Project Outlines

Project 1: Theme Development in a Short Story

Objective: Students will analyze the development of themes in a short story, identifying how themes evolve throughout the text.

  • Task: Read a short story and track the development of its central theme.
  • Outcome: Write a 2-page essay explaining how the theme develops over the course of the story, citing specific examples.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will identify and analyze at least three points in the story where the theme evolves, providing textual evidence.
Project 2: Citing Textual Evidence for Analysis

Objective: Students will cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support an analysis of the text.

  • Task: Select a passage from a novel and analyze a character's motivation.
  • Outcome: Write a 1-page analysis using at least three pieces of textual evidence to support your argument.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will cite at least three pieces of evidence to support their analysis of character motivation.
Project 3: Character Analysis Essay

Objective: Students will analyze a complex character and their motivations.

  • Task: Write an essay analyzing a complex character from a novel, focusing on their motivations and interactions with others.
  • Outcome: 3-page character analysis essay.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will identify and explain at least two significant character motivations with textual support.
Project 4: Understanding Figurative Language

Objective: Students will determine the meaning of words and phrases in context, including figurative language.

  • Task: Identify and analyze three examples of figurative language in a poem.
  • Outcome: A presentation on the figurative language and its impact on the poem’s meaning.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will correctly identify and explain the meaning of at least three types of figurative language.
Project 5: Analyzing Author's Choices

Objective: Students will analyze how an author’s choices affect the structure and meaning of a story.

  • Task: Choose a story and analyze the author’s narrative structure (flashbacks, chronology, etc.).
  • Outcome: Write a 2-page essay explaining how the author’s structure affects the story's meaning.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will demonstrate an understanding of at least two authorial choices and their impact on the story’s structure.
Project 6: Comparative Analysis of Themes

Objective: Students will compare how different works address similar themes.

  • Task: Select two works that address a similar theme (e.g., justice, love) and compare how each author develops the theme.
  • Outcome: Write a comparative essay.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will compare and contrast at least two texts on a shared theme, providing examples from each.
Project 7: Analyzing Informational Texts

Objective: Students will determine central ideas of informational texts and analyze their development.

  • Task: Read an informational article and summarize its central ideas, analyzing how they are developed throughout the text.
  • Outcome: A 2-page written analysis of the article.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will identify and explain the central idea and how it develops through the article.
Project 8: Citing Evidence from Informational Texts

Objective: Students will cite strong evidence from informational texts to support analysis and conclusions.

  • Task: Read an editorial and identify the key arguments presented.
  • Outcome: Write a response that cites evidence from the editorial to support your analysis.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will use at least three pieces of evidence to support their conclusions about the editorial’s argument.
Project 9: Analyzing the Structure of Arguments

Objective: Students will analyze the structure of arguments and the effectiveness of reasoning and evidence.

  • Task: Select an argument-based article and analyze how the author structures the argument and uses evidence.
  • Outcome: Write a 2-page analysis of the article’s argument structure.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will identify and evaluate at least three pieces of evidence and the structure of the argument.
Project 10: Evaluating Author's Language Choices

Objective: Students will evaluate how authors use language to convey purpose and tone in informational texts.

  • Task: Choose a news article and evaluate the author’s tone and language choices.
  • Outcome: A written analysis of how language conveys tone and purpose.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will identify and explain the author’s tone using at least two examples from the text.
Project 11: Argumentative Writing

Objective: Students will write arguments to support claims with clear reasons, evidence, and organization.

  • Task: Write a persuasive essay on a current event or social issue.
  • Outcome: A 2-3 page argumentative essay.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will organize their essay with a clear claim, supported by at least three pieces of evidence.
Project 12: Expository Writing

Objective: Students will write informative/explanatory texts to examine complex ideas with clarity and precision.

  • Task: Write an expository essay explaining the impact of social media on society.
  • Outcome: A 2-3 page informative essay.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will organize their essay with clear explanations, including at least two perspectives on the topic.
Project 13: Narrative Writing

Objective: Students will write narratives that develop real or imagined experiences with effective techniques.

  • Task: Write a short story using at least two narrative techniques (e.g., flashback, dialogue).
  • Outcome: A 2-3 page short story.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will demonstrate mastery of at least two narrative techniques within the context of their story.
Project 14: Clear and Coherent Writing

Objective: Students will produce clear and coherent writing appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

  • Task: Write a letter to a local community leader about an issue you care about.
  • Outcome: A formal letter with appropriate tone and structure.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will produce a letter that is well-organized, with a clear purpose and appropriate language for the intended audience.
Project 15: Using Technology in Writing

Objective: Students will use technology to produce and publish writing and collaborate with others.

  • Task: Collaborate with a classmate on a shared Google document to write a joint blog post.
  • Outcome: Publish a 2-page blog post on a class website or shared platform.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will use digital tools to collaborate effectively and publish clear writing.
Project 16: Research Project

Objective: Students will conduct short and sustained research projects based on focused questions.

  • Task: Research an historical figure and present findings through a research paper.
  • Outcome: A 2-3 page research paper with citations from multiple sources.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will use at least three authoritative sources and synthesize the information into a coherent research paper.
Project 17: Speaking and Listening in Discussions

Objective: Students will initiate and participate effectively in collaborative discussions on grade 9 topics.

  • Task: Participate in a group discussion on a chosen book or topic.
  • Outcome: A reflection on the group discussion and your contribution.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will demonstrate effective participation in at least three discussion points, listening to others and contributing thoughtful responses.
Project 18: Multimedia Presentation

Objective: Students will use digital media to enhance presentations and convey information effectively.

  • Task: Create a multimedia presentation on a theme from a class novel or play.
  • Outcome: A 5-minute presentation using visual and audio elements to explain the theme.
  • Measurable Objective: Students will create a presentation that clearly conveys the theme using at least three different types of media (text, image, audio).