English 9 Red Team
Mrs. Kari Young
Kari.Young@allen.kyschools.us
622-4462 Home/ 618-0556 Cell
Allen County-Scottsville High School
1545 Bowling Green Road
Scottsville, KY 42164
270-622-4119
Course Description: English 9 students will expand their focus on what literature can reveal
about people of different ages, cultures, and abilities. Instruction correlates the areas of reading,
writing, inquiry, speaking, listening, observing, and using technology for communication.
Activities are designed to strengthen communication skills of all students while exploring real-life
contexts for their discoveries.
Students will learn the writing process from brainstorming all the way to a final copy of an essay
after various drafts; students will see writing not as a “single shot affair,” but as a “work in
progress” which can always be improved upon. Students will study the conventions of grammar,
essay structure, and thesis statement. Students will read literature and learn to study closely an
author’s theme, style, and the plot cycle. Students will learn how to work in groups and make
presentations in front of an audience. The emphasis, however, is clearly placed on developing
powerful reading and writing skills through expansion of vocabulary and increasing written fluency
in standard academic English.
Required Items:
 2’ 3-Ring Binder
 Loose leaf college rule paper
 5 pocket folders—one for each unit
 Pens/Pencils and a highlighter
 flash drive
Instructional Methods: teacher lead discussion, notes, small group activities, individual
presentations, student speeches, speakers, and field trips
The first half of the semester focuses on the introduction of strategies for reading, writing,
speaking, and listening. Students will read and analyze written and visual texts; learn and
practice note-taking and time-management skills; expand vocabulary through reading, writing,
and direct vocabulary instruction; and improve narrative, expository, and persuasive writing
through the writing process: pre-writing, drafting, revision, peer editing, and publication. Through
reading, writing, speaking, and the study of language, students will begin to develop their own
personal voice and style.
MID-TERM EXAM: the mid-term exam will consist of primarily vocabulary recall and application.
At a minimum, students should be familiar with literary terms (including rhetorical appeals,
cinematic techniques, short story elements, and poetic devices) from all units as well as from their
daily vocabulary notes.
The second half of the semester introduces more complex texts and requires students to
synthesize skills and knowledge of voice (spoken and written), stylistic choices, poetic devices
and imagery, and audience into a dramatic interpretation. The final two units require students to
think critically and analyze text in writing, both to explain and to persuade. In addition, students
will expand research skills by conducting research on a more complex topic with a stronger focus
on audience and purpose and synthesizing information into a multi-media presentation. Through
writing and presentation, students will have opportunities to continue discovery and development
of, as well as reflection of, their own personal style and voice.
FINAL EXAM: The final exam will consist of reading comprehension questions on the semester’s
major texts: Romeo and Juliet and To Kill a Mockingbird. The exam will also contain questions
about vocabulary, techniques, and strategies for persuasive writing, research, and presentation.
Daily Textbook:
•
Springboard Textual Power, Level 4 – Packets will be supplied by your teacher
Supplemental Texts (Independent Reading) Students will read one of the following:
 Monster, by Walter Dean Meyer
 Finn, Mathew Olshan
 Among the Hidden, Margaret Peterson Haddix
 Jake Reinvented, Gordon Korman
 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, JK Rowling
 Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck
 Slumming, Kristen Randle
 Twilight, Stephanie Meyer
 Divergent,Veronica Roth
 The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
Unit 1: Coming of Age:
In this unit students explore the concept of voice in speaking and writing and review rhetorical
appeals and persuasive techniques in both written and visual text. Through the thematic subject
coming of age, students study fictional and real individuals in literature and society.
Major summative assessments:
•
Interview Narrative Essay: (Early September) Students will interview someone who is 18
or older about their high school experience and a specific incident that defined their coming of
age. They will create a written narrative in which they tell the story of the interviewee.
•
Advertising Campaign: (Late September) Students will work in groups to create an
advertising campaign for their independent reading novel using rhetorical appeals and persuasive
techniques. Each individual student completes a written reflection of the use of their campaign
and its effectiveness.
