Scope and Sequence

Required Learning
Experiences Standard Class Honors Class

Curriculum Follow the CMS curriculum guides for this grade level. Follow the CMS curriculum guides for this grade level.
*Texts are chosen at the discretion of the teacher and aligned to CCSS *Texts are chosen at the discretion of the teacher and aligned to CCSS
complexity and rigor requirements. complexity and rigor requirements.

At least one common novel, chosen from the novel list for this At least one common novel, chosen from the novel list for
Novels grade level or classic novels. this grade level, or one of the classic novels.
*Novel list located in the appendix. One novel self-selected by the student for independent
reading. *Follow guidelines for selecting independent novels in the
appendix.
Five per unit of study or novel: R1/R10 * student work from novel Three per unit of study or novel: R1/R10* student work from
CCSS study could be evidence of meeting these standards. novel study could be evidence of meeting these standards.
R1/R10 One culminating project per novel *See appendix for examples

One W1, One W2 One W1, One W2

CCSS Three small scaffolded tasks that build up to the W1 or W2 Three- five tasks that build up to the W1 or W2 assignment
W1, W2 assignment *See Aligned Learning Experiences in appendix for suggested tasks to
*See Aligned Learning Experiences in appendix for suggested tasks to support these standards.
support these standards.
Participate in class discussions about writer’s craft. Participate in class discussions about writer’s craft.
Speaking/ Make text to world connections. Make text to world connections.
Listening Evaluate a speaker’s presentation. Evaluate a speaker’s presentation. Ask questions and
Answer extemporaneous questions. critique.

One three- five minute oral presentation in class related to One five- seven minute oral presentation in class related to
Graduation W1 or W2 task. W1 or W2 task.
Project Grade appropriate research tasks.*See curriculum guide. Grade appropriate research tasks.*See curriculum guide.
(all grade levels)

Keep student evidence of these required learning experiences. Daybooks, Interactive Notebooks, or other portfolios are a great way to
document student understanding and mastery of the standards and should be labeled to match CCSS standards.

Unit One: Violence
Common Core Standards:
READING
INFORMATIONAL
RI 1: Cite strong and
thorough textual evidence
to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn
from the text, including
determining where the text
leaves matters uncertain.
RI 3: Analyze a complex
set of ideas or sequence of
events and explain how
specific individuals, ideas,
or events interact and
develop over the course of
the text.
RI 5: Analyze in detail
how an author’s ideas or
claims are developed and
refined by particular
sentences, paragraphs, or
larger portions of a text
English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014
READING
LITERATURE
RL1: Cite strong and
thorough textual evidence
to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn
from the text.
RL 2: Determine a theme
or central idea of a text
and analyze in detail its
development over the
course of the text,
including how it emerges
and is shaped and refined
by specific details; provide
an objective summary of
the text
RL3: Analyze how
complex characters (e.g.,
those with multiple or
conflicting motivations)
develop over the course of
a text, interact with other
characters, and advance
the plot or develop the
theme.
RL4: Determine the
meaning of words and
phrases as they are used
in the text, including
figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the
cumulative impact of
specific word choices on
meaning and tone
RL5: Analyze how an
author’s choices
concerning how to
structure a text, order
events within it (e.g.,
parallel plots), and
manipulate time (e.g.,
pacing, flashbacks) create
such effects as mystery,
tension, or surprise.
WRITING
W1: Write arguments to
support claims in an
analysis of substantive
topics or texts,
using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient
evidence.
W2:Write
informative/explanatory
texts to examine and
convey complex ideas,
concepts, and information
clearly and accurately
through the effective
selection,
organization, and analysis
of content.
W4: Produce clear and
coherent writing in which
the development,
organization, and style are
appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.
English 9th Grade
Unit 1
SPEAKING and
LANGUAGE
LISTENING
SL1: Initiate and
L1: Demonstrate
participate effectively in a
command of the
range of collaborative
conventions of standard
discussions (one-on-one,
English grammar and
in groups, and teacher-led)
usage when writing or
with diverse partners on
speaking.
grades 9–10 topics, texts,
and issues, building on
L3:Apply knowledge of
others’ ideas and
language to understand
expressing their own
how language functions in
clearly and persuasively
different contexts, to make
effective choices for
meaning or style, and to
comprehend more fully
when reading or listening.
L6: Acquire and use
accurately general
academic and domain-
specific words and
phrases, sufficient for
reading, writing, speaking,
and listening at the college
and career readiness level;
demonstrate independence
in gathering vocabulary
knowledge when
considering a word or
phrase important to
comprehension or
expression.
 English 9th Grade
Unit 1

Unit Overview
In this unit, students will identify an author’s specific writing craft that reveals bias, tone, reliability, and
theme through a study of the common motif of violence. Teachers may choose from several pieces of
text that contain episodes of violence and responses to violence to illustrate for students the often
complex task of finding an appropriate and effective solution. Students will use examples from their
close examination of the works to identify approaches to resolution. They will make connections to
current issues, conduct research, and propose steps to resolving a specific conflict.

English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014

 English 9th Grade
Unit 1
Unit Essential Questions
1. Is violence ever justified or necessary to bring about change? (argumentative)
2. How does violence impact society and/or change society? (informative)
3. What solutions are viable to prevent violence?

Lesson Essential Questions

1. What is the author’s purpose in writing this text?

2. Who is the intended audience?
3. What words does the author choose for a specific reason? What does it matter?
4. What text structure choices did the author use to produce a tone for the work?
5. Whose voice is presented in this text? Why?
6. Whose perspective is not presented? Why?
7. What values does the author highlight in the text, both explicitly and implicitly? Why?
8. What connections do you see between this text and real-world events?
9. How does the author call the audience to action?
10. What rhetoric is used? Why?
11. How does the author prod the reader to consider alternate views?
12. How credible is this writer?
13. How can readers address bias in a text?
14. What purpose is there is using allusions and other figurative devices in text?

Discipline Specific Vocabulary

Denotation Metaphor Prefix
Connotation Symbolism Suffix
Allusion Euphemism Parallelism
Anecdote Diction Clause: Main, Subordinate
Imagery Inference Appositive
Oxymoron Paraphrase
Simile Analogy

Unit Vocabulary
Appeals: Logical, Emotional
Reliability Anecdote Bias
Rhetoric Tone Call to Action
Persuasion Mood
Sequence
English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014
 English 9th Grade
Unit 1
Structure

• Special Note: The vocabulary lists above are suggestions. The expectation is that teachers will identify vocabulary in
context and teach students words that help them access and make meaning of texts. See appendix for vocabulary
instruction tips.

Unit 1- Goals

What do students need to KNOW? What do students need to be able to DO?

 Rhetorical Modes: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos
 Allegory, Metaphor, Allusion and Symbolism
 Text Shifts
 Word, Grammar, and Punctuation Choice
 Inference
 Use evidence from text to support claims about author’s purpose
 Determine the credibility of the author/ text
 Identify rhetoric and bias in text
 Apply author/speaker’s style of persuasion to current issue
 Create clear, cohesive, and mechanically sound work

I Can… Statements
 I Can…
RI 1
 Make specific references to passages and events from a text to prove what the text says directly as well as the meaning I can infer
indirectly.
RI 3
 Summarize the order in which the author unfolds his main ideas or events.
 Examine how the author introduces and develops his main points.
 Determine the connections between the author’s main points
RI 5
 Identify an author’s ideas and claims
 Analyze how an author uses particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of the text to develop his ideas and claims.
RL1
 Make specific references to passages and events from a text to prove what the text says directly as well as the meaning I can infer
indirectly.

