Grade 9 - English

2016

Kayta Brown

Long Range Plan

Ongoing Activities

Topic

Resources

September 1st - December 23rd

September

October

November

Portfolios, Letter Essays, Moleskin

Assignments, Quizzes, Goal
Setting

Portfolios, Letter Essays, Moleskin

Assignments, Quizzes, Goal
Setting

Portfolios, Letter Essays, Moleskin

Assignments, Quizzes, Goal
Setting

Portfolios, Letter Essays,

Moleskin Assignments, Quizzes,
Goal Setting

- Poetry
- Comics/Graphic Novels

- Comics/ Graphic Novels

- Short Stories

- Short Stories
- Book Talks

- Film Study
- Reviews

Book Talks:
Crazy Man
Libertad
Crank
This One Summer

Book Talks:
- Through the Woods
- Boxers
- Animal Farm
- Fahrenheit 451

Book Talks:
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock
Blink and Caution
And Then There Were None
The Compound
Wonder

Book Talks:
- Uglies
- Dumplin: Go Big or Go Home

Tuesday Close Readings:

Emily Dickinson
- 7 Years by Lukas Graham
- Piece by Piece by Kelly
Clarkson

Tuesday Close Readings:

- Daddy by Sylvia Plath
- Fractal Economies Excerpt
- Fire and Rain by James Taylor
- The Secret Heart by Robert
Coffin

Friday Discussions:
- Hurt by Johnny Cash
- Stairway to Heaven by Led
Zeplin
- White Privilege II by
Macklemore

Friday Discussions:
- Comic or excerpt from graphic
novel
- The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
- The Most Dangerous Game
Richard Connell

- To One in Paradise - Edgar

In Class Assignments, Quizzes,

Portfolio, Goal Setting, Letter
Essays

In Class Assignments, Quizzes,

Portfolio, Goal Setting, Letter
Essays, Term Exam

In Class Assignments, Quizzes,

Portfolio, Goal Setting, Letter
Essays

- Im Nobody! Who are you? by

Tuesday Close Readings:

- The Soldier by Rupert Brooke

- Where the Sidewalk Ends Shel
Silverstein

- The Rose That Grew From

Concrete Tupac

Evaluation

Allen Poe

December

Tuesday Close Readings:

- Having a Coke With You Frank OHara
- Oh Captain! My Captain! Walt Whitman
- The Winter Galaxy by Charles
Heavysege
Friday Discussions:
- Review
- Review
- The Gift of the Magi

Friday Discussions:

- There Will Come Soft Rains

- Book Talk
In Class Assignments, Quizzes,
Portfolio, Goal Setting, Letter
Essays

Grade 9 - English

2016

Kayta Brown

Long Range Plan

September 1st - December 23rd

Lesson Plan Schedule:

5
Monday

10

15

20

Mini Lesson (Reading)

Tuesday AM

25

30

35

Mini Lesson Practice

Poem (Read & Respond)

Personal Writing Time

Discuss Poem

Tuesday PM

Miss Browns Book Talks

Personal Writing Time

Wednesday

Individual Goals/Personal Edit

Personal Writing Time

Thursday AM Reading

40

Reading

Personal Writing Time

Thursday PM Mini Lesson (Writing)

Mini Lesson Practice

Friday AM

Prose Discussion (short story, memoir, essay, etc.)

Friday PM

Workshop Discussion (One student is chosen to present work to class)

