English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
Unit:
The Classic Tradition
Duration: 5 weeks
Essential Questions:
1. How has mythology affected culture and society?
2. In what ways are themes and motifs found in classical literature still relevant in today’s literature?
3. What are the characteristics of a hero?
4. How is point of view and theme conveyed across cultures?
Enduring Understandings:
1. Mythology has influenced the moral and social codes of society.
2. Themes and motifs are seen through literary allusions and modern day adaptations.
3. A hero is memorable, lives by a code and demonstrates bravery.
4. Similar themes are conveyed across cultures and are reflected in literature from around the world.
Performance Task:
Write an essay comparing hero motifs of modern real-life heroes (the pilot who navigated his plane into the Hudson River) to classic/ancient
heroes.
8/26/14
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
Objectives and Learning Outcomes
Students will...
Identify the central theme of a myth.
Discuss how the language and lesson of a myth applies to modern day American culture.
Compare and contrast the themes and literary elements of ancient myths and modern myths across cultures.
Analyze similar points of view and cultural experiences from world literature.
Vocabulary
narcissism
archetype
heroic couplet
allusion
epic simile
epithet
hero/heroine
oral tradition
thesis statement
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Standards
Reading Literature:
RL 1. Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
RL 2. Determine a central idea of a text and
analyze its development over the course of
the text, including how it emerges and is
shaped and refined by specific details;
provide an objective summary of the text.
RL 4. Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in the text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze
the cumulative impact of specific word
choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the
language evokes a sense of time and place;
how it sets a formal or informal tone).
RL 6. Analyze a particular point of view or
cultural experience reflected in a work of
literature from outside the United States,
Instructional Activities
Formative Assessments
Routine Writing
Open responses and summaries of myths that
are studied (Blooms: Understanding and
Applying)
Write an open response comparing a Greek
myth with a myth from another culture
(i.e .Norse myth).
Analytical Writing (4-6)
Comparing hero motifs of modern fictional
heroes such as Spiderman, Superman,
Batman to ancient heroes and then looking at
news articles on real heroes such as the pilot
who navigated his plane into the Hudson
River saving all the lives on the plane.
(Blooms: Analyzing)
Compare and contrast how the authors of
The Odyssey and O Brother Where Art Thou
depict similar themes and similar characters.
Select a one minute passage from The
Odyssey and recite it. Include an introduction
that states what the excerpt is, who wrote it,
and what the theme or motif is conveyed.
Use the modern form of the words that
originated from Greek words and names to
write a modern- day script using plot-line
and characters of one scene in The Iliad to
bring the language alive.
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
drawing on a wide reading of world
literature.
RL 7. Analyze the representation of a subject
or a key scene in two different artistic
mediums, including what is emphasized or
absent in each treatment (e.g., Auden’s
“Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s
Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).
MA 8.A.Relate a work of fiction, poetry, or
drama to the seminal ideas of its time.
RL 9. By the end of grade 9, read and
comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grades 9–10
text complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the
range.
RL 10. By the end of grade 9, read and
comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grades 9–10 text
complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the
range.
Reading Information:
RI 1. Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
RI 7. Analyze various accounts of a subject
told in different mediums (e.g., a person’s life
story in both print and multimedia),
determining which details are emphasized in
each account.
RI 10. By the end of grade 9, read and
comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades
9–10 text complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the
range.
Writing:
W1. Write arguments to support claims in an
analysis of substantive topics or texts, using
valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient
evidence.
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(Blooms: Analyzing)
Write an informative/explanatory essay in
which you compare the theme of heroism is
treated in the Odyssey with classical
archetypes as described in excerpts from
Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a
Thousand Faces.
Is Odysseus courageous? Write an argument
answering the question using a strong
claim/thesis and valid reasoning and
sufficient evidence. (Blooms: Evaluating)
Research (1)
Mini research project with correct note
taking, citation and slide show presentation
on historical information on one assigned
hero or god of Ancient Greece/Rome.
(Blooms: Analyzing)
Connections through web quest search and
slide presentation of modern day businesses
that choose Ancient representations
(Mercury cars, Midas mufflers, Nike shoes)
and discovering what exactly is the
connection between the business and ancient
reference.
(Blooms: Analyzing)
Research words and names that originate
from Greek roots such as “Arachne” for
species of spiders and “Narcissus” for
narcissism, and “Tantalus” for tantalize, etc.
(Blooms: Understanding)
Develop an advertisement for a modern
business based on a classical character and
design a logo and a slogan that represents
their service.
(Blooms: Creating)
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
W1d. Establish and maintain a formal style
and objective tone while attending to the
norms and conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing.
W1e. Provide a concluding statement or
section that follows from and supports the
argument presented.
W2. Write informative/explanatory texts to
examine and convey complex ideas,
concepts, and information clearly and
accurately through the effective selection,
organization, and analysis of content.
W2b. Develop the topic with well-chosen,
relevant, and sufficient facts, extended
definitions, concrete details, quotations, or
other information and examples appropriate
to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
W2c. Use appropriate and varied transitions
to link the major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the relationships among
complex ideas and concepts.
W2d. Use precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to manage the
complexity of the topic.
W2e. Establish and maintain a formal style
and objective tone while attending to the
norms and conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing.
W3. Write narratives to develop real or
imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, well-chosen details, and
well-structured event sequences.
W3a. Engage and orient the reader by setting
out a problem, situation, or observation,
establishing one or multiple point(s) of view,
and introducing a narrator and/or characters;
create a smooth progression of experiences or
events.
W3b. Use narrative techniques, such as
dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and
multiple plot lines, to develop experiences,
events, and/or characters.
