Welcome to 9th Grade Literature!

We have a lot planned for you and

we truly think it’s going to be a fun and enriching year in ELA! During
our time together, we will study fiction, nonfiction, poetry, short
stories, novels, drama, and essays as they correlate to the Georgia’s
Common Core Standards. We will also dive into grammar and vocabulary
activities; as well as various essay writing styles such as expository and
argumentative. Finally, we will help you to prepare for the the End of
Course Exam.
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9th Grade Literature LiveLesson Information:

Thursdays, 1:00 PM
Ms. Colbert’s LL Room: http://www.connexus.com/external/livelesson/?url-
path=replaceme&domain=ww3.livelesson.com
 Recordings of LiveLessons will be available on the section message boards.
 Additional LLs may be scheduled throughout the week. These will be announced via
webmail.
 Please feel free to contact teachers via phone or webmail when individual
LiveLesson help is needed. We can schedule spontaneous one-on-one LiveLesson
sessions to help you master skills and concepts.
 LiveLesson is our primary opportunity to socialize and extend our learning.
Attending LiveLesson is the same as sitting in a classroom in a brick and mortar
school; please read the LiveLesson expectations carefully on the class message
board.

Webmails

 Webmail is generally the best way to reach your teacher.

 We will respond to all WebMails within 24 hours.
 If you are sending an additional assignment as an attachment, be sure to write
the name of the assignment in the subject line. Please remember that you may
only send custom assessments as WebMail attachments; standard portfolios
sent as WebMails will not be graded.
 Please also use proper email etiquette: greeting, indicate the problem, include
the content area or subject, the unit and lesson. Please include a contact
number in each WebMail you send. This makes it much easier for us to contact
you.
Calls
 Teachers will respond to all calls within 24 hours. Please be as detailed as
possible when leaving a message (include first and last name, details of your
question/concern, and return phone number).
 Teachers are available by phone from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
 Please do not call repeatedly. We are likely in a meeting or in Live Lesson and
unable to answer calls. Instead, leave a detailed message, and we promise to
return your call. Your cooperation with this matter is greatly appreciated! ☺

Please remember that we are here to guide and support you in any way we can. Let
us know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

The mission of Georgia Connections Academy is to exemplify a collaborative virtual school where our students meet high
expectations through mastery of challenging academic material in preparation for successful college and career experiences.
 3

Teacher Graded Assignments

Portfolios and custom assessments will be graded within five days of submission. If you do
not see a grade in the grade book after this time, please let us know!
 Quizzes (20% weight)
 Tests (25% weight)
 Portfolios (35% weight)
 Discussions (10% weight) (We will not do any discussions in this class. They have all been
dropped for you- please mark those lessons complete when finished with all other activities.)
 Participation (5% weight)
 Quick Checks (5% weight)
 Custom Assessments
o Directions for custom assessments can be found on the message board and in lesson
modifications
*The above work will all average to 80% of your overall final grade in the class*
End of Course Exam = 20% of overall final grade in the class
*2018 Spring EOCs will be given in-person May 6th and 7th at 8am. Please note, you must
be present BOTH days in order to be given credit for this course*

Automatically Graded Assignments

Quick checks are graded instantly! Be careful with them; they are worth 5% of your
grade. This doesn’t sound like much, but it can add up. These are open book assessments.
You should usually score between 80%-100%.

Portfolio Expectations

 9 Grade Literature does not have “Sample Work.” For some assignments you will write the
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first draft on your own. Other assignments will involve submitting an outline or graphic
organizer for a draft. Please pay careful attention to lesson modifications, webmails, and
directions on the Message Board.
 Students need to carefully read their teacher’s feedback and directions in order to revise
their Portfolios before submitting it as their Portfolio (or final draft.)
 All essays should be typed with the correct MLA-style heading and use 12-point, Times New
Roman font. See Message Board for examples.
 All curriculum-embedded portfolios MUST be submitted via the Dropbox
 All essays should include the Turn it In/Check My Work link at the bottom of the paper.
NOTE: We NEVER use 6 Trait Power Write. You may ignore any assignments in the program.

The mission of Georgia Connections Academy is to exemplify a collaborative virtual school where our students meet high
expectations through mastery of challenging academic material in preparation for successful college and career experiences.
 4

Tests

Please note the following important information about unit tests:

 You should utilize the study guides that are posted on the Message Board.
 Test essay questions can comprise up to 25% of a test! It is VERY important that
you write a response that has a clear thesis, examples, and analysis. I do NOT reset
tests, but you may re-submit a test essay question that did not receive full points
ONE time via WebMail.

Lesson Modifications

In order to ensure that you leave 6th grade language arts fully prepared, we may modify
some of the lessons in the curriculum and add supplementary assignments as needed.
Modifications are indicated by a small eraser next to the lesson title. When you see

this icon, please click on the eraser icon at the bottom of the lesson page to access
modification notes. Modifications will substitute lessons, change lesson directions, provide
additional resources, or indicate that an additional assignment is present on the message
board. Completing lesson modifications and following modification directions is
required. Many of your custom assessments are indicated within your curriculum
modification tool!

Custom Assessments

In addition to the tasks listed within the course tree, mandatory custom assessments have
been added to your curriculum. Details on all custom assessments can be found on the
section message boards for core courses. It is extremely important that you check the
message boards regularly for upcoming assignments, due dates, updates, and answers to
questions regarding these tasks. These assignments will help me understand what you
need, and will help you learn everything that you need to know throughout the course of
the year. Most custom assessments will be submitted via webmail as an attachment. Be
sure to include the name of the assignment in the subject line.