Personal Writing Time

Homework Schedule:
5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Monday

Reading

Personal Writing

Tuesday

Reading

Wednesday

Reading

Thursday

Reading

Personal Writing

Friday

Reading

Personal Writing

Saturday

Reading

Personal Writing

Sunday

Reading

Personal Writing

40

45

50

Grade 9 - English

Long Range Plan

2016

Kayta Brown

September 1st - December 23rd

Legend:
Red: Reading
Yellow: Writing
Green: Combination (Direct Instruction/Discussion - WE DO)
Blue: Direct Instruction
Purple: Combination (Direct Instruction/Writing - WE DO)
Report Cards
A. First Term Mark (November report card) will consist of:
1. First Term Goals
2. Quizzes
3. Moleskine Assessment
4. Friday Discussions
5. Letter-Essays
6. First Term Exam
B. Second Term Mark (March report card) will consist of:
1. First and Second Term Goals
2. Quizzes (cumulative)
3. Moleskine Assessment (cumulative)
4. Friday Discussions (cumulative)
5. Letter-Essays (cumulative)
6. First and Second Term Exam
C. Final Class Mark Breakdown (June report card):
1. Term Goals:
10%
2. Quizzes:
15%
3. Moleskine Assessment:
10%
4. Friday Discussions:
5%
5. Letter-Essays:
10%
6. First/Second Term Exams:
10% ea
7. Final Exam:
15%
8. Final Portfolio:
15%
VII. Assessment
A. Term Goals
1. Every term, students will be deciding upon three reading and three writing goals, in consultation with the teacher.

Grade 9 - English

Long Range Plan

2016

Kayta Brown

September 1st - December 23rd

2. These goals will be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based. I will read more or I will get better
at writing are not SMART goals; I will read two non-fiction books before the end of the term and I will use the technique
show, dont tell in two poems this term are SMART goals.
3. A student will be assessed on a simple pass/fail scale for each goal. Thus, if a student achieves all three reading and all three
writing goals in a term, they will receive 100% for this category.

B. Quizzes
1. Students will be periodically given quizzes on course content. These will be primarily the identification and implementation of
writing or reading techniques (write a paragraph using show, dont tell or discuss the use of metaphor in a poem are two
examples).
2. Quizzes will be given without warning. By the time a quiz is given, the content being quizzed will have been taught and
reinforced several times. At the time of the quiz, it is expected that the student will both know and be able to demonstrate her
knowledge of this content. In other words, theres no reason why a diligent student should receive a mark of less than 100% in this
category.
3. In the rare event of a student absence, students are expected to bring a note the following day and will be permitted to complete
a make-up assignment at lunch. On the day that the quiz is given, an absent student will be given a mark of zero. It is up to the
student to ensure that the above conditions are met (parental note, attendance at lunch the next day) so that the student can
complete the make-up assignment and earn a mark for that quiz.
C. Moleskine Assessment
1. Good writing takes practice. The Moleskine notebook is a place for reflection, ideas, snippets of dialogue or poetry, and
fantastic words. When a student is not completing a piece or reading a piece to hand in, theyll be writing in their Moleskines.
2. Its also where students will be completing weekly guided exercises, normally given during class time but occasionally as
homework. (Absent students are still expected to complete these guided exercises.)
3. Assessment of Moleskine work will take place throughout the semester and at the end of each term.
a. Assessment will consist of the completion of weekly guided exercises. Marks for these exercises will occasionally be
entered throughout the year so that students receive an interim mark.
b. Generally, however, this assessment category is based on the completion of three to five pages of draft writing every
week (which, of course, means that students need to date each entry) and all guided exercises.
4. Students, guard your Moleskines with your life, and lose them at your peril.
D. Friday Discussions (see also Section IV.A.5)

Grade 9 - English

Long Range Plan

2016

Kayta Brown

September 1st - December 23rd

1. Each Friday, students will take a break from the regular schedule of the class and participate in discussions about literature and
each others writing. Various pieces of prose writing will be given out on Monday and are expected to be read and annotated
before Fridays class.
2. Every other Friday, students will also be participating in a workshop discussion where one student is chosen to present her work
to the class in exchange for specific and helpful feedback.
3. Assessment is based solely on positive participation in these discussions.
4. Due to the nature of these class discussions, attendance is mandatory, and no alternative assignments will be given out due to
absences.