W3c. Use a variety of techniques to sequence
events so that they build on one another to
create a coherent whole.
W3d. Use precise words and phrases, telling
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Narrative (1-2)
Write a poem or prose narrative about a
journey about you or someone that you know
has taken, using epic similes, epithets, and
allusions and point of view. (Blooms:
Applying)
Other
Class presentation on a regional myth from
another culture including historical and
geographical context and summary.
(Blooms: Understanding)
Creating a poster to illustrate the numerous
epithets created in reference to characters in
The Iliad. This leads to greater
understanding of the use of epithets in
character development. (Blooms:
Understanding)
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
details, and sensory language to convey a
vivid picture of the experiences, events,
setting, and/or characters.
W3e. Provide a conclusion that follows from
and reflects on what is experienced,
observed, or resolved over the course of the
narrative.
MA 3.A.Demonstrate understanding of the
concept of point of view by writing short
narratives, poems, essays, speeches, or
reflections from one’s own or a particular
character’s point of view (e.g., the hero, antihero, a minor character).
W4. Produce clear and coherent writing in
which the development, organization, and
style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience. (Grade-specific expectations for
writing types are defined in standards 1–3
above.)
W5. Develop and strengthen writing as
needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing
on addressing what is most significant for a
specific purpose and audience. (Editing for
conventions should demonstrate command of
Language standards 1–3 up to and including
grades 9–10 on page 67.)
W6. Use technology, including the Internet,
to produce, publish, and update individual or
shared writing products, taking advantage of
technology’s capacity to link to other
information and to display information
flexibly and dynamically.
W7. Conduct short as well as more sustained
research projects to answer a question
(including a self-generated question) or solve
a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry
when appropriate; synthesize multiple
sources on the subject, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under
investigation.
W8. Gather relevant information from
multiple authoritative print and digital
sources, using advanced searches effectively;
assess the usefulness of each source in
answering the research question; integrate
8/26/14
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
information into the text selectively to
maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding
plagiarism and following a standard format
for citation.
W9. Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
9a. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to
literature (e.g., “Analyze how an author
draws on and transforms source material in a
specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a
theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how
a later author draws on a play by
Shakespeare]”).
W10. Write routinely over extended time
frames (time for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks,
purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening:
LS1. Initiate and participate effectively in a
range of collaborative discussions (one-onone, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse
partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and
issues, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
LS1a. Come to discussions prepared, having
read and researched material under study;
explicitly draw on that preparation by
referring to evidence from texts and other
research on the topic or issue to stimulate a
thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
LS1b. Work with peers to set rules for
collegial discussions and decision-making
(e.g., informal consensus, taking votes on key
issues, presentation of alternate views), clear
goals and deadlines, and individual roles as
needed.
W1c. Propel conversations by posing and
responding to questions that relate the current
discussion to broader themes or larger ideas;
actively incorporate others into the
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge
ideas and conclusions.
W4. Present information, findings, and
supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and
logically such that listeners can follow the
line of reasoning and the organization,
development, substance, and style are
appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
Language:
L1. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English grammar
and usage when writing or speaking.
L1a. Use parallel structure.
L1b. Use various types of phrases (noun,
verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial,
prepositional, absolute) and clauses
(independent, dependent; noun, relative,
adverbial) to convey specific meanings and
add variety and interest to writing or
presentations.
L2. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when
writing.
L2a. Use a semicolon (and perhaps a
conjunctive adverb) to link two or more
closely related independent clauses.
L2b. Use a colon to introduce a list or
quotation.
L2c. Spell correctly.
L3. Apply knowledge of language to
understand how language functions in
different contexts, to make effective choices
for meaning or style, and to comprehend
more fully when reading or listening.
3a. Write and edit work so that it conforms to
the guidelines in a style manual (e.g., MLA
Handbook, Turabian’s Manual for Writers)
appropriate for the discipline and writing
type.
L4. Determine or clarify the meaning of
unknown and multiple-meaning words and
phrases based on grades 9–10 reading and
content, choosing flexibly from a range of
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
strategies
L4a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of
a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s
position or function in a sentence) as a clue to
the meaning of a word or phrase.
L4b.Identify and correctly use patterns of
word changes that indicate different
meanings or parts of speech (e.g., analyze,
analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy).
L4c. Consult general and specialized
reference materials (e.g., dictionaries,
glossaries, thesauruses), both print and
digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or
determine or clarify its precise meaning, its
part of speech, or its etymology.
L4d. Verify the preliminary determination of
the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by
checking the inferred meaning in context or
in a dictionary).
L5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative
language, word relationships, and nuances in
word meanings.
L5a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g.,
euphemism, oxymoron) in context and
analyze their role in the text.
L5b. Analyze nuances in the meaning of
words with similar denotations.
L6. Acquire and use accurately general
academic and domain-specific words and
phrases, sufficient for reading, writing,
speaking, and listening at the college and
career readiness level; demonstrate
independence in gathering vocabulary
knowledge when considering a word or
phrase important to comprehension or
expression.
8/26/14
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
Reading Selections
Reading Selections
Other Resources:
3-5 short texts
1 extended text
(links, media, technology)



“Pyramus” and “Thisbe”

News articles or books on real heroes (i.e. excerpts
from Odysseus in America: Combat Trauma and the
Trials of Homecoming by Jonathan Shay)

Excerpts from: The Hero with a Thousand Faces by
Joseph Campbell
Arabian Nights
German Grimms Brothers Tale
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

The Odyssey
The Illiad



O Brother Where Art Thou?