RL2
 Define “theme”
 Read a text and be able to extract the author’s purpose
 Find appropriate quotations and references from the entire work that show how the theme emerges and is refined
RL3
 Identify and analyze complex characters.
 Show how a complex character develops throughout the text.
 Show how a complex character interacts with other characters.
 Show how the complex character and his/her interactions with other characters advance the plot.
 Show how the complex character and his/her interactions with other characters develop the theme.
RL4
 Analyze the use of word choice including figurative words and words with strong connotation and its effect on meaning and tone..
RL5
 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g.,
pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
RL10

Unit 1 4
 English 9th Grade
Unit 1
 Distinguish an author’s particular treatment of a shared theme or element and identify how various authors develop the theme or
element.
W1
 Analyze a substantive topic or text
 Provide relevant reasons and evidence from substantive text to support claim(s) and counterclaim(s)
 Write an effective argument (or produce and deliver an effective argument)
 Organize reasons and evidence in a logical manner
W2
 Understand and use various organizational structures
 Utilize formatting, graphics, and multimedia
 Introduce a topic/thesis statement and preview what is to follow Use facts, concrete details, quotations, examples to develop the topic
 Utilize various transitional expressions to establish cohesion among ideas and concepts
 Understand and use precise vocabulary
 Incorporate definitions of terms
 Understand and use domain-specific vocabulary
 Understand and use a formal style and objective tone
 Provide an effective conclusion
W4
 Understand various writing text types and their organizational structures
 Identify and understand the writing task
 Identify and understand the writing purpose
 Determine and address the audience appropriately
 Understand and utilize appropriate style
SL1
 Prepare for discussion by reading and researching topic
 Make reference to the evidence discovered during reading and researching
 During group discussions come to consensus, make decisions, set goals and define individual roles Pose questions designed to move the
discussion forward
 Include everyone in the discussion and build on their ideas as well as challenging them
 Consider & respond to diverse perspectives
 Justify your views and make new connections if necessary when presented with new evidence.
L1
 Understand concepts of parallelism ( i.e.; repeated grammatical patterns, types of phrases, and types of clauses)
 Understand the differences between a phrase and a clause
 Identify and use various types of phrases Identify and use various types of clauses Know various sentence variety patterns
 Understand how sentence variety (use of clauses and phrases) affects meaning and interest
L3
 Identify the context and the appropriate language choice
 Identify and have knowledge of various style guidelines
 Consult reference materials (style manuals) for guidelines appropriate to the discipline
 Know standard English grammar, punctuation, and capitalization
 Know standard format for citing reference sources in a bibliography or Works Cited page
L6
 Identify, understand, and use general academic terms
 Identify, understand, and use domain-specific terms
 Independently build vocabulary

Unit 1 5
 English 9th Grade
Unit 1
Unit 1- Assessment Options:

W1- Literacy Common Core Power Standard: Writing Arguments

• After reading unit texts and researching various documents, write an essay that argues for or
against the justification of violence to promote change. Include the possible implications of your
stance on society. Support your argument with evidence from the texts.

W2- Literacy Common Core Power Standard: Writing Informative Texts

• After reading unit texts, develop an oral presentation with visuals that explains how acts of
violence impact people and their environment. Be sure to include the causes and effects of
violent acts by citing examples from texts read throughout the unit.

R1/R10- Literacy Common Core Power Standard: Reading Closely Over Time with a
Variety of Texts
• Using the Concept Bundles strategy, discuss in class a piece of text and the literary elements
found within. Students should create a sentence that explains a literary element in context of the
work, then choose two elements and connect them within the context of the work.
• Using the Iceberg of Culture strategy, students can make inferences about the culture presented
using evidence in the text. As an extension, they can compare our culture to the one being
studied and make relevant inferences.
• Use the Key Words strategy to examine vocabulary with and among texts. Identify commonalities
and importance to understanding of text.

Suggested Texts:
Special Note: This list of texts is not comprehensive. Unit questions and objectives are aligned
to standards, not specific texts, and can be tailored to any appropriate text.

Text Author Lexile Page #

“The Most Dangerous Richard Connell 740 58
Game”
“The Cask of Amontillado” Edgar Allen Poe 830 370
Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare NA 1034
The Rights to the Streets of Richard Wright 930 117
Memphis
from Rosa Parks Douglas Brinkley 1320 292
“The Sniper” Liam O’Flaherty 437
“I Have a Dream” Martin Luther King Jr. 1120 662

Supplemental Texts:
“Fire and Ice” Poetry p. 743
Nonviolence: The Only Way to Freedom
Freedom Riders (Media/YouTube clips)
Political Cartoons
Ruby Bridges (integration of school image)
Gun Control debate (media research)
Excerpts from “A Long Way Gone”

Unit 1 6

Unit Two: Past and Future
Common Core Standards:
READING
INFORMATIONAL
RI1 – Cite strong and
thorough textual evidence
to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn
from the text.
RI2 – Determine a central
idea of a text and analyze
its development over the
course of the text including
how it emerges and is
shaped and refined by
specific details; provide an
objective summary of the
text.
RI3 – Analyze how the
author unfolds an analysis
or series of ideas or
events, including the order
in which the points are
made, how they are
introduced and developed,
and the connections that
are drawn between them.
RI4 – Determine the
meaning of words and
phrases as they are used
in a text including
figurative, connotative,
and technical meanings;
analyze the cumulative
impact of specific word
choices on meaning and
tone .
RI8 – Delineate and
evaluate the argument and
specific claims in a text,
assessing whether the
reasoning is valid and the
evidence is relevant and
sufficient; identify false
statements and fallacious
reasoning.
RI9 – Analyze seminal
U.S. documents of
historical and literary
significance (e.g.,
Washington’s Farewell
Address, the Gettysburg
Address, Roosevelt’s Four
Freedoms speech, King’s
“Letter from a Birmingham
Jail”), including how they
address related themes
and concepts.
English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014
English 9th Grade
Unit 2
SPEAKING and
READING LITERATURE WRITING LANGUAGE
LISTENING
W1 – Write arguments to SL1 – Initiate and L1 – Demonstrate
RL1 – Cite strong and
support claims in an participate effectively in a command of the
thorough textual evidence
analysis of substantive range of collaborative conventions of standard
to support analysis of what
topics or texts, using valid discussions (one on one, in English grammar and
the text says explicitly as
reasoning and relevant and groups, and teacher-led) usage when writing or
well as inferences drawn
sufficient evidence. with diverse partners on speaking.
from the text.
grades 9-10 topics, texts, L2 – Demonstrate
RL2 – Determine a theme
W2-Write and issues, building on command of the
or central idea of a text
informative/explanatory others’ ideas and conventions of standard
and analyze in detail its
texts to examine and expressing their own English capitalization,
development over the
convey complex ideas, clearly and persuasively. punctuation, and spelling
course of the text,
concepts, and information SL3 – Evaluate a speaker’s when writing.
including how it emerges
clearly and accurately point of view, reasoning, L3 – Apply knowledge of
and is shaped and refined
through the effective and use of evidence and language to understand
by specific details; provide
selection, organization, and rhetoric, identifying any how language functions in
an objective summary of
analysis of content. fallacious reasoning or different contexts, to make
the text.
exaggerated or distorted effective choices for
RL4 – Determine the
evidence. meaning or style, and to
meaning of words and
W4 Produce clear and SL4 – Present information, comprehend more fully
phrases as they are used
coherent writing in which findings, and supporting when reading or listening.
in a text, including
the development, evidence clearly, concisely, L4 – Determine or clarify
figurative and connotative
organization, and style are and logically such that the meaning of unknown
meanings; analyze the
appropriate to task, listeners can follow the line and multiple-meaning
cumulative impact of
purpose, and audience. of reasoning and the words and phrases based
specific word choices on
organization, development, on grades 9-10 reading
meaning and tone.
substance, and style are and content, choosing
RL5 – Analyze how an
appropriate to purpose, flexibly from a range of
author’s choices
audience, and task. strategies.
concerning how to
L5 – Demonstrate
structure a text, order
understanding of figurative
events within and
language, word
manipulate time create
relationships, and nuances
such effects as mystery,
in word meanings.
tension, or surprise.
L6 – Acquire and use
RL10 – By the end of
accurately general
grade 9, read and
academic and domain-
comprehend literature,
specific words and
including stories, dramas,
phrases, sufficient for
and poems, in the grades
reading, writing, speaking,
9-10 text complexity band
and listening at the college
proficiently, with
and career readiness level;
scaffolding as needed at
demonstrate independence
the high end of the range.
in gathering vocabulary
knowledge when
considering a word or
phrase important to
comprehension or
expression.
 English 9th Grade
Unit 2

Unit Overview
In this unit, students will explore many text examples of setting, diction, and symbolism that showcase
the theme of how the past influences the future. Students may also conduct short research projects
designed to explore how the past continues to shape our society.

Unit Essential Questions

1. To what extent does our past shape our future?
2. In what ways can humans escape their past to build a new future?
3. Is there freedom of choice for everyone?

Lesson Essential Questions

1. In what ways is the dissonance between reality and dreams addressed in this text?
2. How are the decisions made during the character’s coming of age reflected in other aspects of the
text? (parallel plot lines)
3. How does the author use literary tools to show how humans can overcome adversity from their past?
4. How does the author use minor characters to explore conflict?
5. What word choice decisions did the author make to add nuance to the text and why?
6. How does an individual’s right to choose their future become a point of conflict?
7. How effective are the literary devices in conveying tone? Explain your answer.
8. How does the writer set up the claim and support it with evidence and warrants?
9. How can readers interpret author’s style choices?
10. What impact do the word choices have on the text as a whole?
11. How do the minor characters’ interactions develop the main character?
12. Why does the author use particular literary devices? How effectively are they used?
13. How does the author use text structure to draw the reader’s attention?
14. How does the author use sentence structure to create nuances in the meaning of the text?

Discipline Specific Vocabulary

Denotation Metaphor Prefix
Connotation Symbolism Suffix
Allusion Euphemism Parallelism
Anecdote Diction Clause: Main, Subordinate
Imagery Inference Appositive
Oxymoron Paraphrase
Simile Analogy

Unit Vocabulary
Objective
Subjective Audience
Evaluation
Tone
Claim
Synthesis Nuance
Evidence Argumentative
Details Informative

English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014

 English 9th Grade
Unit 2
Special Note: The vocabulary lists above are suggestions. The expectation is that teachers will identify vocabulary
in context and teach students words that help them access and make meaning of texts. See appendix for vocabulary
instruction tips.

Unit 2- Goals

What do students need to KNOW? What do students need to be able to DO?

 Explicit and implicit word meanings  Cite textual evidence
 Story Structure  Determine theme and/or main idea
 Genre Structure  Determine author’s purpose
 Mood and Tone  Analyze the impact of mood and tone on the text
 Grammar conventions  Acquire and use new vocabulary appropriately
 Make a claim and support it with textual evidence

I Can… Statements
 I Can…
RI1
 Make specific references to passages and events from a text to prove what the text says directly as well as the meaning I can
infer indirectly.
RI2
 Determine a central idea and explain its development throughout the text using specific details.
 Objectively summarize a text.
RI3
 Summarize the order in which the author unfolds his main ideas or events.
 Examine how the author introduces and develops his main points.
 Determine the connections between the author’s main points
RI4
 Figure out the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in context.
 Figure out the meaning of figurative words and phrases as they are used in the text.
 Figure out the connotative meanings of words and phrases as they are used in the text.
 Figure out the technical meanings of words and phrases as they are used in the text.
 Analyze the use of word choice including figurative words, words with strong connotation, and technical words and its effect
on meaning and tone.
RI8
 Delineate the argument and specific claims of a text.
 Evaluate the argument and specific claims in terms of 1) reasoning and evidence (is it valid and sufficient?), and 2) false
statements and fallacious reasoning.
RI9
 Analyze U.S. documents of history and literature for their significant themes and concepts.
RL1
 Make specific references to passages and events from a text to prove what the text says directly as well as the meaning I can
infer indirectly.
RL2
 Determine a theme and explain its development throughout the text using specific details.
 Objectively summarize a text.

RL4
 Figure out the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in context.
 Figure out the meaning of figurative words and phrases as they are used in the text.
 Analyze the use of word choice including figurative words and words with strong connotation and its effect on meaning and
tone.
RL5
 Figure out the structure of the text and the order of events.
 Show how the author manipulates time.

Unit 2 3
 English 9th Grade
Unit 2
 Show how the order of events and manipulation of time create mystery, tension, or surprise.
W1
 Analyze a substantive topic or text
 Introduce a precise claim
 Provide reasons and substantive evidence to support claim
 Identify and distinguish counterclaims
 Develop claims and counterclaims fairly
 Organize reasons and evidence in a logical manner
 Analyze and address audience considerations
 Determine relevance of evidence
 Utilize credible sources
 Utilize transitional expressions to establish relationships among claims and reasons
 Understand how to maintain a formal style and objective tone
 Provide an effective conclusion
W2
 Understand and use various organizational structures
 Utilize formatting, graphics, and multimedia
 Introduce a topic/thesis statement and preview what is to follow Use facts, concrete details, quotations, examples to develop
the topic
 Utilize various transitional expressions to establish cohesion among ideas and concepts
 Understand and use precise vocabulary
 Incorporate definitions of terms
 Understand and use domain-specific vocabulary
 Understand and use a formal style and objective tone
 Provide an effective conclusion
W4
 Understand various writing text types and their organizational structures
 Identify and understand the writing task
 Identify and understand the writing purpose
 Determine and address the audience appropriately
 Understand and utilize appropriate style
SL1

 Prepare for discussion by reading and researching topic

 Make reference to the evidence discovered during reading and researching
 During group discussions come to consensus, make decisions, set goals and define individual roles Pose questions designed to
move the discussion forward
 Include everyone in the discussion and build on their ideas as well as challenging them
 Consider & respond to diverse perspectives
 Justify your views and make new connections if necessary when presented with new evidence.

SL3

 Identify the speaker’s point of view

 Determine if the speaker's reasoning is sound
 Know rhetorical devices (i.e.; parallelism, restatement, analogy )
 Identify faulty logic, or reasoning based on misleading statements
 Identify distorted or exaggerated evidence

SL4

 Present information clearly, concisely, and logically

 Present evidence in support of a thesis
 Draw information from primary and secondary sources and provide a conclusion
 Present a recitation

L1

 Understand concepts of parallelism ( i.e.; repeated grammatical patterns, types of phrases, and types of clauses)
 Understand the differences between a phrase and a clause
 Identify and use various types of phrases Identify and use various types of clauses Know various sentence variety patterns

Unit 2 4
 English 9th Grade
Unit 2
 Understand how sentence variety (use of clauses and phrases) affects meaning and interest

L2

 Understand and correctly use English conventions

L3

 Identify the context and the appropriate language choice

 Identify and have knowledge of various style guidelines
 Consult reference materials (style manuals) for guidelines appropriate to the discipline
 Know standard English grammar, punctuation, and capitalization
 Know standard format for citing reference sources in a bibliography or Works Cited page

L4

 Use context clues to derive word meaning

 Use Greek and Latin affixes and roots to derive word meaning
L5

 Understand figurative language ( simile, metaphor personification, euphemism, oxymoron)

 Understand denotation and connotations

L6

 Identify, understand, and use general academic terms

 Identify, understand, and use domain-specific terms
 Independently build vocabulary

Unit 2- Assessment Options:

W1- Writing Arguments

• After reading and analyzing the text(s), create a claim that argues whether or not one’s past
dictates his or her future. Compare/contrast examples from the provided texts, and be sure to
support your position with evidence from the text(s).

W2- Writing Informative Texts

• After reading and analyzing the text(s), create a presentation that shows the correlation between
a character’s past experiences and their affect on current experiences. (Possible modes of
expression: an editorial, an essay, a speech, a graphic (chart, diagram, graph), a Prezi
presentation, a Power Point, a Blog post, etc.

R1/R10- Reading Closely Over Time with a Variety of Texts

• The suggested texts can be utilized to provide students with contemporary examples of the literary devices
used by authors. More than one text should be provided so students have adequate material with which to
conduct a close and comprehensive examination of the ways in which various authors use such devices to
develop the narrative.
• Using the Concept Bundles strategy, discuss a text and the literary elements found within. Students should
create a sentence that explains a literary element in context of the work, then choose two elements and
connect them within the context of the work.
• Using the Iceberg of Culture strategy, students can make inferences about the culture presented using
evidence in the text. As an extension, they can compare our culture to the one being studied and make
relevant inferences.
• Using the Bracket Busters strategy, students can compare heroes from history and those of modern times,
both fictional and real. Students should be able to defend their “winners” with evidence from texts and
logical inferences.

Unit 2 5
 English 9th Grade
Unit 2
• Research modern day social issues and compare them to similar issues in the past. Use a Venn diagram or
other graphic organizer to chart your findings.

Suggested Texts:
• Special Note: This list of texts is not comprehensive. Unit questions and objectives are aligned to
standards, not specific texts, and can be tailored to any appropriate text.

