Room:
B1.3
COURSE
DESCRIPTION
This
is an integrated course for students interested in taking 9th grade Honors
Social Studies and English. The course uses the chronological study of world
history from Ancient Civilization to 1500 A.D. and covers the themes of
culture, science/technology and society, geography, and time/continuity and
change. The content integrates readings and writings that focus on exploring,
interpreting, and analyzing literature and other readings that extend and
support the world history discussions and research. The themes of geography
provide the focus for preparing students to understand how humans adapt to the
environment. The course is a demanding study of world history and literature,
requiring students to understand, analyze, and interpret the connections
between major historical events and the writings of the time. Critical
thinking, philosophical discussion, concept attainment, vocabulary development,
language usage, and research will be stressed. The development of discussion
and presentation skills will focus on analysis, interpretation, and evaluation.
COURSE GOALS/STANDARDS:
Grade 9 - E1 Reading
Reading
is a process that includes demonstrating comprehension and showing evidence of
a warranted and responsible interpretation of the text. “Comprehension” means
getting the gist of a text. Demonstrating an understanding of the text as a
whole, identifying complexities presented in the structure of the text and
extracting salient information from the text most frequently illustrate it. In
providing evidence of a responsible interpretation, students may make
connections between parts of a text, among several texts, and between texts and
other experiences; make extensions and applications of a text; and examine
texts critically and evaluative.
E1a: The student reads at least twenty-five
books or book equivalents each year. The quality and complexity of materials to
be read is based on the lexile level of grade nine (1000L-1200L). The materials should include traditional and
contemporary literature (both fiction and non-fiction) as well as magazines,
newspapers, textbooks, and on-line materials.
Such reading should represent a diverse collection of material from at
least three different literary forms and from at least five different writers.
Examples of activities through which students
might produce evidence of reading twenty-five books include:
q q Maintain an annotated list of works read.
q q Generate a reading log or journal.
q q Participate in formal and informal book talks.
E1b: The student reads and comprehends at least
four books (or book equivalents) about one issue or subject, or four books by a
single writer, or four books in one genre, and produces evidence of reading
that:
E1b.1 makes and supports warranted and
responsible assertions about the texts;
E1b.2 supports assertions with elaborated and
convincing evidence;
E1b.3 draws the texts together to compare and
contrast themes, characters, and ideas;
E1b.4 makes perceptive and well developed
connections;
E1b.5 evaluates writing strategies and elements
of the author’s craft.
Examples of activities through
which students might produce evidence of reading comprehension include:
q q Write a saturation report (a report that recounts information on a topic
gathered by a student over a period of time.)
q
q
Construct a book review.
q
q
Construct a review of
two works by the same author.
q
q
Produce a literary
response paper.
q q Produce a research report.
q q Participate in formal or informal book talks; e.g. Socratic seminar and
literature circles.
q q Create an annotated book list organized according to author, theme, or
genre.
E1c: The student reads and comprehends
informational materials to develop understanding and expertise and produces
written or oral work that:
E1c.1 restates or summarizes information;
E1c.2 relates
new information to prior knowledge or experience;
E1c.3 extends ideas;
E1c.4 makes a connection to related topics or
information.
Examples of activities through which students
might produce evidence of reading informational materials include:
q q Use information to support or enhance a project.
q q Write a report of information that draws from multiple sources.
q q Incorporate expert opinions into a speech or position paper.
q q Use informational materials to reach a conclusion regarding a
controversial topic.
q q Use information to support or enhance a project.
q q Develop a portfolio of materials regarding a student’s hobby or personal
interest.
q q Summarize key points and issues of an historical or artistic exhibit.
q q Write a report that analyzes several historical records of a single
event and attempts to understand
the reasons for the similarities and differences.
Grade 9 - E2 Writing
Writing is a process
through which a writer shapes language to communicate effectively. Writing
often develops through a series of initial plans and multiple drafts and
through access to informed feedback and response. Purpose, audience, and
context contribute to the form and substance of writing as well as to its
style, tone, and stance
E2a: The student produces a
report that:
E2a.1 engages the reader by establishing a
context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
E2a.2 develops a controlling idea that conveys a
perspective on the subject;
E2a.3 creates an organizing structure
appropriate to purpose, audience, and context;
E2a.4 includes appropriate facts and details;
E2a.5 excludes extraneous and inappropriate
information;
E2a.6 uses a range of appropriate strategies,
such as providing facts and details, describing or analyzing the subject,
narrating a relevant anecdote, comparing and contrasting, naming, explaining
benefits or limitations, demonstrating claims or assertions, and providing a
scenario to illustrate;
E2a.7 provides a sense of closure to the
writing.