The Matrix
Star Wars
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
Unit: Literary Elements and the Short Story
Duration: 6 weeks
Essential Questions:
What is the structure of a short story?
How does setting affect a story?
How do different types of conflict further a plot and engage an audience?
How does point of view inform interpretation?
How does a good writer develop characters?
How do the differences in medium affect the meaning of a work?
Enduring Understandings:
The structure of a short story consists of exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution.
8/26/14
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
The setting of a story creates an atmosphere which conveys a particular mood.
The conflicts in a story create tension and propel the action that makes a reader want to keep reading.
Point of view shapes the reader’s understanding of the characters, the setting, and the theme.
Effective writers of fiction create complex characters who are developed over the course of a text and who advance the plot.
A subject or key scene can be represented differently in two mediums through what is emphasized, what is absent, and what is added in.
Performance Task:
Students will write a compare/contrast essay-short story to film (Flowers for Algernon). The areas of focus will be: How is the structure and the development
of the characters different in each medium?
Objectives and Learning Outcomes
Students will...
Identify elements of plot using a short story
Analyze a character’s personality through direct and indirect characterization
Identify and differentiate between internal and external conflict
Develop characters and mood in a writing piece
Recognize theme within a text
Identify examples of foreshadowing and determine author’s purpose for using them
Recognize how the same themes and key scenes can be differently represented in two mediums
8/26/14
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
Vocabulary
Plot
Characterization
Figurative language
Foreshadowing
Conflict
Point of view
Setting
Irony
Theme
Inference
Tone
Mood
Standards
Reading Literature
RL 1. Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text.
RL 2. Determine a central idea of a text
and analyze its development over the
course of the text, including how it
emerges and is shaped and refined by
specific details; provide an objective
summary of the text.
RL 3. Analyze how the author unfolds
an analysis or series of ideas or events,
including the order in which the
points are made, how they are
introduced and developed, and the
connections that are drawn between
them.
RL 5. Analyze how an author’s choices
concerning how to structure a text,
order events within it (e.g., parallel
plots), and manipulate time (e.g.,
pacing, flashbacks) create such effects
as mystery, tension, or surprise.
RL 7. Analyze the representation of a
subject or a key scene in two different
artistic mediums, including what is
emphasized or absent in each treatment
(e.g., Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts”
and Breughel’s Landscape with the Fall
of Icarus).
MA 8.A.Relate a work of fiction, poetry,
or drama to the seminal ideas of its time.
RL 10. By the end of grade 9, read and
comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grades 9–10
8/26/14
Instructional Activities
Routine Writing
Journals and Open Response
Questions.
Think of one of your favorite movies
and write down the storyline. What
happens in the very beginning of the
film? What do you learn at the
beginning? What starts to happen
next? Are there certain problems the
main character faces? What is the
highest point of action or tension in
the movie? What happens
after? How does it end? Is the main
character better or worse off than
he/she was at the beginning? How
has he/she changed? How does the
author use foreshadowing to create
effects such as mystery, tension, or
surprise?
(Bloom’s: Understanding-Analyzing)
Analytical Writing (4-6)
Students will write a persuasive
essay on the topic of experimental
brain surgery (“Flowers for
Algernon”). Writers will defend or
advocate for the continuation of
experimental brain surgery.
(Bloom’s: Creating)
Research (1)
Students will research on
contemporary uses of surgical
experimentation.
Formative Assessments
Do Now and Exit Slips
Dialectical journals
Level 1-3 questions
Multiple Choice/Open Response
Assessment
Narrative using a photograph as a
catalyst
Persuasive Essay
Sheet for identifying the forms of
conflict that occur in the story
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
text complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of
the range.
Reading Information
RI 1. Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
RI 2. Determine a central idea of a text
and analyze its development over the
course of the text, including how it
emerges and is shaped and refined by
specific details; provide an objective
summary of the text.
RI 3. Analyze how the author unfolds an
analysis or series of ideas or events,
including the order in which the points
are made, how they are introduced and
developed, and the connections that are
drawn between them.
RI 6. Determine an author’s point of
view or purpose in a text and analyze
how an author uses rhetoric to advance
that point of view or purpose.
RI 10. By the end of grade 9, read and
comprehend literary nonfiction in the
grades 9–10 text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed
at the high end of the range.
8/26/14
(Bloom’s: Creating)
Narrative (1-2)
Using a photograph as a catalyst,
students will write a narrative
utilizing setting, characterization,
and point of view/perspective of one
of the 911 survivors.
http://www.timesunion.com/news/sli
deshow/Famous-9-11-faces-Whereare-they-now-30735.php
(Creating)
Other
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
Writing
W1. Write arguments to support claims
in an analysis of substantive topics or
texts, using valid reasoning and relevant
and sufficient evidence.
W2. Write informative/explanatory texts
to examine and convey complex ideas,
concepts, and information clearly and
accurately through the effective
selection, organization, and analysis of
content.
2a. Introduce a topic; organize complex
ideas, concepts, and information to make
important connections and distinctions;
include formatting (e.g., headings),
graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and
multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension.
W2b. Develop the topic with wellchosen, relevant, and sufficient facts,
extended definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other information and
examples appropriate to the audience’s
knowledge of the topic.
W2c. Use appropriate and varied
transitions to link the major sections of
the text, create cohesion, and clarify the
relationships among complex ideas and
concepts.
W2d. Use precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to manage the
8/26/14
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
complexity of the topic.
W2e. Establish and maintain a formal
style and objective tone while attending
to the norms and conventions of the
discipline in which they are writing.