E. Letter-Essays
1. Every three weeks, students are expected to complete a letter-essay on a novel. See due dates below.
2. This is an informal piece of writing, addressed alternatively to me and to a friend, that demonstrates a solid understanding of the
novel, including plot, characterisation, writing techniques, and theme.
3. Each letter-essay must be three pages, single-spaced, and composed in students letter-essay notebooks (not lined paper, not
Moleskines, not typed).
4. Letter-essays have required elements (to be given out in class), and assessment is based solely on whether a given letter-essay
has met these requirements.
5. As one letter essay is expected to be completed every three weeks, and each letter-essay must be written about a novel
completely read by the student, I would recommend that students read at least one novel every two weeks, giving the student a full
week to work on the letter-essay.
6. Letter-essays are single-draft exercises; there is no revision required. (This, however, does not mean that students do not need to
attend to the basics of writing, such as spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and so on.)
F. Term Exams
1. Term exams allow students the opportunity to show that theyve learned in a timed setting. These exams are performance based;
that is, they will be asked to demonstrate the writing and reading techniques taught during each term.
2. Exam dates are announced. Each exam will take place near the end of each term (October, February, and June).
3. In the rare event of a student absence on the announced exam date:

Grade 9 - English

Long Range Plan

2016

Kayta Brown

September 1st - December 23rd

a. Students are expected to bring a note the following day and will be permitted to complete an alternative exam at lunch.
(This does not apply to the final exam.)
b. On the day that the exam is given, an absent student will be given a mark of zero. It is up to the student to ensure that
the above conditions are met (parental note, attendance at lunch the next day) so that the student can complete an
alternative exam and earn a mark for it.

G. Final Portfolio
1. A students final portfolio consists of completed drafts of poetry, short-short stories, memoirs, reviews, essays, and other forms
of writing explored over the course of a year. Each completed draft will have photocopies of notes from the Moleskine, rough
drafts handed in (along with notes and suggestions from me and other students), and the final copy itself, including the date on
which it was approved.
2. Each completed piece represents a substantial amount of work. (Getting a piece approved is a cause for celebration!)
3. I will be assessing each individual portfolio on an individual basis. The assessment will be based on the variety of modes of
writing (poetry, short-short stories, etc.), the breadth of writing completed, risk, voice, and sophistication. A list of pieces that
should be included in your portfolio will be handed out.
4. Writing is a subjective process, and the assessment of writing is also necessarily subjective. The following elements are required
in order for students to receive a strong mark in this category:
a. A variety of modes of writing (poetry, short-short stories, and essays are examples of modes of writing),
b. The breadth of writing completed (remember that a diligent writer who works hard in class and completes homework
writing on a regular basis should be completing one piece of writing each week), and
c. Complexity, risk, and voice (all of which are incredibly subjective, but will be explained in class).
V.II Schedule:
September: Our focus will be poetry and comics/graphic novels.
October: Our focus will be comics/graphic novels and short stories.
November: Our focus will be short stories and book talks.
December: Our focus will be a film study and reviews.
While you are encouraged work on whichever portfolio piece you would like to start on, it may be a good idea to start working on the piece that
correlates with our focus during that time.
V.III Due Dates:

Grade 9 - English

2016

Kayta Brown

Long Range Plan

September 1st - December 23rd

*These due dates are tentative and may change as time goes on. However, this will give students a guide as to what they should be accomplishing
each week.
Letter Essays:
#1 - September 22nd
#2 - October 13th
#3 - November 3rd
#4 - November 24th
#5 - December 15th
Term Exam: October 19th
Book Talks: On December 4th, both Tuesday classes will be devoted to individually presenting a book talk to small groups. The book talk
should be written and revised before sharing with the group.
Reviews: Students will have a draft review due for the movie McFarland on December 23rd. This is a formative piece of writing and will be
used to check your understanding of the components of a review. You may choose to continue revising this piece for your portfolio entry, or
use it as a learning tool to write a review for a different book, movie, video game, etc. for your portfolio.

