English

Language Arts
STUDENT EDITION GRADE 9
ABOUT THE COLLEGE BOARD
The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to
college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board was created to expand
access to higher education. Today, the membership association is made up of more than 6,000
of the world’s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity
in education. Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a
successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college
success—including the SAT® and the Advanced Placement Program®. The organization also
serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators
and schools. For further information, visit www.collegeboard.com.

ISBN: 978-1-4573-0838-3

© 2018 The College Board. College Board, Advanced Placement Program, AP, AP Central, AP
Vertical Teams, CollegeEd, connect to college success, Pre-AP, SAT, SpringBoard, and the acorn
logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. College Board Standards for College Success
and English Textual Power are trademarks owned by the College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a
registered trademark of the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Microsoft
is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. All other products and services may be
trademarks of their respective owners.

Common Core State Standards © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best
Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

12345678 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Printed in the United States of America
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The College Board gratefully acknowledges the outstanding work of the classroom teachers and
writers who have been integral to the development of this revised program. The end product is
testimony to their expertise, understanding of student learning needs, and dedication to rigorous
and accessible English Language Arts instruction.

Colleen Ancrile Leia Bell Alli Bennett

English Teacher English Teacher Assistant Principal
Los Angeles Unified School District Hillsborough County Public Schools Bethel School District 403
Sun Valley, California Tampa, Florida Spanaway, Washington

Jessica Brockman Kirstin A. Daniels Paul DeMaret

English Teacher English Teacher SpringBoard/AP English Teacher
Hillsborough County Public Schools Sunnyside Unified School District Poudre School District
Tampa, Florida Tucson, Arizona Fort Collins, Colorado

Allison Fonseca Karen Fullam Ron Lybarger

English Teacher Advanced Academics Coordinator English Teacher/Department Head
Hillsborough County Public Schools Hillsborough County Public Schools Decatur Public School District #61
Tampa, Florida Tampa, Florida Decatur, Illinois

Glenn Morgan Michelle Nellon Carmen P. Padilla, M.Ed.

English Teacher English Teacher English Teacher
San Diego Unified School District Los Angeles Unified School District Los Angeles Unified School District
San Diego, California Sun Valley, California Los Angeles, California

Bryan Craig Sandala Stephanie Sharpe Holly Talley

6–12 ELA Specialist English Teacher Writing Coach
School District of Palm Beach County Hillsborough County Public Schools Hillsborough County Public Schools
West Palm Beach, Florida Tampa, Florida Ruskin, Florida

Susan Van Doren Rebecca Wenrich Tom Wilkins

English/AP English Language/AP English Teacher English Teacher
Computer Science Teacher Peninsula School District 401 Fayette County Public Schools
Douglas County School District Gig Harbor, Washington Lexington, Kentucky
Zephyr Cove, Nevada

SPRINGBOARD ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

Lori O’Dea Doug Waugh Joely Negedly
Executive Director Executive Director Senior Director
Content Development Product Management Humanities Curriculum and Instruction

JoEllen Victoreen Julie Manley Sarah Balistreri

Senior Product Manager Senior Director Director
English Language Arts Professional Learning ELA Content Development

Eden Orlando Jacquelyn Gomez Jennifer Duva

SpringBoard District Coach District Instructional Coach English Language Arts Editor

Rebecca Grudzina Spencer Gonçalves

English Language Arts Editor Associate Director
SpringBoard Content Development
RESEARCH AND PLANNING ADVISORS
We also wish to thank the members of our SpringBoard Advisory Council and the many
educators who gave generously of their time and their ideas as we conducted research
for both the print and online programs. Your suggestions and reactions to ideas helped
immeasurably as we planned the revisions. We gratefully acknowledge the teachers and
administrators in the following districts.

Bellevue School District 405 Milwaukee Public Schools San José Unified School District
Bellevue, Washington Milwaukee, Wisconsin San José, California

Fresno Unified School District Newton County Schools Scottsdale Public Schools
Fresno, California Covington, Georgia Phoenix, Arizona

Hawaii State Department of Education Noblesville Schools Seminole County Public Schools
Honolulu, Hawaii Noblesville, Indiana Sanford, Florida

Hillsborough County Public Schools Orange County Public Schools Spokane Public Schools
Tampa, Florida Orlando, Florida Spokane, Washington

Kenton County School District Quakertown Community School District Sunnyside Unified School District
Fort Wright, Kentucky Quakertown, Pennsylvania Tucson, Arizona

Los Angeles Unified School District St. Vrain School District

Los Angeles, California Longmont, Colorado
 GRADE

9 Contents
To the Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
College and Career Readiness Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv

Unit 1 Coming of Age

Activities
1.1 Previewing the Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.2 Talking About Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.3 Narrative Voices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Novel: “Spotlight,” excerpt from Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson
Introducing the Strategy: Double-Entry Journal
1.4 Parallel Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.5 Defining Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Short Story: “Marigolds,” by Eugenia Collier
LC Language Checkpoint: Understanding Verb Voice and Mood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
1.6 Learning How to Interview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1.7 Conversations with Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
1.8 Two Versions of One Narrative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Memoir: from Always Running, by Luis J. Rodriguez
Poetry: “‘Race’ Politics,” by Luis J. Rodriguez
Introducing the Strategy: RAFT
1.9 Reading an Interview Narrative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Nonfiction: “WMDs,” by Brian O’Connor
Introducing the Strategy: SOAPSTone
1.10 Examining the Art of Questioning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Interview Transcript: “Chuck Liddell,” by Steven Yaccino
1.11 Transforming the Transcript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
1.12 Planning an Interview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

Embedded Assessment 1: Writing and Presenting an Interview Narrative  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

1.13 Previewing Embedded Assessment 2 and Preparing to Write an Argument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
1.14 Building an Argument. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Informational Text: “Education Still Pays”
1.15 Using Rhetorical Appeals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Speech: Remarks by the President in a National Address to America’s Schoolchildren,
by Barack Obama
Introducing the Strategy: SMELL
1.16 Targeting Your Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Editorial: “An Early Start on College,” StarTribune
1.17 Evaluating Claims and Reasoning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Opinion: “Why College Isn’t (And Shouldn’t Have to Be) For Everyone,” by Robert Reich
Opinion: “Actually, College Is Very Much Worth It,” by Andrew J. Rotherham
Embedded Assessment 2: Writing an Argumentative Essay  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
CONTENTS
continued

Unit 2 Defining Style

Activities
2.1 Previewing the Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
2.2 Reviewing the Elements of a Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
2.3 Analyzing Writer’s Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
2.4 The Meaning of Imagery and Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Poetry: “Fire and Ice,” by Robert Frost
2.5 Shared Gifts: Introducing Irony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Short Story: “The Gift of the Magi,” by O. Henry
Introducing the Strategy: SIFT
LC Language Checkpoint: Using Punctuation Within Sentences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
2.6 Close Reading of a Short Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Short Story: “The Stolen Party,” by Liliana Heker (translated by Alberto Manguel)
Introducing the Strategy: Levels of Questions
2.7 Introducing a Story of Revenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Informational Text: “Catacombs and Carnival”
2.8 Irony in the Vaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Short Story: “The Cask of Amontillado,” by Edgar Allan Poe
Introducing the Strategy: Diffusing
2.9 Connecting Symbolism to Meaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Poetry: “A Poison Tree,” by William Blake
Embedded Assessment 1: Writing a Short Story  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
2.10 Previewing Embedded Assessment 2: Thinking About Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
2.11 Working with Cinematic Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
2.12 Film in Context: An Authorial Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Biographical Essay: “Tim Burton: Wickedly Funny, Grotesquely Humorous”
2.13 Setting the Mood and Understanding Tone: Wonka Two Ways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

