Course Description for English 9 Honors:

Designed for students who are excelling in both reading and writing, this
course is highly selective. Consistency in class preparation, success in eighth grade
English, and the ability to work independently denote possible candidates. In
addition to academic achievement, their problem solving/critical thinking skills, their
maturity, and motivation separate them from the majority of their peers. Their
interest in reading meets the goals of the 9th grade curriculum, and their interest in
writing meets the sophomore level honors composition course. Students planning
on taking Advanced Placement English in their senior year are advised to take
English 9 Honors. Summer reading is required.

Recommendations for in-coming English 9 Honors candidates:

1. A student must be in eighth grade English and earning an "A" or "B"
average.
2. A student must achieve a 10th grade level on the Gates MacGinitie
Readability test.
3. A student must also complete the writing samples (attached). The samples
will be evaluated by the middle school staff and the high school staff.
4. A student must achieve a passing score of 70 percent on the eighth-grade
grammar test.
5. His or her eighth grade English teacher using the approved performance
rubric must recommend a student.
****To be recommended, a student should show a high interest in
both reading and writing and be motivated to do outside readings,
work independently and complete projects. ***
6. A student needs to be ranked in the top ten percentile using an evaluation
such as the Iowa test (or the PLAN) to identify English proficiency.
7. A student who overrides these recommendations and performs in the "D"
or "F" range after the first semester will be removed from the program.
8. If necessary, a students performance on the SAT and the ACT (both are
given the third Saturday in January), and/or the PSAT will be taken into
consideration. Refer to the PTA newsletter for information on test dates.
9. If a student does not do the summer reading assignment, he or she will be
removed from the program.
10. A student who is new to the district must see the high school principal to
determine placement.

Select one question to answer from each section. This will be your
writing sample.
DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
Choose a proverb from below and develop a story from your life that can surround
and carry that thought. The following are some selected proverbs from Wisdom
Tales From Around the World by Heather Forest.
One finger cannot lift a pebble. (Iranian)
When elephants battle, the ants perish. (Cambodian)
If you chase two hares, you will not catch either. (Russian)
The sieve says to the needle: You have a hole in your tail. (Pakistan)
Talk does not cook rice. (Chinese)
After the rain, there is no need for an umbrella. (Bulgaria)
Every kind of animal can be tamed, but not the tongue of man. (Philippine)
Do not look for apples under a poplar tree. (Slovakian)
He that goes barefoot must not plant thorns. (English)
Better to be a free bird than a captive King. (Danish)
A book gives knowledge, but it is life that gives understanding. (Hebrew)
A crooked branch has a crooked shadow. (Japanese)
It is one thing to cackle and another to lay an egg. (Ecuador)
To hide one lie, a thousand lies are needed. (India)
Step by step one ascends the staircase. (Turkey)
Little by little the cotton thread becomes a loincloth. (Africa)
Anger is a bad adviser. (Hungary)
Eggs must not quarrel with stones. (Jamaican)
Eyes can see everything except themselves. (Serbo-Croatian)
Every hill has its valley. (Italian)
NARRATIVE WRITING
NONFICTION: In the short story, Fair and Circus Days, the Edison talking
phonograph fascinates a young Carl Sandburg. He relates the incident in this essay.
Use narrative writing to relate an incident in which you first experienced a new
invention or situation. Describe the invention/situation and your reaction to it.
FICTION: Write a fictionalized account of being an eyewitness to an historical
event.

PERSUASIVE WRITING
1. [Locker Searches/Personal Searches] The principal at your school has instituted
random locker and backpack/book bag searches to check for guns, knives, and
other weapons. Anyone caught with these weapons will be immediately
suspended. The principal argues that the random searches will not only guard
against illegal weapons at school but will also help students feel safer. What is your
position on this issue? Write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper stating your
position and supporting it with three convincing reasons.
2. [Censorship] Write a persuasive essay stating whether certain television
programs that are considered to be unsuitable should be censored for children
under 16 in your community. Give at least three reasons to support your position.
3. [Curfew] The mayor of your city is trying to decide if a 7 p.m. curfew for
children under the age of 16 is needed. What do you think? Write a persuasive
essay to the mayor, Mr. Steve Stein, to convince him to enact or not to enact, the
curfew. Give at least three reasons to support your position.
4. [Moving] Your family is getting ready to move to a new home and your parents
have given you two choices: in a neighborhood outside a city or on a farm in the
country. Where would you like to live? Write a letter to your family persuading
them to live either outside the city or on a farm. Give at least three reasons to
support your choice.
EXPOSITORY WRITING
1. Describe three ways music affects your life.
2. Describe a typical day in _________ (the language you are studying or have
studied).
3. Describe some of the characteristics of effective leaders.
4. Explain how doing math can be enjoyable.

Exceptional

Critical thinking skills

Homework completion
Reading level
Pass grammar test with a 70%

Problem solving ability

Study/organizational skills

Verbal reasoning skills

Written expression
Intellectual curiosity

Excellent

Good

Average

Below
Average

N/A