Examples of reports include:
q q An I-search essay (an essay that details a student’s search for
information as well as the information itself; I-search papers are developed
through a variety of means, e.g. interviews, observation, internet, as well as
traditional library research).
q q A saturation report (a report that recounts substantial information on a
topic gathered by a student over a period of time.)
q q A report produced as part of studies in subjects such as science, social
studies, and mathematics.
q q An informal research paper.
q q An investigative report.
q q A report of information on an item of personal interest or experience.
E2b: The
student produces a response to literature that:
E2b.1 engages the reader through establishing a
context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
E2b.2 advances a judgment that is interpretive,
analytic, evaluative, or reflective;
E2b.3 supports a judgment through references to
the text, references to other works, authors, or non-print media, or references
to personal knowledge;
E2b.4 demonstrates understanding of the literary
work though suggesting an interpretation;
E2b.5 anticipates and answers a reader’s
questions;
E2b.6 recognizes possible ambiguities, nuances,
and complexities;
E2b.7 provides a sense of closure to the
writing.
Examples of responses to literature include:
q q An evaluation of a piece of literature or several pieces of literature.
q q A comparison of a piece of literature with its media (video, tape,
radio, television, ballet, artistic) presentation.
q q A personal response to a literary work.
q q An analysis of the significance of a section of a novel in terms of its
significance to the novel as a whole.
q q An evaluation of the role played by setting or character in novel.
q q An analysis of the effect of a minor character on the plot of a novel.
q q An explanation or interpretation of a recurring motif in a novel, short
story, or a play.
q q A comparison of two literary works.
E2c: The student produces a
narrative (fictional or autobiographical) account that:
E2c.1 engages the reader by establishing a
context, creating a point of view, and otherwise developing reader interest;
E2c.2 establishes a situation, plot, point of
view, setting, and conflict (and for autobiography, the significance of events
and of conclusions that can be drawn from the events);
E2c.3 creates an organizing structure;
E2c.4 includes sensory details and concrete
language to develop plot and character;
E2c.5 excludes extraneous details and
inconsistencies;
E2c.6 develops complex characters;
E2c.7 uses a range of appropriate strategies,
such as dialogue, tension or suspense, naming, pacing, and specific narrative
action, e.g.; movement, gestures, expressions;
E2c.8 provides a sense of closure to the
writing.
Examples of narrative accounts include:
q q A biographical account.
q q A fiction or non-fiction story.
q q A personal narrative.
q q A narrative poem or song based on a hero.
q q An historical account.
q q A parody of a particular narrative style; e.g. fable, soap opera.
q q A response to an autobiographical incident prompt.
.
E2d: The
student produces a narrative that:
E2d.1 engages the reader by establishing a
context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
E2d.2 provides a guide to action to action for a
complicated procedure in order to anticipate a reader’s needs; creates
expectations through predictable structures, e.g. headings; and provides smooth
transitions between steps;
E2d.3 makes use of appropriate writing
strategies, such as creating a visual hierarchy and using white space and
graphics as appropriate;
E2d.4 includes relevant information;
E2d.5 excludes extraneous information;
E2d.6 anticipates problems, mistakes, and
misunderstandings that might arise for the reader;
E2d.7 provides a sense of closure to the
writing.
Examples of narrative procedures include:
q q A set of rules for organizing a
class meeting.
q q A set of instructions for playing
computer games.
q q A set of instructions for using
media technology.
q q A report of a mathematical
investigation.
q q A set of instructions for evaluating searches on the web.
E2e: The
student produces a persuasive essay that:
E2e.1 engages the reader by establishing a
context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
E2e.2 develops a controlling idea that makes a
clear and knowledgeable judgment;
E2e.3 creates an organizing structure that is
appropriate to the needs, values, and interests of a specified audience, and
arranges details, reasons, examples, and anecdotes effectively and
persuasively;
E2e.4 includes appropriate information and arguments;
E2e.5 excludes information and arguments that
are irrelevant;
E2e.6 anticipates and addresses reader concerns
and counter-arguments;
E2e.7 supports arguments with detailed evidence,
citing sources of information as appropriate;
E2e.8 uses a range of strategies to elaborate
and persuade, such as definitions, descriptions, illustrations, examples from
evidence, and anecdotes;
E2e.9 provides a sense of closure to the
writing.
Examples of persuasive essays include:
q q A position paper.
q q A problem-solution paper.
q q An opening statement for a debate.
q q An evaluation of a product or a policy.
q q A critique of a public policy.
q q An editorial on a current issue that uses reasoned arguments to support
an opinion.
E2f: The
student produces a reflective essay that:
E2f.1 engages the reader by establishing a
context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
E2f.2 analyzes a condition or situation of
significance;
E2f.3 develops a commonplace, concrete occasion
as the basis for the reflection, e.g. personal observation or experience;
E2f.4 creates an organizing structure
appropriate to purpose and audience;
E2f.5 uses a variety of writing strategies, such
as concrete details, comparing and contrasting, naming, describing, creating a
scenario;
E2f.6 provides a sense of closure to the
writing.
