Pacing Guide: Grade 9, Quarter 1
Fiction (3 selections)
from The Giant’s House
“Sonata for Harp or Bicycle” OR “The Cask of Amontillado”
“If I Forget Thee, Oh Earth…”
Nonfiction (6 selections)
“Desiderata”
Viewing Skills: Viewing Fine Art Critically
Viewing Skills: Interpreting Maps and Graphs
Viewing Skills: Viewing Information Media Critically
“My English”
from Silent Spring
Poetry (4 or 5 poems)
Collection 1: “Dream Deferred,” “Dreams,” “Sonnet on Love XIII,” “Meciendo/Rocking,” “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” OR
Collection 2: “All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace,” “‘Hope’” is the thing with feathers--,” “Much Madness is divinest
Sense,” “The War Against the Trees”
Visual Literacy (2 visual texts)
Self Portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States (painting by Frida Kahlo)
Photograph of a farm
Novel/Nonfiction (1 selection)
Teacher choice of genre (Pacing guide provides a suggested list of novels, drama, and nonfiction selections that are taken from Appendix B
of the Common Core State Standards document.)
Writing Portfolio: Narrative
Prompt: After reading and reflecting on Frida Kahlo‟s Self Portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States and Julia Alvarez‟s “My English,” write a
narrative that describes a personal experience of transcending a border, either literally or figuratively. L2 Use dialogue, imagery, figurative language, conflict, character,
setting, and point of view to develop the narrative. L3 Integrate visual, auditory, and/or digital documents that provide evidence of your experience transcending this
significant border.
COLUMBUS CITY SCHOOLS
ENGLISH GRADE 9
PACING GUIDE
Unit/Topics
The Big Question: Can
Truth Change?
1. Reading Literature;
Reading Information;
Writing; Speaking and
Listening; Language
Fiction
Nonfiction
Citing textual
evidence to support
analysis of text
Determining the
theme or central idea
of a text
Determining word
meaning from
dictionaries, etc.
Note-taking
Critical listening and
speaking
Informal writing
Periods
Introductory
Week
Periods: 3
GRADING PERIOD 1
Common Core
Textbook/Supplemental Materials
State
Standards
RL.9-10.1
RL.9-10.2
RI.9-10.1
RI.9-10.2
W.9-10.10
SL.9-10.1
SL.9-10.6
L.9-10.4c
Textbook (hard copy or eBook)
Literature: Language and Literacy
The Big Question pp. 2-3
Fiction and nonfiction: Genre Study pp. 47
Unit 1 Resources
pp. 1-3 (Big Question Vocabulary)
Writing and Grammar
Using Critical Listening Skills pp. 549-551
Reading Nonfiction Critically pp. 594-599
Reading Literary Writings (Fiction) pp.
600-601
Technology
Interactive Digital Path
Big Question Video (0:50)
Introducing the Big Question: Can Truth
Change?
Vocabulary Central
Fiction and Nonfiction Video (1:40)
Assessments/Assignments
Reading
Genre study: fiction and
nonfiction (nonfiction)
Critical Listening
(nonfiction)
Writing
Journal writing: Can
Truth Change?
Speaking and Listening
Whole group discussion
Partner discussion
Small group discussion
Evaluating listening skills
Language
Vocabulary Central
Vocabulary
Music
Games
Worksheets
Assessments
Class discussion
regarding the differences
and functions of fiction
and nonfiction
Students complete an
inventory in which they
identify the characteristics
of both fiction and
nonfiction.
Students read selected
passages from both fiction
and nonfiction and using
their inventories, identify
which passage is fiction
and which is nonfiction
and why.
Intervention/Enrichment
Using the same topic for
each paragraph, students
write a two paragraph
fiction sample (using their
inventories) and a two
paragraph nonfiction
sample and write an essay
or journal regarding how
the difference in genre
impacted their creative
decisions.
After the teacher chooses
fiction and nonfiction
selections on the same
topic (for example, a
geographical/topographic
al description of the New
York City landmass
versus The Three New
Yorks by E.B. White)
have students read the
passages and describe
how they are different
even though both describe
the same thing. This will
provide a detailed lead in
to a discussion of the
functions of fiction and
nonfiction
2.
Reading Literature;
Reading Information;
Writing; Speaking and
Week 1
Periods: 5
RL.9-10.1
RL.9-10.2
RL.9-10.3
Textbook (hard copy or eBook)
Literature: Language and Literacy
from The Giant’s House pp. 8-15
Reading
from The Giant’s House
(fiction)
Listening; Language
Close reading
Citing textual
evidence to support
analysis of text
Determining the
theme or central idea
of a text
Analysis of how an
author unfolds an
analysis or series of
ideas or events
Word choice
Conflict
Characterization
Plot
Setting as it relates to
plot
Genre: fiction and
nonfiction
Critical viewing
Determining word
meaning through
context
Demonstrating
independence in
gathering vocabulary
knowledge
Tone
Audience
Purpose
Point of view
Research
Summarization
Research to build and
present knowledge
Writing for a variety
of purposes and
audiences
Discussion
Integration of
multiple sources of
information
presented in diverse
media and formats
RL.9-10.4
RL.9-10.5
RI.9-10.2
RI.9-10.3
RI.9-10.4
RI.9-10.6
W.9-10.7
W.9-10.10
SL.9-10.1
SL.9-10.2
SL.9-10.3
SL.9-10.4
SL.9-10.6
L.9-10.4a
L.9-10.6
“Desiderata” pp. 16-20
Unit 1 Resources pp. 13-29
Writing and Grammar
Part 3: Academic and Workplace Skills
Giving a Speech pp. 546-548
Viewing Fine Art Critically p.
557
Technology
Interactive Digital Path
Model selections
“Desiderata” (nonfiction)
Giving a Speech
(nonfiction)
Viewing Fine Art
(nonfiction)
Writing
Student-created chart
listing research resources
Have students create their
own list or archive that
would be emblematic of
their lives as they would
like them to be known.
Have the students fully
unpack each item on the
list and describe how it
represents something
about who they are.
Speaking and Listening
Whole group discussion
Partner discussion
Preparation and
presentation of an
informative or persuasive
speech
Language
Vocabulary Central
Vocabulary
Music
Games
Worksheets
Assessments
Critical thinking
questions Critical
viewing Selection
tests Open-book
test
Intervention/Enrichment
Students create a list of
words that they associate
Evaluation of a
speaker
Speech preparation
and delivery
3. Reading Literature;
Reading Information;
Writing; Speaking and
Listening; Language
Close reading
Note taking
Citing textual
evidence to support
analysis of text
Determining the
theme or central idea
of a text
Characterization
Mood
Symbolism
Irony
Socratic seminar
Analysis of how an
author structures a
text
Plot (exposition,
rising action, climax,
Weeks 2-3
Periods: 5
RL.9-10.1
RL.9-10.2
RL.9-10.3
RL.9-10.5
RI.9-10.6
W.9-10.4
W.9-10.10
SL.9-10.1
SL.9-10.4
SL.9-10.6
L.910.4abc
L.9-10.6
with giant, and they
describe giants they have
heard about in stories.
Students create similes to
describe the qualities and
duties of a librarian.
Students begin to work
with characterization by
writing a 1st person
character sketch of a day
in the life of a librarian.
They must include
sensory details and
realistic information that
would present a plausible
portrait.
Teacher provides students
with a list of items found
in a person‟s coat pocket.
Students write a
description of the person
who carries these items.
Textbook (hard copy or eBook)
Literature: Language and Literacy
Before You Read pp.
42-43
“Sonata for Harp and Bicycle” (960L)
pp. 44-57 OR “The Cask of
Amontillado” (800L) pp. 58-69
Unit 1 Resources
“Sonata for Harp and Bicycle” pp. 69-84;
“The Cask of Amontillado” pp. 87-95,
99-107; Integrated Language Skills:
Support for Writing a Critique p. 97;
Integrated Language Skills: Support for
Extend Your Learning p. 98
Technology
Interactive Digital Path
Before You Read [Get Connected Video
(0:48/0:50), Meet the Author, Background
Video (0:33/0:23), Vocabulary Central,
Reading Skill, Literary Analysis]
While You Read (Warm-ups, Reading
Selection, Critical Thinking Questions)
Reading
“Sonata for Harp and
Bicycle” (fiction) OR
“The Cask of
Amontillado” (fiction)
and “This Is Just To Say”
(poem)
Writing
Journal writing: Image
Essay
Journal writing: Can
Truth Change?
Journal writing:
quotations from the text
with student reactions to
the quotes
Student writing: When
does the audience realize
that Montresor plans to
harm Fortunato, and what
hints/foreshadowing does
Poe provide?
falling action,
resolution)
Point of view
Writing that is
appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience
Discussion
Presentation of
knowledge and ideas
Adapting speech to a
variety of contexts
and tasks
Conflict
Determining word
meaning through
roots and affixes
Determining word
meaning through
context
Retelling a story
Informal writing
Internet
“This Is Just To Say” by William Carlos
Williams
www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/1
5535
comic template
www.donnayoung.org/art/comics.ht
m
CCS Curriculum Guide Website
Model lesson for “The Cask of
Amontillado”
Students create a coat-ofarms or family crest.
Student-written critique
evaluating the suspense
and the ending of either
“Sonata for Harp and
Bicycle” or “The Cask
of Amontillado”
Students create a graphic
illustration of a section
from “The Cask of
Amontillado.”
Speaking and Listening
Whole group discussion
With a partner, retell one
of the stories from
another point of view.
For example, tell “Sonata
for Harp and Bicycle”
from Miss Golden‟s point
of view or write “The
Cask of Amontillado”
from the perspective of
the victim, Fortunato.
Socratic Seminar: What is
truth in “The Cask of
Amontillado”? How does
it change for the two main
characters? Which device
is most integral in
creating the “truth”
(irony, symbolism,
mood)?
Language
Vocabulary Central
Vocabulary
Music
Games
Worksheets
Assessments
Critical thinking
questions
Critical viewing
Selection tests
Open-book test
Intervention/Enrichment
Teacher models a think
aloud about the plot of
“Sonata for Harp and
Bicycle.”
Provide students with a
map of Venice (that
includes the shipping
lanes from the far East
and Middle-East) and
discuss how Venice was
the shipping hub for
exotic goods and spices
from the East to the rest
of Europe.
Students list the many
sound effects and soundimitating words that Poe
uses in his description of
the events that take place
in the catacombs.
4. Reading Information;
Writing; Speaking and
Listening; Language
Close reading
Reading to perform a
task
Sequencing
Reading a chart
Critical listening and
speaking
Citing textual
evidence to support
analysis of text
Determining a central
idea of a text
Analysis of how an
author‟s ideas or
claims are developed
Point of view
Rhetoric
Week 3
Periods: 4
RI.9-10.1
RI.9-10.2
RI.9-10.5
RI.9-10.6
W.9-10.2
W.9-10.3
W.9-10.4
W.9-10.6
W.9-10.7
W.9-10.8
W.9-10.9
W.9-10.10
SL.9-10.1
SL.9-10.4
SL.9-10.5
SL.9-10.6
L.9-10.1
L.9-10.2
L.9-10.3
L.9-10.6
Textbook (hard copy or eBook)
Writing and Grammar
Part 3: Academic and Workplace Skills
Viewing Skills: Interpreting Maps and
Graphs pp. 552-554
Viewing Skills: Viewing Information
Media Critically pp. 555-556
Reading
Viewing Skills:
Interpreting Maps and
Graphs (nonfiction)
Viewing Skills: Viewing
Information Media
Critically (nonfiction)
Technology
www.ohiomeanssuccess.org
Speaking and Listening
Whole group discussion
Reading aloud
Students find an example
from their textbooks or
other sources of each type
of visual aid (a map and a
line, pie, and bar graph).