• From Rosa Parks by Douglas Brinkley – biography (1320L)

• “Marigolds” by Eugenia Collier- short story (1110L)
• “A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote – short story (830L)
• “The Lost Boys” by Sara Corbett – magazine article (1070L)
• “Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy?” by Tim O’Brien – short story (930L)
• “The Seven Ages of Man” by William Shakespeare – poem
• “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost- poem

Supplementary Texts
• “God Grew Tired of Us: The Story of Lost Boys of Sudan” –film
• “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”
• “Johnny I hardly Knew Ya”

Unit 2 6

Unit Three: Pride
Unit Overview:
In this unit, students will examine the theme of how pride shapes one’s interaction with the world. A
close study of several key texts from multiple genres will help students identify positive and negative
aspects of pride, the impact of self-worth on the individual and community, and author’s craft in
illustrating the human condition as moral story.
Common Core Standards:
READING
INFORMATIONAL
RI1- Cite strong and
thorough textual evidence
to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn
from the text.
RI3 – Analyze how the
author unfolds an analysis
or series of ideas or
events, including the order
in which the points are
made, how they are
introduced and developed,
and the connections that
are drawn between them.
RI5 – Analyze in detail
how an author’s ideas or
claims are developed and
refined by particular
sentences, paragraphs, or
larger portions of a text
RI6 – Determine an
author’s point of view or
purpose in a text and
analyze how an author
uses rhetoric to advance
that point of view or
purpose.
RI8 – Delineate and
evaluate the argument and
specific claims in a text,
assessing whether the
reasoning is valid and the
evidence is relevant and
sufficient; identify false
statements and fallacious
reasoning.
English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014
READING
LITERATURE
RL1 – Cite strong and
thorough textual evidence
to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn
from the text.
RL2 – Determine a
theme or central idea of a
text and analyze in detail
its development over the
course of the text,
including how it emerges
and is shaped and refined
by specific details; provide
an objective summary of
the text.
RL4 – Determine the
meaning of words and
phrases as they are used
in a text, including
figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the
cumulative impact of
specific word choices on
meaning and tone.
RL5 – Analyze how an
author’s choices
concerning how to
structure a text, order
events within and
manipulate time create
such effects as mystery,
tension, or surprise.
RL10 – By the end of
grade 9, read and
comprehend literature,
including stories, dramas,
and poems, in the grades
9-10 text complexity band
proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at
the high end of the range.
WRITING
W1 – Write arguments to
support claims in an
analysis of substantive
topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant and
sufficient evidence.
W2 Write
informative/explanatory
texts to examine and
convey complex ideas,
concepts, and information
clearly and accurately
through the effective
selection, organization, and
analysis of content.
W4 Produce clear and
coherent writing in which
the development,
organization, and style are
appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.
W9 Draw evidence from
literary or informational
texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
English 9th Grade
SPEAKING and
LISTENING
SL1 – Initiate and
participate effectively in a
range of collaborative
discussions (one on one, in
groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on
grades 9-10 topics, texts,
and issues, building on
others’ ideas and
expressing their own
clearly and persuasively.
SL2 – Integrate multiple
sources of information
presented in diverse media
or formats evaluating the
credibility and accuracy of
each source.
SL5 – Make strategic use
of digital media in
presentations to enhance
understanding of findings,
reasoning, and evidence to
add interest.
SL6 – Adapt speech to a
variety of contexts and
tasks, demonstrating
command of formal English
when indicated or
appropriate.
Unit 3
LANGUAGE
L1 – Demonstrate
command of the
conventions of standard
English grammar and
usage when writing or
speaking.
L2 – Demonstrate
command of the
conventions of standard
English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
when reading or listening.
L4 – Determine or clarify
the meaning of unknown
and multiple-meaning
words and phrases based
on grades 9-10 reading
and content, choosing
flexibly from a range of
strategies.
L6 – Acquire and use
accurately general
academic and domain-
specific words and
phrases, sufficient for
reading, writing, speaking,
and listening at the college
and career readiness level;
demonstrate independence
in gathering vocabulary
knowledge when
considering a word or
phrase important to
comprehension or
expression.
 English 9th Grade
Unit 3

Unit Essential Questions

1. Does pride help or hinder an individual?
2. How is pride in one’s self influenced by culture and social status?
3. Are shame and pride linked?
4. Why is narrative important to the growth of society?

Lesson Essential Questions

1. When does the text shift? Is there a turning point in the plot? In the characters?
2. What influence does the main character have on their community?
3. What influences the main character to change? Why is this important to the text as a whole?
4. What choices did the author make in selecting particular words to create the tone of the piece?
5. When the minor characters enter the story, what do they add? Why?
6. Whose voice is heard most in this piece? Why?
7. Whose voice is not heard? Why not?
8. How do society’s values impact the individual’s sense of self-worth?
9. When does pride turn from positive to negative? Cite textual evidence.
10. At what point do the individual’s values impact their society and create change? Cite textual
evidence.

Discipline Specific Vocabulary

Denotation Metaphor Prefix
Connotation Symbolism Suffix
Allusion Euphemism Parallelism
Anecdote Diction Clause: Main,
Imagery Inference Subordinate
Oxymoron Paraphrase Appositive
Simile Analogy

Unit Vocabulary
Motivation Theme
Conflict Perspective
Tone Claim
Textual Support Rhetoric
Voice Credibility
Bias Audience
Resolution

• Special Note: The vocabulary lists above are suggestions. The expectation is that teachers will identify vocabulary in
context and teach students words that help them access and make meaning of texts. See appendix for vocabulary
instruction tips.

English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014

 English 9th Grade
Unit 3
Unit 3- Goals

What do students need to KNOW? What do students need to be able to DO?

 Heroic Archetypes  Identify tragic flaws
 Story Structure  Compare/Contrast genres
 Genre Structure  Identify shifts in texts
 Pride v. Self-esteem  Evaluate author’s style
 Text Structure  Identify author’s purpose
 Citation format  Use appropriate reading strategies for the genre
 Make text-based predictions
 Make meaning from context clues

I Can… Statements
 I Can…
RI1
 Make specific references to passages and events from a text to prove what the text says directly as well as the meaning I can
infer indirectly.
RI3
 Examine how the author introduces and develops his main points
RI5
 Identify an author’s ideas and claims
 Analyze how an author uses particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of the text to develop his ideas and claims
RI6
 Show how the author uses his arguments to develop his point of view or purpose.
RI8
 Delineate the argument and specific claims of a text.
 Evaluate the argument and specific claims in terms of 1) reasoning and evidence (is it valid and sufficient?), and 2) false
statements and fallacious reasoning.
RL1
 Make specific references to passages and events from a text to prove what the text says directly as well as the meaning I can
infer indirectly.
RL2
 Determine a theme and explain its development throughout the text using specific details.
 Objectively summarize a text.
RL4
 Figure out the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in context.
 Figure out the meaning of figurative words and phrases as they are used in the text.
 Analyze the use of word choice including figurative words and words with strong connotation and its effect on meaning and
tone.
RL5
 Figure out the structure of the text and the order of events.
 Show how the author manipulates time.
 Show how the order of events and manipulation of time create mystery, tension, or surprise.
W1
 Analyze a substantive topic or text
 Introduce a precise claim
 Provide reasons and substantive evidence to support claim
 Identify and distinguish counterclaims
 Develop claims and counterclaims fairly
 Organize reasons and evidence in a logical manner
 Analyze and address audience considerations
 Determine relevance of evidence
 Utilize credible sources
 Utilize transitional expressions to establish relationships among claims and reasons
 Understand how to maintain a formal style and objective tone
 Provide an effective conclusion.
W2
 Understand and use various organizational structures
 Utilize formatting, graphics, and multimedia

