Students practice historical journalism by taking on the role of a 1930s reporter. They watch 72 video lessons and complete 22 projects, writing narrative, informative, and persuasive compositions. Students have the option to extend the curriculum to cover a partial year of high school history.
This is a video course, but it also has a companion Developmental English textbook. There are 10 units, each with a writing assignment. For a related multiple-choice diagnostic, go to EdReady and select "Get Started" and then the "College Readiness" goal.
Find structured routines for building writing skills in 24 week video courses created with homeschooling families in mind. Students learn a variety of writing types and write daily. Reading passages are included. For optional instructor training use Teaching Writing: Structure and Style; 2 hr overview DVD in the Library.
It offers a full writing curriculum organized into seven units, each one on a different genre of writing using material from the Times as models. See the NYT's The Learning Network for more resources, including NYT writing prompts and NYT picture prompts and NYT prompts by theme. Subscribe for full access.
NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program - A free curriculum to help students write their own novel. It was created to support students participating in National Novel Writing Month which is held every November, but it can be done any time of year!
Thoughtful Learning English Language Arts Books - Write Ahead is the student handbook for 9th and 10th grade. It does not include assignments, but those can be found in the Writers Ahead Teacher's Guide available for free online. Find out more in the Instructions for Using the Teacher's Guides.
ReadWorks.org - ReadWorks offers a large collection of online articles with open-ended response questions so student can write about what they read. The articles are filterable by grade level reading ability. ReadWorks also provides Article-A-Day text sets students can use as resources for writing personal books of knowledge. Free account registration is required.
Just a Bit: Writing in Small Chunks - Just A Bit offers a free course of 26 video-based lessons. They guide students through the process of creating an informational essay about their favorite season. The lessons are designed to be completed in order. Afterwards students can create a new composition on a different topic by reviewing the videos.
Praise can be a lot more motivating and effective that red correction marks! Check the CRC Positive Feedback page for 10 suggestions about positive things to look for in your student's writing.
Nora Roberts
See opinion and informational student writing; annotated samples have educator comments! The student reading material is not included.
Find over 25 examples of ninth grade writing, including explanatory (informational), persuasive, and narrative (story) writing.
Learn about student writing development in a chart listing the key skills typically taught and learned between the ages of three and 14+.
The goals below work well across a wide range of ages. For more detailed information view the Grade 9-10 Writing Standards.
Defend an idea
Explain a topic
Tell a story
Ask questions and seek answers
Analyze information and give credit to sources
Support ideas with evidence
Plan for writing type, audience, and purpose
Prewrite, write, revise, and edit
Use technology when helpful
Write often in different subjects for a variety of purposes
Maya Angelou