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English · Grade 9

A Comparative Reading and Writing Portfolio

The Grade 9 capstone. Learners compare how Paul Laurence Dunbar's poem “We Wear the Mask” and an original story about a teenager working a hotel front desk treat the theme of hidden feeling. They plan a comparative thesis, choose an organization, draft and revise comparative paragraphs against a rubric, and assemble a small portfolio from the year with a reflection grounded in evidence of growth. An optional Going further lesson adds Dunbar's “Sympathy” for a three-way comparison.

  • 5 lessons
  • About 150 minutes
  • Comparative reading and portfolio check: 10 questions
  • Ways to answer: choose an answer, highlight a text, put in order, sort into groups, arrange tiles and true or false
See plans Included with Family, Teacher and School plans. Open in PlayOwl

What learners will discover

  • Compare how two texts develop a shared theme, analyzing specific choices of speaker, form, detail and context in each.
  • Plan a comparative essay with a thesis that names a similarity, a difference and why it matters, using block or point-by-point organization.
  • Draft and revise comparative paragraphs that balance both texts, integrate evidence and use comparison transitions.
  • Select portfolio pieces for a purpose and write a reflection that uses specific evidence of growth and sets goals.

Lessons

  1. One theme, two texts 7 steps3 practiceabout 34 min
  2. Plan a comparative thesis 5 steps3 practiceabout 28 min
  3. Draft and revise a comparative paragraph 5 steps3 practiceabout 32 min
  4. Portfolio and reflection 5 steps3 practiceabout 30 min
  5. Going further: a third voice, Dunbar's “Sympathy” 4 steps2 practiceabout 26 min
  6. Comparative reading and portfolio check 10 questions at the end

Keep exploring

More 9th grade reading

Guide for grown-ups