Honors ELA
Quarter 1
9th Grade Curriculum
Throughout the year:
Writing Process and 6-Trait Writing
Vocabulary - half ACT/SAT prep words and half content specific
Weekly essay - Assigned on Monday, peer reviewed on Wednesday, due on Friday
9.1-9.10 & 9.12
Quarter 1
Grammar: Parenthetical Citation & Paper Format
Literature unit: Classic American Fiction
Fiction Notice and Note Signposts (Close reading strategy)
Short Story: “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” by Mark Twain
Short Story: “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst
Novel: Jeanne Houston’s Farewell to Manzanar, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Historical Account – RL.8.9; W 8.10
Compare and Contrast Fictional Portrayal vs Historical Account RL.8.9
Theme & Central Idea – RL.8.2; RIT.8.2
Setting – RL.8.3; RL.8.9
Plot elements – RL.8.3
Major and Minor Characters – RL.8.3; RL.8.6; RL.8.9
Inferences & Conclusions – RL.8.1; RIT.8.1
Text Structure: (Sequence, compare/contrast, cause/effect) – RL.8.9; RI.8.5;
Figurative Language – L.8.5; 8.5.a; 8.5.b; 8.5.c; RIT.8.4
Paraphrasing and summarizing and making inferences – RL.8.1; RIT.8.1
Points of View RL.8.6
Compare and Contrast Multiple Forms of Media RL.8.7
Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare). RL.9.9
Additional Honors Novel: Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
Theme Essay
Famous American Author Research Paper
Additional Honors Assignment: Children’s Story Book
Speaking & Listening
• SL 9.1 – Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions
groups, teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade-level topics, building on other’s
ideas & expressing their own clearly & persuasively.
• SL 9.4 – Present information, findings, supporting evidence clearly, concisely, & logically so
listeners can follow the line of reasoning; the organization, development, substance, & style
are appropriate to purpose, audience, task
• SL 9.6 - Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English
when indicated or appropriate