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English Language Arts (ELA) 9th/10th Grade -- 1St Trimester Class--Part 1

Completed by 23 learners

Ages 13-16

Self-Paced Course

In this 10-week course (Part 1 of 3) students will learn English Language Arts skills as designated by the common core standards for reading (literature and informational text), writing, language, and speaking/listening.

Amy Lavin, J.D.

Average rating:

4.8

Number of reviews:

(361 reviews)

10 pre-recorded lessons

10 weeks of teacher support

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1 year of access to the content

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About Learning Overview Schedule Teacher Reviews

What's included

10 pre-recorded lessons

10 weeks

of teacher support

1 year access

to the content

Homework

1-2 hours per week. I expect that students will be prepared for class by completing any assigned readings as listed in the syllabus. Each student will need a copy of reading materials (many ebooks are available for free on Project Gutenberg--see supply list for links). Additionally, I expect students to read at least 20 minutes a day from a self-selected novel. Reading on a regular basis provides important exposure to spelling, vocabulary, and language conventions, which transfer to an improvement of students' writing skills.

Assessment

Students will receive feedback on one academic essay per semester: narrative essay (Part 1), persuasive essay (Part 2), and literature analysis essay (Part 3). Most writing assignments will be peer or self-graded. Other assignments, such as book reports or presentations, will be presented orally via video presentations. If you need a letter grade for your student at the end of a term, please let me know when the student enrolls in the class so I can track participation and assignments.

Grading

included

Class Experience

US Grade 9 - 10

This first trimester course (Part 1 of 3) will focus on one-third of the common core curriculum for 9th/10th grade. Students will improve their skills in reading, writing, language, and speaking/listening. Using novels, short stories, and informational texts, students will examine themes, main ideas, supporting details, and vocabulary. They will also practice their writing and language skills by writing paragraphs, academic essays (narrative in Part 1, persuasive in Part 2, and literary analysis in Part 3), and reflections.

As asynchronous class, there will be no live lessons. Students will have access to lessons and videos on Nearpod that detail each topic and engage the students in activities with reading, writing, language, and speaking/listening. They also will have access to an online discussion board to engage with the teacher and other online learners. Students will have several opportunities to practice their writing. Most writing assignments will be peer or self-graded, but one academic essay will be turned in to the teacher for extensive feedback.

I'm a strong proponent of students learning how to find books that interest them. Many assignments from class will be drawn from novels that students self-select based on their own interests and reading levels. In my supply section, I have some links to websites where there are suggestions of novels to read. None of those options are required (nor have they been vetted by me, so please use your own parental discretion about what is appropriate for your students), but they may give your students a jumping off point to find their own books. Local libraries (and librarians) are great resources, too!

Specifically, students will explore the following common core standards:
--Reading (Informational Texts): https://www.thecorestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/9-10/
--Reading (Literature): https://www.thecorestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/9-10/
-- Writing: https://www.thecorestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/9-10/
--Language: https://www.thecorestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/L/9-10/
--Speaking/Listening: https://www.thecorestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/SL/9-10/

Photo Credit: [Image by congerdesign from Pixabay]

Learning Goals

Write a personal narrative, read a variety of 9th/10th grade fiction and non-fiction texts, and practice 9th/10th grade language skills

Syllabus

Standards

Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

10 Lessons

over 10 Weeks

Lesson 1:

How do we form and shape our identities?

 •	Reading -- Setting
   •	Writing -- Prewriting (a Personal Narrative)
   •	Language -- Show, Don't Tell
   •	Speaking/Listening -- Present Class Introductions

Lesson 2:

How does literature provide insight into the quality of the human condition?

 •	Reading -- Characters
   •	Writing -- Introductions (a Personal Narrative)
   •	Language -- Dialogue/Quotation Marks
   •	Speaking/Listening -- Discussion #1

Lesson 3:

What distinguishes a good read from great literature?

 •	Reading -- Plot
   •	Writing -- Sequencing (a Personal Narrative)
   •	Language -- Word Choice
   •	Speaking/Listening -- Discussion #2

Lesson 4:

What can you learn about yourself through writing?

 •	Reading -- Theme
   •	Writing -- Conclusions (a Personal Narrative)
   •	Language -- Imagery
   •	Speaking/Listening -- Discussion #3

Other Details

Parental Guidance

Each class will use Nearpod to complete writing assignments, discussions, and classroom activities, but Nearpod does not require students to create an account. Students will be asked to enter their first name only when entering the website so that assignments can be tracked by the teacher (content remains anonymous to other students). In my supply section, I have some links to websites where there are suggestions of novels to read. None of those options are required (nor have they been vetted by me, so please use your own parental discretion about what is appropriate for your students), but they may give your students a jumping off point to find their own books.

Supply List

These texts will be required for use in class (links to free ebooks on Project Gutenberg given with each title):

 •	The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (ebook available for free at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1661)
 •	The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2 by Edgar Allan Poe (ebook available for free at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2148) 
 •	Grimms' Fairy Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm  (ebook available for free at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2591)

I'm a strong proponent of students learning how to find books that interest them. Many assignments from class will be drawn from novels that students self-select based on their own interests and reading levels. Below are some links to websites where there are suggestions of novels to read. None of those options are required (nor have they been vetted by me, so please use your own parental discretion about what is appropriate for your students), but they may give your students a jumping off point to find their own books. Local libraries (and librarians) are great resources, too! Here are some suggested websites for ideas:

 •	https://www.teachingexpertise.com/classroom-ideas/9th-grade-books/
 •	https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1557257510/maryvilleschoolsorg/
q3j2cgwq1mtrccz6zexc/SummerRdgSuggestions2019MJHS-EnglishI-1.pdf
 •	https://bookriot.com/books-for-9th-graders/
 •	https://readingmiddlegrade.com/books-for-ninth-graders/ 
 •	https://www.whatdowedoallday.com/9th-grade-summer-reading-list/
 •	https://homeschool-curriculum.org/9th-grade-reading-list/

External Resources

In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:

Nearpod

Sources

One of the common core curriculum standards for 9th grade includes the analysis of U.S. documents; therefore, we will be reviewing the Gettysburg Address and Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Additionally, we will be reading the following texts (see Learner Supply List for links to free ebooks on Project Gutenberg): • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle • The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2 by Edgar Allan Poe • Grimms' Fairy Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm • Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Meet the teacher

Amy Lavin, J.D.

Joined May, 2020

4.8

361reviews

Profile

Teacher expertise and credentials

I have a Juris Doctor from the S.J. Quinney College of Law, University of Utah; a Master of Arts in Secondary Education from the University of Phoenix; and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Brigham Young University. I taught high school English for eight years (with endorsements in English and Reading), and I currently teach ESL online. I am also a former prosecuting attorney, and I currently practice law in several different areas.