Guidance
By the end of summer before 9th grade begins students should:
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Begin earning community service hours.
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Register for OCA's college-pre classes.
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Sign-up for extracurricular activities/clubs.
By the end of 1st-semester 9th grade students should:
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Begin taking PSAT and PRACT prep tests.
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Begin building a college resume.
By the end of 2nd-semester 9th grade students should:
- Understand their GPA and how it works.
- Continue to take the PSAT and PRACT prep tests.
- Have at least 25% of your community service hours complete.
9th Grade
Overview
As they transition into high school, our freshmen experience a year of major shifts in perspective, education requirements, and expectations. Furthermore, as they obtain higher level thinking skills and more individual autonomy in their education, this year marks the beginning of their preparation to go to college, the military, vocational school, or the workforce after they graduate.
Bible
Our freshmen study of the life of Christ through the Gospel of John using the Positive Action curriculum to develop a deeper knowledge of Jesus and His life by examining His ministry here on earth within the historical and geographical context of Israel.
English
In English, ninth graders review the eight parts of speech, five basic sentence patterns, their usage and mechanics. Our students also exercise and achieve proficiency in vocabulary skills, library skills, and study skills. Finally, the writing process is implemented in a variety of tasks and purposes.
Math
Students continue to focus on the complex algebraic skills, including order of operations, expressions, and equations. They also continue to focus on solving systems of equations, operations with polynomials and radicals, factoring, solving rational equations, and graphing using the Bob Jones curriculum. Our geometry students work to enhance problem-solving skills by developing the thinking processes essential for both higher math courses and everyday life.
Earth Science
We continue to use Bob Jones curriculum in our ninth grade Earth Science to study our world and its systems. Students exercise their critical thinking skills as they study major theories in earth science to gain a better understanding of and greater appreciation of creation.
Geography
Our freshmen utilize the curriculum provided by Bob Jones to study cultural geography from a biblical perspective. They learn to appreciate the diversity of people, cultures, and landforms from around the globe and how each is intricately interdependent on one another.
By the end of 9th grade, students will:
Bible
- Apply lessons from the life of Christ to their lives today
- Have an introductory understanding of Christ’s identity, ministry, and doctrine
- Outline the Gospel of John
- Base what they believe on the foundation of Scripture
- Connect the truth of the Gospels to the facts of broader history
English
- Have a basic understanding of English grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization
- Have a basic understanding of the writing process (planning, revising, rewriting, and publishing)
- Use language correctly and purposefully to communicate clearly and effectively
- Demonstrate writing reading and research skills while studying Robinson Crusoe
- Have a basic knowledge of reading comprehension through literature and short stories
- Develop their ability as critical readers and writers
- Write clearly and effectively for a variety of tasks, purposes, and audiences using an appropriate process
- Use technology effectively to produce, strengthen, and publish writings
Algebra I
- Demonstrate proficiency in algebraic knowledge and skills
- Interpret, write, and evaluating algebraic expression
- Model mathematical conditions through writing, solving, ad graphing equations and functions
- Analyze functions using various representations
- Read and analyze algebraic representations and solve real-life applications
- Perform operations with polynomials and radicals and extend the Laws of Exponents to include rational exponents
- Extend understanding of functions to quadratic and exponential functions and using them to model and analyze real-world relationships
- Solve quadratic equations with one variable
- Build functions, identifying their key features and representing them in various ways
Geometry
- Apply deductive and inductive reasoning to create proofs that justify theorems
- Create constructions illustrating key geometric concepts
- Identify, classify, and investigate geometric figures in space
- Determine congruence and similarity between figures
- Classify and explore the geometric characteristics of quadrilaterals
- Calculate lengths, areas, and volumes of two- and three- dimensional figures
- Investigate, describe, and apply the characteristics of various transformations
- Apply trigonometric ratios to find unknown measures of triangles
Earth Science
- Pose scientific queries
- Investigate the nature of scientific phenomena associated with the Earth and nearby heavenly bodies
- Properly communicate scientific information to another individual in an accurate and precise manner
- Demonstrate the ability to identify the characteristics of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and celestial bodies, along with a basic knowledge of the processes which take place therein
Geography
- Understand a general survey of the earth, its resources, the use of those resources
- Understand the geographic and cultural features of people in the various regions and countries of the world
- Understand the elements of geography with a strong biblical philosophy
- Understand how physical geography affects the political and economic aspects of countries and the way of life of their people
- Have a basic understanding of land masses and countries, and their relationships to one another