Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?

[Anonymous]

I saw on MCPS's refrigerator curriculum that there are three choices for texts in 9th grade English this marking period.
- All American Boys
- The Magic Fish
- A Separate Peace
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/curriculum/refrigerator/NinthGrade_Quarter-One.pdf

Can you please share which one your child is reading as the anchor text this marking period and the name of your child's school?

[Anonymous]

I’m impressed your 9th grader will get to read a book.

[Anonymous]

I teach 9th grade honors english at a HS. Half my classes are reading The Magic Fish. The other half All American Boys

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I teach 9th grade honors english at a HS. Half my classes are reading The Magic Fish. The other half All American Boys

Is this just because there are too few copies of the book for every student to get the same one?

[Anonymous]

They are reading all American boys.

[Anonymous]

I think they do a disservice to the class by not making it two graphic novels to one novel. While I certainly think graphic novels can be well done and teach a lot, kids often don’t sit with the content long enough, so it becomes an easier more enjoyable read as compared to the novels.

They could have done The Magic Fish along with any of these : The Best We Could/Vietnamerica/Such a Lovely Little War.

Frankly I would suggest doing a novel and graphic novel.

[Anonymous]

Where do I see the list of books? I have seen a book yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think they do a disservice to the class by not making it two graphic novels to one novel. While I certainly think graphic novels can be well done and teach a lot, kids often don’t sit with the content long enough, so it becomes an easier more enjoyable read as compared to the novels.

They could have done The Magic Fish along with any of these : The Best We Could/Vietnamerica/Such a Lovely Little War.

Frankly I would suggest doing a novel and graphic novel.

An honors student should be able to read a page of text without a picture for every sentence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I teach 9th grade honors english at a HS. Half my classes are reading The Magic Fish. The other half All American Boys

PP I've always wondered how teachers/English departments make these decisions. Is it based on number of copies available, teacher choice, student preferences, student reading level, or other? Also in other grades, the Q1 list of curriculum books is longer so teachers have more choices to make than you do.

[Anonymous]

Mine is reading Mice and Men.
I’m confused by OPs post — is she saying these are the only options for honors English 9? That’s what mine is taking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where do I see the list of books? I have seen a book yet.

Linked in the OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine is reading Mice and Men.
I’m confused by OPs post — is she saying these are the only options for honors English 9? That’s what mine is taking.

Of Mice and Men is intended to be in MP2. Maybe your school is going rogue.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14XsG7HxnXcr5tO7u7HpE7I28XTur-dKuQmAkJ1T0z_I/edit?tab=t.0

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where do I see the list of books? I have seen a book yet.

I’m a parent and have never seen a list, but the books should have been brought home by now. Unless if they keep them in the classroom, but then how are they working on homework?

[Anonymous]

The Magic Fish is a great book …. For middle school. Not appropriate as the one novel they read in a marking period in English 9 (let alone “honors” an English 9). It is a middle-grade graphic novel for struggling readers. Lexile level is very low (400HL).

https://hub.lexile.com/find-a-book/details/9781984851598

I’m also surprised that Moms for Liberty have not opted out of it. Or maybe they have and we just haven’t heard.

[Anonymous]

House on Mango Street