This course introduces students to a variety of literary genres including novels, short stories, science fiction, drama, epic poetry, and memoir. Students will gain the literary vocabulary necessary for the study of English at the high school level. Using these works, students will build analytical and reading skills such as character analysis, understanding symbols and images, breaking down plot structure, and identifying themes. Students will write in various styles, including short stories, personal narratives, and analytical essays, and will focus on such skills as thesis development, topic sentences, using textual evidence, and developing thorough, well thought out ideas. This class will also focus on a number of organizational and study skills necessary for a successful transition to high school.
This course is offered with an honor track. English 9 Honors includes all material in the English 9 curriculum as well as additional writing assignments and an increased emphasis on analytical skills. Students will learn how to do a close reading of a text, incorporate historical background into an interpretation, and infer a subtext from superficial details. They will begin with summarizing and paragraph development and will move swiftly into advanced thesis statement development and the crafting of arguments supported by evidence from the reading. Advanced participation in class discussion is expected of all students, as well as careful drafting and revision of written work. This class will also focus on the organizational and study skills necessary for a successful transition to high school.
English 9 Instructor:
Sara Plunkett