Ninth Grade English Syllabus
Brenda Weyhrauch
bweyhrauch@steilacoom.k12.wa.us
Course Description
The ninth grade English curriculum stems from the College Board Standards for College Success and the
Common Core National Standards SpringBoard, the College Board’s official Pre-AP program, is our
foundation. Reading, writing, speaking, listening, and collaborative strategies are used purposefully to
build knowledge and skills and to help students become independent readers, writers, and thinkers.
Unit
Unit 1: Coming of Age
Unit 2:Defining Style
Unit 3: Coming of Age
in Changing Times
Texts
Informational texts, personal
essays, novel excerpt,
biography, art, poetry,
memoir, film, interview
Poetry, Short Stories, Films –
Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory, Edward
Scissorhands, and Big Fish
To Kill a Mockingbird
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Embedded Assessments
Writing and Presenting an
Interview/Narrative
Writing an Argumentative Essay
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Writing a Short Story
Writing a Style Analysis Essay

Historical Investigation and
Presentation
Writing a Literary Analysis
Essay
Presenting a Dramatic
Interpretation
Writing a Synthesis Argument
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
Unit 5: Coming of Age
on Stage
Drama excerpts, novel
excerpts, Romeo and Juliet
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Grading Policies:

Gradebook:
o Class/homework (20%)
o Quizzes and writing (20%)
o Embedded Assessments/Summative Work (60%)
 Point Scale:
o All work will be graded on a scale of 0-4.
 4 = Exemplary
 3 = Proficient
 2 = Emerging
 1 = Incomplete
 0 = Not Submitted
Semester and Quarter Grades
Although you will receive a quarter grade, there will be one continuous grade for the entire semester.
A
AB+
94 -100%
90-93%
87-89
B
BC+
84-86%
80-83%
77-79%
C
CD
71-76%
67-70%
66-60%

Late Work:
o All daily work must be completed within the unit to which it belongs. Late daily/formative work
will lose one point from the score the work deserves.
o All late assessments/summative work will lose one point from the score the work deserves.
o No late work will be accepted later than one week after the teacher has returned on-time work.

Re-submission Policy:
o Students may re-submit any on-time work and earn the score the work deserves.
o Students may re-submit any late work and earn the score the work deserves, minus one point.
(Example: A deserved score of 3 becomes a score of 2 in the grade book).
o The cut-off date for any re-submitted work is one week after the teacher returns on-time
assignments.

Appearance:
Assignments should be neat and legible. All papers turned in should have a complete heading,
following class guidelines.
Headings include:
Name
Date of the Assignment
Title of assignment
Class period
Vocabulary:
Students will study academic and literary vocabulary words that directly connect to and stem from the
Embedded Assessments and texts in each unit of study.
SpringBoard sequences academic vocabulary words within instructional material to strategically and
systematically build vocabulary knowledge both vertically and horizontally. The academic vocabulary words
are introduced, reinforced and refined throughout the unit and/or year; students will document their progression
towards mastery in their Vocabulary Notebook and Unit Reflections.
Plagiarism
The vast majority of students are honest and thoughtful but there are times when shortcuts seem appealing.
Some do not really understand what plagiarism is. I want all students to enter class fully aware of what it is and
how to avoid it. Whenever you use someone else’s unique ideas or words and pass it off as your own, you are
plagiarizing. If you copy your friend’s work, you are plagiarizing. If you read an article and paraphrase it
without citing the work you are plagiarizing. If you have any questions about plagiarism, always ask! It’s
better to cite something when in doubt. All students at SHS will be instructed in the MLA style format for
papers and we will learn how to properly cite resources as a class. If you are found cheating or plagiarizing
in this class you will receive no credit for that piece of work for a first offense. For a second offense you
will lose course credit and receive an F.*
*as per the SHS student handbook
Friday is Quiz Day
Each Friday, you will be quizzed on the following:
 Vocabulary
 What I’m reading now
 Lesson of the week
 Sentence of the week
Please use your folder and keep ALL graded work in the classroom unless you’re using it for review. We
anticipate entering roughly 7,000 scores per semester. Please pay attention to your grades; you will have a
personal access code to the online grading system. Even with a 99.9% accuracy rate, there will be several
mistakes. We will NOT revise your grade if you do not have the original graded assignment. Also, we will be
using your folders for process writing and reflective work.
Classroom Procedures/Policies:
Be the type of person you want to meet.
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

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Be Prompt
Be Prepared
Be Positive
Be Productive
Be Polite
SHS Policies
Students will review SHS policy in advisory. However, I will address some specific areas that effect class on a
daily basis below.



Dress Code: Students are to observe modesty, appropriateness and neatness in clothing and personal
appearance. SHS Dress code policy will be enforced. Lewd statements or allusions on clothing or
personal items are not acceptable. *
Electronic Devices: Turn off device and put in back pack on floor. “Off and away until I say.”
Food and Drink: Water is allowed in class. Unless we are having a classroom celebration, all other
food/drink is not allowed.
Attendance and Tardies
The school-wide attendance policy will be discussed in class.
If you are absent, please check the MASTER BINDER at the front of the room to see what we accomplished.
Extra handouts/worksheets will be in the front of the room in the “while you were out” bin. Please complete
your work in a timely manner.
SPECIAL REQUESTS:
Please do not pack up your belongings and/or line up at the door before the bell rings. It is disrespectful
and wastes valuable learning time. Wait for the instructor to dismiss you.
Please review the discipline portion of the handbook. There are different consequences for behavior this
year which progress in this manner: verbal warning, parent contact, lunch detention, after school detention,
Friday school, short term suspension, long term suspension and expulsion. These will be reviewed in classes
and advisory.
If seats are assigned, please respect this decision.
Supplies Needed:
Agenda
Binder
Dividers
Binder Reinforcements
Loose Leaf Paper
Pencils/Pens/Highlighters
Notecards
Post-it Notes
Pocket Folder
Thumb Drive
Dear Parents and Guardians:
Please read over these expectations with your student and contact your student’s teacher if you have concerns or
questions (Brenda Weyhrauch - bweyhrauch@steilacoom.k12.wa.us). I am available when school is in session or by
appointment. In order to help students succeed academically and socially this school year, I will be sending home
progress reports and making phone calls home when necessary. I look forward to working with your student and can’t
wait to meet you in person at the Open House.
Once you have read over the course expectations, please sign and fill out the necessary information. Your student will
return the following portion of this document, and keep this syllabus to refer to during the year. I appreciate your time,
and look forward to teaching your student this year.
Sincerely, Mrs. Weyhrauch
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Please fill out, sign and return THIS PORTION of the document no later than ______________. This is the first graded
assignment of the year!
I have read and understand the policies contained within this document and agree to adhere to them for the duration of
this course. I also understand how to contact Mrs. Weyhrauch if I have any questions.
_________________________
_________________________
______________
Student name – printed
Student signature
date
_________________________
_________________________
______________
Parent name – printed
Parent signature
date
Contact phone number _____________________ Parent e-mail ____________________________________________
CONTACT INFORMATION
(Please save)
Brenda Weyhrauch – English 9, English 10, Newspaper Advisor, Class of 2019 Advisor
bweyhrauch@steilacoom.k12.wa.us