English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014

Unit 3 3
 English 9th Grade
Unit 3
 Introduce a topic/thesis statement and preview what is to follow Use facts, concrete details, quotations, examples to develop
the topic
 Utilize various transitional expressions to establish cohesion among ideas and concepts
 Understand and use precise vocabulary
 Incorporate definitions of terms
 Understand and use domain-specific vocabulary
 Understand and use a formal style and objective tone
 Provide an effective conclusion
W4
 Understand various writing text types and their organizational structures
 Identify and understand the writing task
 Identify and understand the writing purpose
 Determine and address the audience appropriately
 Understand and utilize appropriate style
W9
 Analyze literary or informational texts
 Assess soundness of reasoning and relevance of evidence
 Utilize evidence to support analysis/research
 Recognize and understand organizational structures
SL1
 Prepare for discussion by reading and researching topic
 Make reference to the evidence discovered during reading and researching
 During group discussions come to consensus, make decisions, set goals and define individual roles Pose questions designed to
move the discussion forward
 Include everyone in the discussion and build on their ideas as well as challenging them
 Consider & respond to diverse perspectives
 Justify your views and make new connections if necessary when presented with new evidence.
SL2
 Present information using a variety of media or formats
 Integrate multiple sources of information including visual, quantitative and oral Evaluate the credibility of each source
 Evaluate the accuracy of each source
SL5
 Know and use a variety of digital media formats (i.e.; textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements)
 Strategically use digital media to emphasize key points, or findings
 Understand the effect of each element on your audience
 Use media to convey your reasoning and evidence used to support your point of view.
SL6
 Identify audience
 Identify context or situation
 Adapt speech delivery to audience and purpose
L1
 Understand concepts of parallelism ( i.e.; repeated grammatical patterns, types of phrases, and types of clauses)
 Understand the differences between a phrase and a clause
 Identify and use various types of phrases Identify and use various types of clauses Know various sentence variety patterns
 Understand how sentence variety (use of clauses and phrases) affects meaning and interest
L2
 Understand and correctly use English conventions
 Know spelling conventions of standard English
L4
 Use context clues to derive word meaning
 Use Greek and Latin affixes and roots to derive word meaning
 Trace the etymology of words
 Verify word meaning
L6
 Identify, understand, and use general academic terms
 Identify, understand, and use domain-specific terms
 Independently build vocabulary

English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014

Unit 3 4
 English 9th Grade
Unit 3
Assessment Options:
W1: Writing Arguments

• After reading several of the following texts, write an essay taking a stance on whether pride
helps or hinders an individual. Cite the text to support your position.

• Create a visual editorial (political cartoon) demonstrating your attitude towards pride’s impact on
individuals, the community or society at large. Explain your choices in a written reflection of your
work.

W2: Writing Informative Texts

• After reading several of the following texts, write an essay that defines pride and explain how
pride can be a negative or positive force.

• After reading one or more of the selections below, create a thinking map that explores how pride
can be seen as a negative and a positive character trait. Consider characters, motivations,
conflict and resolution.

R1/R10: Reading Closely Over Time with a Variety of Texts

• Create a graphic organizer to show how a character’s sense of pride evolves throughout a text.
What is the significance of the character to the work as a whole?
• Using the Concept Bundles strategy, discuss in class a piece of text and the literary elements found within.
Students should create a sentence that explains a literary element in context of the work, then choose two
elements and connect them within the context of the work.
• Using the Iceberg of Culture strategy, students can make inferences about the culture presented using
evidence in the text. As an extension, they can compare our culture to the one being studied and make
relevant inferences.
• Using the SODAS strategy, students can examine issues with global implications as discussed in
the texts, uncover advantages and disadvantages of options, and propose solutions. This can
precede an argumentative task.
• Using the Diction Analysis strategy, students can closely examine a text to discover an author’s
specific word choices and how they affect the work as a whole.
• Using the Citing Textual Evidence strategy, students can examine an excerpt of the text that
showcases the author’s style.
• Using the Bracket Busters strategy, students can examine several techniques of narrative style or
pieces of literature and decide which is most important to the central question. This process of
elimination will give students practice with argumentation skills and can precede a larger
argumentative task.

Suggested Texts
Special Note: This list of texts is not comprehensive. Unit questions and objectives are aligned to
standards, not specific texts, and can be tailored to any appropriate text.

The Odyssey by Homer

“The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst (1060L) (p. 460)
Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare (1260L)
“The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant (920L) (p. 222)
“The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe (p. 370)

English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014

Unit 3 5

Unit Four: Relationships
Common Core Standards:
READING
INFORMATIONAL
RI1- Cite strong and
thorough textual evidence
to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn
from the text.
RI3 – Analyze how the
author unfolds an analysis
or series of ideas or
events, including the order
in which the points are
made, how they are
introduced and developed,
and the connections that
are drawn between them.
RI5 – Analyze in detail
how an author’s ideas or
claims are developed and
refined by particular
sentences, paragraphs, or
larger portions of a text
RI6 – Determine an
author’s point of view or
purpose in a text and
analyze how an author
uses rhetoric to advance
that point of view or
purpose.
RI8 – Delineate and
evaluate the argument and
specific claims in a text,
assessing whether the
reasoning is valid and the
evidence is relevant and
sufficient; identify false
statements and fallacious
reasoning.
Unit Overview
In this unit, students will examine the theme of relationships between people, cultures, and even nature
in our interaction with the world. A close study of several key texts from multiple genres will help
students identify positive and negative aspects of relationships, the impact of altruism on the individual
English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014
READING
LITERATURE
RL1 – Cite strong and
thorough textual evidence
to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn
from the text.
RL2 – Determine a
theme or central idea of a
text and analyze in detail
its development over the
course of the text,
including how it emerges
and is shaped and refined
by specific details; provide
an objective summary of
the text.
RL4 – Determine the
meaning of words and
phrases as they are used
in a text, including
figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the
cumulative impact of
specific word choices on
meaning and tone.
RL5 – Analyze how an
author’s choices
concerning how to
structure a text, order
events within and
manipulate time create
such effects as mystery,
tension, or surprise.
RL10 – By the end of
grade 9, read and
comprehend literature,
including stories, dramas,
and poems, in the grades
9-10 text complexity band
proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at
the high end of the range.
English 9th Grade
Unit 4
SPEAKING and
WRITING LANGUAGE
LISTENING
SL1 – Initiate and L1 – Demonstrate
W1 – Write arguments to command of the
support claims in an
participate effectively in a
range of collaborative conventions of standard
analysis of substantive
discussions (one on one, in English grammar and
topics or texts, using valid
groups, and teacher-led) usage when writing or
reasoning and relevant and
with diverse partners on speaking.
sufficient evidence.
grades 9-10 topics, texts, L2 – Demonstrate
W2 Write
and issues, building on command of the
informative/explanatory conventions of standard
others’ ideas and
texts to examine and English capitalization,
expressing their own
convey complex ideas, punctuation, and spelling
clearly and persuasively.
concepts, and information when writing.
SL2 – Integrate multiple
clearly and accurately L3 – Apply knowledge of
sources of information
through the effective language to understand
presented in diverse media
selection, organization, and how language functions in
or formats evaluating the
analysis of content. different contexts, to make
credibility and accuracy of
W4 Produce clear and effective choices for
each source.
coherent writing in which meaning or style, and to
SL3 – Evaluate a speaker’s
the development,
point of view, reasoning, comprehend more fully
organization, and style are when reading or listening.
and use of evidence and
appropriate to task, L4 – Determine or clarify
rhetoric, identifying any
purpose, and audience. the meaning of unknown
fallacious reasoning or
W9 Draw evidence from and multiple-meaning
exaggerated or distorted
literary or informational words and phrases based
evidence.
texts to support analysis, on grades 9-10 reading
SL4 – Present information,
reflection, and research. and content, choosing
findings, and supporting
flexibly from a range of
evidence clearly, concisely,
strategies.
and logically such that
L5 – Demonstrate
listeners can follow the line
understanding of figurative
of reasoning and the
language, word
organization, development,
relationships, and nuances
substance, and style are
in word meanings.
appropriate to purpose,
L6 – Acquire and use
audience, and task.
accurately general
SL5 – Make strategic use
academic and domain-
of digital media in
specific words and
presentations to enhance
phrases, sufficient for
understanding of findings,
reasoning, and evidence to reading, writing, speaking,
add interest. and listening at the college
SL6 – Adapt speech to a and career readiness level;
variety of contexts and demonstrate independence
tasks, demonstrating in gathering vocabulary
command of formal English knowledge when
when indicated or considering a word or
appropriate. phrase important to
comprehension or
expression.
 English 9th Grade
Unit 4
and community, and author’s craft in illustrating the human condition and the implications of our
interactions.

Unit Essential Questions

1. How do we determine if a relationship is beneficial?
2. How are our relationships influenced by culture and social status?
3. What impact do we have on our surroundings?
4. How are mutually beneficial relationships integral to the growth and management of our society?

