Ms. Kristen Liemberger
Ms. Aamna Qureshi

Introduction:
This course is designed to strengthen reading and writing skills while encouraging participation in class discussions and activities. In addition to a variety of literature selections students also explore writing styles in this course. Cooperative learning projects and presentations are included to diversify the learning experience. Basic skills and study strategies are practiced on a regular basis to improve test results and prepare the students for college.

The objectives of the course are:
1. To improve reading, writing and speaking skills.
2. To explore creativity through a variety of writing styles.
3. To instill confidence and improve oral communication skills by having students present work to the class.
4. To improve writing ability through the study and application of formal grammar.
5. To integrate the use of technology into the learning experience.
6. To prepare the students for standardized tests through the regular practice of important skills.

Textbooks:
The Writer's Craft by McDougal Littel

Novels:
Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution by Ji-Li Jiang
Night by Elie Wiesel
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Independent Reading (selected from the School District of Philadelphia’s required reading list)

Summer Reading: (Prior to coming to the 9th grade)
Scorpions by Walter Dean Myers
The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman
The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis