The English 9 course combines a careful analysis of literature with instruction in the basics of composition. Students review patterns of a sentence and the construction of a descriptive and expository paragraph.
Students write descriptive and narrative essays and essays in a variety of expository modes.
Ninth graders also learn to write short, critical, thesis-driven essays. Core texts are Homer's Odyssey , Shakespeare's The merchant of Venice, or The Tempest, Kingsolver's The Bean Trees, and Morrison's The Bluest Eye . In addition to required reading and many and varied writing assignments, emphasis is placed on oral recitation, group discussion of literature, competence in grammar, exposure to poetry, and vocabulary enrichment.