Grade 9

SECONDARY ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
THEMES OF SELF

 The ninth grade secondary English language arts program is the introductory step m four years of sequential study. The course will integrate the critical components of literature, language and composition as the students examine themes of self. In studying the theme of self, teachers should select inter-disciplinary, multicultural course materials.

Goal 1: The student will integrate the critical components of language arts for a variety of purposes and audiences and in a diversity of forms.

Objectives:
The students will

A. explore the theme of self through the language arts by

1. examining their roles in family, neighborhood, and community.
2. addressing personal interests and values.
3. communicating opinions.
4. identifying sources of bias, prejudice, and cultural discrimination.

B. express individual thoughts and ideas through the language arts by

1. sharing personal viewpoints.
2. discovering the existence of similarities and differences between self and others.
3. practicing appropriate language response as to setting and context.
4. writing for peers, family, and community.

C. understand the theme of self through the language arts by

1. reading and writing diaries, journals, and letters.
2. reading and writing personal time lines.
3. making and sharing memory maps.
4. reading and writing family stories.
5. viewing and making photo essays about themselves.
6. viewing and producing video explorations about themselves.
7. reading and writing poetry, short stories, and essays relating to the theme of self
8. reading longer works of fiction and non-fiction relating to the theme of self.

Goal 2: The student will develop an increasing awareness of the origins and use of the conventions in written and spoken language.

Objectives:
The students will

A. analyze and experiment with language by

1. building vocabulary skills.
2. using a variety of sentence patterns.
3. using a variety of verb tenses.
4. recognizing usage appropriate to purpose.

B. apply the conventions of standard English by

1. revising compositions for correctness in final drafts and formal presentations.
2. revising compositions to clarify meaning.
3. using language which is appropriate for the audience and purpose.

C. explore the origins and evolution of language by studying

1. word origins.
2. the special languages of peers, family, and community.
3. word connotations.

Goal 3: The student will have experience with and exposure to literature in a variety of forms and styles.

Objectives:
The students will

A. develop strategies to locate, select, and evaluate the theme of self by

1. conducting interviews.
2. investigating genealogies.
3. conducting library research.
4. using computer indexes.
5. identifying school resources,
6. evaluating the credibility of sources.

B. express opinions on the theme of self through

1. class discussions.
2. visual presentations.
3. response logs.
4. formal or mixed media presentations.

C. demonstrate an awareness of various forms and styles of literature related to self through

1. reading and writing family records.
2. reading and writing poetry.
3. reading and writing diaries.
4. viewing and producing videos and photo collections.
5. reading and writing journals.
6. reading and writing letters.
7. collecting and writing down oral history.
8. reading and writing essays (fiction and nonfiction).
9. reading and writing autobiographies.
10. reading and writing biographies.

D. compare the theme of self with similar themes posed in diverse time periods and cultures through studying

1. myths.
2. legends.
3. fairy tales.
4. folk tales.
5. parables.
6. classical literature.

Goal 4: The student will write in a variety of forms for a variety of purposes and audiences.

The students will

A. write about self using the following forms:

1. I-search. [See Searching Writing by  Ken Macrorie, Boynton Cook, 1984.]
2. autobiography.
3. first person narratives.
4. bio-poems. [A pattern or free-verse poem based on the self.]
5. letters.
6. journals.
7. interior monologue.
8. stream of consciousness.
9. time capsules.

B. write for a variety of purposes by

1. informing.
2. persuading.
3. explaining.
4. entertaining.
5. describing.
6. directing.
7. evaluating.
8. reflecting.
9. recording.
10. accepting/rejecting.

C. write for a variety of audiences including

1. self.
2. peers.
3. family.
4. school.