W3. Write narratives to develop real or
imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, well-chosen details,
and well-structured event sequences.
W3a. Engage and orient the reader by
setting out a problem, situation, or
observation, establishing one or multiple
point(s) of view, and introducing a
narrator and/or characters; create a
smooth progression of experiences or
events.
W3b. Use narrative techniques, such as
dialogue, pacing, description, reflection,
and multiple plot lines, to develop
experiences, events, and/or characters.
W3c. Use a variety of techniques to
sequence events so that they build on
one another to create a coherent whole.
W3d. Use precise words and phrases,
telling details, and sensory language to
convey a vivid picture of the
experiences, events, setting, and/or
characters.
W3e. Provide a conclusion that follows
from and reflects on what is experienced,
observed, or resolved over the course of
8/26/14
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
the narrative.
MA 3.A.Demonstrate understanding of
the concept of point of view by writing
short narratives, poems, essays,
speeches, or reflections from one’s own
or a particular character’s point of view
(e.g., the hero, anti-hero, a minor
character).
W4. Produce clear and coherent writing
in which the development, organization,
and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific
expectations for writing types are
defined in standards 1–3 above.)
W5. Develop and strengthen writing as
needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on addressing what is most
significant for a specific purpose and
audience. (Editing for conventions
should demonstrate command of
Language standards 1–3 up to and
including grades 9–10 on page 67.)
W8. Gather relevant information from
multiple authoritative print and digital
sources, using advanced searches
effectively; assess the usefulness of each
source in answering the research
question; integrate information into the
text selectively to maintain the flow of
ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following
a standard format for citation.
8/26/14
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
W9. Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
9a. Apply grades 9–10 Reading
standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze
how an author draws on and transforms
source material in a specific work [e.g.,
how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic
from Ovid or the Bible or how a later
author draws on a play by
Shakespeare]”).
9b. Apply grades 9–10 Reading
standards to literary nonfiction (e.g.,
“Delineate and evaluate the argument
and specific claims in a text, assessing
whether the reasoning is valid and the
evidence is relevant and sufficient;
identify false statements and fallacious
reasoning”).
W10. Write routinely over extended time
frames (time for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time frames (a
single sitting or a day or two) for a range
of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening
LS1. Initiate and participate effectively
in a range of collaborative discussions
(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grades 9–10
topics, texts, and issues, building on
others’ ideas and expressing their own
8/26/14
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
clearly and persuasively.
LS1a. Come to discussions prepared,
having read and researched material
under study; explicitly draw on that
preparation by referring to evidence
from texts and other research on the
topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful,
well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts
and tasks, demonstrating command of
formal English when indicated or
appropriate. (See grades 9–10 Language
standards 1 and 3 on page 67 for specific
expectations.)
Language
L1. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
L2. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
L6. Acquire and use accurately general
academic and domain-specific words and
phrases, sufficient for reading, writing,
speaking, and listening at the college and
career readiness level; demonstrate
independence in gathering vocabulary
knowledge when considering a word or
phrase important to comprehension or
expression.
8/26/14
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
Reading Selections
Reading Selections
Other Resources:
“The Cask Amontillado” Poe point of view
“Mrs. Packeltide’s Tiger” characterization, irony,
theme
“The Pit and the Pendulum” point of view setting
“All In A Summer” Ray Bradbury setting
“The Lady or the Tiger” foreshadowing
“On the Ledge” characterization through dialogue
“Marigolds” symbolism
“The Medicine Bag” Plot
Non Fiction
“The Path of the Poltergeist” techniques of
Fiction independent reading
Alanis Morissette song “Ironic”
Flowers for Algernon: theme, characterization,
conflict, (internal/external), compare/contrast
essay-short story to film, and a persuasive essay
on the topic of experimental brain surgery.
Film: “Flowers for Algernon”
8/26/14
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
persuasion
Narrative nonfiction
“Rattlesnake Hunt” organization in writing
“The Christmas Memory” presentation,
arrangement, style
Unit: Play On Language
Duration: 4 weeks
Essential Questions:
How does poetry reveal what we might not otherwise recognize?
Why is figurative language in poetry an effective form of communication?
What are the similarities between drama and poetry?
What are the dramatic techniques a playwright uses to advance plot and theme?
Enduring Understandings:
Poets use figurative language to express ideas, emotions and meaning.
Figurative language is a powerful tool to help the reader understand and create a picture.
Both poetry and plays employ imagery and figurative language to create meaning.
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
Playwrights use dramatic techniques such as dialogue, aside, irony, characterization and flashback to enhance meaning and understanding
amongst the audience.
Performance Task:
In a well written essay, explain why figurative language is an effective form of communication. Be sure to include at least three examples from
selected poems to support your reasoning.
Read the one act play Heat Lightening by Robert F. Carroll. In an essay, explain how the dramatic techniques of the playwright advance the
plot and theme.
Objectives and Learning Outcomes
Students will…
Define various forms of poetry and their distinguishing characteristics.
Identify and define the dramatic elements of a play.
Identify the form, rhyme scheme and meter of poems studied.
Define, identify and explain how poetic devices reveal theme.
Identify and explain similarities and differences between poetry and plays.
Explain how dramatic techniques develop plot and theme of a play.
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
Vocabulary
Alliteration
Analogy
Assonance
Consonance
Diction
Metaphor
Simile
Personification
Free Verse
Haiku
Irony
Meter
Rhyme scheme
Stanza
Rhyme
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Standards
Reading Literature
RL 1. Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
RL 2. Determine a central idea of a text and
analyze its development over the course of
the text, including how it emerges and is
shaped and refined by specific details;
provide RL 3. Analyze how the author
unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or
events, including the order in which the
points are made, how they are introduced and
developed, and the connections that are
drawn between them.an objective summary
of the text.
RL 4. Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in the text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze
the cumulative impact of specific word
choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the
language evokes a sense of time and place;
how it sets a formal or informal tone).
RL 6. Analyze a particular point of view or
cultural experience reflected in a work of
literature from outside the United States,
drawing on a wide reading of world
literature.
Instructional Activities
Formative Assessments
Routine Writing

Journal entries and open responses
identifying and explaining examples of
figurative language from selected poems and
plays. (Blooms: Understanding)

Analytical Writing (4-6)
Students will write a persuasive
essay answering the question: are
poems better when they follow a
strict rhyme or meter? Provide
evidence for your argument.
(Blooms: Evaluating)
Students will compare and contrast
the use of characterization and
conflict in the play version and film
version of The Miracle Worker.
(Blooms: Analyzing)



Do Nows, Exit Slips, Open
Response Questions, and
Journal Entries.
Self-assessment and peer
assessment on oral
presentation using rubric.
Assessment of analytical
essays using teacher created
rubric.
Class discussions and ongoing
self-assessments.
Student notes and poetry
annotations.
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
Lyrical poetry
Onomatopoeia
Dialogue
Monologue
Protagonist
Antagonist
Soliloquy
Static vs. dynamic character
Climax vs. anti-climax
Flashback
RL 7. Analyze the representation of a subject
or a key scene in two different artistic
mediums, including what is emphasized or
absent in each treatment (e.g., Auden’s
“Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s
Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).
RL 9. Analyze how an author draws on and
transforms source material in a specific work
(e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic
from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author
draws on a play by Shakespeare).
RL 10. By the end of grade 9, read and
comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grades 9–10 text
complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the
range.
Satire
Characterization
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Reading Information
RI 1. Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
RI 2. Determine a central idea of a text and
analyze its development over the course of
the text, including how it emerges and is
shaped and refined by specific details;
provide an objective summary of the text.
RI 3. Analyze how the author unfolds an
analysis or series of ideas or events, including
the order in which the points are made, how
they are introduced and developed, and the
connections that are drawn between them.
RI 4. Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text, including
figurative, connotative, and technical
meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of
specific word choices on meaning and tone
(e.g., how the language of a court opinion
differs from that of a newspaper).
RI 7. Analyze various accounts of a subject
told in different mediums (e.g., a person’s life
story in both print and multimedia),
Using the theme of class and society
in The Importance of Being Earnest,
students will study a poem that
depicts a similar theme and describe
how the theme is represented in this
different medium. (Blooms:
Evaluating)
Research (1)
Students will research Emily
Dickinson’s life and prepare a
short biography. Students will
also research what inspired
Dickinson to write “We Grow
Accustomed to the Dark”. The
final product could be an essay or
and online poster presentation.
(Blooms: Evaluating)
Students will research the
historical background of the two
main characters in The Miracle
Worker. Students will describe how
the life and times of the 1800’s
influence the characterization and
plot development. (Blooms:
Evaluating)
Students will research Oscar Wilde’s
life. Using this research, students
will explain how his experiences
influenced his use of satire to poke
fun at upper class Victorian culture.
(Blooms: Analyzing)
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
determining which details are emphasized in
each account.
RI 10. By the end of grade 9, read and
comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades
9–10 text complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the
range.
Writing
W1. Write arguments to support claims in an
analysis of substantive topics or texts, using
valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient
evidence.
1c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link
the major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the relationships
between claim(s) and reasons, between
reasons and evidence, and between claim(s)
and counterclaims.
W1d. Establish and maintain a formal style
and objective tone while attending to the
norms and conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing.
W1e. Provide a concluding statement or
section that follows from and supports the
argument presented.
W2. Write informative/explanatory texts to
examine and convey complex ideas,
concepts, and information clearly and
accurately through the effective selection,
organization, and analysis of content.
2a. Introduce a topic; organize complex
ideas, concepts, and information to make
important connections and distinctions;
include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics
(e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when
useful to aiding comprehension.
W2b. Develop the topic with well-chosen,
relevant, and sufficient facts, extended
definitions, concrete details, quotations, or
other information and examples appropriate
to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
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Narrative (1-2)
Students will consider an idea
they want to express and use a
metaphor or another poetic device
that will enable them to
successfully convey their idea in a
poem. (Blooms: Creating)
Other
Students will read their original
poem and provide an oral synopsis
on how they used a particular poetic
device to convey their idea.
(Blooms: Creating)
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
W2c. Use appropriate and varied transitions
to link the major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the relationships among
complex ideas and concepts.
W2d. Use precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to manage the complexity
of the topic.
W2e. Establish and maintain a formal style
and objective tone while attending to the
norms and conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing.
W3. Write narratives to develop real or
imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, well-chosen details, and
well-structured event sequences.
W3a. Engage and orient the reader by setting
out a problem, situation, or observation,
establishing one or multiple point(s) of view,
and introducing a narrator and/or characters;
create a smooth progression of experiences or
events.
W3b. Use narrative techniques, such as
dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and
multiple plot lines, to develop experiences,
events, and/or characters.
W3c. Use a variety of techniques to sequence
events so that they build on one another to
create a coherent whole.
W3d. Use precise words and phrases, telling
details, and sensory language to convey a
vivid picture of the experiences, events,
setting, and/or characters.
W3e. Provide a conclusion that follows from
and reflects on what is experienced,
observed, or resolved over the course of the
narrative.