Because learning is a dynamic process, teachers reserve the right to modify, add, or
remove custom assessments throughout the year. If changes occur, decisions about
these changes will be in response to your needs as learners.

The mission of Georgia Connections Academy is to exemplify a collaborative virtual school where our students meet high
expectations through mastery of challenging academic material in preparation for successful college and career experiences.
 5

Grade Improvement Policies

At Georgia Connections Academy we strive to ensure retention, mastery, and

understanding of the Georgia state curriculum. If students do not demonstrate these
qualities when taking a unit test or completing a portfolio, we provide them a second
opportunity to do so.

Test/Quiz Corrections:
 Students can only turn in one test/quiz improvement for each assessment.
 Only short answer responses may be revised on Quizzes and Open-Book Tests.
 Completion of unit study guides will serve as Closed-Book test corrections.
 Students should read teacher comments on the original assessment to guide their
revisions.
 Corrections should be submitted via webmail.

Portfolio Corrections:
 Students should read teacher comments on rough and final drafts to guide their
revisions.
 Corrections should be submitted via webmail.

Academic Integrity (Honor Code)

Plagiarism of any kind is not accepted and will not be taken lightly.

 As a Connections Academy student, you agree to the following:

 Never submit work of any kind that is not my own, nor ever give my work to other
students to submit as their own.
 Never post exam or quiz answers on the Internet or in other public places, nor use
answers from posted exams or quizzes.
 Never plagiarize in written, oral, or creative work.
 Be well-informed about plagiarism and not use “lack of knowledge” as a reason for
engaging in plagiarism.
 Take assessments only after you have completed the lessons leading up to that test
or quiz.
 Never give or receive unauthorized assistance on assessments.

You are always expected to turn in your own work. To ensure academic integrity you will be
required to use the tool Check My Work located in your links section before turning in any
written assignment. This is the plagiarism checker we use to make sure all work is 100%
authentic.
The mission of Georgia Connections Academy is to exemplify a collaborative virtual school where our students meet high
expectations through mastery of challenging academic material in preparation for successful college and career experiences.
 6

Check My Work policy:

 In order to ensure that all work is written in the student's own words, and to
prevent possible plagiarism, students must now utilize the Check My Work
feature for every portfolio.
 Prior to submitting a portfolio for a grade, the student must submit their
portfolio through the "Check my Work" resource. Student will review the
summary page, if the % of work plagiarized is greater than 5% , the student is
required to make any needed changes, such as, citing works used or revising.
 When revisions are made, student will re-submit work to "Check My Work"
resource then submit the new summary sheet and assignment to the Dropbox
for grading.
 Any portfolios submitted without the "Check My Work" summary page will
receive a 5 point deduction until the summary page or link is submitted.

Participation Expectations
 Complete lessons daily as assigned on your planner.
 Follow rubrics when completing portfolio assignments.
 Turn in portfolios on time.
 Use complete sentences when answering essay questions on quizzes and
tests.
Live Lesson Behavior Expectations
 Participate!
 Be respectful.
 Raise your hand.
 Let the people who are called on answer a question.
 Stay on topic.

The mission of Georgia Connections Academy is to exemplify a collaborative virtual school where our students meet high
expectations through mastery of challenging academic material in preparation for successful college and career experiences.
 7

***Course Overview***
Fall Semester
Unit 1A: Growing Up
 Students will read and analyze a variety of fiction and non-fictions texts, as well as
poetry.
 Students will write a narrative essay with a focus on point of view. Look for Lesson
Modifications related to this assignment.
 Students must complete Benchmark through Connexus (8/6-8/13)

Unit 2A: The Forces Of Nature

 Students will read and analyze a variety of fiction and non-fictions texts, as well as
poetry.
 Students will write a descriptive essay with focus on sensory imagery. Look for
Lesson Modifications related to this assignment!

Unit 3A: The Call of the Wild

Jack London’s The Call of the Wild follows the journey of Buck, a magnificent St.
Bernard/Scotch shepherd dog, as he is kidnapped from comfortable surroundings and
thrown into the harsh frontier life of the 1897 gold rush in the arctic North. Students will
read of how he not only adapts to new conditions but also awakens to ancient instincts as
he triumphs despite and amidst the new challenges of his changing environment. In this
unit, students will identify and analyze literary elements, discover new vocabulary terms,
and use comprehension strategies to make connections and draw conclusions.
 The Unit 3A Portfolio will be dropped.
 Students must complete Benchmark through Connexus (10/15-10/22)

Unit 4A: Other Worlds

 Students will understand and analyze science fiction selections and other related
literature from other genres.
 Students will write a critical response essay with an emphasis on literary
elements. Look for Lesson Modifications related to this assignment!
Unit 5A: Crossing Borders

 Students will understand and analyze fiction and nonfiction selections with common
themes.
 Students will have the opportunity to revise a previous essay or to submit an
enrichment project. Look for Lesson Modifications related to this assignment!

Unit 6A: Semester Exam

 Students will have a review lesson and a Final Exam embedded in Connexus in this
unit
The mission of Georgia Connections Academy is to exemplify a collaborative virtual school where our students meet high
expectations through mastery of challenging academic material in preparation for successful college and career experiences.