Savannah Early College High School 2015-2016
9th Grade Composition & Literature
Mrs. McCray
Email: Janet.McCray@sccpss.com
Textbook:
Prentice Hall Literature: Gold Level 9 & Writing and Grammar
Course Description:
Honors Ninth Grade Literature and Composition will continue to build on the
reading and language curriculum established in middle school. Throughout this yearlong course, students will have opportunities to develop and expand their knowledge of
literature and language and demonstrate their mastery level of new learning through
performance tasks and assessments. At the completion of this course, students will take
the Georgia Milestones Assessment required by state law. This new test will replace
the End of Course Test. The Georgia Milestones will be aligned to the Common Core
Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS) and will require more from students than the
EOCT it replaces, in order to better prepare students for college and careers. Plainly
put, it will provide a “realistic picture of academic progress”. The new testing system
will include open-ended questions to better gauge students’ content mastery.
Honors English is not necessarily more work, but different work. Students will
employ strong, thorough, and explicit textual evidence in their literary analyses and
technical research. They will understand the development of multiple ideas through
details and structure and track the development of complex characters and advanced
elements of plot such as frame narratives and parallel storylines. Students’ writing will
reflect the ability to argue effectively, employing the structure, evidence, and rhetoric
necessary in the composition of effective, persuasive texts. Students will be able to
construct college-ready research papers of significant length in accordance with the
guidelines of standard format style MLA. Students will have built strong and varied
vocabularies across multiple content areas, including technical subjects. They will
skillfully employ rhetoric and figurative language, purposefully construct tone and
mood, and identify lapses in reason or ambiguities in texts. Students will recognize
nuances of meaning imparted by mode of presentation, whether it is live drama, spoken
word, mass media, or art.
Note: Students will be expected to take notes in Cornell Notes style daily. Implementation
of this technique will be further discussed and modeled during class.
Common Core Georgia Performance Standards
In 2012 the Georgia Department of Education adopted new Common Core Georgia
Performance Standards for grades 9-12.Consistent with state curriculum, Chatham
County Schools English language arts curriculum implementation aligns with state
standards. The content standards for this course are clustered by strands: Reading
(Literary and Informational), Writing, Speaking/Listening, and Language. The
complete lists of the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards for the course are
accessible through this link: https://www.georgiastandards.org/CommonCore/Common%20Core%20Frameworks/CCGPS_ELA_9-10_Standards.pdf.
Reading Literary: ELACC0-10RL1 through ELACC9-10RL3 (Key Ideas and Details)
ELACC9-10RL4 through ELACC9-10RL6 (Craft and Structure)
ELACC9-10RL7 through -ELACC9-10RL9 (Integration of
Knowledge and Ideas)
ELACC9-10RL10 (Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity)
Reading Informational: ELACC9-10RI1 through ELACC9-10RI3 (Key Ideas and
Details)
ELACC9-10RI4 through ELACC9-10RI6 (Craft and Structure)
ELACC9-10RI7 through ELACC9-10RI9 (Integration of
Knowledge and Ideas)
ELACC9-10RI10 (Range of Reading and Level of Text
Complexity)
Writing: ELACC9-10W1 through ELACC9-10W3 (Text Types and Purposes)
ELACC9-10W4 through ELACC9-10W6 (Production and
Distribution of Writing)
ELACC9-10W7 through ELACC9-10W9 (Research to Build and Present
Knowledge)
ELACC9-10W10 (Range of Writing)
ELACC9-10SL1 through ELACC9-10SL3 (Comprehension and Collaboration)
ELACC9-10SL4 through ELACC9-10SL6 (Presentation of Knowledge and
Ideas)
Language: ELACC9-10L1 throughELACC9-10L2 (Conventions of Standard Language)
ELACC9-10L3 (Knowledge of Language)
ELACC9-10L4 through ELACC9-10L6 (Vocabulary Acquisition and Use)
*Each Unit correlates with the corresponding marking period.
