Ms Hayat Shehab/2013-2014
Grade 9 English-Brevet Sections
Welcome!
This year you’ll follow the regular grade 9 English curriculum and prepare for the Lebanese official exam
through practice and intensive focus on key skills. I will work hard to create meaningful lessons that will
help you develop as critical readers and confident writers.
If you want to succeed in my class, there is a formula:





Always come prepared for class
Be on task (alert and focused on work) throughout our session
Be honest and be your best self all the time
Communicate with me—I’ll be happy to explain or clarify
Be a good citizen*
Be a Good Citizen*
10 % of your semester grade will be a daily grade based on classwork completion, preparation (reading and
other homework), participation and being a good class citizen. Examine the citizenship rubric carefully as
I’ll give you a daily citizenship grade EVERY time we meet. Make it your goal to walk out of every
session with a 10/10. Please also note that if you fail to complete class or homework, I will enter the grade
as NTI (not turned in), which generates a notification to parents.
Share Everything!
The first thing you’ll be asked to do is create a Google account if you don’t already have one. You’ll be
using Google Drive to write and store class work, homework and summative assessments. Before you start
any class or home assignment, you must share it with me at hshehab2014@gmail.com. I’ll monitor your
writing directly and give you feedback throughout the process.
Come Prepared with…


Your laptop, fully charged
Pencils, pens, highlighters, etc.


Large two hole binder, lined (not grid) paper and dividers (portfolio to keep in class)
Your agenda

The text we’re studying
My Rules
All Handbook rules apply, so read them.
Grading Policy
Semester 1
Daily Grade (citizenship, participation, homework, classwork completion, portfolio and short quizzes) 10%
Summative
90%
Semester 2
Daily Grade
10%
Summative
70%
Final Exam
20%
2013-2014 Grade 9 Course Outline
Unit 1- Writing Workshop (6-8 cycles)
Stories, vignettes, songs and poetry will be used to help you develop your skills in the following:
 Analytical and descriptive writing
 Creative short story and poetry writing
 Using figurative language, sensory detail, and poetic elements
 Improving sentences and fixing common grammar errors (SAT grammar)
 Developing vocabulary (SAT vocab and word parts)
 Brevet related writing and skills
Assessment: Short creative pieces and analytical paragraph, grammar and vocabulary quizzes
Unit 2- Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird


(6-8 cycles)
Guided reading and analysis of the novel’s themes, characters and setting
Vocabulary work based on text
Assessment: Essay on theme and character and creative projects
Official Brevet Exam practice papers
Unit 3- Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (6-8 cycles)



Modern and Shakespearean sonnets
Shakespeare’s language
Romeo and Juliet-Guided reading and guided analysis
Assessment: Sonnet recital, character development and thematic analysis—paragraphs and summative
essay.
Unit 4- Proof by David Auburn (1-2 cycles)


Reading and performing dramatic script
Discussion of main ideas and characters
Assessment: TBD