ENGLISH 9 COURSE OUTLINE

SEMESTER I

I. Library Unit
A. Map of Library
B. Library Rules
C. Dewey Decimal System
D. Using the “Card Catalogue” computer
E. Parts of a Book
F. Using a Dictionary

II. ISTEP Unit

A. Review Vocabulary Skills
i. Using context clues
ii. Synonyms
iii. Multiple Definitions
B. Reading Skills
i. Finding the main idea
ii. Cause and effect
iii. Making Inferences
iv. Analyzing Passages
C. Writing Skills
i. Letters
ii. Stories (narrative)
iii. Essays
1. Persuasive
2. Expository
iv. Writing Process
v. Proofreading
D. Basic Skills
i. Capitalization
ii. Punctuation
iii. Complete Sentences
iv. Paragraphing
v. 5 paragraph essay

III. Grammar
A. Parts of Speech Identification
B. Parts of Sentence
i. Sentence fragments
ii. Subjects/Predicates
iii. Run on Sentences
iv. Compliments
C. Review Capitalization
D. Commas
IV. Spelling and Vocabulary
A. From Lists
B. From literature
C. From Student writing
D. Literary Terminology

V. Literature
A. Accelerated Reader
i. Self-selected novels within reading level
ii. Earn a specific number of points per grading period+
iii. If the teacher does not want to use the Accelerated Reader system,
the students should still do some self-selected reading, either for
book reports or projects.
B. Short Story (These stories are optional; any story from the adopted
textbook is acceptable.)
i. “The Necklace”
ii. “The Most Dangerous Game”
iii. “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”
iv. “The Interlopers”
v. “Cask of Amontillado”
vi. “The Gift of the Magi”
vii. “A Sound of Thunder”
C. Novel
i. Old Man and the Sea
ii. Great Expectations (optional)
iii. Other approved novel (such as The Red Pony)

VI. Writing
A. Writing Process
i. Pre writing
ii. Outlining
iii. Drafting
iv. Revising
v. Proofreading/Editing
B. Compare and contrast essay
i. 4 or 5 paragraphs (teacher’s discretion)
ii. Could be done in conjunction with Short Story Unit
C. Fiction Short Story (optional)

VII. Speaking/Listening Skills

A. Personal Experience Speech
B. Oral Book Report (optional)
SEMESTER II

I. Grammar
A. Agreement (Subject/Verb and Pronoun/Antecedent)
B. One-Word Modifiers
i. Forms
a. Bad/Badly
b. Good/Well
c. Slow/Slowly
d. Real/Really
ii. Comparison
a. Regular
b. Irregular
c. Comparative
d. Superlative
iii. Placement
a. Dangling
b. Misplaced
C. Italics and Quotes
D. Apostrophes

II. Spelling and Vocabulary

A. From Lists
B. From literature
C. From Student writing
D. Literary Terminology

III. Literature
A. Accelerated Reader
i. Self-selected novels within reading level
ii. Earn a specific number of points per grading period+
iii. If the teacher does not want to use the Accelerated Reader system,
the students should still do some self-selected reading, either for
book reports or projects.
B. Epic (The Odyssey)
i. Background information on Homer
ii. Characteristics of an epic
iii. Characteristics of an epic hero
iv. Homeric simile
v. History concerning the fall of Troy
vi. Mythology (Greek gods and goddesses that appear in the epic)
vii. Muses
viii. Oral Tradition
ix. Literary Terms
C. Drama (Romeo and Juliet)
 i. Drama Terms
ii. Read Orally

IV. Writing
A. Note-taking skills
B. Narrative (Short-story writing, optional)
C. Expository (with Romeo and Juliet, optional)
D. Resume and other employment-related documents

V. Listening and Speaking

A. Mythology research presentation
B. Present Expository Essay for Romeo and Juliet

To be taught at some point during the year:

Teacher’s Discretion
I. Non fiction (as a separate unit, or as enrichment)
II. Poetry (as a separate unit, or as enrichment)