SEMESTER PLANNING CALENDAR
FALL 2010
Unit
Introduction
Who am I as a reader
and writer?
Texts
Pablo Neruda
“On Being 17…pg. 192
Annie Dillard
“An American
Childhood”
Models of DWA
prompts
Selections from Models
of Comp.
Short Selections
Non-fiction and short
stories
Assignments
Letter to me about being a
reader and writer
Short paper about an artifact
that defines you
Sign contract/supplies
Direct Write
Selected Readings
Observation/Descriptive
Paper
Reading for Details
Formative Observation
paper
Using details in prose
Short descriptive pieces
Rhythm and Pattern
of Language
Varying Sentence
Structure (Syntax)
Composing a Life
Writing about your
Journey
Short Selections
and stories
Practice with Sentence
Modeling/Structure
Writing paragraphs
Telling Stories!
Fictional Journeys from
Around the World
Short stories (cont.)
Selections from
collections
SentenceVariety/Combining
Exercises
Reading as a Writer
Elements of Fiction
Description of People and
Place (reading for tone and
point of view)
Writing Process/Drafts
Understanding Narrative
Structure
Elements of Fiction
Write a short story
Overview of Class
Structure: Reading,
Literature and Writing
Workshops
The Power and
Beauty of Words!
Descriptive/Observatio
nal
Writing (Diction)
Finding Your
“Personal Legend”
The Alchemist
The Alchemist
The Alchemist
DWA
prompts/reflective
essays
Selections from
collections
novella
CCQC’s
CCQC’s/Literary Analysis
Gods and Goddesses:
Mythology Unit
Mythology Unit
The Journey Home
The Odyssey
The Odyssey
Collection of myths
Literary Analysis
The Odyssey
Poetry
text
selections
Elements of Fiction
The narrative voice
The Bean Trees
Final Exams
text
Direct Write Diagnostic
Reading Diagnostic
Direct Write
Personal Narrative Essay
Identifying Narrative
Structure
Write a Short Story
Analyzing literature
novella
text
Skills/Assess.
Letter about self
Short paper about artifact
Preparing a presentation
Assorted assignments on The
Odyssey and Ancient Greece
Mini-research paper on
Greece
Paper on Greece
Writing poetry
Study metrical terms
Analytical essay
Personal journals
Bring in meta-cognitive letter
about semester. Prepare
papers for Core Lit. Portfolio
CCQC’s
CCQC’s/scaffolding an
essay
Finish Essay
Oral presentations
Paraphrasing/summarizin
g
Comprehension of story
Test of Books 9-16
Writing Free Verse
Recognizing Poetic
Forms
Writing about literature
Writing about one’s own
journey.
Direct Write Personal
Essay (Summative)
Elements of Fiction
Major Assessments for 9th grade:
First Semester:
Personal, Narrative Essay: (Autobiographical Incident Direct Write)
1) An on-demand timed write that relates a specific incident about the author’s life and reflects upon it
Shorter papers to “scaffold” personal narrative essay
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observation paper
descriptive paper
paper on place/setting
character profile
dialogue paper
Writing skills/strategies: awareness and use of diction, syntax, tone, pace, voice, correct spelling, grammar,
punctuation. How to write using a process of idea gathering, planning, drafts, revision and editing as well as
how to transfer that knowledge to a “timed write” situation without drafts.
Analytical Literary Essay:
A well-crafted, well-organized essay that analyzes and interprets a piece of literature. (Approx. 500-700 words)
and shows that a student knows:
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how to annotate text
how to make claims
how to set context for claims
how to find evidence to support claims
how to make thoughtful commentary
 Writing skills/strategies: how to organize thoughts into prose in unified way; how to write a strong
thesis and topic sentences (transitions) that make a strong argument and support basic premise of essay.
Awareness and use of diction, syntax, basic rhetorical strategies, tone, mechanics of writing and essay
format. How to use the writing process to improve writing.
Short Story using basic elements of fiction
An original short story that reveals a students knowledge of:
 elements of fiction in stories; how to write a short piece of fiction with appropriate components of
imaginary literature: a plot that contains exposition, characterization, conflict, rising action, climax,
resolution, denouement.
 Appropriate use of tone, diction, syntax, style, correct mechanics
Poetry:
 Recognizing basic metrical terms and traditional forms
 Writing original poetry in free verse and a traditional form such as sonnet or haiku
Second Semester:
Personal, Narrative Essay (cont.)
Analytical Literary Essay (cont.)
Poetry (cont.)
Persuasive/Argumentative (Essay or Speech)
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knowledge of basic rhetorical devices
how to organize a persuasive argument
how to write a well-organized persuasive speech
how to show knowledge of subject
Writing skills/strategies: organization of ideas and claims to persuade audience. Well-crafted essay with
paragraphs and transition and strong thesis and conclusion. Correct English usage and mechanics.