Using the general
guidelines and steps of
interpretation on pages
552-554, students are to
describe the visual aid
Writing informative/ explanatory texts
Narrative writing
Producing clear and
coherent writing
Using technology to
produce writing
Research
Gathering relevant
information from
multiple authoritative
print and digital
sources
Drawing evidence
from literary or
informational texts to
support analysis
Writing for a range of
tasks, purposes,
audiences
Using digital media in
presentations
Adapting speech to a
variety of contexts
and tasks
Conventions of
standard English
Understanding how
language functions in
different contexts
Demonstrating
independence in
gathering vocabulary
knowledge
and tell what kinds of
information can be
learned from each.
Students report their
findings to the class.
Writing
Students download a map
from the Internet and
write a journal entry that
1) determines the type
and purpose of the map,
2) examines the symbols,
distance, scale, and other
data on the map, and 3)
relates the information on
the map to any written
information
accompanying it.
Students research a topic
such as most popular jobs
in Ohio. A good website
for this kind of
information is
www.ohiomeanssuccess.
o rg .
They then create a line
graph, bar graph, or pie
graph with their findings.
Students watch a
television program that
provides information,
such as a news program, a
documentary, or an
interview. They are to
notice the commercials as
well. Then, students
write an essay in which
they identify the type of
program and describe the
topics covered. In
addition, students are to
comment on what the
commercials were selling.
Finally, students evaluate
the information on each
topic in the program and
in the commercials using
the strategies located on
p. 556 of the textbook.
Intervention/Enrichment
Students research a career
in which they are
interested to determine
what skills are necessary
to be successful in that
career. After this initial
research, students are to
write an essay about the
skills needed to be a(n)
, and whether or
not that student intends to
pursue this career track.
Why/why not?
5. Writing; Reading
Information;
Speaking and Listening
Portfolio Writing Quarter 1:
Narrative
Informal writing
Discussion
Visual text analysis
Author‟s attitudes
Symbolism
Author‟s details
Showing vs. telling
Foreshadowing
Connotation
Text features
Author‟s purpose
Main idea
Point of view
Conflict
Setting
Theme
Imagery
Dialogue
Diction
Weeks 4-6
Periods: 11
RI.9-10.1
RI.9-10.2
RI.9-10.3
RI.9-10.4
RI.9-10.5
W.910.3a-e
W.9-10.4
W.9-10.5
W.9-10.6
SL.9-10.1
SL.9-10.5
L.9-10.1
L.9-10.2
L.9-10.3
L.9-10.4
L.9-10.5
L.9-10.6
Textbook (hard copy or
eBook)
Literature: Language and Literacy
Writing Workshop Narration:
Autobiographical Narrative pp. 94-99
Vocabulary Workshop Using a Dictionary
and Thesaurus pp. 182-183
Unit 1 Resources pp. 125-126
Writing and Grammar
Chapter 4: Narration pp. 32-47
Chapter 29, Section 29.6: Apostrophes
With Possessive Nouns pp. 532-535
Chapters 16-29: Grammar, Usage, and
Mechanics pp. 216-541
CCS Curriculum Guide Website
Model lesson for narrative writing
Internet
Links to internet resources utilized in this
lesson may be found in the writing
portfolio lesson located on the curriculum
guide website.
Writing
Prompt: After reading and
reflecting on Frida Kahlo‟s Self
Portrait on the Borderline Between
Mexico and the United States and
Julia Alvarez‟s “My English,”
write a narrative that describes a
personal experience of
transcending a border, either
literally or figuratively. L2 Use
dialogue, imagery, figurative
language, conflict, character,
setting, and point of view to
develop the narrative. L3
Integrate visual, auditory, and/or
digital documents that provide
evidence of your experience
transcending this significant
border.
Quick write
Venn diagram
Word chart
Visual text analysis
Student-created sketch or
collage denoting
symbolism
Figurative language
Structure and
organization
Grammar and usage
Capitalization and
punctuation
Peer revision
Close reading
Mini-lessons
Peer revision
Reading
“My English”
(nonfiction)
Self Portrait on the
Borderline Between
Mexico and the United
States (painting by Frido
Kahlo)
Speaking and Listening
Whole class discussion
Partner discussion
Peer revision
Language
Standard English
conventions when writing
or speaking
How language functions
in deferent contexts
Vocabulary acquisition
and use
7. Reading Literature;
Reading Information;
Writing; Speaking and
Listening; Language
Close reading
Citing evidence to
support analysis of
text
Theme or central idea
of text
Analysis of the
representation of a
subject or key scene
in two different
mediums
Analysis of how an
author unfolds an
analysis or series of
Week 6
Periods: 4
RL.9-10.1
RL.9-10.2
RL.9-10.4
RL.9-10.7
RI.9-10.1
RI.9-10.2
RI.9-10.3
RI.9-10.7
W.9-10.10
SL.9-10.1
L.9-10.1
L.9-10.3
L.9-10.4ac
Textbook (hard copy or eBook)
Literature: Language and Literacy
Comparing Literary Works pp. 160-161
“If I Forget Thee, Oh Earth” (1220L) pp.
162-166
from Silent Spring (1080L) pp. 167-170
After You Read p. 171
Unit 1 Resources pp. 213-229
Technology
Interactive Digital Path
Before You Read (Comparing Texts,
Vocabulary Central, The Big Question)
While You Read (Reading Selections,
Critical Thinking Questions)
After You Read (Skill Questions)
Reading
“If I Forget Thee, Oh
Earth” (fiction)
from Silent Spring
(nonfiction)
Writing
In small groups, students
discuss the sentence
starter “This farmland
once…” in relation to the
picture on p. 169 (from
Silent Spring). Then,
students write a response
in the form of a brief
story.
Students write a response
to the picture on p. 169
ideas or events
Compare/contrast
Determining word
meaning through
context
Determining word
meaning through
dictionary and/or
glossary usage
Mood
Genre
Critical listening and
speaking
Informal writing
(from Silent Spring) that
examines what they see,
think, and feel.
Theme analysis chart
Student-written essay
comparing reactions to
from Silent Spring and “If
I Forget Thee, Oh
Earth…” How does the
author‟s choice of genre
affect the reading
experience?
Speaking and Listening
Whole group discussion
Language
Conventions of standard
English when writing or
speaking
Language in different
contexts
Vocabulary Central
Vocabulary
Music
Games
Worksheets
Assessments
Critical thinking
questions
Critical viewing
Selection tests
Intervention/Enrichment
Students create a 2column chart in which
they list adjectives from
the story that describe the
Colony and/or Earth.
After the chart is
complete, the students
write sentences
summarizing each setting.
Students propose a
The Big Question: How
Does Communication
Change Us?
8. Reading Literature;
Writing; Speaking and
Listening; Language
Close reading
Citing textual
evidence to support
analysis of text
Theme
Determining the
meaning of words and
phrases as they are
used in text
Producing clear and
coherent writing
Stanza
Couplet
Quatrain
Figurative
language/figures of
speech (metaphors,
similes,
personification,
onomatopoeia,
imagery, sensory
language, paradox)
Sound devices
(rhythm, rhyme,
rhyme scheme, free
verse, alliteration,
assonance,
consonance,
repetition)
Narrative poem
Epic
Ballad
Dramatic poem
Lyric poem
Week 7
Periods: 5
RL.9-10.1
RL.9-10.2
RL.9-10.4
W.9-10.4
W.9-10.5
W.9-10.10
SL.9-10.1
L.9-10.4
L.9-10.5
L.9-10.6
service learning project
that focuses on the
environment and/or
conservation.
