Today's rigorous standards focus on the ability of the individual student to make meaning and reach understanding of complex texts and ideas. By reading and responding to a range of texts, as well as producing their own texts, collaborating in discussions, engaging in research, and delivering presentations, students will have ample opportunities to make meaning of the world around them.
We will often analyze our world using "STEAP," which helps students "make meaning" through the lens of:
Social/Culture
Technology
Economics
Art & Literature
Politics
The acquisition and control of academic language supports any individual's ability to explore and convey meaning. In 9th grade, this course will focus on academic language development around the areas of:
applying knowledge of how language functions in different contexts
developing the use of style guidelines such as using the MLA manual
determining the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, including Greek and Latin roots
interpreting figures of speech
making effective choices for meaning or style such as the use of various types of phrases.
As you embrace college and career readiness skills, you will engage in collaborative discussions, writing, oral presentations, and media production that require effective expression. This is not about only Ms. Tucker speaking; I want to hear from you. Do not be afraid to raise your hand and speak up!
Particular to Hayfork, effective expression can also mean engaging with the burgeoning diversity that has become the norm for our community, which also prepares you for engaging with those outside this community as well.
The development of content knowledge is supported by wide reading of print and media resources that expand information and experience, inspiring students to further research and learn. The content will range from writers across the globe as we discuss perspectives from around the world, and thus pairs well with your Freshmen Foundations/Geography class.
In 9th grade, you will be exposed to a range of text types and skill requirements from narrative and argumentative writing to the synthesis of fiction and nonfiction texts.
Performance tasks will mainly revolve around narrative writing and developing a literary analysis.
In 9th grade, we will revisit skills that you were likely exposed to in elementary grades so we can continue to bolster effective reading and organizational strategies, such as focusing on the writing process, and the use of textual evidence, graphic organizers, efficient note-taking and more.
Foundational skills during 9th grade are also about reflecting on the culmination of each individual's education thus far, so you can use that metacognitive* awareness throughout high school, and well after. Understanding how we think and why is an important component of critical thinking as we move into adulthood.
*Metacognition = analysis of one's own learning or thinking processes