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
MA 3.A.Demonstrate understanding of the
concept of point of view by writing short
narratives, poems, essays, speeches, or
reflections from one’s own or a particular
character’s point of view (e.g., the hero, antihero, a minor character).
W4. Produce clear and coherent writing in
which the development, organization, and
style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience. (Grade-specific expectations for
writing types are defined in standards 1–3
above.)
W5. Develop and strengthen writing as
needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing
on addressing what is most significant for a
specific purpose and audience. (Editing for
conventions should demonstrate command of
Language standards 1–3 up to and including
grades 9–10 on page 67.)
W6. Use technology, including the Internet,
to produce, publish, and update individual or
shared writing products, taking advantage of
technology’s capacity to link to other
information and to display information
flexibly and dynamically.
W7. Conduct short as well as more sustained
research projects to answer a question
(including a self-generated question) or solve
a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry
when appropriate; synthesize multiple
sources on the subject, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under
investigation.
W8. Gather relevant information from
multiple authoritative print and digital
sources, using advanced searches effectively;
assess the usefulness of each source in
answering the research question; integrate
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
information into the text selectively to
maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding
plagiarism and following a standard format
for citation.
W9. Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
9a. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to
literature (e.g., “Analyze how an author
draws on and transforms source material in a
specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a
theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how
a later author draws on a play by
Shakespeare]”).
9b. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to
literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and
evaluate the argument and specific claims in
a text, assessing whether the reasoning is
valid and the evidence is relevant and
sufficient; identify false statements and
fallacious reasoning”).
W10. Write routinely over extended time
frames (time for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks,
purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening:
LS1. Initiate and participate effectively in a
range of collaborative discussions (one-onone, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse
partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and
issues, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
LS1a. Come to discussions prepared, having
read and researched material under study;
explicitly draw on that preparation by
referring to evidence from texts and other
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
research on the topic or issue to stimulate a
thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
LS1b. Work with peers to set rules for
collegial discussions and decision-making
(e.g., informal consensus, taking votes on key
issues, presentation of alternate views), clear
goals and deadlines, and individual roles as
needed.
LS1c. Propel conversations by posing and
responding to questions that relate the current
discussion to broader themes or larger ideas;
actively incorporate others into the
discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge
ideas and conclusions.
1d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse
perspectives, summarize points of agreement
and disagreement, and, when warranted,
qualify or justify their own views and
understanding and make new connections in
light of the evidence and reasoning presented.
2. Integrate multiple sources of information
presented in diverse media or formats (e.g.,
visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the
credibility and accuracy of each source.
3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view,
reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric,
identifying any fallacious reasoning or
exaggerated or distorted evidence.
W4. Present information, findings, and
supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and
logically such that listeners can follow the
line of reasoning and the organization,
development, substance, and style are
appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
5. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g.,
textual, graphical, audio, visual, and
interactive elements) in presentations to
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
enhance understanding of findings,
reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and
tasks, demonstrating command of formal
English when indicated or appropriate. (See
grades 9–10 Language standards 1 and 3 on
page 67 for specific expectations.)
Language:
L1. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English grammar
and usage when writing or speaking.
L1a. Use parallel structure.*
L1b. Use various types of phrases (noun,
verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial,
prepositional, absolute) and clauses
(independent, dependent; noun, relative,
adverbial) to convey specific meanings and
add variety and interest to writing or
presentations.
2. Demonstrate command of the conventions
of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L2c. Spell correctly.
3. Apply knowledge of language to
understand how language functions in
different contexts, to make effective choices
for meaning or style, and to comprehend
more fully when reading or listening.
3a. Write and edit work so that it conforms to
the guidelines in a style manual (e.g., MLA
Handbook, Turabian’s Manual for Writers)
appropriate for the discipline and writing
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
type.
L4. Determine or clarify the meaning of
unknown and multiple-meaning words and
phrases based on grades 9–10 reading and
content, choosing flexibly from a range of
strategies.
L4a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of
a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s
position or function in a sentence) as a clue to
the meaning of a word or phrase.
L4c. Consult general and specialized
reference materials (e.g., dictionaries,
glossaries, thesauruses), both print and
digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or
determine or clarify its precise meaning, its
part of speech, or its etymology.
L4d. Verify the preliminary determination of
the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by
checking the inferred meaning in context or
in a dictionary).
5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative
language, word relationships, and nuances in
word meanings.
5a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g.,
euphemism, oxymoron) in context and
analyze their role in the text.
L5b. Analyze nuances in the meaning of
words with similar denotations.
L6. Acquire and use accurately general
academic and domain-specific words and
phrases, sufficient for reading, writing,
speaking, and listening at the college and
career readiness level; demonstrate
independence in gathering vocabulary
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
knowledge when considering a word or
phrase important to comprehension or
expression.
Reading Selections
Reading Selections
Other Resources:
short texts
2 extended texts
(links, media, technology)
POEMS
“Incident In A Rose Garden” by Donald Justice
“Untitled” Black American Folk Poem
“Hist, Whist” by E.E. Cummings
“Overheard On A Saltmarsh” by Harold Monro
“Earth” by Oliver Herford
“A Bee Thumps” by Robert Sund
Haiku
“Sympathy” by Paul Laurence Dunbar
“Bread” by Amado V. Hernandez
“Some People” by Rachel Field
“Velvet Shoes” by Elinor Wylie
“Sonnet 26” by Edmund Spenser
“To Daffodils” by Robert Herrick
“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William
Wordsworth
“We Grow Accustomed to the Dark” by Emily
PLAYS
The MiracleWorker by William Gibson
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
FILM
The Miracle Worker
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
Dickinson
PLAY
Heat Lightening by Robert F Carroll
Unit: Struggle and Survival in U.S. History Through Literary Nonfiction
Duration: 3 weeks
Essential Questions:
What makes literary nonfiction different from fiction?
How are common struggles including survival represented in works of literary nonfiction?
How can we use written and oral language to explore the events and ideas that shape our lives?
How does culture influence our identity?
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
Enduring Understandings
Literary nonfiction uses the elements of fiction for the purpose of recounting an actual event, person or place.
Struggle and survival is a universal theme found in autobiographies and memoirs of different cultures, races and time periods.
We use language to celebrate and give voice to the events and experiences that define our cultural identity.
Performance Task:
Write an argumentative essay explaining to what extent the historical context surrounding the events of 1955, and specifically the murder of Emmett Till,
was a turning point in the civil rights movement. Use rubric for assessment http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/CFD76DD5-8287-4F42-99F1086BE2646589/145508/NYCDOE_G910_SS_PivotalMoments_FINAL.pdf
Objectives and Learning Outcomes
Students will...
Identify and explain the various purposes for writing literary nonfiction.
Identify and explain the effect of stylistic devices used in literary nonfiction.
Identify key vocabulary related to nonfiction print and pick out examples of those terms in readings.
Identify and analyze the effective rhetorical strategies in speeches such as alliteration, repetition and extended metaphors.
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
Apply rhetorical strategies learned to write essays, speeches and narratives.
Vocabulary
Standards
Reading Literature
RL 1. Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
Memoir
Autobiography
Ethos, pathos, logos
Chronological order
RL 2. Determine a central idea of a text and
analyze its development over the course of
the text, including how it emerges and is
shaped and refined by specific details;
provide an objective summary of the text.
Extended metaphor
Repetition
Rhetorical
triangle
speaker, subject)
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(audience,
RL 3. Analyze how the author unfolds an
analysis or series of ideas or events, including
Instructional Activities
Routine Writing
Identify universal themes found in
autobiographies and memories
regardless of time, culture and race.
(Blooms: Understanding)
Analytical Writing (4-6)
Read “Emancipation Proclamation”
and discuss the US document for its
meaning and purpose. (Blooms:
Formative Assessments
Answers to text dependent
questions.
Exit slips demonstrating key
concepts.
Informal quick writes to initiate
discussion.
Graphic organizers such as Top Hat,
Tcharts, concept maps, Venn
Diagram
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
Propaganda
Primary/secondary sources
Bias/slant
Tone
Context
Syntax
the order in which the points are made, how
they are introduced and developed, and the
connections that are drawn between them.
RL 4. Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in the text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze
the cumulative impact of specific word
choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the
language evokes a sense of time and place;
how it sets a formal or informal tone).
Diction
RL 5. Analyze how an author’s choices
concerning how to structure a text, order
events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and
manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks)
create such effects as mystery, tension, or
surprise.
RL 6. Analyze a particular point of view or
cultural experience reflected in a work of
literature from outside the United States,
drawing on a wide reading of world literature.
RL 10. By the end of grade 9, read and
comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grades 9–10 text
complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the
range.
Reading Information
RI 1. Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
RI 2. Determine a central idea of a text and
analyze its development over the course of
the text, including how it emerges and is
shaped and refined by specific details;
provide an objective summary of the text.
RI 3. Analyze how the author unfolds an
analysis or series of ideas or events, including
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Applying)
Compare Lincoln’s Gettysburg
Address with Martin Luther King’s
Address at the March on Washington
and explain why these are both
considered effective speeches. Be
specific and cite textual evidence.
Begin by identifying the elements of
a good speech. State your thesis
clearly and include at least three
pieces of evidence to support it.
(Blooms: Evaluating)
Research (1)
Investigate and understand the
historical background about
sharecropping and Southern Black
poverty from historical references
(Erskine Cauldwell’s book on 1930s
rural poverty with photographs is
excellent as is The Warmth of Other
Suns by Isabel Wilkerson – a study
of the migration of 6 million African
Americans from the South to the
North from 1915 to 1970.) (Blooms:
Understanding)
Narrative (1-2)
Write a memoir (emulating the
style of one you have read)
recounting a specific person,
place, experience, event, day,
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
the order in which the points are made, how
they are introduced and developed, and the
connections that are drawn between them.
RI 4. Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text, including
figurative, connotative, and technical
meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of
specific word choices on meaning and tone
(e.g., how the language of a court opinion
differs from that of a newspaper).
RI 5. Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas
or claims are developed and refined by
particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger
portions of a text (e.g., a section or chapter).
RI 6. Determine an author’s point of view or
purpose in a text and analyze how an author
uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or
purpose. RI 8. Delineate and evaluate the
argument and specific claims in a text,
assessing whether the reasoning is valid and
the evidence is relevant and sufficient;
identify false statements and fallacious
reasoning.
RI 9. Analyze seminal U.S. documents of
historical and literary significance (e.g.,
Washington’s Farewell Address, the
Gettysburg Address, Roosevelt’s Four
Freedoms speech, King’s “Letter from
Birmingham Jail”), including how they
address related themes and concepts.
RI 10. By the end of grade 9, read and
comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades
9–10 text complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the
range.
Writing
W1. Write arguments to support claims in an
analysis of substantive topics or texts, using
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moment, work of art, or another
specific thing and convey its
significance to you. (Blooms:
Creating)
Interview an adult member of
your family. The interview must
be substantive; if transcribed it
should be at least on thousand
words. Then compose memoirs
in the voice of the relative.
