Welcome to English 9 Honors! Buckle up for a fast-paced, challenging, and enriching experience in discovering the beautiful aspects of written and spoken language. We explore two themes this year: Who am I? and How does SOCIETY shape and influence me?

Since you selected to enroll in Honors English, following are many of the qualities of an Honors 9 student. Are you ready for the challenge? (FYI...You CAN earn an Academic Honors diploma AND go to college taking regular English. PLEASE make sure you are committed to be the BEST student you can if you stay in Honors.) We move pretty quickly.

• Qualifies for High Ability services and/or has taken High Ability courses at SMS.

• Scores deeply PROFICIENT (green) or ABOVE PROFICIENT (blue) on ISTEP ELA testing. Students whose scores are APPROACHING PROFICIENCY (yellow) or BELOW PROFICIENCY (red) should evaluate course selection. The content rigor may be too much.

• Critical thinking is a strength.

• Attends school consistently (at or above 95%.)

• Completes ALL work in a timely manner (late work has a penalty). There is not a 50% grading policy at SHS. Only quality and original work will be accepted.

• Completes work consistently outside of class. (Honors English has little to no work time built in during class.)

• Utilizes free time wisely regarding academic studies.

• Reads well and willingly when assigned. Reading comprehension is a strength for me.

• Is or will become comfortable speaking in front of the class.

• Enjoys discussing a piece of literature and sharing his/her thoughts.

• Expects to attend a four-year college after high school.

• Enrolls in an additional Honors class as a freshman: Geometry and/or Biology

• Works very hard in his/her studies and enjoys school.

• Writes well and understands the basics of grammar and writing.

• Works well with others and independently.

• Values academic integrity (knows copying homework is cheating.)

• Maturity is improving.

Highlights of our literature for Semester One include How to Read Literature Like a Professor, various short stories, Socratic seminars paired with research and literature, literary lenses through Brothers Grimm's Cinderella, Heroes in Literature: Homer's Odyssey (epic poetry), excerpts from The Ingenious Hildalgo Don Quixote de La Mancha, Le Morte d' Arthur, The Once and Future King, historic documents and speeches, excerpts from A Tale of Two Cities and film Les Miserables. Semester Two: The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, 1930s/Civil Rights Movement, Just Mercy, To Kill a Mockingbird and our live trial at the Jackson County Courthouse, and often the favorite experience: acting Twelve Angry Men live in class. Students will also master techniques to compose sentences like the Grammar Greats: published authors, learn to map sentences with a strong understanding of clauses, phrases, verbals, etc. and continue to enrich your understanding of vocabulary through Greek and Latin root study.