Textbook (hard copy or eBook)
Literature: Language and Literacy
Introduction: Poetry pp. 606-609
Before You Read pp. 616-617
Poetry Collection 1 pp. 618-628; After
You Read p. 629 OR Poetry Collection 2
pp. 630-638; After You Read p. 639
Unit 4 Resources
Collection 1 pp. 12, 23-40; Collection 2
pp. 12, 41-49, 53-61
Technology
Interactive Digital Path
Introducing the Big Question [Big
Question Video (1:03)]
Introduction: Poetry [Introduction: Meet
the Author Video (2:42); Learning About
the Genre: Poetry Video (3:16)]
Before You Read [Get Connected Video
(0:57), The Big Question, Meet the
Authors, Vocabulary Central, Reading
Skills, Literary Analysis]
While You Read (Warm-ups, Reading
Selections, Critical Thinking Questions)
Reading
Poetry Collection 1 OR
Poetry Collection 2
Writing
Figurative language chart
Students rewrite one
poetic stanza into a prose
paragraph.
Students close read (line
by line for meaning) a
poem and write an
analysis of its theme,
tone, and figurative
language.
Students practice writing
a sonnet (either
Shakespearean or
Petrarchan).
Speaking and Listening
Whole group discussion
In small groups, students
read poetry aloud.
Language
Vocabulary Central
Vocabulary
Music
Games
Worksheet
s
Assessments
Critical viewing
Critical thinking
questions
Selection tests
Scansion of a poem read
together as a class
Haiku
Sonnet
Determining word
meaning through
analogous
relationships
Determining word
meaning through
figurative language
Genre
Critical listening and
speaking
Informal writing
9. Reading Literature;
Reading Information;
Writing; Speaking and
Listening; Language
Teach the Common Core State
Standards as needed to prepare
students for the AIR
assessments in Reading and
Writing, and to prepare
students to be college and
career ready.
Weeks 8-9
Periods: 9
Teach the Common
Core State
Standards as
needed to prepare
students for the
AIR
assessments in
Reading and
Writing, and to
prepare students to
be college and
career ready.
Novels/Fiction/Nonfiction/Drama Suggestions:*
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart
Alvarez, Julia. In the Time of Butterflies
Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged
Bird Sings
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451
Henry, O. “The Gift of the Magi”
Henry, Patrick. “Speech to the Second
Virginia Convention”
Homer. The Odyssey
Ionesco, Eugene. Rhinoceros
King, Jr., Martin L. “Letter from
Birmingham Jail”
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird
Lincoln, Abraham. “Gettysburg Address”
Ovid. Metamorphoses
Quindlen, Anna. “A Quilt of a Country”
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of
Macbeth
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath
Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club
Turgenev, Ivan. Fathers and Sons
Washington, George. “Farewell Address”
Williams, Tennessee. The Glass
Menagerie
Wright, Richard. Black Boy
Zusak, Marcus. The Book Thief
*The above is not meant to be a required reading
Intervention/Enrichment
Copy both Hughes poems
on the board. Circle the
questions and statements
in the poems, and discuss
each one.
Students create an
original poem.
Look over the English
and Spanish versions of
“Rocking” and compare
the uses of rhyme and
repetition.
Students will compare
Shakespeare‟s
“Sonnet 30” with
Frost‟s “The Road Not
Reading Taken.”
The reading assignment
will be either fiction or
nonfiction depending
upon teacher choice.
