Grade Nine Curriculum Picks

English Language Arts

• Option A (integrated literature focus with composition): Lightning Literature Level Tempest. Teacher's Guide, Student Workbooks and Readers

OR

• Option B: Essentials in Writing 9 with novels studies (as follows or alternates): Red Badge of Courage with Progeny Press Study Guide, Call of the Wild with Progeny Press Study Guide, Treasure Island with Progeny Press or Total Language Plus Study Guide, Scarlet Pimpernel with Progeny Press or Total Language Plus Study Guide; and/or alternate novel and novel study or stories as per interest/goals of the student.

OR

• Option C (lighter option): Writing Strands by Master Books Advanced 1 (or level as per placement test results); Red Badge of Courage, Call of the Wild, Treasure Island, Scarlet Pimpernel; and/or novel and novel study or stories as per interest/goals of the student.
  
  

Mathematics

• Dynamic Classroom BC Grade 9

OR

• Theory and Problems for Mathematics 9 - Third Edition by Crescent Beach Publishing 

OR

• Singapore Dimensions Math 8A and 8B Textbooks and Teaching Notes and Solutions

Science

• BC Science Connections 9 Textbook and Workbook

Social Studies

• Nelson Socials 9 OR
• World Empires, World Missions, World Wars Essentials Pack by Diana Waring

Bible/Christian Studies

• Quest – The Gospel of John

OR

• Foundations in Worship (MasterBooks)

Optional Resources

(not detailed below)

• What Color Is Your Parachute? for Teens, Third Edition by Carol Christen (Career Education)
• Getting Things Done for Teens: Take Control of Your Life in a Distracting World by David Allen (Career Education)
• Invest in your Financial Future by Diane Dakers (Mathematics/Career Education)
• Choices for a Winning Lifestyle by Susan Boe (ACSI) - Student Textbook and Workbook (Heath Education; can also be used for Grade 10)
• Canada Map Book 6 by George Quinn, Apple Press (Social Studies; says Gr. 6-8 on the cover, but is still suitable )
• Righting Canada's Wrongs - any of the 6 books in the series by Lorimer Publications (Social Studies)
  • Resource Guide for Righting Canada’s Wrongs: Residential Schools
• Heritage Collection: The Immigrant Experience by Rose Fine-Myer (Social Studies)

Type of Resource: Home Education Curriculum

Description: Discover the expansive literary world with Level Tempest of Lightning Literature. Dive deep into a curriculum meticulously designed to span 36 weeks. Our comprehensive Teacher’s Guide covers the entire academic year, ensuring a seamless teaching experience. For students, we’ve made the learning journey more digestible by splitting the workbook into two separate books, each tailored for an 18-week semester. This is the first of those two workbooks.
Readers:  Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan, MC Higgins the Great by Virginia Hamilton, Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell, The Glory Field by Walter Dean Myer, The Story of My Life by Helen Keller, and Rainy Day Reader.
Workbooks: designed to be paired seamlessly with the Level Tempest Teacher’s Guide. Educators and parents will find the guide invaluable, as it not only provides the necessary answers but also offers in-depth instructions on writing assignments and invaluable tips on teaching the myriad of concepts introduced in the workbook. Together, they form a comprehensive toolkit to ensure students not only appreciate literature but also develop the essential skills to analyze and engage with it deeply.

Teacher’s Guide: Expertly designed to cover a full 36-week academic year, this guide offers instructors clear, step-by-step instructions and insights to enrich the teaching experience. Seamlessly bridging classic literature with contemporary learning techniques, it’s the indispensable companion for educators seeking to provide students with a transformative literary journey. Equip yourself with the best to unlock your student’s potential.

Website

Type of Resource: Homes education curriculum

Description: EIW Level 9 provides students with the writing skills needed for high school and university writing, the SAT, college application, and beyond. This curriculum contains step-by-step guidance throughout the program and is relatively self-contained between the workbook and online (or DVD) video lessons.