Lesson Essential Questions

1. When does the text shift? Is there a turning point in the plot? In the characters?
2. What influence does the main character have on their community?
3. What influences the main character to change? Why is this important to the text as a whole?
4. What choices did the author make in selecting particular words to create the tone of the
piece?
5. When the minor characters enter the story, what do they add? Why?
6. Whose voice is heard most in this piece? Why?
7. Whose voice is not heard? Why not?
8. How do society’s values impact the individual’s relationship within the society?
9. When does the relationship turn from positive to negative? Cite textual evidence.
10. What impact do humans have on their environment, setting or community in the text?
11. How does the environment or setting impact human life?
12. How does this author treat reciprocal relationships?
13. How does human nature benefit from creating relationships? Cite textual evidence.
14. At what point in the text do relationships cause humans harm?

Discipline Specific Vocabulary

Denotation Metaphor Prefix
Connotation Symbolism Suffix
Allusion Euphemism Parallelism
Anecdote Diction Clause: Main, Subordinate
Imagery Inference Appositive
Oxymoron Paraphrase
Simile Analogy

Unit Vocabulary
Theme Voice
Conflict Credibility
Perspective Rhetoric
Tone Bias
Claim Audience
Evidence Resolution
Warrant Refutation

• Special Note: The vocabulary lists above are suggestions. The expectation is that teachers will identify vocabulary in
context and teach students words that help them access and make meaning of texts. See appendix for vocabulary
instruction tips.

English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014

 English 9th Grade
Unit 4
Unit 4- Goals

What do students need to KNOW? What do students need to be able to DO?

 Archetypes  Identify characteristic flaws
 Story Structure  Compare/Contrast genres
 Genre Structure  Identify shifts in texts
 Purpose of textual shifts  Evaluate author’s style
 Word parts (Prefix, suffix)  Identify author’s purpose
 Characterization  Make text-based predictions
 Use appropriate reading strategies for the genre
 Identify unknown vocabulary using context and structure

I Can… Statements
 I Can…
RI1
 Make specific references to passages and events from a text to prove what the text says directly as well as the meaning I can
infer indirectly.
RI3
 Examine how the author introduces and develops his main points
RI5
 Identify an author’s ideas and claims
 Analyze how an author uses particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of the text to develop his ideas and claims
RI6
 Show how the author uses his arguments to develop his point of view or purpose.
RI8
 Delineate the argument and specific claims of a text.
 Evaluate the argument and specific claims in terms of 1) reasoning and evidence (is it valid and sufficient?), and 2) false
statements and fallacious reasoning.
RL1
 Make specific references to passages and events from a text to prove what the text says directly as well as the meaning I can
infer indirectly.
RL2
 Determine a theme and explain its development throughout the text using specific details.
 Objectively summarize a text.
RL4
 Figure out the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in context.
 Figure out the meaning of figurative words and phrases as they are used in the text.
 Analyze the use of word choice including figurative words and words with strong connotation and its effect on meaning and
tone.
RL5
 Figure out the structure of the text and the order of events.
 Show how the author manipulates time.
 Show how the order of events and manipulation of time create mystery, tension, or surprise.
W1
 Analyze a substantive topic or text
 Introduce a precise claim
 Provide reasons and substantive evidence to support claim
 Identify and distinguish counterclaims
 Develop claims and counterclaims fairly
 Organize reasons and evidence in a logical manner
 Analyze and address audience considerations
 Determine relevance of evidence
 Utilize credible sources
 Utilize transitional expressions to establish relationships among claims and reasons
 Understand how to maintain a formal style and objective tone
 Provide an effective conclusion.
W2
 Understand and use various organizational structures
 Utilize formatting, graphics, and multimedia

English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014

 English 9th Grade
Unit 4
 Introduce a topic/thesis statement and preview what is to follow Use facts, concrete details, quotations, examples to develop
the topic
 Utilize various transitional expressions to establish cohesion among ideas and concepts
 Understand and use precise vocabulary
 Incorporate definitions of terms
 Understand and use domain-specific vocabulary
 Understand and use a formal style and objective tone
 Provide an effective conclusion
W4
 Understand various writing text types and their organizational structures
 Identify and understand the writing task
 Identify and understand the writing purpose
 Determine and address the audience appropriately
 Understand and utilize appropriate style
W9
 Analyze literary or informational texts
 Assess soundness of reasoning and relevance of evidence
 Utilize evidence to support analysis/research
 Recognize and understand organizational structures
SL1
 Prepare for discussion by reading and researching topic
 Make reference to the evidence discovered during reading and researching
 During group discussions come to consensus, make decisions, set goals and define individual roles Pose questions designed to
move the discussion forward
 Include everyone in the discussion and build on their ideas as well as challenging them
 Consider & respond to diverse perspectives
 Justify your views and make new connections if necessary when presented with new evidence.
SL2
 Present information using a variety of media or formats
 Integrate multiple sources of information including visual, quantitative and oral Evaluate the credibility of each source
 Evaluate the accuracy of each source
SL3
 Identify the speakers point of view
 Determine if the speaker's reasoning is sound
 Know rhetorical devices (i.e.; parallelism, restatement, analogy )
 Identify faulty logic, or reasoning based on misleading statements
 Identify distorted or exaggerated evidence
SL4
 Present information clearly, concisely, and logically
 Present evidence in support of a thesis
 Draw information from primary and secondary sources and provide a conclusion
 Present a recitation
SL5
 Know and use a variety of digital media formats (i.e.; textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements)
 Strategically use digital media to emphasize key points, or findings
 Understand the effect of each element on your audience
 Use media to convey your reasoning and evidence used to support your point of view.
SL6
 Identify audience
 Identify context or situation
 Adapt speech delivery to audience and purpose
L1
 Understand concepts of parallelism ( i.e.; repeated grammatical patterns, types of phrases, and types of clauses)
 Understand the differences between a phrase and a clause
 Identify and use various types of phrases Identify and use various types of clauses Know various sentence variety patterns
 Understand how sentence variety (use of clauses and phrases) affects meaning and interest
L2
 Understand and correctly use English conventions
 Know spelling conventions of standard English

English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014

 English 9th Grade
Unit 4

L3
 Identify the context and the appropriate language choice
 Identify and have knowledge of various style guidelines
 Consult reference materials (style manuals) for guidelines appropriate to the discipline
 Know standard English grammar, punctuation, and capitalization
 Know standard format for citing reference sources in a bibliography or Works Cited page
L4
 Use context clues to derive word meaning
 Use Greek and Latin affixes and roots to derive word meaning
 Trace the etymology of words
 Verify word meaning
L5
 Understand figurative language ( simile, metaphor personification, euphemism, oxymoron)
 Understand denotation and connotations
L6
 Identify, understand, and use general academic terms
 Identify, understand, and use domain-specific terms
 Independently build vocabulary

Assessment Options:
W1: Writing Arguments

• After reading several texts, develop a claim about which author uses literary devices (i.e.,
flashback, foreshadowing, imagery, symbolism) most effectively to develop the character’s
relationships. Cite the text to support your position.

• Create a visual editorial (political cartoon) that expresses a strong claim about mankind’s
connection to the environment. Make sure you include facts from researched texts to support
your claim, and elaborate with warrants.

W2: Writing Informative Texts

• After reading several of the following texts, write an article explaining human impact on the
environment.

• After reading one or more of the selections, design a non-linguistic representation of the main
idea or concept presented by the author(s).

R1/R10 - Literacy Common Core Power Standard: Reading Closely Over Time
with a Variety of Texts
• Complete the modified Frayer model to analyze vocabulary in the text.
• Use the SODAS strategy to analyze relationships within the text.
• Use the RAFTS strategy to analyze relationships creatively.
• Use the text to create a text-dependent question, trade with a partner, and answer using the Yes
MA’AM strategy.
• Using the Diction Analysis strategy, students can closely examine a text to discover an author’s
specific word choices and how they affect the work as a whole.
• Using the Citing Textual Evidence strategy, students can examine an excerpt of the text that
showcases the author’s style.

English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014

 English 9th Grade
Unit 4
• Using the Bracket Busters strategy, students can examine several techniques of narrative style or
pieces of literature and decide which is most important to the central question. This process of
elimination will give students practice with argumentation skills and can precede a larger
argumentative task.

Suggested Texts:
Special Note: This list of texts is not comprehensive. Unit questions and objectives are aligned to
standards, not specific texts, and can be tailored to any appropriate text.

“Checkouts” by Cynthia Rylant (p. 32)

“The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry (p. 100)
“The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe (p. 144)
from “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou (p. 254)
“A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote (p. 336)
“A Walk in the Woods” by Bill Bryson (p. 388)
“The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros (p. 612)
from Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt (p. 924)

English Curriculum Support Documents 2013-2014

 Vertically Aligned Assignments for Research

Ninth Grade: • Paraphrase the text. Use these three questions: What does it say? What does it mean? Why does it matter?
• Use transitions in class writings. Keep an interactive notebook with writing notes and drafts.
• Create an annotated bibliography of 3 texts read to answer an essential question.
• Create note cards from texts to use for in-text citations in a short writing exercise.
• Complete the Yes, MAAM activity to create short constructed responses to essential questions
• Make and use note cards in an oral presentation in class.
• Create a technologically enhanced visual display of your understanding of a concept or theme from your readings. Cite
references to text. Use Glogster, Wordle, or Zapd.
• Make an outline of a short paper that includes an opening, thesis, elaboration, and conclusion.
• Write a one-two page research paper to answer an essential question. Follow MLA format for in-text citations and works
cited.

Tenth Grade: • Write a three paragraph constructed response answer to an essential question that makes clear your claim. Provide quotes
from the text to support your claim.
• Relate a current event to some concept you are studying and present in 3-5 minutes to the class. Answer questions with
support from the texts.
• Research a topic related to texts studied in class. Write a two-three page paper making a claim and supporting that claim
with evidence from at least 3 sources.
• Work with a group to present understanding of a major concept in the reading by creating a short animated video using
Vimeo, Animoto, Teacher Tube, Closed Youtube, or other online site. Cite your sources and text references.
•
Eleventh Grade: Graduation Project:
• Identify topic and narrow research
• Begin documentation for research: Keep portfolio with research notes, process logs, obtain signatures
• Complete rough and final drafts of 6-8 page research paper, following MLA format with complete Works Cited page

Twelfth Grade: Graduation Project:

• Create a visual display of researched information
• Present findings to a panel of judges. Answer extemporaneous questions.
• Complete portfolio with documentation of all aspects of project and reflective writings.
 Research/ Inquiry Unit: English I- IV
Common Core Standards:
READING
INFORMATIONAL
RI 1: Cite strong and
RL 1: Cite strong and
thorough textual evidence
thorough textual evidence
to support analysis of what
to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as
the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn
well as inferences drawn
from the text, including
from the text, including
determining where the text
determining where the text
leaves matters uncertain.
RI5 : Analyze and
leaves matters uncertain.
evaluate the effectiveness
of the structure an author
uses in his or her
exposition or argument,
including whether the
structure makes points
clear, convincing, and
engaging.
RI 8: Delineate and
evaluate the argument and
specific claims in a text,
assessing whether the
reasoning is valid and the
evidence is relevant and
sufficient; identify false
statements and fallacious
reasoning.
READING
WRITING
LITERATURE
W 1: Write arguments to
support claims in an analysis
of substantive topics or texts,
using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient
evidence.
W 2: Write
informative/explanatory
texts to examine and convey
complex ideas, concepts, and
information clearly and
accurately through the
effective selection,
organization, and analysis of
content.
W 4: Produce a clear and
coherent writing in which the
development, organization,
and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience.
W 5: Develop and strengthen
writing as needed by
planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new
approach, focusing on
addressing what is most
significant for a specific
purpose and audience.
W 6: Use technology,
including the Internet, to
produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing
products in response to
ongoing feedback, including
new arguments.
W7: Conduct short as well as
more sustained research
projects to answer a question
(including a self-generated
question) or solve a problem;
narrow or broaden the
inquiry when appropriate;
synthesize multiple sources
on the subject,
demonstrating understanding
of the subject under
investigation.
W8: Gather relevant
information from multiple
authoritative print and digital
sources, using advanced
searches effectively; assess
the strengths and limitations
of each source in terms of the
task, purpose, and audience;
integrate information into
the text selectively to
maintain the flow of ideas,
avoiding plagiarism and
overreliance on any one
source and following a
standard format for citation.
W9: Draw evidence from
literary or informational texts
to support analysis,
reflection, and research
SPEAKING and
LANGUAGE
LISTENING
L1: Demonstrate
SL 2: Integrate multiple
command of the
sources of information
conventions of standard
presented in diverse
formats and media (e.g.,
English grammar and
usage when writing or
visually, quantitatively,
speaking.
orally) in order to make
informed decisions and L 2: Demonstrate
solve problems, evaluating command of the
the credibility and accuracy conventions of standard
of each source and noting English capitalization,
any discrepancies among
punctuation, and
the data.
SL 3: Evaluate a speaker’s
spelling when writing.
L 3: Apply knowledge
point of view, reasoning,
of language to
and use of evidence and
rhetoric, assessing the understand how
stance, premises, links language functions in
among ideas, word choice, different contexts, to
points of emphasis, and make effective choices
tone used.
for meaning or style,
SL 4: Present information,
findings, and supporting
and to comprehend
evidence, conveying a more fully when reading
or listening.
clear and distinct
perspective, such that L6: Acquire and use
listeners can follow the line accurately general
of reasoning, alternative or academic and domain-
opposing perspectives are
specific words and
addressed, and the
phrases, sufficient for
organization, development,
substance, and style are
reading, writing,
speaking, and listening
appropriate to purpose,
audience, and a range of at the college and
formal and informal tasks. career readiness level;
demonstrate
SL 5: Make strategic use independence in
of digital media (e.g., gathering vocabulary
textual, graphical, audio,
knowledge when
visual, and interactive
elements) in presentations
considering a word or
to enhance understanding phrase important to
of findings, reasoning, and comprehension or
evidence and to add expression.
interest.
SL 6: Adapt speech to a
variety of contexts and
tasks, demonstrating a
command of formal English
when indicated or
appropriate.
Research/ Inquiry Unit: English I- IV

Unit Overview
* Special Note: This unit is designed to be used in conjunction with other units in the curriculum guides. Teachers may choose which
standards and objectives should be addressed as students need instruction. Research skills should be a focus of every level of
English curriculum instruction. Tasks should be scaffolded throughout high school to culminate with the Graduation Project.

In this unit, students will narrow a topic and conduct research using various texts, including multimedia
presentations and technologically enhanced texts. Students may present their findings in various ways which
could include written forms, visual formats, and spoken word. Students will practice argumentation skills, such
as stating a claim, supporting that claim with text-based evidence, and providing warrants that strengthen the
argument.

Essential Questions
1. Why do research?
2. How is an argument created and supported so that it matters?
3. How does a researcher develop a thesis?
4. How do researchers find quality source material and document it properly?
5. How do researchers organize their ideas and information effectively?
6. How do researchers differentiate their ideas from the ideas of others?
7. How can an audience benefit from reading about a certain topic?
8. How can awareness of an issue prevent or decrease a problem?
9. What is the danger of plagiarism?
10. What makes a source reliable?

Lesson Essential Questions

1. What are the main points of the argument? Cite specific passages to support your answer.
2. What is the primary purpose of this work? Cite specific passages that make the author’s purpose clear.
3. What purpose does the use of rhetorical devices serve in this work?
4. What effect does the author achieve with the use of literary devices? Cite specific examples.
5. What inferences can you draw from this text? Support your answer with text evidence.
6. How does the author/speaker develop the main points of the argument?
7. How successful was the argument for its time, and how well does it transfer to today?
8. What point of view is being privileged? What POV is being dismissed or played down? Why?
9. What evidence does the author/speaker leave out of their argument? For what reason?
10. How well does the author clearly state the incident that prompted the development of this argument? If
not, why not?
11. Does the reasoning lack essential details and specifics? Does the author rely on generalities?
12. How do the words chosen by the author create the tone of the piece?
13. How does the author/speaker order their ideas?
14. How does the author/speaker transition between ideas?
15. How does this excerpt develop the main idea of the work?
16. How does the author use an appeal to make the argument more persuasive?
17. What assumptions does the author make about their audience? About the topic?
18. Does the work reflect all aspects of the issues in an equitable manner?
19. How is a source’s credibility established?
20. In my own argument, is my purpose clearly stated and have I supported it well?
21. In my own writing, do I need to narrow or broaden my focus?
22. How do I refine/ narrow a topic and still include relevant information?
23. How do I represent differing opinions in my research?
24. What is the best way to evaluate resources?
25. Have I utilized primary sources appropriately?
26. Have I presented all sides of the argument effectively?
27. What is the difference between MLA and APA formats?
28. Which format is most appropriate to use with my topic?
 Research/ Inquiry Unit: English I- IV
Unit Vocabulary:

Reference Document
Primary Source Draft
Outline Editing/Revision
Citation Plagiarism
Work Cited Database
Supporting Detail Claim
Evidence Warrant
Rhetoric

Unit Goals

What do students need to KNOW? What do students need to be able to DO?