Novel: Excerpts from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl
*Film: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), directed by Tim Burton
2.14 Revisiting Wonka: Thinking About Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
*Film: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), directed by Tim Burton
2.15 More About Stylistic Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
*Film: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), directed by Tim Burton
2.16 Interpreting Style: Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
*Film: Edward Scissorhands (1990), directed by Tim Burton
2.17 Analyzing Burton’s Style: Supporting with Textual Evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
*Film: Edward Scissorhands (1990), directed by Tim Burton
2.18 Analyzing Burton’s Style: Explaining with Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
*Film: Edward Scissorhands (1990), directed by Tim Burton
2.19 Analyzing Burton’s Style: Bringing to Closure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
*Film: Edward Scissorhands (1990), directed by Tim Burton
2.20 Analyzing Burton’s Style: Writing the Analytical Paragraph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
*Film: Edward Scissorhands (1990), directed by Tim Burton

vi SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 9

 CONTENTS
continued

2.21 Independent Viewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

2.22 Planning a Draft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Embedded Assessment 2: Writing a Style Analysis Essay  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

Unit 3 Coming of Age in Changing Times

Activities
3.1 Previewing the Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
3.2 Picturing the Past . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
*Photographs: Segregation and Desegregation in America: 1930s through 1960s
3.3 Setting the Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Informational Text: “Jim Crow: Shorthand for Separation,” by Rick Edmonds
Informational Text: “Jim Crow Laws,” Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site,
compiled by the National Park Service
3.4 Researching and Presenting Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
*Website: “The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow,” PBS
3.5 A Time for Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Letter: from “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” by Martin Luther King, Jr.
3.6 Voices of Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Timeline: Civil Rights Timeline
3.7 Historical Research and Citation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
3.8 Reaching an Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Embedded Assessment 1: Historical Investigation and Presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
3.9 Previewing Embedded Assessment 2: Writing a Literary Analysis Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
3.10 A Story of the Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Reflective Texts: Excerpt from Scout, Atticus and Boo: A Celebration
of To Kill a Mockingbird, by Mary McDonagh Murphy
© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

3.11 A Scouting Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

Novel: Excerpts from To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
*Film: Clips from To Kill a Mockingbird, directed by Robert Mulligan
3.12 Conflict with Miss Caroline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
*Novel: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
3.13 Analyzing Boo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Novel: Excerpt from To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
3.14 Questions and Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
LC Language Checkpoint: Using Pronouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
3.15 Two Views of “One Shot” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Novel: Excerpt from To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
*Film: Clip from To Kill a Mockingbird, directed by Robert Mulligan
3.16 Pin the Quote on Atticus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Novel: Excerpt from To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
3.17 Shifting Perspectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
*Novel: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
3.18 A Solitary Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
*Film: Clip from To Kill a Mockingbird, directed by Robert Mulligan
*Novel: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

Contents vii
CONTENTS
continued

3.19 Analyzing Atticus’s Closing Argument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263

Novel: Excerpt from To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
*Film: Clip from To Kill a Mockingbird, directed by Robert Mulligan
3.20 Aftermath and Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
*Novel: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
3.21 Standing in Borrowed Shoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
*Novel: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
3.22 “Hey, Boo”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
*Novel: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
3.23 Controversy in Context. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Essay: Excerpt from “In Defense of To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Nicholas J. Karolides, et al.
Embedded Assessment 2: Writing a Literary Analysis Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281

Unit 4 Exploring Poetic Voices

Activities
4.1 Previewing the Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
4.2 What Is Poetry?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Poetry: “Poetry,” by Pablo Neruda
Essay: from poemcrazy, by Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge
4.3 Literary Devices in Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
4.4 Examining Experiences and Poetic Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Poetry: “Nikki-Rosa,” by Nikki Giovanni
Poetry: “We Real Cool,” by Gwendolyn Brooks
Art: The Pool Game, by Jacob Lawrence
4.5 Exploring Diction and Imagery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Poetry: “Fast Break,” by Edward Hirsch
Introducing the Strategy: TWIST

© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

4.6 Extended Metaphor and Hyperbolic Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Poetry: “Identity,” by Julio Noboa Polanco
Poetry: “Ego Tripping,” by Nikki Giovanni
4.7 Exploring Theme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Poetry: “Hanging Fire,” by Audre Lorde
4.8 Odes to Special Things . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Poetry: “Ode to My Socks,” by Pablo Neruda, translated by Robert Bly
Poetry: “Abuelito Who,” by Sandra Cisneros
4.9 Coming of Age in Sonnets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Sonnet: Sonnet 18, by William Shakespeare
Embedded Assessment 1: Creating a Poetry Anthology  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
4.10 Unpacking Embedded Assessment 2: Analyzing and Presenting a Poet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
*Song: “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” recorded by Nirvana and by Tori Amos
4.11 Analyzing a Persona Poem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Poetry: “In Response to Executive Order 9066: All Americans of Japanese
Descent Must Report to Relocation Centers,” by Dwight Okita
4.12 Poetry Analysis of “Young” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Poetry: “Young,” by Anne Sexton
Introducing the Strategy: TP-CASTT

viii SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 9

 CONTENTS
continued

4.13 Poetry Café . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339

Poetry: “Combing,” by Gladys Cardiff
Poetry: “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,” by William Wordsworth
Poetry: “Harlem,” by Langston Hughes
Poetry: “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers,” by Emily Dickinson
Poetry: “Scars,” by Daniel Halpern
Poetry: “Ozymandias,” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Poetry: “American Hero,” by Essex Hemphill
4.14 Exploring and Analyzing a Poet’s Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Poetry: “Prayer to the Pacific,” by Leslie Marmon Silko
Poetry: “In Cold Storm Light,” by Leslie Marmon Silko
4.15 Choosing and Researching a Poet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
4.16 Generating a Rhetorical Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Embedded Assessment 2: Analyzing and Presenting a Poet  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355

Unit 5 Coming of Age on Stage

Activities
5.1 Previewing the Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
5.2 Shakespeare’s Age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Monologue: Excerpt from As You Like It, by William Shakespeare
5.3 A Sonnet Sets the Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Drama: Prologue from Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare
5.4 Conflict Up Close . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
*Drama: Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare (Act I)
5.5 Talking by Myself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
*Drama: Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare (Act I)
5.6 Party Blocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

*Film: Two film interpretations of Romeo and Juliet (Act I)

5.7 Acting Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
*Images: Posters and flyers from Shakespeare productions
5.8 What’s in a Setting? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
*Drama: Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare (Act II)
Script: Excerpt from West Side Story, by Arthur Laurents
*Film: Two film interpretations of Romeo and Juliet
5.9 Friends and Foils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
*Drama: Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare (Act II)
5.10 A Wedding and a Brawl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
*Drama: Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare (Act II–III)
*Film: A film interpretation of Romeo and Juliet
5.11 Emotional Roller Coaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
*Drama: Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare (Act III)
5.12 TWISTing Their Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
*Drama: Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare (Act II–III)
5.13 A Desperate Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
*Drama: Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare (Act IV)

Contents ix
CONTENTS
continued

5.14 The Fault in Their Stars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405

*Drama: Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare (Act V)
*Film: A film interpretation of Romeo and Juliet
Embedded Assessment 1: Presenting a Dramatic Interpretation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
5.15 Previewing Embedded Assessment 2: Is Shakespeare Relevant? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
5.16 Shakespeare in the Modern Age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414
Article: “On the Bard’s Birthday, Is Shakespeare Still Relevant?” by Alexandra Petri
5.17 Shakespeare’s Globe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420
Article: “Britain Puts on a Shakespeare Marathon as World Arrives for the Olympic Games,”
by Jill Lawless
Article: “On Love and War, Iraq Learns from Shakespeare,” by Shelina Zahra Janmohamed
5.18 Did Shakespeare Invent Teenagers? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428
Article: Excerpt from How Shakespeare Changed Everything, by Stephen Marche
5.19 Shakespeare Behind Bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434
Article: “Kentucky Inmates Turned Actors Explore Selves Through Shakespeare Play,” by Sean Rose
5.20 Give Up the Bard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440
Article: “Why It’s Time to Give the Bard the Heave-ho!” by Brandon Robshaw
Embedded Assessment 2: Writing a Synthesis Argument  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443

Resources
Independent Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
SpringBoard Learning Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454
Graphic Organizers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460
English-Spanish Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505
Index of Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .519
Index of Authors and Titles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524

© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526

*Texts not included in these materials.

x SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 9

 To the Student
WELCOME TO SPRINGBOARD!

Dear Student,

Welcome to the SpringBoard program! This program has been created with you in mind: it contains the English
Language Arts content you need to learn, the tools to help you learn, and tasks to strengthen the critical thinking skills
that will help you succeed in high school and beyond.
In SpringBoard, you will explore compelling themes through reading, writing, discussions, performances, and
research. You will closely read short stories, novels, poems, historical texts, and articles. You’ll also view and interpret
films, plays, and audio texts while comparing them to their related print versions. With frequent opportunities to write
creatively and analytically throughout the program, you will develop fluency, research skills, and an understanding
of how to craft your writing based on audience and purpose. Through collaborative discussions, presentations,
performances, and debates with your peers, you will deepen your understanding of the texts you’ve read and viewed and
learn how to convey your ideas with clarity and voice.
Tools to help you learn are built into every lesson. At the beginning of each activity, you will see suggested learning
strategies, each of which is explained in full in the Resources section of your book. These strategies will help you deeply
analyze text, collect evidence for your writing, and critically think about and discuss issues and ideas. Within the
activities, you’ll also notice explanations about essential vocabulary and grammar concepts that will enrich your ability
to read and write effectively.
High school is the time to challenge yourself to develop skills and habits you need to be successful throughout your
academic life and career. The SpringBoard program provides you with meaningful and engaging activities built on the
rigorous standards that lead to college and career success. Your participation in SpringBoard will help you advance your
reading, writing, language, and speaking and listening skills, all while helping you build confidence in your ability to
succeed academically.
We hope you enjoy learning with the SpringBoard program. It will give you many opportunities to explore ideas
and issues collaboratively and independently and to cultivate new skills as you prepare for your future.

Sincerely,
© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

SpringBoard

To the Student xi
TO THE
STUDENT
continued

AP CONNECTIONS • Revise and edit texts for expression of ideas and to

When you reach high school, you may have an
opportunity to take Advanced Placement (AP) classes
or other rigorous courses. When the time comes to
make that decision, we want you to be equipped with
the kind of higher-order thinking skills, knowledge, and
behaviors necessary to be successful in AP classes and
beyond. You will see connections to AP in the texts that
you read, the strategies you use, and the writing tasks
you encounter throughout the course.
Connections to AP Language and Literature will help
you:
• Read closely and analyze both literary and nonfiction
texts.
• Analyze relationships among author’s purpose,
literary/stylistic devices, rhetorical appeals, and
desired effects for intended audiences.
• Write with attention to selecting textual evidence and
organizational patterns according to purpose and
audience.
• Write to interpret and evaluate multiple perspectives
in literature.
• Develop the control of language and command of
conventions required for academic writing.
show facility with a core set of grammar, usage, and
punctuation conventions.
• Make careful and considered use of evidence as you
read and write.
• Reveal an understanding of relevant words in context
and of how word choice helps shape meaning and tone.
THE SPRINGBOARD DIFFERENCE
SpringBoard is different because it provides instruction
with hands-on participation that involves you and
your classmates in daily discussions and analysis of
what you’re reading and learning. You will have an
opportunity to:
• Discuss and collaborate with your peers to explore
and express your ideas.
• Explore multiple perspectives by reading a variety of
texts—both fiction and nonfiction—that introduce
you to different ways of thinking, writing, and
communicating.
• Examine writing from the perspective of a reader and
writer and learn techniques that good writers use to
communicate their message effectively.
• Gain a deep understanding of topics, enabling you to

© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

PSAT/SAT CONNECTIONS apply your learning to new and varied situations.
Sometime during the course of your academic career, • Take ownership of your learning by practicing and
you will likely be expected to take a college readiness test selecting strategies that work for you.
like the PSAT or SAT. Many colleges require applicants
• Reflect on your growth and showcase your best work
to submit SAT scores along with their school transcripts
as a reader, writer, speaker, and listener in a working
and essays, and a good PSAT score can lead to
Portfolio.
scholarships and other awards. The SAT suite is designed
to predict which students are on track to leave secondary
HIGH SCHOOL AT A GLANCE
school and enter college or a career. Your SpringBoard
Grade 9
ELA coursework will help you succeed on the Reading,
Investigating the thematic concept of coming of age,
Writing and Language, and Essay tests.
you will read Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird;
The PSAT/SAT will require you to: informational articles about college; short stories by
Poe and Collier; historical articles about segregation;
• Read, analyze, and use reasoning to comprehend
poetry by Wordsworth, Neruda, Lorde, and Silko; and
challenging literary and informational texts to
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. From your reading,
demonstrate and expand your knowledge and
you will gather evidence from texts and incorporate it
understanding.

xii SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 9


in written and oral responses, including a presentation
using multiple forms of media.
You will encounter more varied and complex writing
in this grade as you write in a variety of modes including
argumentative, explanatory, and narrative writing. Film
texts are a large part of Grade 9 activities. In Unit 2, you
will study a film director’s style and analyze how style is
evident in the transformation of print texts to films. In
Unit 5, you will study Romeo and Juliet and analyze how
key scenes are represented in multiple film versions as
well as the print text.
Grade 10
In this grade, you will explore the thematic concept of
culture. Texts include Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart,
Sophocles’ Antigone, Susan B. Anthony’s “On Women’s
Right to Vote,” and the Nobel Prize acceptance speeches
of Alexander Solzhenitsyn and Elie Wiesel. You will
be challenged to use evidence from these texts in both
your written and oral responses. For example, you will
study the extent to which one’s culture influences one’s
worldview, and incorporate textual evidence in a written
argument. Research plays a role as you investigate the
Ibo culture represented in Things Fall Apart and present
your findings in a collaborative presentation using digital
media.
Film texts play a role when you analyze the degree
of objectivity and subjectivity present in documentary
© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.
films while also gathering evidence about environmental
issues.
Grade 11
In this grade, you will explore concepts that have shaped
American thought and discourse since its revolution
through the study of American literature and rhetoric.
You will read foundational U.S. documents such as
Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address and The Declaration
of Independence, essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson and
Henry David Thoreau, and poetry by Langston Hughes
and Walt Whitman. You will also read full-length works
from the 20th century: Arthur Miller’s drama The
Crucible, Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild, and Zora Neale
Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. These texts
will help you gather evidence to incorporate in writing,
speeches, performances, and presentations about the
TO THE
STUDENT
continued
American Dream, what it means to be an American, the
freedom of speech, the role of media in a democracy,
and literary movements like Transcendentalism and the
Harlem Renaissance.
You will compare print and film versions of Their
Eyes Were Watching God, and study various features of
news outlets while working collaboratively to create your
own news collection of news pieces.
Grade 12
Your SpringBoard journey culminates in Grade 12 with
a year-long focus on using literary theory to analyze
complex texts through multiple perspectives. You will
encounter James Baldwin’s “Stranger in the Village,”
George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant,” Shakespeare’s
Othello, and George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion.
Throughout the level, you will learn about and apply
Archetypal, Cultural, Feminist, Historical, Marxist,
and Reader Response Criticism to both literary and
informational texts. You will also use your knowledge of
these theories to shed new light on film, photography,
and media coverage of newsworthy events, including
Hurricane Katrina.
Senior English offers many opportunities for you to
synthesize your learning through rigorous writing and
speaking tasks. Independent research, film study, and
presentations go hand in hand with your study of print
texts, and allow you to develop complex and nuanced
understandings of the texts, films, and issues in the
course.
CLASSROOM TOOLS
As you move through each SpringBoard unit, your
teacher will guide you to use tools that will help you
develop strong study habits, keep your work organized,
and track your learning progress.
Reader/Writer Notebook
Your Reader/Writer Notebook is a place to record and
keep track of vocabulary words, grammar practice, notes
and reflections on readings, some writing assignments,
brainstorms, and other items as determined by your
teacher. You will use your Reader/Writer Notebook
often, so think of it as an extension of the main
SpringBoard book.
To the Student xiii
TO THE
STUDENT
continued
continued

Word Wall You can find Independent Reading Lists in the

Your teacher will regularly add new vocabulary words to Resources section at the back of your book. The lists
the class Word Wall. The Word Wall gives you and your provide ideas for texts that complement the reading you’re
classmates a visual reminder of the words you are learning doing in each SpringBoard unit. These are suggestions to
throughout the unit of study. Also, you can use the Word get you started, but you may also choose other readings
Wall to easily check the spelling of new words. with input from your teacher, family, and peers.
While you work your way through each SpringBoard
Performance Portfolio
unit, your teacher will give you time to read independently.
Your Performance Portfolio is a place to keep your
You can record general thoughts or reactions to your
assignments organized so that you can see your growth and
independent reading in the Independent Reading Log in
learning across the school year. Keeping a portfolio will
the Resources section of your book. You may also use the
make it easier to share your work with others, reflect on
Independent Reading Log to respond to the occasional
what you are learning, revise certain pieces of work, and set
Independent Reading Links that you’ll encounter in each
goals for future learning.
SpringBoard unit. These links prompt you to think about
Your teacher will guide you to include items in your
your independent reading by responding to questions, doing
portfolio that illustrate a wide range of work, such as first
research, making connections between texts and themes,
drafts, final drafts, quickwrites, notes, reading logs, graphic
discussing ideas in book groups, and recommending titles to
organizers, audio and video examples, and graphics that
your classmates.
represent a variety of genres, forms, and media created for a
We hope you enjoy exploring the texts, topics, and
multitude of purposes. As you progress through the course,
themes in SpringBoard and that you feel inspired to deepen
you will have opportunities to revisit prior work, revise it
your reading, writing, speaking, and analytic skills through
based on new learning, and reflect on the learning strategies
the program.
and activities that help you be successful.
Independent Reading
Based on your personal interests and preferences, you will be
encouraged to select books, articles, and other texts to read
independently. Reading independently not only reinforces the
learning you’re doing in class, but it also gives you a chance to

© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

expand your knowledge about topics that fascinate you.

xiv SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 9

 GRADES 9–10

College and Career Readiness Standards

Reading Standards for Literature

Key Ideas and RL.9–10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
Details explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.9–10.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over
the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific
details; provide an objective summary of the text.

RL.9–10.3 Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations)
develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot
or develop the theme.

Craft and RL.9–10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including
Structure figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word
choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and
place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

RL.9–10.5 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events
within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create
such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.

RL.9–10.6 Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of

literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world
literature.

Integration of RL.9–10.7 Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic
Knowledge mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment (e.g., Auden’s
and Ideas “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).
© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

RL.9–10.8 (Not applicable to literature)

RL.9–10.9 Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work
(e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later
author draws on a play by Shakespeare).

Range of RL.9–10.10 By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas,
Reading and and poems, in the grades 9–10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as
Level of Text needed at the high end of the range.
Complexity By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas,
and poems, at the high end of the grades 9–10 text complexity band independently
and proficiently.

College and Career Readiness Standards xv

COLLEGE AND
CAREER READINESS
STANDARDS
continued

Reading Standards for Informational Text

Key Ideas and RI.9–10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
Details explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RI.9–10.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the
text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide
an objective summary of the text.

RI.9–10.3 Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the
order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the
connections that are drawn between them.

Craft and RI.9–10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
Structure figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of
specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion
differs from that of a newspaper).

RI.9–10.5 Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas or claims are developed and refined by
particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text (e.g., a section or chapter).

RI.9–10.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author
uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.

Integration of RI.9–10.7 Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person’s life
Knowledge story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in
and Ideas each account.

RI.9–10.8 Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether
the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false
statements and fallacious reasoning.

© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

RI.9–10.9 Analyze seminal U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (e.g.,
Washington’s Farewell Address, the Gettysburg Address, Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms
speech, King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”), including how they address related
themes and concepts.

Range of RI.9–10.10 By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 9–10
Reading and text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of
Level of Text the range.
Complexity By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of
the grades 9–10 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

xvi SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 9

 COLLEGE AND
CAREER READINESS
STANDARDS
continued

Writing Standards

Text Types and W.9–10.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using
Purposes valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

W.9–10.1a Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims,
and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s),
counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

W.9–10.1b Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing
out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s
knowledge level and concerns.

