Ninth Grade
Overview
Ninth grade marks the beginning of the High School experience at Oasis Christian Academy and an important transition toward greater academic independence, personal responsibility, and preparation for life beyond graduation.
As freshmen, students encounter increased academic expectations and are challenged to develop stronger study habits, time-management skills, critical thinking, communication, research skills, and personal responsibility. The grades and credits earned during ninth grade become part of each student's official high school academic record, making this an important year for establishing a strong foundation for future success.
Students also begin thinking more intentionally about their God-given gifts, interests, abilities, and future opportunities. Throughout High School, OCA seeks to prepare students for the path God may have for them following graduation, whether that includes a college or university, technical or trade education, military service, ministry, or entry into the workforce.
OCA utilizes BJU Press curriculum throughout the core ninth-grade academic program, providing challenging instruction taught through a Biblical worldview. Students are encouraged to recognize that Biblical truth applies to every area of life and learning and to evaluate increasingly complex ideas through the truth of Scripture.

Bible & Biblical Worldview
Using the BJU Press Bible curriculum, ninth-grade students deepen their knowledge of Scripture and their understanding of Jesus Christ while continuing to develop a Biblical worldview.
Students examine the life, ministry, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ within the historical, cultural, and geographical context of the New Testament.
Students are challenged to move beyond simply knowing facts about Jesus toward understanding His identity, His message, His redemptive work, and what it means to know and follow Him personally.
Throughout the course, students continue developing the ability to apply Scripture to questions involving truth, identity, relationships, morality, culture, purpose, and the decisions they face during the high school years.

English I
Using BJU Press English Language Arts and Literature, ninth-grade students strengthen the reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, research, and communication skills necessary for success throughout High School.
Students review and apply foundational principles of English grammar and usage, including parts of speech, sentence structure, mechanics, punctuation, and vocabulary, while progressing toward increasingly sophisticated written communication.
Students engage in the writing process through planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing a variety of narrative, informative, explanatory, and argumentative assignments.
Students also strengthen research and information-literacy skills by locating appropriate sources, evaluating information, organizing research, incorporating evidence, and appropriately citing information.
Through literature and informational texts, students develop increasingly sophisticated skills in comprehension, analysis, interpretation, and critical thinking while learning to evaluate ideas, themes, values, and worldview perspectives through a Biblical worldview.

Algebra I
Using BJU Press Algebra I, ninth-grade students make the transition into formal high school algebra while developing the mathematical reasoning, problem-solving skills, and algebraic foundations necessary for future mathematics courses.
Students work with algebraic expressions, equations, inequalities, functions, linear relationships, systems of equations, polynomials, exponents, radicals, factoring, graphing, and other foundational algebraic concepts.
Instruction emphasizes understanding mathematical relationships rather than simply memorizing procedures. Students learn to represent problems using equations, tables, graphs, and mathematical models while applying algebraic concepts to real-world situations.
Throughout Algebra I, students are challenged to solve increasingly complex multistep problems, select appropriate strategies, explain and justify their reasoning, and develop the accuracy, perseverance, and independence necessary for continued success in mathematics.

Earth Science
Using BJU Press Earth Science, ninth-grade students investigate Earth and its systems through a Biblical worldview.
Students explore major areas of Earth Science while developing scientific inquiry, critical-thinking, data-analysis, and problem-solving skills. Students examine scientific observations, evidence, models, interpretations, hypotheses, and theories while learning to distinguish among them and evaluate scientific claims thoughtfully.
Areas of study include Earth's structure and materials, geological processes, natural resources, water systems, the atmosphere, weather, climate, and other major Earth systems.
Students also examine questions where scientific interpretations and worldview assumptions intersect, learning to evaluate evidence and competing explanations critically through a Biblical worldview.
Throughout the course, students are challenged to understand the natural processes that shape our planet while recognizing the complexity, order, and design evident throughout God's creation.

Cultural Geography
Using BJU Press Cultural Geography, ninth-grade students explore the people, places, physical features, cultures, economies, governments, religions, and geographic regions of the world through a Biblical worldview.
Students develop geographic literacy while examining how physical geography, natural resources, history, culture, religion, government, economics, and human activity influence communities and regions throughout the world.
Students are encouraged to appreciate the culturally diverse people and societies God has created while developing an understanding of both the similarities and differences among cultures.
Throughout the course, students examine global relationships and issues while considering the dignity and value of every person as created in the image of God and the opportunities Christians have to serve and impact people throughout the world.

By the End of Ninth Grade, Students Will: