG shot language drills
Readings: outside novels book review assignment
Memory poem assignment
(Mid Term Exam)
Third Quarter: Literary Analysis and Argumentation
Unit 4: It’s a Long Way to Literary
TLC (Ten Literary Concepts)
Writing a book review or literary analysis- assignment TBA
Writing about a short story
Writing about a poem
Unit 5: Are You Shakesperienced?
Shakespeare’s enduring appeal
Brief life of the bard
Guided reading of Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, or Midsummer Night’s Dream
Shakespeare’s sonnets
Shakespeare insults
Tableaux vivants
Dialect renditions
Blank verse
Field trip to a live production of Shakespeare
Unit 6: Literature on Trial
Three appeals of the persuasive mode
Mock trial project based on a literary work
Developing a thesis
Using textual support through characterization
Opening and closing statements
Writing using three kinds of detail (imagery)
Vocabulary lists and quizzes 7-9
Poem a la mode assignment
Reading: outside novel
Hopperesque or “Kim and Gretchen” short story assignment
MUG shot language drills
Fourth Quarter: Writing and Appreciating Poetry
Unit 7: Understanding poetic form
Stanza type
Rhyme scheme
Sound & rhythm
Haiku
Memorization of a major poem- 25-50 lines
CD Lyrics project
Vocabulary lists and quizzes 10-12
Selected poetry writing exercises
Class novel, short stories, plays
(Final Exam)