W.9–10.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion,
and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and
evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

W.9–10.1d Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms
and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

W.9–10.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
argument presented.

W.9–10.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts,
and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization,
and analysis of content.

W.9–10.2a Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make
important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics
(e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

W.9–10.2b Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended
definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples
appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.

W.9–10.2c Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.

W.9–10.2d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of
the topic.

W.9–10.2e Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms
and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

College and Career Readiness Standards xvii

COLLEGE AND
CAREER READINESS
STANDARDS
continued

Writing Standards

Text Types and W.9–10.2f Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
Purposes information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the
significance of the topic).

W.9–10.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective
technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

W.9–10.3a Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation,
establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or
characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.

W.9–10.3b Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and
multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

W.9–10.3c Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to
create a coherent whole.

W.9–10.3d Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a
vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.

W.9–10.3e Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed,
or resolved over the course of the narrative.

Production and W.9–10.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style
Distribution of are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for
Writing writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)

W.9–10.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or
trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific

© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of
Language standards 1–3 up to and including grades 9–10.)

W.9–10.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or
shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other
information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.

Research to W.9–10.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question
Build and (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the
Present inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating
Knowledge understanding of the subject under investigation.

xviii SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 9

 COLLEGE AND
CAREER READINESS
STANDARDS
continued

Writing Standards

Research to W.9–10.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources,
Build and using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in
Present answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to
Knowledge maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for
citation.

W.9–10.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and
research.

W.9–10.9a Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how an author
draws on and transforms source material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare
treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by
Shakespeare]”).

W.9–10.9b Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and
evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning
is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and
fallacious reasoning”).

Range of W.9–10.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision)
Writing and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks,
purposes, and audiences.
© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

College and Career Readiness Standards xix

COLLEGE AND
CAREER READINESS
STANDARDS
continued

Speaking and Listening Standards

Comprehension SL.9–10.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one,
and in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and
Collaboration issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

SL.9–10.1a Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study;
explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research
on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.

SL.9–10.1b Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making (e.g.,
informal consensus, taking votes on key issues, presentation of alternate views),
clear goals and deadlines, and individual roles as needed.

SL.9–10.1c Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current
discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the
discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.

SL.9–10.1d Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and

disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and understanding
and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented.

SL.9–10.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g.,
visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.

SL.9–10.3 Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric,
identifying any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted evidence.

Presentation SL.9–10.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and
of Knowledge logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization,
and Ideas development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.

© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

SL.9–10.5 Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and
interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings,
reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.

SL.9–10.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal
English when indicated or appropriate. (See grades 9–10 Language standards 1 and 3
for specific expectations.)

xx SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 9

 COLLEGE AND
CAREER READINESS
STANDARDS
continued

Language Standards

Conventions L.9–10.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage
of Standard when writing or speaking.
English
L.9–10.1a Use parallel structure.*

L.9–10.1b Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial,
prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative,
adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or
presentations.

L.9–10.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,

punctuation, and spelling when writing.

L.9–10.2a Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely
related independent clauses.

L.9–10.2b Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation.

L.9–10.2c Spell correctly.

Knowledge of L.9–10.3 Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different
Language contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more
fully when reading or listening.

L.9–10.3a Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual (e.g.,
MLA Handbook, Turabian’s Manual for Writers) appropriate for the discipline and
writing type.
© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

Vocabulary L.9–10.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and
Acquisition phrases based on grades 9–10 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range
and Use of strategies.

L.9–10.4a Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s
position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

L.9–10.4b Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings
or parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy).

L.9–10.4c Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries,
thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine
or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, or its etymology.

L.9–10.4d Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by
checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).

College and Career Readiness Standards xxi

COLLEGE AND
CAREER READINESS
STANDARDS
continued

Language Standards

Vocabulary L.9–10.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances
Acquisition in word meanings.
and Use
L.9–10.5a Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their
role in the text.

L.9–10.5b Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.

L.9–10.6 Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases,
sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career
readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

© 2018 College Board. All rights reserved.

xxii SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 9