(Blooms: Creating)
Other
Guided style analysis for “Fish
Cheeks” by Amy Tan. (See LTF
module 5).
English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient
evidence.
1a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the
claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims,
and create an organization that establishes
clear relationships among claim(s),
counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
1b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims
fairly, supplying evidence for each while
pointing out the strengths and limitations of
both in a manner that anticipates the
audience’s knowledge level and concerns.
1c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link
the major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the relationships
between claim(s) and reasons, between
reasons and evidence, and between claim(s)
and counterclaims.
W1d. Establish and maintain a formal style
and objective tone while attending to the
norms and conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing.
W1e. Provide a concluding statement or
section that follows from and supports the
argument presented.
W2. Write informative/explanatory texts to
examine and convey complex ideas,
concepts, and information clearly and
accurately through the effective selection,
organization, and analysis of content.
2a. Introduce a topic; organize complex
ideas, concepts, and information to make
important connections and distinctions;
include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics
(e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when
useful to aiding comprehension.
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
W2b. Develop the topic with well-chosen,
relevant, and sufficient facts, extended
definitions, concrete details, quotations, or
other information and examples appropriate
to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
W2c. Use appropriate and varied transitions
to link the major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the relationships among
complex ideas and concepts.
W2d. Use precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to manage the complexity
of the topic.
W2e. Establish and maintain a formal style
and objective tone while attending to the
norms and conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing.
W3. Write narratives to develop real or
imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, well-chosen details, and
well-structured event sequences.
W3a. Engage and orient the reader by setting
out a problem, situation, or observation,
establishing one or multiple point(s) of view,
and introducing a narrator and/or characters;
create a smooth progression of experiences or
events.
W3b. Use narrative techniques, such as
dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and
multiple plot lines, to develop experiences,
events, and/or characters.
W3c. Use a variety of techniques to sequence
events so that they build on one another to
create a coherent whole.
W3d. Use precise words and phrases, telling
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
details, and sensory language to convey a
vivid picture of the experiences, events,
setting, and/or characters.
W3e. Provide a conclusion that follows from
and reflects on what is experienced,
observed, or resolved over the course of the
narrative.
MA 3.A.Demonstrate understanding of the
concept of point of view by writing short
narratives, poems, essays, speeches, or
reflections from one’s own or a particular
character’s point of view (e.g., the hero, antihero, a minor character).
W4. Produce clear and coherent writing in
which the development, organization, and
style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience. (Grade-specific expectations for
writing types are defined in standards 1–3
above.)
W5. Develop and strengthen writing as
needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing
on addressing what is most significant for a
specific purpose and audience. (Editing for
conventions should demonstrate command of
Language standards 1–3 up to and including
grades 9–10 on page 67.)
9b. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to
literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and
evaluate the argument and specific claims in
a text, assessing whether the reasoning is
valid and the evidence is relevant and
sufficient; identify false statements and
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
fallacious reasoning”).
W10. Write routinely over extended time
frames (time for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks,
purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening
LS1. Initiate and participate effectively in a
range of collaborative discussions (one-onone, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics,
texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas
and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
LS1a. Come to discussions prepared,
having read and researched material under
study; explicitly draw on that preparation
by referring to evidence from texts and
other research on the topic or issue to
stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned
exchange of ideas.
LS1c. Propel conversations by posing and
responding to questions that relate the
current discussion to broader themes or
larger ideas; actively incorporate others
into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or
challenge ideas and conclusions.
1d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse
perspectives, summarize points of
agreement and disagreement, and, when
warranted, qualify or justify their own
views and understanding and make new
connections in light of the evidence and
reasoning presented.
3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view,
reasoning, and use of evidence and
rhetoric, identifying any fallacious
reasoning or exaggerated or distorted
evidence.
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
W4. Present information, findings, and
supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and
logically such that listeners can follow the
line of reasoning and the organization,
development, substance, and style are
appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
Language
L1. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English grammar
and usage when writing or speaking.
2. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
L2c. Spell correctly.
3. Apply knowledge of language to
understand how language functions in
different contexts, to make effective
choices for meaning or style, and to
comprehend more fully when reading or
listening.
5. Demonstrate understanding of
figurative language, word relationships,
and nuances in word meanings.
5a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g.,
euphemism, oxymoron) in context and
analyze their role in the text.
L5b. Analyze nuances in the meaning of
words with similar denotations.
L6. Acquire and use accurately general
academic and domain-specific words and
phrases, sufficient for reading, writing,
speaking, and listening at the college and
career readiness level; demonstrate
independence in gathering vocabulary
knowledge when considering a word or
phrase important to comprehension or
expression.
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English Language Arts – Draft Grade 9 English Curriculum Units
Based on 2011 MA English Language Arts Curriculum Framework
Reading Selections
Reading Selections
Other Resources:
3-5 short texts
1 extended text
(links, media, technology)
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas
OR I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya
Angelou
Text dependent questions for “Hope, Despair and
Memory” by Elie Wiesel
wveis.k12.wv.us/teach21/cso/upload/UP3854WS6
.doc
“The Kitten” by Richard Wright
“Almos’ A Man” by Richard Wright
“A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett
“The Snake” by Ervin Krause
“Emancipation Proclamation” Abraham Lincoln
“Ghettysburg Address” Abraham Lincoln
“Letters From Birmingham Jail” MLK
“Address at the March on Washington” MLK
Nobel Lecture: “Hope, Despair and Memory” Elie
Wiesel
“Fish Cheeks” Amy Tan
“Sucker” by Carson McCullers
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