Unit 2: Defining Style:
Students continue to explore the coming of age theme as they learn ways in which written texts
and visual text are connected. Short stories are read and analyzed for stylistic choices and the
effects of those choices on audience. Students continue to expand their understanding of voice
through reading, writing, and visual media.
Major summative assessments:
•
Storyboard Project: Students will work in groups to create a visual storyboard of one of
the short stories from the text. They will strategically use the cinematic techniques learned in
class and write an individual reflection essay that discusses the techniques used and their
desired effect on audience.
•
Style Analysis Essay: Students will view the film Edward Scissorhands and clips of other
Tim Burton films. After viewing, they will write an expository essay that identifies Tim Burton’s
style through examination of cinematic techniques, their purpose, and their intended effect on
audience.
Unit 3: Coming of Age in Changing Times
In this unit, students will follow characters, setting, and conflict through a complex and
controversial text (To Kill a Mockingbird). Students will examine how these elements relate to the
coming of age theme studied throughout the year. Through research, students will also discover
and analyze the social, cultural, geographical, and historical context of the novel.
Major summative assessments:
•
Historical Investigation and Presentation: Students will research a topic of contextual
relevance to the novel To Kill a Mockingbird (topics include Civil Rights, Women’s Roles, The
Great Depression, and more). In addition to their research, they will create and present a multimedia presentation that teaches their classmates about the topic and explains the topic’s
relevance to the novel. Students will also create an annotated bibliography.
•
Analyzing a Passage from To Kill a Mockingbird: Students will select a passage from the
novel and analyze it for character, setting, and/or plot. They will connect the passage to the
larger theme of the novel in a thorough analytical essay.
•
Reading Assessments: (Throughout the unit) Periodic quizzes to assess reading and
comprehension throughout the novel.
Unit 4: Exploring Poetic Voices
The power of language is revealed in this unit as students examine coming of age through the
perspective of society, community, and character. Students identify and apply poetic devices as
a means of emulating poetic style and developing individual poetic voice. Students explore the
art of imagery in writing to express ideas and emotion.
Major summative assessments:
•
Poetry Anthology: Students will create a collection of original poems in which they use
figurative language and other poetic devices. The anthology will also contain a written
autobiography, a written reflection, and visual images representing their poems.
•
Analyzing and Presenting a Poet: Students will research and analyze the style of a poet
in an expository essay. In addition, students will choose one poem from their research and
present an oral interpretation of the poem (memorized and with appropriate vocal inflection and
body language).
•
Literary Terms Test: Students will demonstrate understanding and application of
vocabulary from the unit.
Unit 5: Coming of Age on Stage
Unit four requires students to consider the coming of age theme through drama and oral
interpretation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The coming of age drama is presented
through written text, film, and dramatic oral reading (CD), requiring students to apply a variety of
strategies to analyze and form an understanding of plot, character, and conflict.
Major summative assessments:
•
Presenting a Shakespearean Scene: Students will work with a group to interpret and
perform a scene from Romeo and Juliet.
•
Actor/Director’s Notebook: Students will create a packet that contains information about
their scene and performance. The notebook will include a written paraphrase of their lines, a
character analysis essay, a visual representation of their costume choices with written
justification, and a reflective essay in which they analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their
performance process.
•
Persuasive Essay: Students will write an in-class, timed, persuasive essay that argues
one character or group of characters was responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. They
will use rhetorical appeals and persuasive strategies.
Classroom Expectations:
Students should come to class and be ready to pay attention, work hard, and learn to read,
write, and think critically. Students should arrive prepared, obey the class rules,
complete their homework, and perform well on tests, writing assignments, and long-term
projects. Students are responsible for bringing books, materials, and planners to school
every day. Students must arrive to class on time and be ready to learn
Procedures:
1. Entering Class—please enter class quickly and quietly. Be seated in your assigned
seat before the tardy bell rings. Once a student accumulates three tardies, an
afterschool detention will be assigned.
2. End of Class—please continue working until the teacher dismisses you. If you finish
early, you may revise your work or read a book. DO NOT ask to leave the room.
3. Pencil/Binder—You will need to bring your own pencil/ink pen to class. It is your
responsibility to come to class prepared with proper materials.
4. All homework is to be done neatly or it must be typed. Assignments that consist of
more than one paper must be stapled. All written essays must be handed in with
ALL previous pre-writing activities, drafts, peer editing sheets, and self-evaluation
forms attached. Late work will be accepted, but only for partial credit and must be
turned in before the unit test or final essay is given for whichever unit the work
applies.
5. You are allowed one bag in class. Purses must be inside your backpack. You may
keep a pencil pouch inside your binder. Once you enter the room, get your materials
out of your bag and hang bag on the back of your chair. If bags become a problem,
backpacks will not be allowed in the room.
Classroom Behavior/Discipline
Students need to obey class rules, be honest, and treat their peers with respect. Students are in
school to study and learn and not to fight or fool around. If a student does not heed warnings as
to violations of class rules, the situation will bring the involvement of parents and school
administrators. Much of the work in English 9 will be done in groups; students must treat their
peers with respect and conscientiousness. You do not have to be best friends with your fellow
students in English 9 class, but you need to be able to collaborate successfully with them. Do
your best to keep interaction with your peers positive. Strive to work successfully and amicably
with other students in class.
Work habits consist of effort in class, completion of homework, neatness in all work, and coming
to class with supplies. Students must pay attention in class to lectures and keep up with the
various assignments and group activities; work habits often directly correspond to a student’s
grade, and so this is most important.
All of the rules in the student handbook apply in this classroom. If you break one of those rules,
you will receive the consequences as they are outlined in the handbook.
Here are some other rules that will make your semester in my classroom more successful:
--Do not leave the classroom until I dismiss you from class.
--Respect property belonging to the school, others, and yourself.
--In class discussions, do not talk while someone else is talking.
--Please treat others with respect including you.
Grading:
English 9 consists of five units. Each unit will have a pretest that is graded but will not affect your
grade. Assessment activities, such as, homework, quizzes, presentations, etc. will comprise 30%
of your final grade. While each activity will have an assigned due date, you can revise formative
assessment activities for a better grade. At the end of the unit, a unit final (summative
assessment) will be given. The unit final will resemble the unit pretest; however all unit finals will
comprise 50% of your final grade. It is extremely important you complete assignments and
prepare for the unit final as there are no retakes or second chances on the unit final. At the
end of the year, every student will take a comprehensive (covers everything from the year) final.
The comprehensive final will be worth 20% of your grade. I strongly encourage students to keep
all returned assignments, quizzes, and assessments.
Homework:
Homework will be check for completion and accuracy when you enter class. If you do not have
your homework, you will be given a zero, assigned morning detention, and I will contact your
parents. After the third zero, you will automatically be given a morning detention and an office
referral for every zero.
Makeup Work: In my class, you will have 1 day after you return from an excused absence to
make up work or to make arrangements to do so. After that time, grades for missed work
become zeroes. After three zeroes, an afterschool detention will be assigned. It is your
responsibility to see me and get the missed work. A test or a quiz must be taken on the day of
your return to class if it was announced well in advance of your absence.
Cheating: Cheating is a very serious offense. If you are caught copying homework
or class work, both of you will receive a zero for that assignment. If you are caught
cheating on a test or a quiz, you will receive a zero. Talking during a test or a quiz
will result in an automatic zero for both parties. There is no exception to this rule,
and the zero will not be debated. Plagiarizing will result in a zero. Plagiarizing all or
part of your portfolio will result in a zero for the entire portfolio grade. You will not
receive a grade for the class until the portfolio plagiarism has been replaced by your
own work, but the zero for the portfolio grade will stand.
_____________________________________________________________________________
I hereby certify that I have read and agree to abide by the classroom rules outlined in this
handout. A copy of these rules is posted in my classroom.
Student Signature________________________________Date_________________________
I hereby certify that I have read the classroom rules on this handout. If I have any questions, I
will contact Mrs. Young at school (622-4119), at home before 9:00 p.m. (622-4462), or by email kari.young@allen.kyschools.us
Parent/Guardian Signature________________________________________Date_________________________
Parent phone numbers:
Parent email: