Virginia State Standards for Language Arts: Grade 9

9.1. The student will plan, present, and critique dramatic readings of literary selections.

9.1.a) Choose a literary form for presentation, such as a poem, monologue, scene from a play, or story.

9.1.b) Adapt presentation techniques to fit literary form.

9.1.c) Use verbal and nonverbal techniques for presentation.

9.1.d) Evaluate impact of presentation.

9.2. The student will make planned oral presentations.

9.2.a) Include definitions to increase clarity.

9.2.b) Use relevant details to support main ideas.

9.2.c) Illustrate main ideas through anecdotes and examples.

9.2.d) Cite information sources.

9.2.e) Make impromptu responses to questions about presentation.

9.2.f) Use grammatically correct language, including vocabulary appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose.

9.3. The student will read and analyze a variety of literature.

9.3.a) Identify format, text structure, and main idea.

9.3.b) Identify the characteristics that distinguish literary forms.

9.3.c) Use literary terms in describing and analyzing selections.

9.3.d) Explain the relationships between and among elements of literature: characters, plot, setting, tone, point of view, and theme.

9.3.e) Explain the relationship between the author's style and literary effect.

9.3.f) Describe the use of images and sounds to elicit the reader's emotions.

9.3.g) Explain the influence of historical context on the form, style, and point of view of a written work.

9.4. The student will read and analyze a variety of informational materials (manuals, textbooks, business letters, newspapers, brochures, reports, catalogs) and nonfiction materials, including journals, essays, speeches, biographies, and autobiographies.

9.4.a) Identify a position/argument to be confirmed, disproved, or modified.

9.4.b) Evaluate clarity and accuracy of information.

9.4.c) Synthesize information from sources and apply it in written and oral presentations.

9.4.d) Identify questions not answered by a selected text.

9.4.e) Extend general and specialized vocabulary through speaking, reading, and writing.

9.4.f) Read and follow instructions to complete an assigned project or task.

9.5. The student will read dramatic selections.

9.5.a) Identify the two basic parts of drama: staging and scripting.

9.5.b) Compare and contrast the elements of character, setting, and plot in one-act plays and full-length plays.

9.5.c) Describe how stage directions help the reader understand a play's setting, mood, characters, plot, and theme.

9.6. The student will develop narrative, expository, and informational writings to inform, explain, analyze, or entertain.

9.6.a) Generate, gather, and organize ideas for writing.

9.6.b) Plan and organize writing to address a specific audience and purpose.

9.6.c) Communicate clearly the purpose of the writing.

9.6.d) Write clear, varied sentences.

9.6.e) Use specific vocabulary and information.

9.6.f) Arrange paragraphs into a logical progression.

9.6.g) Revise writing for clarity.

9.6.h) Proofread and prepare final product for intended audience and purpose.

9.7. The student will edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and paragraphing.

9.7.a) Use and apply rules for the parts of a sentence, including subject/verb, direct/indirect object, and predicate nominative/predicate adjective.

9.7.b) Use parallel structures across sentences and paragraphs.

9.7.c) Use appositives, main clauses, and subordinate clauses.

9.7.d) Use commas and semicolons to distinguish and divide main and subordinate clauses.

9.8. The student will credit the sources of both quoted and paraphrased ideas.

9.8.a) Define the meaning and consequences of plagiarism.

9.8.b) Distinguish one's own ideas from information created or discovered by others.

9.8.c) Use a style sheet, such as that of the Modern Language Association (MLA) or the American Psychological Association (APA), for citing sources.

9.9. The student will use print, electronic databases, and online resources to access information.

9.9.a) Identify key terms specific to research tools and processes.

9.9.b) Narrow the focus of a search.

9.9.c) Scan and select resources.

9.9.d) Distinguish between reliable and questionable Internet sources and apply responsible use of technology.