Nine-Three: Writing and Beyond

Purpose: The purpose of this course is to provide intensive work in analytical reading and writing with additional work on grammar and reading based questions.

Method: This course emphasizes the development and use of critical thinking and writing skills, vocabulary and spelling skills.

Grading: Points are cumulative throughout the semester. Your grades will come primarily from the weekly papers, which will count 100 points apiece. DOLs, grammar exercises, reading comprehension tests, journals, drafts and vocabulary tests will also add to the total points.

Texts: The Reader’s Choice. Columbus, Ohio: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2002

The Writer’s Choice. Columbus, Ohio: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2002

Books and Notebooks: You must have a three ring binder for this course, divided into sections, and bring this binder to class every day along with a pencil and a blue or black ink pen.

  • Weekly Lesson Plan: The following outline will let you know the general schedule for each of the next twelve weeks. If you are absent, you can access the work by following the links to the Language Arts through the South web page. Once you are in the web site, click on click on 9.3. Or you can type in the following URL: http://www.south.mccsc.edu/~soulad/index.htm
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    • Unit One……………………………………Personal Narrative (March 8-12)

    Unit Two……………………………………Description (March 22-26)

    Unit Three……………………......................Expository Writing/Compare and Contrast

    (March 29-April 8)

    Unit Four……………………………………Persuasive Writing (April 9-20)

    Unit Five……………………………………Literary Analysis (April 21-May 3)

    Unit Six……………………………………..Literary Analysis (May 4-May 19)

    Unit Seven………………………………….Cause and Effect (May 20-May 28)

    Unit Eight………………………………..…Short Story (June 1-7)

    Unit Nine………………………………...…Reflection and Review (June 7 -Finals)

    Unit Eight (alternative)…………………….Reflection and Review (June 1-Finals)

    Important Dates:

    Staff meetings (no students) May 5

    NWEA Testing: May 13, 14 (testing for freshmen)

    No school: May 28, 31

    Model for a Week

    State Standards: These are the specific state standards each lesson teaches.

    Monday

      1. Daily Oral Language (DOL) (10 minutes)
      2. Introduction of 10 vocabulary words. Define and write sentences (All sentences must be "meaningful" in that the sentence demonstrates the definition of the word. ) All sentences must focus on specified structures.
      3. A Selected Reading – Fiction or Non-Fiction
      4. Focused Writing
      5. Discussion of piece
      6. Time for outside reading

    Tuesday

      1. DOL
      2. A Selected Reading-Fiction or Non-Fiction
      3. Reading Content Questions – Multiple choice and open ended
      4. Discussion of piece
      5. Outside reading

    Wednesday

      1. DOL (10 min.)
      2. Writing Prompt based on the previous reading (35 min.)
      3. Introduction of Grammar Focus (10 min.)

    Thursday

      1. DOL (10 min.)
      2. Grammar Focus Review (5 minutes)
      3. Self edit/revision (write 2nd draft)
      4. Peer edit of revision
      5. Revision (write 3rd draft)
      6. HD revision due on Friday (must be homework)
      7. Regular revision due on Friday with option of working on it in class on Friday

    Friday

      1. DOL (10 min.)
      2. Vocabulary review/Return vocabulary (10 min.)
      3. Vocabulary Test (10 min.)
      4. Standardized Test Practice (WC)
      5. Outside reading