Examples of reflective essays include:
q q An analysis of the significance of a proverb or quotation.
q q A report about a concrete occasion and its implications over time.
q q An essay comparing a school issue to broader societal concerns.
q q A paper explaining how some experiences, conditions, or concerns have
universal significance.
q q A self-reflective essay evaluating a portfolio to be submitted.
q q A comparison of a scene from a work of fiction with a lesson learned
from a personal experience.
q q A paper about a common childhood experience from a more adult
perspective.
Grade 9 - E3 Speaking, Listening, and Viewing
Speaking,
listening, and viewing are fundamental processes which people use to express,
explore, and learn about ideas. The functions of speaking, listening, and
viewing include gathering and sharing information; persuading others;
expressing and understanding ideas; coordinating activities with others; and
selecting and critically analyzing messages. The contexts of these
communication functions include one-to-one conferences, small group
interactions, large audiences and meetings, and interactions with broadcast
media.
E3a: The student participates in one-to-one
conferences with a teacher, paraprofessional, or adult volunteer, in which the
student:
E3a.1 initiates new topics in addition to
responding to adult-initiated topics;
E3a.2 asks relevant questions;
E3a.3 responds to questions with appropriate
elaboration;
E3a.4 uses language cues to indicate different
levels of certainty or hypothesizing, e.g., “what if…” “Very likely…” “I’m
unsure whether…”
E3a.5 confirms understanding by paraphrasing the
adult’s directions or suggestions.
Examples of one-to-one
interactions include:
q q Book talks using panels, literature circles, or round tables.
q q Analytical discussion of movies or television program with a teacher or
parent.
q q In a one to one situation.
q q Student-teacher conferences regarding a draft of an essay, the student’s
progress on a mathematics assignment, or the state of a science project.
q q Assessment interview by a teacher about an author or book.
q q Discussion of portfolio artifacts.
E3b: The student participates in group
meetings, in which the student:
E3b.1 displays appropriate turn-taking
behaviors;
E3b.2 actively solicits another person’s comment
or opinion;
E3b.3 offers own opinion forcefully without
dominating;
E3b.4 responds appropriately to comments and
questions;
E3b.5 volunteers contributions and responds when
directly solicited by teacher or discussion leader;
E3b.6 gives reasons in support of opinions
expressed;
E3b.7 clarifies, illustrates, or expands on a
response when asked to do so; asks classmates for similar expansions;
E3b.8 employs a group decision-technique such as
brainstorming or problem-solving sequence (e.g. recognize problem, define
problem, identify possible
Solutions, select optimal solution, implement
solution, and evaluate solution);
E3b.9 divides labor so as to achieve the overall
group goal efficiently.
Examples of activities involving group meetings
include:
q q Develop and negotiate a classroom rubric.
q q Engage in classroom town meetings.
q q Participate in book talks with other students.
q q Work as part of a group to solve a complex mathematical task.
q q Role-play.
q q Participate in peer writing response groups.
E3c: The student prepares and delivers an
individual presentation, in which the student:
E3c.1 shapes information to achieve a particular
purpose and to appeal to the interests and background knowledge of audience
members;
E3c.2 shapes content and organization according
to criteria for importance and impact rather than according to availability of
information in resource materials;
E3c.3 uses notes or other memory aids to
structure the presentation;
E3c.4 develops several main points relating to a
single thesis;
E3c.5 engages the audience with appropriate
verbal cues and eye contact;
E3c.6 projects a sense of individuality and
personality in selecting and organizing content and in delivery.
Examples of presentations include:
q q A presentation of project plans or a report for an Applied Learning
project.
q q A report that analyzes several historical records of a single event and
attempts to understand the reasons for the similarities and differences.
q q A report that presents data collected to prove/disprove a particular
hypothesis, along with an appropriate conclusion.
q q A talk that outlines a plan of action for implementing a new school
policy and the reasoning supporting the selected plan over other options.
q q A report that analyzes a trend running through several literary works.
E3d: The student makes informed judgments
about television, radio, and film productions; that is, the student:
E3d.1 demonstrates an awareness of the presence
of the media in the daily lives of most people;
E3d.2 evaluates the role of the media in
focusing attention and in forming opinion;
E3d.3 judges the extent to which the media are a
source of entertainment as well as a source of information;
E3d.4 defines the role of advertising as part of
media presentation.
Examples of activities through which students
might produce evidence of making informed judgments about television, radio,
and film production include:
q q Maintain a week’s log to document personal viewing habits, and analyze
the information collected in the log.
q q Summarize patterns of media exposure in writing or in an oral report.
q q