• Argument format • Make a claim

• Rhetorical modes • Support the claim with textual evidence
• Fact v. opinion • Provide warrants to enhance argument
• MLA and APA format • Determine credibility of source
• Public speaking skills • Use appropriate language for task
• Source Credibility • Make considered choices in content
• Primary/ Secondary Sources • Evaluate sources for bias
• Narrow a topic
• Gather relevant information from a variety of
sources

I Can… Statements
RI 1
• I can make specific references to passages and events from a text to prove what the text says directly as well as the
meaning I can infer indirectly.
RI 5
• I can identify an author’s ideas and claims
RI 8
• I can delineate the argument and specific claims of a text.
• I can evaluate the argument and specific claims in terms of 1) reasoning and evidence (is it valid and sufficient?), and
2) false statements and fallacious reasoning.
RL 1
• I can make specific references to passages and events from a text to prove what the text says directly as well as the
meaning I can infer indirectly.
RL 9
• I can figure out how an author uses and transforms source material in his work.

W1
 I can write arguments to support claims of substantive topics or texts.
 I can use valid reasoning, relevant, and sufficient evidence.
 I can introduce precise, knowledgeable claims.
 I can establish the significance of claims.
 I can distinguish my claims from opposing claims.
 I can create an organization that logically sequences claims, counterclaims, and evidence.

W2
 I can write an informative piece, which examines and conveys complex ideas and information.
 I can understand and use various organizational structures.
 Research/ Inquiry Unit: English I- IV

W4
• I can understand various writing text types and their organizational structures.
• I can identify and understand the writing task.
• I can identify and understand the writing purpose..
• I can determine and address the audience appropriately
• I can understand and utilize appropriate style.
W5
• I can understand and focus on purpose and audience.
• I can develop and use planning templates.
• I can understand and utilize revision techniques.
• I can identify and edit text-problems.
• I can understand and use multiple writing approaches.
• I can receive and provide writing guidance.
W7
• I can understand steps of an investigation.
• I can develop an inquiry question..
• I can conduct research drawing on multiple sources Refocus inquiry/generate additional questions when appropriate
• I can broaden or narrow an inquiry.
• I can synthesize and summarize information.
• I can cite a variety of sources.
W8
• I can gather print and digital information (research).
• I can assess relevance and usefulness of information.
• I can assess credibility and accuracy of sources.
• I can utilize quotes.
• I can paraphrase correctly.
• I can cite sources correctly within my writing.
• I can create a works cited page.
SL 2
• I can present information using a variety of media or formats.
• I can integrate multiple sources of information including visual, quantitative and oral Evaluate the credibility of each
source.
• I can evaluate the accuracy of each source

SL 3

• I can identify the speaker’s point of view.

• I can determine if the speaker's reasoning is sound.
• I can use rhetorical devices (i.e.; parallelism, restatement, analogy).
• I can identify faulty logic, or reasoning based on misleading statements.
• I can identify distorted or exaggerated evidence.
SL 4

 I can present information clearly, concisely, and logically.

 I can present evidence in support of a thesis.
 I can draw information from primary and secondary sources and provide a conclusion.
 I can present a recitation.

SL 5
• I can use a variety of digital media formats (i.e.; textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements)
• I can strategically use digital media to emphasize key points, or findings
• I can understand the effect of each element on your audience
• I can use media to convey your reasoning and evidence used to support your point of view.
SL 6
• I can use a variety of digital media formats (i.e.; textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements)
• I can strategically use digital media to emphasize key points, or findings
• I can understand the effect of each element on your audience
 Research/ Inquiry Unit: English I- IV

• I can use media to convey your reasoning and evidence used to support your point of view.
L1
 I can understand concepts of parallelism (i.e.; repeated grammatical patterns, types of phrases, and types of clauses).
 I can understand the differences between a phrase and a clause.
 I can identify and use various types of phrases Identify and use various types of clauses Know various sentence variety
patterns.
 I can understand how sentence variety (use of clauses and phrases) affects meaning and interest.
L2
• I can understand and correctly use English conventions.
• I can understand and correctly use/punctuate multiple independent clauses.
• I can identify and use conjunctive adverbs.
L3
• I can identify the context and the appropriate language choice.
• I can identify and have knowledge of various style guidelines.
• I can consult reference materials (style manuals) for guidelines appropriate to the discipline.
• I can use standard English grammar, punctuation, and capitalization.
• I can use standard format for citing reference sources in a bibliography or Works Cited page.
L6
• I can identify, understand, and use general academic terms.
• I can identify, understand, and use domain-specific terms.
• I can independently build vocabulary.

Unit Assessment: Sample Tasks

*For more ideas, reference the Inquiry Projects suggestions included in the Research Unit folder
W1- Literacy Common Core Power Standard: Writing Arguments
• After reading, viewing, or hearing (list of texts) that address basic human rights with global
viewpoints, write an essay that makes a claim in which you take a stance about global human
rights. Provide evidence from the texts to support your claim.

• Identify a global issue and narrow the focus to how this issue impacts your own community.
Research possible solutions to the issue and present the most viable one in a letter to the mayor.
Make sure you include how you will implement the solution. Your argument should include your
rationale for choosing this solution.

• Analyze several sources for reliability. Determine the author’s credibility and the scope of their
argument. Complete a graphic organizer that ranks each source in terms of reliability.

• Listen to a speaker to create an outline of their argument. Determine what pieces are missing,
what needs support, and where the speaker used rhetorical devices to influence the audience.

• Research a topic, narrow the scope, and present your findings to an audience either in writing,
orally, or visually. Make sure you cite your sources and make connections among the texts and the
real world.

W2: Writing Informative/Explanatory Texts

• Read an informative article about a current event drawing government action for how it is affecting
the local community, a community drawing news coverage, or the nation at large. In a brief essay
(can be tailored for length and formality), summarize why the government is choosing its
action/inaction. The writing should include at least three reasons citing specific evidence from the
Research/ Inquiry Unit: English I- IV

article.

• Using the Internet, students research a current topic of their choice. After finding AT LEAST three
relevant sources, students create a “RAFTS” prompt for their topic. Students can then trade
(teacher can decide if “trading” is by choice, by topic interest, topic difficulty, random, etc.) sources
and RAFTS and each write a response to the one given.

R1, R7, R10: Reading Closely Over Time with a Variety of Texts
• Gather many texts that relate to the topic and select quotes from each one that express the best
thoughts of the author.

• Complete the “Citing Textual Evidence” as you read a text.

• Complete the “SODAS” activity as you consider a researched solution to a problem.

• Use various sources to research a common topic while evaluating each source for reliability and
validity.

SL2-6: Presenting Information and Findings to Others and Critiquing Information Presented by Others
• Using information gleaned from research in above assignments, students present findings. This can
be done many ways:
o Small group presentations to class
o Individuals present within small groups (groups can be assigned or formed by teacher
discretion)
o Individual presentations to whole class
o Presentations to community members
o Culminating activity: Senior Graduation Project Presentations

• Students critique presentations by others and provide constructive feedback

*Students will need instruction on how to evaluate presentations and provide formative
feedback----suggestion: provide a rubric/checklist with specific criteria related to the
standards:
• speaker’s effective integration of multiple sources of information in diverse
formats (SL2)
• speaker’s point of view, tone, reason, evidence, word choice, etc. (SL3)
• speaker’s ability to present findings clearly and coherently (SL4)
• speaker’s strategic use of digital media to enhance findings (SL5)
• speaker’s command of formal English (SL6)

L3,6: Language Skills and Application

• These standards are covered during student presentations described above.