English 9: free lessons and course outline

California's ELA standards are organized in two-year bands, so grades 9 and 10 share a single set: ten Reading Literature standards, ten for Reading Informational Text, ten for Writing, six for Speaking and Listening and six for Language. They are skills rather than a list of topics, which means a course cannot be built by working through them in order. It has to be built around texts, with the skills taught where the texts call for them. That is what this course does. Unit 1 teaches the nine tools of fiction, one at a time. Unit 2 applies them to seven complete short stories. Unit 3 does the same for poetry across ten lessons. Unit 4 reads Romeo and Juliet act by act. Unit 5 turns to nonfiction and argument, which is where the Reading Informational Text standards live, and unit 6 covers writing, research, citation and grammar. THE READING SCHEDULE. Weeks 1 to 4, unit 1 and the first two stories. Weeks 5 to 9, the remaining five short stories, roughly one a week: The Most Dangerous Game, The Cask of Amontillado, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Story of an Hour, The Gift of the Magi, The Monkey's Paw, and The Necklace. Weeks 10 to 15, poetry, about four poems a week. Weeks 16 to 17, the narrative essay. Weeks 18 to 25, Romeo and Juliet, one act every ten days with the comparison lessons at the end. Weeks 26 to 27, the literary analysis essay. Weeks 28 to 32, nonfiction and argument. Weeks 33 to 34, the argument essay. Weeks 35 to 36, writing, research and language, which should also be worked alongside every essay rather than saved for the end. Every text is in the public domain and none of them has to be bought.