Unit Timelines:
(Unit 1) Trials and Triumphs: The Hero’s Journey
 Extended text- The Odyssey
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Short text- Mythology by Edith Hamilton
Short Informational text (Primary and Secondary Source Document)-“Back From
War, but Not Really Home” by Caroline Alexander from the New York Times
Movie- The Odyssey
You Tube- “The Hero’s Journey”
Argumentative/Narrative Essay
Literacy Circles/ Video Project
(Unit 2) Defining Courage
 Extended text- 1984 by George Orwell
 Short text- “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst & “The Road Not Taken” by
Robert Frost
 Short Informational text- “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King
Jr.
 Audio Clip- “I Have a Dream” speech
 Informational/Explanatory Essay & Narrative/Research Paper
 (Extensions) Multimedia Presentation- “The Hero’s Adventure”
 Poetry- “I Hear America Singing” Walt Whitman & “I Too” Langston Hughes
(Unit 3) Paradoxes of Life and Language
 Extended text- “Romeo and Juliet” William Shakespeare
 Short text-“My Mistress’ Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun” William Shakespeare
& Excerpt from Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (Chapter 12 + 18)
 Short text- “The Ring of Time” EB White
 Argumentative & Narrative/Research Essay
(Unit 4) The Importance of Places in Life and Literature
 Extended text- Black Boy Richard Wright
 Short literary text- The Scarlet Letter (chapter 1)
 Informational text- Preservation Nation (article available through Galileo)
 Argumentative & Narrative/Research Essay
Classroom Expectations:
• Each student is expected to be on time.
• Bring all necessary materials (textbook, writing utensils [pencils & blue or black ink
only], journal notebook, and paper).
Note: -Books go in the tray, never on the floor. Book bags should remain out of the
walkways.

Always look productive by having materials on your desk. Remember there is always
something to do (homework, notes, studying, etc.).
• Respect the teacher, other students, property of others and school policies.
• Participate and pay attention in class.
• Complete all assigned work in a timely fashion.
20pts a day will be deducted on all late work assignments.
• Peruse student handbook for explanation of school rules and consequences.
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Students are permitted to use the restroom after the first 30 minutes of class.
Classroom Procedures:
 All graded papers are to be filed and stored in the filing cabinet.
 Turn in all class work (after the bell) in the tray unless otherwise stated. Never
walk up to the teacher’s desk without permission.
 Turn in journal notebooks on Fridays.
-Late journals may only be submitted during tutorial hours after school.
Students must have logged-in for a total of 15 minutes to be considered
present at tutorial.

Sharpen pencils/throw items in the trashcan as needed. Privileges will be denied if
students are disruptive!
Grading System
Class work/ Homework-40%
Tests/projects-60%
Grading Scale: 100-90 = A; 89-80 = B; 79-70 = C or D; 69-0 = F
*All approved honors courses will have three (3) bonus points added to the final
semester numerical grade of 70 or higher.
Plagiarism Statement
Plagiarism is the use of another's words or ideas and the presentation of them as though
they are entirely one’s own. Acts of plagiarism might include, but are not limited to:
1. Using words or ideas from a published source without proper documentation;
2. Using the work of another student (e. g. copying another student's homework,
composition, or project);
3. Using excessive editing suggestions of another student, teacher, parent, or paid
editor.
**Plagiarism or “copying” on any project or paper will result in a zero for the
assignment.
Unless directly stipulated by the teacher, collaboration on written work is not
acceptable. Students who willingly provide other students with access to their work are
in violation. Students guilty of cheating will receive a grade of "0" on the assignment or
test. The assignment may not be made up.
*EXTRA CREDIT (late work) maybe arranged for attending tutorial. A record of
attendance will be kept. Tutorial will be held on Wednesday and Fridays from 3:104:00p.m
*INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES can be found in the “Shared Documents” section of
my website:
http://internet.savannah.chatham.k12.ga.us/schools/ec/faculty/mccray/default.aspx
***Important note: PowerSchool’s Parent Access provides parents or guardians
round-the-clock access to real-time information about their child’s attendance
and grades. Please see the Information Specialist for an access ID, password,
and other account information. State-issued photo identification is required.
Students also may track their academic progress for college and career through
PowerSchool’s Student Access. Students may see the Information Specialist for
an access ID and password.
*Attendance: Please be aware that students are only allowed four (4) unexcused
absences per semester for a block class.
*Make-up Policy: Students are given five days upon their return to class, to make up
new assignments.
Student Signature:
Home Phone:
Parent Signature:
Work Phone:
Date:
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