9th Grade Literature/Composition

Course Syllabus

ModelHigh School

Course Description:

This course integrates writing, grammar and usage, literature, speaking, listening, and critical thinking skills. It presents the writing process: planning, drafting, revising, editing, and proofing; the study of form in personal narratives, descriptions, and expository papers with emphasis on argumentative and creative writing. The course further includes reading a variety of multicultural literature: short stories, novels, plays, poetry, mythology, drama, and nonfiction while emphasizing oral and written response to literature, distinguishing characteristics of various genres, literary elements, and vocabulary study. I am also adding a digital citizenship component to our course this year.

Textbooks:

McDougalLittel : The Language of Literature

Cambridge SAT Prep Book

Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Book – B

No Red Ink – Electronic Grammar Program

Outside Reading Requirements:

The following novels/plays have been assigned to this freshman course with titles in boldface indicating a required text: Fahrenheit 451, And Then There Were None, Great Expectations,Animal Farm, Of Mice and Men/The Pearl,The Education of Little Tree, Mythology,and Romeo and Juliet.

** Please note that any student or parent has the right to object to a required literary text. The objection will be noted by the teacher and discussed among the parent, teacher, student, and administrator to reach a positive solution.

Grading System:

Student averages are derived in the following manner:

55% - tests, essays, projects, etc.

25% - class work, quizzes, homework

20% - Final Exam/EOC

In the courses that have an EOC requirement, the EOC will be the final exam that constitutes 20% of each student’s final grade.

Please Note:

Regular attendance is a crucial aspect of your education. If you are not present for class, you miss valuable instruction that is often difficult to administer/re-teach on a one-on-one basis. Our attendance incentive policy is as follows: students who miss no more than TWO classes (and are passing) will be eligible to exempt the final exam for a course.

Standards/Objectives:

Georgia schools modified our former GPS Standards to incorporate national standards (CCGPS) – also known as Common Core Standards. Due to the fact that our standards are somewhat lengthy, I am including a link to direct you to the appropriate website for 9-10 English/Language Arts standards.

Vertical Alignment of 9th Literature and Composition:

*MLA Documentation of Research Paper

*Usage: Subject-Verb Agreement; Ambiguous Pronoun Reference;

Direct-Indirect Objects (diagramming)

*Sentence Structure: Clauses, Parallelism

*Writing - Literary Analysis, The Writing

Process and Four Types of Writing

*Plot Analysis/Poetry Analysis

*Application of Literary Terms/Devices

*Vocabulary Acquisition

*Grammar – emphasis on capitalization, run-on sentences, fragments,

apostrophes, conjugation of verbs, and more.

Re-Test Policy:

  • Students may re-take a test if they make lower than a 70%.
  • Students can re-test one time on that particular test(for a maximum score of 70%.)
  • If students score lower on the re-test than the original test, they keep the higher score.
  • Students have 5 days from when the test or grade is returned to them to schedule and take the re-test.
  • Students will not re-take tests during class time.It should be scheduled before/after school or during a study skills period.
  • The teacher may assign other re-test requirements, such as tutoring, review work, or study hall, as they see fit.
  • It is also the teacher's discretion regarding the format of the re-test.

Note:

*This does not refer to rewrites/revisions of essays in the test grade category or projects.

Make-Up Work Cut-Off:

  • The cut-off for zero make-up is at the 4-Week Progress and 9-Week Report Grade.

For example: If a student has three zeros the first 4 weeks of school, he/she needs to make-up those zeros (for a maximum of 70 on each) before September 1st (Progress Report Time). After September 1st, they remain zeros.

Student expectations are as follows:

  • Keep a notebook of homework and class work.
  • Participate in class discussions and activities.
  • Complete all group and independent projects.
  • Comply with rules concerning attendance and proper behavior.
  • Read all assigned novels and plays.
  • Communicate with teacher if/when any problems arise.

Mrs.SusanFranklin

(706) 236-1895 ext. 1152

* Please send me an email if you would like a prompt response. Our phone message system does not indicate when I have a phone message (no light or sound). I only check messages once per day in the afternoon.