NAME:
Mrs. Criner
![Picture]()
SCHOOL:
Portsmouth High School
CLASS:
Freshman English
SCHOOL PHONE:
740-353-2398
I have taught at PHS for 24 years. I live in Oak Hill with my husband and
two sons, Kyle and Kory.
English 9 Course Outline
Description:
This course will stress the components of the short story, the novel, drama,
and poetry. Students will also practice the language skills of reading,
analyzing, vocabulary, grammar, writing, listening, speaking, viewing,
researching, and presenting.
Text:
Elements of Literature-Third Course
Holt, Rinehart, and Winston Publishers
Goals:
*Increase vocabulary (Word Recognition, Phonemic awareness, word
recognition, and fluency)
*Improve writing skills (Writing Process, Writing Applications, Writing
Conventions)
*Encourage reading for outside enjoyment
*Review grammar skills (Writing Conventions)
*Read and analyze a variety of literature (Reading Applications)
*Increase reading comprehension (Reading Process: Concepts of Print,
Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies, Reading
Applications)
*Research
*Communication: Oral & Visual
This course will reflect the state academic content standards.
Philosophy:
Students will be given the opportunity to learn given a variety of sources.
Classroom activities will include writing, outside reading, cooperative
learning, classroom discussions, lectures, and research. Students will work
in teams periodically, but will mostly work independently. Major projects
will be presented in class. Students will be given the opportunity to redo
written work until it meets standards specified during instruction. Student
assessment will include the completion of journals, projects, written exams,
tests, quizzes, written compositions, and notebooks.
Instructional Activities:
1. Literature Units:
The following types of literature will be covered:
*Short stories and the elements of fiction
*Non-fiction
*Novel, folk tales, mythology
*Drama
*Poetry
2. Writing:
There will be many styles of writing throughout the year, including
journaling, a poetry project, true and imaginative stories, dialogue and
drama, various essays, and a research project. There will be a weekly
writing assignment as well as a monthly writing assignment. Grammar will be
exercised in the context of writing.
3. Vocabulary:
The goal of studying new words, and discovering how they relate to words
students already know, has the following purposes: to strengthen your
ability to express yourself with precision, to increase your comprehension,
and to prepare you for success in standardized testing, success in college
and success in professional life.
Students will have vocabulary words that go along with the stories they
read. Students will be encouraged to use the words in their speaking and
writing.
4. Spelling:
Every week a list of 20 commonly misspelled words will assigned. Tests will
be given after each set of words.
Major Projects:
*Journals
-Journals will be written once a week and turned in each Friday.
-Journals are worth 10 points for a full page.
*Beowulf
-After reading this story, students will create and draw a monster and write
a descriptive paper
about the monster and present it to the class.
*Odyssey Project
Students will complete one of these projects.
-Design and create four different postcards from places on Odysseus’
journey. Write note to Penelope.
-Write four journal entries from the point of view of one of Odysseus’ crew
members.
*Outside Reading
Students must read three outside reading books. Assessments will be given
for each book. We will read one book as a class during the first nine
weeks. Students must read six other books before the class is completed.
English Plus will read four books.
Expectations:
*Be prepared
*Show respect
*Participate
*Do your best
*Keep a notebook of all tests
Attendance/Late Work:
Papers, projects, homework, rough drafts, etc. will not be accepted late,
with the exception of excused absences. If a student is absent the day
something is due, he/she must turn it in on the day of his/her return. If a
student is absent on the day of a test, he/she must make it up within five
days of his/her return. When a student is absent, it is his/her
responsibility to find out what he/she has missed or when missed work will
be due. A student fails English Plus when more than 20 days are missed.
A student sences fails the course when more than 10 days are missed.
Grading:
Everything is given a point value, including daily work, quizzes, and
tests. Essay, writing grades and projects will be scored on a rubric. The
points are then divided by the total possible points to come up with an
average. In borderline cases, attitude and effort are always taken into
consideration. Extra credit is possible only if students have no missing
work.
Grades will then be determined on the following scale:
93-100 = A
85-92 = B
70-84 = C
62-69 = D
0-61 = F
Materials:
*2 spiral notebooks (1 for journals/ 1 for notes
*Pocket folders
*Textbook
*Pen/pencil, paper
Outside Reading:
*October Sky
*Make Lemonade
*West Side Story
*True Believer
*Tears of a Tiger
*Forged By Fire
*Darkness Before Dawn
*Gentle Hands
*I Am the Cheese
*Slam
*The Call of the Wild
*The Contender
*The Brave
*Walk Two Moons
*Warrior Angel
*The Chief
*Ironman
*The River Between Us
*When the Legend Dies
It may be necessary to adjust the course outline as the school calendar
warrants.
