Language Arts 9 (1.0 Credit)

Language arts for grade 9 is an integrated curriculum. Each unit contains thematically related lessons in five domains: reading and the study of literature, reading informational text, writing, speaking and listening, and language study, which includes word knowledge and grammar skills. Topics are presented in ways that help young adolescents relate literacy skills to other aspects of their lives. Writing assignments include narrative, expository, and persuasive/argumentative modes and emphasize the use of and details and reasoning to support ideas. Speaking and listening lessons emphasize collaborative discussion skills and peer review. Vocabulary development instruction is integrated into literature and informational text lessons. Each unit ends with an authentic assessment that presents students with a real-world scenario requiring some of the skills they learned in the unit. Literature study focuses on the analysis of different forms of literature and on comparative studies of world literature and literature delivered in different media. Writing and informational text lessons guide students through the stages of research and demonstrate how to evaluate, integrate, and share the information gathered during research. Students are required to share their ideas and analysis using several different modes, including oral and multimedia presentations.

Required Novels (choose one per semester):

• Romeo and Juliet (Semester A)
• To Kill a Mockingbird (Semester B)

Optional Novels (Choose 1 per Semester)

• The Old Man and the Sea
• House on Mango Street
• Fahrenheit 451
• The Odyssey
• Ender’s Game
• Speak of Mice and Men