Subject: English 9 Literature / Composition
Grade: 9 (Required Course)
Length of Course: First and Second Semester
Prerequisite: None
CURRICULUM BENCHMARKS:
(See Below)
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
English 9 is currently being revised into two separate semesters. English 9 literature will encompasses short stories, nonfiction, modern drama, and novels. English 9 Composition will encompass composition skills, grammar, vocabulary, and sentence writing.
WHAT STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO DO:
Under Revision
EVALUATION: Tests, quizzes, assignments, oral presentations, and reports.
Reading Standards and Benchmarks
Standard #1 Demonstrates competence in the general skill and strategies of the reading process
Benchmarks
-Determines figurative, idiomatic, and technical meaning from context
-Accurately identifies author’s purpose and point of view and analyzes the effects of that purpose and point of view on the text
-Analyzes the effects on the text of the attitudes and values of the time period in which
it was written
Standard #2 Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies for reading literature
Benchmarks
-Recognizes the effects of complex literary devices and elements of plot on the overall quality of work
-Identifies conflicts between main and subordinate characters
-Makes abstract connections between one’s own life and the characters, events, and motives of the text
Standard #3 Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies for reading information
Benchmarks
-Makes generalizations and identifies supporting details
-Applies reading process and strategies to informational texts in research
Standard #4 Demonstrates competence in applying the reading process to specific types of literary texts
Benchmarks
-Independently applies the reading process and strategies to myths that are of substantial length
-Independently applies the reading process to fiction
-Understands the defining features and structure of fiction
-Independently applies the reading process and strategies to biographies and autobiographies
-Independently applies to reading process to science fiction and supernatural tales
-Independently applies the reading process and strategies to satires and parodies
-Independently applies the reading process and strategies to one-act plays
Standard #5 Demonstrates an understanding of the nature and function of the English language
Benchmarks
Identifies and uses effective language, both verbal and nonverbal communication, in different settings
Standard #6 Demonstrates familiarity with selected literary works
Benchmarks
-Demonstrates an understanding of selected works of classic fiction, myths, and
nonfiction with an emphasis on British and world literature
-Demonstrates a familiarity with selected poems and classic poetry with an emphasis on British and world poets
-Demonstrates a familiarity with selected literary forms (historical fiction, myths,
and biographies) with an emphasis on British and world literature
Writing Standards and Benchmarks
Standard #1 Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process.
- uses personal response to text as a basis for writing
- writes compositions that are clearly focused for different audiences
- writes compositions that clearly fulfill different purposes
-demonstrates competence in writing reflective essays
- writes compositions that exhibit a clear personal style and voice
Standard #2 Demonstrates competence in the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing
- writes compositions with a variety of sentence structure and length
- makes effective use of a variety of techniques for providing support detail
Standard #3 Writes with a command of grammatical and mechanical conventions of composition
- writes compositions that have no significant errors in pronoun usage, adjective forms, adverbial forms, conjunctions, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation marks.
Speaking and Listening Standards and Benckmarks
1. Demonstrates competence in speaking and listening as tools for learning
- asks questions as a way to broaden and enrich classroom discussions
- has clear main point when speaking to others
Technology Standards and Benchmarks
Standard #1 Evaluate Internet information for reliability, point of view, bias, etc.
Standard #2 Visual aids to reinforce verbal presentations