Portfolios

Assignment

Weighting

Mark

Percentage

Poem #1

5%

/5

Poem #2

5%

/5

Poem #3

5%

/5

Comic Strip

5%

/5

Short Short

15%

/15

Memoir

15%

/15

Advocacy Journalism

10%

/10

Review

10%

/10

Grade 9 - English

2016

Kayta Brown

Long Range Plan

Assignment

Weighting

September 1st - December 23rd

Mark

Percentage

Book Talk #1

8%

/8

Book Talk Presentation

2%

/2

20%

/20

Poem #4

2%

/5

Poem #5

2%

/5

Book Talk #2

2%

/5

Essay
BONUS MARKS

A. Daily Routines
1. Monday
a. Students are also to pick up the prose discussion handout and put it into their prose folder. (NOTE: If there is no class
on Monday, students will be expected to complete this step on the next school day.)
b. Students are given a short minilesson on a reading technique. During this time, students are taking notes in their
writing/reading notebooks and/or writing down ideas in their Moleskines.
c. Students are given an assignment to practice this minilesson. This assignment will be completed in their Moleskines.
This practice assignment may be done independently, in pairs, or in small groups - depending on the assignment.
d. Students have the remainder of class to work on their personal writing
e. During check-in, students will be asked how many minutes they spent writing over the weekend.
2. Tuesday
a. First Class
1. When students come into class, they are to pick up the poem of the day and put it into their poetry folders.
2. Once this is done, students will read and annotate the poem, then respond to the poem in their Moleskines.
-Sometimes, students are given a specific prompt to which they are required to respond.
-When no prompt is given, students are expected to write down their thoughts, impressions, and/or
interpretations of the poem in their Moleskines.
-Students are expected to continue to write until the teacher tells them to stop.
3. Students will discuss their findings in small groups or pairs.
4. The class will discuss the poem. This discussion will be organized by the teacher.
iv. Students have the remainder of class to read silently.

Grade 9 - English

Long Range Plan

2016

Kayta Brown

September 1st - December 23rd

b. Second Class
1. To broaden your repertoire of genres and YA books, Miss. Brown will book talk a new book that correlates with
what we are learning and discussing in class that week. This should be used as a model for the book talks that
you will write and present in class later on in the semester.
2. Miss. Brown will then ask a series of questions to the class and you will be asked to answer them in a group
setting, in groups, in pairs, or individually.
iv. Students have the remainder of class to work on their personal writing

3. Wednesday
a. Students will come into class and get out both their term goal sheet and their individual proofreading list.
b. Until instructed otherwise, students will silently review both of these documents.
c. The teacher will ask students to:
i. Quietly discuss their term goals with a partner
ii. Share their term goals, and their progress towards the completion of said goals, with the entire class
iii. Quietly discuss their individual proofreading items with a partner
iv. Share items from their individual proofreading list, and progress towards mastering these items, with the entire
class
d. Students have the remainder of class to work on their personal writing
4. Thursday
a. First Class
1. When students come into class, they will get out their silent reading books and read until instructed otherwise
2. Students have the remainder of the class to work on their personal writing.
b. Second Class
1. Students are given a short minilesson on a writing technique/literary device. During this time, students are taking
notes in their writing/reading notebooks and/or writing down ideas in their Moleskines.
2. Students are given an assignment to practice this minilesson. This assignment will be completed in their Moleskines.
This practice assignment may be done independently, in pairs, or in small groups - depending on the assignment.
3. Students have the remainder of the class to work on their personal writing.
5. Friday
a. First Class
i. When students come into class, they will get out their prose folders and turn to the assigned prose reading. This
reading is expected to be completed before coming to class on Friday.
ii. Students will spend the entire class considering the prose reading. This is a guided discussion: students are
expected to participate to the best of their abilities. During this discussion, students are also expected to annotate
and take notes.

Grade 9 - English

Long Range Plan

2016

Kayta Brown

September 1st - December 23rd

b. Second Class (every other week)

i. When students come to class, they will get out the handout given to them at some point in the past week. This
handout will consist of a photocopied draft from a student.
ii. Students will spend the entire class considering this draft. During this time, students will respectfully (see II.A.
2 for a definition of respect) offer suggestions to the author for improving their draft. During this discussion,
students are permitted to take notes and add suggestions to their handout.
iii. At the end of the class, students may wish to give their annotated handouts to the author if said handout
contains advice not given orally in class. (The teacher will do this.)

6. The above routines may be set aside for:

a. Assemblies and other school-wide events
b. End-of-term reflection exercises
c. Alternate educational exercises, as determined by the teacher
7. The above routines will not come into effect until early or mid-September; September Start-Up Assignments and Procedures
(see Section I) will need to be complete first.