English 9 B Self-Paced

Our lives are made up of tensions such as conforming to others’ ideas or rebelling against them and being yourself in tension with fitting into a group. You've likely experienced feeling at least one of these tensions - most people have. In this course, we will explore how studying tensions can help us understand universal themes and we'll do it by studying literature and writing.

This survey-style course begins with a unit framed around the theme of defiance, and students will read and analyze Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. In tandem with their study of Shakespeare, students will flex their creative muscles and write their own piece of short creative fiction. The unit ends with students exploring the question: Why is Shakespeare relevant today?

The course ends with a unit focused on a choice novel that examines the theme of belonging. Students will choose one of three novels to read independently: Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson; The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton; or The Length of a String by Elissa Brent Weismann. In addition to writing a formal literary essay about the novel, students will complete a culminating project that addresses one of the themes of the course through a creative collage.

Throughout the course, students will build and demonstrate their understanding of grammar concepts, and show their understanding of literature through a variety of written and creative assignments.

About the Self-Paced Course Model

Self-Paced courses are designed for students who need flexibility in their academic schedule. Teachers answer questions and interact with students in Private Topics, provide feedback on work, and host weekly office hours. Students work independently on course activities; the course does not include class discussion assignments or other collaborative work.

This course has start dates on each Wednesday throughout the year. Students must maintain enrollment for a minimum of 4 weeks and have up to 16 weeks to complete all assignments in the course. It is expected that students will work for approximately 90 hours to complete this course, though the amount of time may vary depending on a student’s work habits and comfort with the material.

Acknowledgements

Required Texts: This course requires students to obtain copies of certain texts. Details provided in the Additional Requirements field of this course description.
Successful completion of English 9 A.
I acknowledge that this is a self-paced course.
This course contains an end-of-course proctored exam. Instructions for students to identify an appropriate adult proctor are included in the course lessons.

Course Objectives

Course Essential Questions:

How do tensions in literature reveal universal themes?
How does tension shape who we become?
What tools do writers use to express their ideas? How can I use these tools to craft my own writing?

Course Objectives:

Interpret and explore a variety of tensions in literature including tensions related to self, choice, defiance, and belonging.
Independently and proficiently read and comprehend both fiction and nonfiction texts from a variety of genres, cultures, and perspectives.
Analyze theme, character motivation, plot development, structure, and figurative language in a variety of texts.
Support claims with strong textual evidence.
Write well-organized and appropriately supported responses in a variety of genres, including narratives, informative texts, and arguments.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage.

Additional Requirements

Students will need to obtain copies of the following texts which are available at many school or local libraries or for purchase online for a small fee.
One of the following in Unit 2: Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson; The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton; The Length of a String by Elissa Brent Weismann