Grade Level Writing Expectations: Ninth Grade

Writes Clearly and Effectively

Ideas/Development

Crafts a plot which is dependent upon the actions of believable characters and which includes a central conflict that is introduced, developed (rising action), brought to a crisis or turning point, and then concluded
Uses sound devices (e.g., onomatopoeia, assonance, consonance), varied rhymes (e.g., feminine rhymes, eye rhymes, slant rhymes), and rhythms to support and enrich the meaning of a poem
Writes analyses of text that evaluate the author's purpose, bias, accuracy, or craft, citing evidence from text
Writes deliberately and shapes own topic and controlling ideas
Substantiates key ideas through appropriate use of examples, anecdotes, statistics, and/or facts in persuasive or expository writing
Evaluates information from a variety of sources

Organization

Knows how to select and communicate an effective organizational structure, (e.g., to classify, define, argue, evaluate, compare/contrast, show cause/effect, or solve problems)
Uses transitions purposefully to construct arguments and connect ideas within organizational structures
Embeds thesis statement into a well-developed, effective introductory paragraph
Creates paragraphs based on units of meaning

Voice

Maintains an individual, authoritative, yet judicious voice in persuasive and expository writing
Assumes an objective, impersonal voice when presenting opinions or injecting bias

Sentence Fluency

Writes rhythmic, flowing sentences which are purposeful, imaginative and are varied in structure and length
Uses specialized vocabulary specific to a content area (e.g., scientific, legal, mathematical, business)

Word Choice

Uses specialized vocabulary specific to a content area (e.g., scientific, legal, mathematical, business)

Conventions
Spelling	Capitalization	Punctuation	Grammar & Usage	Sentences/Paragraphs
Consistency in use of correct spelling Resources to find correct spelling for words identified as misspelled Employs correct spelling consistently though knows when to deviate to gain maximum effect	Resources to check capitalization Employs correct capitalization consistently though knows when to deviate to gain maximum effect	Brackets around an editorial correction to set off added words Comma to set off nonrestrictive clauses (e.g., The gym, which was built last year, is used every day.) Resources to check punctuation Employs correct punctuation consistently though knows when to deviate to gain maximum effect	Correct use of "who" vs. "whom" No dangling modifiers (e.g., After I stood in line for hours, the tickets were sold out. rather than: After standing in line for hours, the tickets were sold out. The second sentence makes it appear that the tickets were in line.) Correct use of "that" vs. "which"	Paragraphs for effect Uses poetic conventions and techniques, such as line breaks, stanzas, capitalization, punctuation, pattern, repetition, and figurative language purposefully to shape a poem Employs correct paragraphing consistently though knows when to deviate to gain maximum effect

Conventions

Spelling

Capitalization

Punctuation

Grammar & Usage

Sentences/Paragraphs

Consistency in use of correct spelling
Resources to find correct spelling for words identified as misspelled
Employs correct spelling consistently though knows when to deviate to gain maximum effect

Resources to check capitalization
Employs correct capitalization consistently though knows when to deviate to gain maximum effect

Brackets

around an editorial correction
to set off added words
Comma to set off nonrestrictive clauses (e.g., The gym, which was built last year, is used every day.)
Resources to check punctuation
Employs correct punctuation consistently though knows when to deviate to gain maximum effect

Correct use of "who" vs. "whom"
No dangling modifiers (e.g., After I stood in line for hours, the tickets were sold out. rather than: After standing in line for hours, the tickets were sold out. The second sentence makes it appear that the tickets were in line.)
Correct use of "that" vs. "which"

Paragraphs for effect
Uses poetic conventions and techniques, such as line breaks, stanzas, capitalization, punctuation, pattern, repetition, and figurative language purposefully to shape a poem
Employs correct paragraphing consistently though knows when to deviate to gain maximum effect

Understands and Uses the Writing Process

Prewriting

Identifies/selects useful pre-writing strategies to generate ideas: brainstorming, webbing, listing, outlining

Drafting

Drafts and revises material for presentation by others, using appropriate format (e.g., television scripts, monologues, scenes, plays, radio productions)
Adjusts writing process to meet time constraints
Uses graphs and charts to interpret data and present conclusions

Sharing/Responding

Accepts criticism as a means of improving writing; defends own vision with rationale
Collaborates with a team to create, revise, edit, evaluate, and present an informational document
Asks specific questions to improve own and/or other's writing

Revising

Revises to add variety, emphasis, coherence, and clarity
Revises for justification of opinion
Investigate other information sources to improve text

Editing

Edits to met 9th grade standards of conventions
Understand and use standard proofreading marks

Publishing

Presents final copy in a variety of ways, often using technology

Reflecting

Maintains a portfolio of own literary work
Designs a rubric or evaluation instrument based on established criteria and the demands of a specific discipline
Accepts or rejects feedback and justifies choices
Self-reflects on pieces selected for portfolio

Addresses Audience, Purpose, and Form

Includes more than one form (e.g., poem, memo, phone call, letter, diary excerpt) within main form (e.g., short story, novel, play) to develop characters and setting, introduce conflict, heighten suspense, and/or maintain interest of audience
Anticipates and addresses reader's arguments in persuasive essays
Writes in text forms specific to career areas

Suggested Text Forms

	Suggested Literary Text Forms That May Be Worked Toward in Grades Eight through Ten	Content Text Forms That May Be Worked Toward in Grades Eight through Ten
New to Grade Level	Narrative: fictional stories: mystery, historical fiction, science fiction Poems: villanelle, sonnet Myths, legends Song lyrics Scripts (e.g., television, movie, radio) Satire Parody Oral history Monologue	Expository essays/speeches: classification, analysis, definition, cause/effect, problem/solution, evaluation) Business letters to apply for a job Literary analyses of texts (analyze and evaluate author's craft) Persuasive essays/speeches: argument Lab reports RÃ©sumÃ©s Scientific reports Technical reports Editorial cartoon Abstract Proposal
Previously Introduced	Narrative: experiential stories, imaginative stories Narrative: fictional stories (e.g., picture books, fantasy Personal letters, cards, notes Recounts Rhymes Retellings Poems: patterned poetry, couplet, free verse, quatrain, haiku, ballad Plays Biographies and autobiographies Tall tales Comics Personal essays Narrative essays	Labels Captions Recounts Answers to questions Questions and answers Instructions (explain how to) Learning logs Reports Book reviews and reports Informational posters and brochures Directions/procedures (to a location, to a game, to make something) Paraphrase Expository essays/speeches:compare/contrast Field notes Newspaper and magazine articles Summaries Business letters: to thank, request, complain, explain, persuade Letters to the editor Memos Editorials Interviews Minutes Film and drama reviews Research papers Documentaries