Honors English 9 Course Outline
Description:
This course will stress the components of the short story, the novel, drama,
and poetry. Students will also practice the language skills of reading,
analyzing, vocabulary, grammar, writing, listening, speaking, viewing,
researching, and presenting.
Text:
Elements of Literature-Third Course
Holt, Rinehart, and Winston Publishers
Goals:
*Increase vocabulary (Word Recognition, Phonemic awareness, word
recognition, and fluency)
*Improve writing skills (Writing Process, Writing Applications, Writing
Conventions)
*Encourage reading for outside enjoyment
*Review grammar skills (Writing Conventions)
*Read and analyze a variety of literature (Reading Applications)
*Increase reading comprehension (Reading Process: Concepts of Print,
Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies, Reading
Applications)
*Research
*Comprehension: Oral &Visual
This course will reflect the state academic content standards.
Philosophy:
Students will be given the opportunity to learn given a variety of sources.
Classroom activities will include writing, outside reading, cooperative
learning, classroom discussions, lectures, and research. Students will work
in teams periodically, but will mostly work independently. Major projects
will be presented in class. Students will be given the opportunity to redo
written work until it meets standards specified during instruction. Student
assessment will include the completion of journals, projects, written exams,
tests, quizzes, written compositions, and notebooks.
Instructional Activities:
1. Literature Units:
The following types of literature will be covered:
*Short stories and the elements of fiction
*Non-fiction
*Novel, folk tales, mythology
*Drama
*Poetry
2. Writing:
There will be many styles of writing throughout the year, including
journaling, a poetry project, true and imaginative stories, dialogue and
drama, various essays, and a research project. There will be a weekly
writing assignment as well as a monthly writing assignment. Grammar will be
exercised in the context of writing.
3. Vocabulary:
The goal of studying new words, and discovering how they relate to words
students already know, has the following purposes: to strengthen your
ability to express yourself with precision, to increase your comprehension,
and to prepare you for success in standardized testing, success in college
and success in professional life.
Students will have vocabulary words that go along with the stories they
read. Students will be encouraged to use the words in their speaking and
writing. There will be six vocabulary test the first nine weeks, as well
as the vocabulary words that go along with the literature stories.
4. Spelling:
There will be eight spelling tests given the second nine weeks of the class.
Major Projects:
*Journals
-Design journal cover to be bound by the print shop
-Choose four topics from each category per week. The 5th entry will the
student’s choice.
-Journals are to be turned in each Friday during the 3rd nine weeks.
-Journals are 10 points each for a full page.
-There will also be a weekly journal entry worth 10 points
*Autobiography
-Students will write their own autobiography.
-Students will write 10 chapters. (5 paragraphs each with 5 sentences per
paragraph)
-Design book cover
-Write a dedication and preface page.
-Design chapter dividers
-Illustrate their book
-Rough drafts will be typed and graded.
-Books must be typed. (12 pt., double spaced)
-Books will be laminated and bound by the print shop.
*Odyssey Project
-Students will choose one project from nine that are available.
-Complete the project and present to the class.
*Poetry Project
-Write 12 poems
-Illustrate each poem
_Arrange poems as a book with a pleasant and creative cover.
*Outside Reading
Students must read five outside reading books. Assessments will be given for
each book. We will read one book as a class during the first nine weeks.
Students must read two other books the first nine weeks and ywo books the
second nine weeks.
Expectations:
*Be prepared
*Show respect
*Participate
*Do your best
*Keep a notebook of all tests
Attendance/Late Work:
Papers, projects, homework, rough drafts, etc. will not be accepted late,
with the exception of excused absences. If a student is absent the day
something is due, he/she must turn it in on the day of his/her return. If a
student is absent on the day of a test, he/she must make it up within five
days of his/her return. When a student is absent, it is his/her
responsibility to find out what he/she has missed or when missed work will
be due.
student fails the course when more than 10 days are missed.
Grading:
Everything is given a point value, including daily work, quizzes, and
tests. Essay, writing grades and projects will be scored on a rubric. The
points are then divided by the total possible points to come up with an
average. In borderline cases, attitude and effort are always taken into
consideration. Extra credit is possible only if students have no missing
work.
Grades will then be determined on the following scale:
93-100 = A
85-92 = B
70-84 = C
62-69 = D
0-61 = F
Materials:
*2 spiral notebooks (1 for journals/ 1 for notes
*Pocket folders
*Textbook
*Pen/pencil, paper
$1.00-2.00 for binding and laminating from the print shop
Outside Reading:
*October Sky
*Make Lemonade
*West Side Story
*True Believer
*Tears of a Tiger
*Forged By Fire
*Darkness Before Dawn
*Gentle Hands
*I Am the Cheese
*Slam
*The Call of the Wild
*The Contender
*The Brave
*Walk Two Moons
*Warrior Angel
*The Chief
*Ironman
*The River Between Us
It may be necessary to adjust the course outline as the school calendar
warrants