Writing
Journal writing
In-class essays
Creative writing
Speaking and Listening
Whole group discussion
Small group discussion
Pair work
Language
Integrated vocabulary
activities
Integrated grammar and
usage activities
Assessments
Portfolio projects
Multimedia presentations
Tests/quizzes
list. Use your professional judgment of the text and
your students to make your selection. In keeping
with the guidelines established by the Common
Core State Standards, your choice should be similar
in complexity and quality to the titles on the list
above. For detailed information on text complexity,
access Appendix B of the Common Core State
Standards using the following link:
www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_B.pdf
Intervention/Enrichment
Teacher-modeled reading
strategies
Students write a different
ending for a story.
Students create and
perform a scene based on
a section of the reading.
Students will write letters
to the author or main
characters in the books
asking them to unpack
their motivations.
* This pacing guide is based on 50 minute periods and should be adjusted to fit alternative schedules.
**Common Core State Standards: RL = Reading Literature; RI = Reading Information; W = Writing; SL = Speaking and Listening; L = Language
Common Core State Standards
Reading Literature
Key Ideas and Details
1.Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the
text.
2.Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how
they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.
3. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact
with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
Craft and Structure
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze
the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how
it sets a formal or informal tone).
5. Analyze how an author‟s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time
(e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
6. Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on
a wide reading of world literature.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in
each treatment (e.g., Auden‟s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel‟s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).
8. (Not applicable to literature)
9. Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic
from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare).
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 9–10 text complexity
band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 9–10
text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Reading Informational Text
Key Ideas and Details
1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the
text.
2. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped
and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
3. Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the order in which the points are made, how they
are introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn between them.
Craft and Structure
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings;
analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from
that of a newspaper).
5. Analyze in detail how an author‟s ideas or claims are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions
of a text (e.g., a section or chapter).
6. Determine an author‟s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or
purpose.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person‟s life story in both print and multimedia),
determining which details are emphasized in each account.
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is
relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning.
9. Analyze seminal U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (e.g., Washington‟s Farewell Address, the Gettysburg
Address, Roosevelt‟s Four Freedoms speech, King‟s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”), including how they address related themes
and concepts.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 9–10 text complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 9–10 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
Writing
Text Types and Purposes
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient
evidence.
a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes
clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in
a manner that anticipates the audience‟s knowledge level and concerns.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between
claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which
they are writing.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately
through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include
formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other
information and examples appropriate to the audience‟s knowledge of the topic.
c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among
complex ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which
they are writing.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g.,
articulating implications or the significance of the topic).
3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and wellstructured event sequences.
a. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and
introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.
b.Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events,
and/or characters.
c. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole.
d. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting,
and/or characters.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.
Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on
addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of
Language standards 1–3 up to and including grades 9–10.)
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of
technology‟s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a
problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding
of the subject under investigation.
8. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the
usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of
ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
a. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a
specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by
Shakespeare]”).
b. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a
text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious
reasoning”).
Range of Writing
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a
day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration
1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse
partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others‟ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring
to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
b. Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making (e.g., informal consensus, taking votes on key issues,
presentation of alternate views), clear goals and deadlines, and individual roles as needed.
c. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas;
actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.
d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or
justify their own views and understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented.
2. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the
credibility and accuracy of each source.
3. Evaluate a speaker‟s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, identifying any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated
or distorted evidence.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of
reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
5. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance
understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See
grades 9-10 Language standards for specific expectations.)
Language
Conventions of Standard English
1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
a. Use parallel structure.*
b.Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent,
dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations.
2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
a. Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses.
b. Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation.
c. Spell correctly.
Knowledge of Language
3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or
style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
a. Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual (e.g., MLA Handbook, Turabian‟s Manual for Writers)
appropriate for the discipline and writing type.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 9–10 reading and content,
choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word‟s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to
the meaning of a word or phrase.
b.Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis,
analytical; advocate, advocacy).
c. Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the
pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, or its etymology.
d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in
a dictionary).
5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text.
b. Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.
6. Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and
listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering
a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.