Placement Test (Level Wizard)

Review

Other Optional or Supplementary Resources:

• LEVEL 9 34-WEEK PLAN

Sample Video Lesson

Table of Contents and PDF Sample

Free Trial

Novel #1: The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

Type of Resource: novel with optional study guide by Progeny Press
About the novel: Stephen Crane’s classic novel looks at the trauma and horror of war through a young man’s eyes. Henry Fleming joins the Union army as a green recruit dreaming of glory and heroic acts of bravery on the battlefield. He wants to earn his “badge of courage.” He imagines himself as "a blue determined figure standing before a crimson and steel assault, getting calmly killed on a high place before the eyes of all." Henry must learn, through much mental and spiritual agony, to stand in the face of physical danger with no thought to his own heroics nor to the opinions of others. He learns to despise his earlier dreams of war and glory. Instead, he finds quiet manhood, non-assertive but of sturdy and strong blood. He has faced death and become a man.
Description: Author Biography: Learn about Stephen Crane. Vocabulary: Understand words used throughout the novel, utilizing a variety of activities to stimulate retention and growth.
Literary Techniques: Words create setting, double meanings, parallels, synonyms, antonyms, foil, similes, characterization, in context, metaphors, self-justification, role models, natural law, Christ figure, coming-of-age. Moral Lessons and Character Values: The church and war, Jesus is our example, lessons from nature, small before God, coming-of-age, fear & cowardice, mortality, courage, maturity, anger, heroism, suffering and the refining it causes. Activities and Writing Assignments: Wordsearch, God looks at our inner character/not outer, Essays including a just war, Lincoln and the Civil War, nature as a counterpoint to humanity, coming-of-age, Civil War timeline, creative writing: letters from a soldier, biography of your choice of famous Civil War men and women, write a historical play/scene, field trip to a Civil War site, journalism interview of a war veteran. Suggestions for Further Reading: We include an in-depth reading list of more books by the same author(s) and other books that tie in with, or are similar to, The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane. Movie suggestions included.

Website
Sample pages

Novel #2: The Call of the Wild by Jack London

Type of Resource: novel with optional Progeny Press Study Guide
About the Novel: The dog Buck lives a privileged life in the family of a California judge. But when gold is discovered in the Yukon Valley and thousands of men rush north, Buck is stolen from his home and sent north to pull sleds for the Canadian mail service. Buck finds he must learn fast or die, and the new law of life is primitive—the law of club and fang. London reveals the lengths to which men will go to satisfy the gold lust, and he explores the animal instinct of kill or be killed as Buck rises to become leader of the pack.
Description: Author Biography: Learn about Jack London. Before-You-Read Activities: History research, maps, timeline, biography, art, movies. Vocabulary: Understand words used throughout the novel, utilizing a variety of activities to stimulate retention and growth. Literary Techniques: In context, dictionary, anthropomorphism, personification, setting, hyperbole, repetition, dialect, irony, foil, paradox, allusion, simile, metaphor, legend, dichotomy, theme, dramatic structure. Moral Lessons and Character Values: Equal under God, do unto others, authority, determinism, moral relativism, pragmatism, success vs. doing right, pride, strong vs. weak, wise counsel, love our neighbor, conflict, mercy, power and wealth. Activities and Writing Assignments: Animals, morality, multiple essay ideas, absurdity used to justify, class discussions, animal euthanasia, leadership, trip/activity planning, haiku, dog training. Suggestions for Further Reading: We include an in-depth reading list of more books by the same author(s) and other books that tie in with, or are similar to, Call of the Wild by Jack London. Movie suggestions included.

Website

Sample Pages
 

Novel #3: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Type of Resource: novel with optional Progeny Press Study Guide
About the Novel: Jim Hawkins is just a boy trying to do the best he can running an inn with his widowed mother when adventure and danger literally walk through the door in the form of a pirate! He is left with a treasure map and the warning, "Beware the one-legged man!" Jim goes sailing in search of treasure with Squire Trelawney, Dr. Livesey, and Captain Smollett. Put under the tutelage of the ship's cook, Long John Silver, Jim learns much of the sea-faring life and gains a great friend. But where treasure is concerned, honor and friendship can be held cheap. As they near the island, the ship's crew mutinies, and Jim has to decide where his loyalties are and what it means to be honorable. Set sail aboard the Hispaniola with the fearless Jim and the formidable Long John Silver!
Description: About the Author: Learn about Robert Louis Stevenson. Vocabulary: Understand words used throughout the novel, utilizing a variety of activities to stimulate retention and growth. Literary Techniques: Mood, foreshadow, dialect, synonym, pace, transition, stereotype, idiom, simile, descriptive language, hubris, point of view, dictionary, poetic justice, irony, ambiguity, parallelism, anthropomorphism, cliffhanger, characterization, dynamic vs. static, symbolism, main character, conflict, complication, theme, dramatic structure. Moral Lessons and Character Values: Courage, peer pressure, discretion, advice, fear, discouragement, God is with us, doing good, eternal life, death, mercy. Activities and Writing Assignments: Coins, ships, writing, pirates, maps, art, sea shanties, biographies, essays. Suggestions for Further Reading: We include a wonderful reading list of more books by the same author(s) and other books that tie in with, or are similar to, Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Website
Sample Pages

Novel #4: The Scarlet Pimpernel by with Optional Study Guide by Progeny Press

Type of Resource: novel with optional novel study
About the novel: Funny, courageous, and filled with downright danger! The Scarlet Pimpernel was the blueprint for what became known as the masked-avenger genre. This captivating story combines humor, bravery, and an abundance of perilous situations. Step into the midst of the French Revolution, a time of immense fear and the ruthless persecution of the noble class. Amidst the chaos, a mysterious and elusive figure, often referred to as a phantom, emerges as the savior of doomed nobles, defying the executioner's grasp—the legendary Scarlet Pimpernel. Unyielding in his pursuit, French official Chauvelin will stop at nothing to unveil the true identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel. His relentless quest leads him to manipulate Marguerite Blakeney, the reluctant assistance of Sir Percy Blakeney's French wife. Sir Percy himself, England's wealthiest and most dandyish lord, becomes embroiled in a web of secrets and danger. In this world of deception, treachery, and mortal peril, nothing is as it appears. Brace yourself for an enthralling adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Description: Historical Background: Explore the backdrop of the French Revolution, a defining era in history. Author Biography: Discover the life of Baroness Orczy, the brilliant mind behind The Scarlet Pimpernel. Before-You-Read Activities: Engage in interactive exercises such as mapping, diving into the intriguing stories of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and learning about the figure Robespierre. Vocabulary: Develop a deep understanding of the novel's vocabulary through a variety of stimulating activities designed to enhance retention and encourage vocabulary growth. Literary Techniques: Delve into the rich tapestry of literary techniques such as antonym, synonym, juxtaposition, stereotype, irony, paradox, foreshadowing, cliffhanger, in context, simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, moral dilemma, hyperbole, romanticism, allusion, anthropomorphism, protagonist, antagonist, false climax, foil, theme, willing suspension of disbelief, and contrivance. Moral Lessons and Character Values: Explore profound themes of conflict, accountability, marriage, wise counsel, virtue vs. self-righteous, misunderstandings, fate vs. free will, altruism, self-interest, egoism, leadership, freedom, bigotry, prejudice, stereotypes, the Good Samaritan, and the golden rule of treating others as you would like to be treated. Activities and Writing Assignments: Engage in dynamic class discussions, create visually captivating bulletin boards, analyze and interpret meaningful quotations, select from a range of essay choices, bring the story to life through dramatic adaptations, and explore artistic expressions inspired by the novel. Suggestions for Further Reading: Expand your literary horizons with our carefully curated reading list, which includes more captivating works by Baroness Orczy and other books that complement or share similarities with The Scarlet Pimpernel. Additionally, discover recommended movies.
Website

Sample Pages

Type of Resource: Workbook

Description: Aligned to BC's curriculum

• Detailed explanations of every topic with step-by-step guided examples with solutions. 
• A series of problems for the student to practice the concept they just learned. Questions start out easy and gradually increase in difficulty. Challenging questions are provided for those students that really want to push themselves.
• Practice tests for each chapter/unit in the book. 
• An answer key for all questions in the book. 
• Students can get extra support through the website that provides additional worksheets and a limited selection of video lessons when you create an online account.
• A complete set of video lessons (a paid service) where you can watch a math teacher while they explain a concept and then walk you through some examples. 

Website

Other Optional or Supplementary Resources

Table of Contents and PDF Sample Pages

Description: Aligned to BC's curriculum

Website

Table of Contents

PDF Sample Pages

Note: this resource may not be available from vendors other than Crescent Beach Publishing; see our Resource Vendor Directory for ordering details.

Type of Resource: Home education/classroom curriculum

Description: The program emphasizes problem-solving and empowers students to think mathematically, both inside and outside the classroom. Pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, data analysis, probability, and some advanced math topics are included in this rigorous series. The series follows the principles outlined in the Singapore mathematics framework, including the Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract (CPA) Approach, bar modelling, and more. In the Dimensions Math program, concepts are introduced and explained in a new format with vibrant imagery, all with the progression and scope that has defined Singapore math.

Components

• Textbooks build on prior knowledge and develop familiar concepts in an accessible way.
• Workbooks offer independent practice while maintaining the careful progression of exercise variation.
• Teaching Notes and Solutions provide teaching suggestions and important information for educators to help students achieve math mastery.
• Workbook Solutions contain fully worked solutions for problems in workbooks.

Components Samples

• 8A Textbook
• 8A Teaching Notes and Solutions
• 8A Workbook
• 8A Workbook Solutions
• 8B Textbook (optional; may be too advanced for many students)
• 8B Workbook (optional; may be too advanced for many students)

Note from Curriculum Consultant: This US-based resource is rather rigorous and is advanced for BC standards. Books 6 - 8A align reasonably well (although not entirely) with BC's curriculum for grades 7 - 9. If students are just beginning to use this series in grade 9, it is recommended that they begin with level 7B (sample pages here), and students who have been using the series for a year are two could be starting 7B or be partway through 7B at the beginning of grade 9. There are sufficient exercises in the textbook for many students, and so the workbook may not be necessary (and may even be frustrating) for students who learn quickly. For students who require repetition and extra practice, the workbook (and workbook solutions) are recommended. Even though this resource does not completely align with BC's curriculum, it was chosen for its proven approach which has been a favourite with home educators for years.

Website

Review

Scope and Sequence

Brochure

Type of Resource: Secular classroom Student Edition textbook and workbook

Description: The BC Science Connections program is 100% Curriculum aligned and supported inquiry-based learning. It leverages students' natural sense of curiosity and wonder so they learn by actively engaging in activities while having access to clear, concise, and highly visual curriculum-specific content to support knowing, doing and understanding.

Key Features:

• Support for place-based learning and integrates First Peoples' ways of knowing.
• Builds students confidence with solid science content that is easy to understand and provides the background necessary for personalized inquiry.
• Engages students with relevant science content, dynamic visuals and intriguing labs.
• Develops and supports scientific literacy, engages students with dynamic content, lab experiences and a rich array of resources to ensure students understand the big idea.

Website

Type of Resource: Student textbook and eBook

Description: A comprehensive resource aligned to BC’s curriculum that helps students become active, engaged citizens with the ability to think and communicate critically, historically and geographically. Includes rich and engaging primary sources and inquiry-focused questions. The Student Resource includes a print textbook with built-in activity cards and lifetime access to an online student centre.

Website

Table of Contents and Sample Pages

It is recommended that students complete an inquiry/research project that addresses an area of Canadian content within the curriculum in addition to the resource below. Sample topics include the impact of treaties on First Peoples; the role imperialism and colonialism have on events in present-day Canada; and the influences of immigration on Canada’s identity. The Canadian Heritage Collection books available to borrow through our Learning Commons are excellent resources for these topics. There are many other topics as well; please consult with your support teacher.

Type of Resource: Home education curriculum 

Description:

• Idea packed, multi-disciplinary, family-style study guide from the Napoleonic Wars to the Korean War
• Explore this era of history with an integrated inclusion of the Modern Missions movement, revivals, and other Church history events
• Discover kings, politicians, artists, musicians, scientists, inventors, and most importantly the fingerprints of God in history

Key Features:

• Quick Start Guide to help you easily navigate through the 4-Phase structure
• Basic Lesson Plan to give you confidence for each week’s activities
• Teacher Guide to provide helpful background information suggested resources, motivating suggestions, and much more
• Student Manual to introduce each era, offer multiple topics for further exploration, encourage hands-on participation, and invite creative expression
• What in the World Vol 3 CD set to bring history to life through audio instruction and stories
• Rubrics Set to help the student know what is expected and to help parent/teacher evaluate the student’s creative work (qualitative assessment)
• Test Kit to allow students to demonstrate what they’ve learned (quantitative assessment).

The Essentials Pack includes:  Teacher Guide, Student Manual, What in the World Volume 3 CD Set, Test Kit, Rubric Set, Quick-Start Guide and Basic Lesson Plan

Note from Curriculum Consultant: Assignments could possibly be applied for credit in English Language Arts, and Arts Education as well, depending on which activities students choose. This resource may seem daunting at first, but many of the assignments are pick and choose, and students can select activities that are appealing to them. I recommend listening to a sample of the audio lessons online here, as this makes up a large portion of the teaching.

Website

Review

Other Optional or Supplementary Resources

• Online Resources
• Lesson Planner
• Elementary Activity Book
• True Tales Vol 3 Audio Set
• Digging Deeper Vol 3 Audio Set
• Darwin and Scopes CD or Mp3

PDF Samples

• Student Manual (Grades 5-12) Sample 
• Teacher Guide Sample
• Elementary Activity Book (grades K-4) Sample
• Lesson Planner Sample (with Introduction)

Additional Support: Video Introduction (highly recommended)

Type of Resource: student workbook

Description: John focuses on the spiritual significance of what Jesus did and said rather than just reporting the events of His life. He begins the gospel with a declaration of the deity of Jesus, His pre-existence, and His direct involvement in creation. To John, the miracles of Jesus are not just demonstrations of God’s mercy and compassion – they are glimpses into the very glory of God. When Lazarus is raised from the dead, it is “for the glory of God”– demonstrating that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. When Jesus feeds thousands of people with a boy’s lunch, is not just a miracle of multiplication – it demonstrates that Jesus is “the bread of life”. As you study, you will discover that John has a very penetrating gaze into eternal truth and into the very heart and mind of God. But John gives us more than just information; he reveals an invitation – to abundant life in Jesus, the True Vine. May this study help you find “life in His name” and bear much fruit from (and for) Him.

Answer Key

Website

Sample Lesson

Type of Resource: Home Education Curriculum

Description: Foundations in Worship is a unique homeschool Bible curriculum created to expand your junior high and high school student’s understanding of God and the Gospel through the study of hymns. This engaging, full-colour Bible elective reveals scriptural truths expressed in these long-cherished anthems of the Christian faith. As they study the hymn writer and their faith, your student will learn to better articulate their own faith in God. Lessons can be completed in 20-40 minutes over five days a week in this one-year course.

Website

Table of Contents and Sample Lesson