WriteAtHome
A-G Status: WriteAtHome A-G English 9 is designed to fulfill the California A-G requirements for English and awards one full year of credit. Each charter school determines A-G course options for its students. Please reach out to your charter school teacher to confirm that this course is an A-G offering at your school.

About This Course

A-G English 9 is WriteAtHome's comprehensive ninth-grade English course, combining literature and writing instruction in a single enrollment that appears as one English credit on transcripts. Your student reads, discusses, and analyzes eight major literary works while also developing writing skills through weekly assignments reviewed by a dedicated writing coach.

Literature instruction is delivered through weekly live online classes with an experienced teacher. Writing assignments are submitted online and returned with detailed, personalized feedback from a trained writing coach, not auto-grading. Your student works at a consistent pace throughout the school year, building fluency in both literary analysis and composition.

  • Live literature classes, Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. Pacific
  • Recorded lectures available if your student misses a session
  • Dedicated writing coach provides personalized feedback on every assignment
  • Weekly reading quizzes and discussion questions
  • Annual course, one English credit on transcript
  • Read and analyze literary and informational texts with close attention to evidence and author's craft
  • Write arguments, informational essays, and narratives using clear structure and textual support
  • Participate in academic discussions and develop skills in speaking and listening
  • Understand conventions of standard English grammar and usage in reading and writing contexts
  • Interpret themes, character development, and literary devices across a range of genres: drama, poetry, short fiction, and long-form prose
  • Analyze primary and informational sources alongside literary texts
  • Develop a writing process from prewriting through revision and final draft, with personalized coach feedback at each stage

This course meets California A-G requirements for English (Category B). For complete standards documentation, visit the California A-G Standards Alignment page.

Schedule Annual  ·  Live, online  ·  Wednesdays 10:00 a.m. Pacific

A-G English 9 is an annual course. Literature classes meet live every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific; recorded sessions are available if your student cannot attend live. Pricing and purchase order details are available through your school's purchasing department.

SessionFormatMeeting Time
Full Year Live, online Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. Pacific
Reading List

Your student is responsible for obtaining the books listed below. All other readings, including short stories, poetry, articles, and essays, are provided digitally by WriteAtHome. See the Complete Reading List for all readings in course order.

Title Author
Of Mice and MenJohn Steinbeck
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee
Our TownThornton Wilder
The CrucibleArthur Miller
MacbethWilliam Shakespeare
A Wrinkle in TimeMadeleine L'Engle
Lord of the FliesWilliam Golding
Narrative of the Life of Frederick DouglassFrederick Douglass
Writing Instruction Three-draft process  ·  Personal writing coach

The writing component of A-G English 9 builds the foundational skills of high school composition alongside the literature curriculum. Your student writes for a variety of purposes, including narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive, and works through a full three-draft process for most assignments: prewriting, drafting, revising with coach feedback, proofreading, and a final draft.

Lessons address the principles that make writing work: content, structure, word choice, rhythm, style, and mechanics, as well as clarity, coherence, conciseness, and unity. Your student also practices writing under time constraints. By the end of the year, your student is able to respond to feedback on their writing through revising and proofreading, apply grammar and mechanics rules in context, and show consistent improvement across content, style, and form.

Learn more about how WriteAtHome teaches writing.

Assignments and Assessment Quizzes, discussion posts, writing assignments

WriteAtHome grades reading quizzes, discussion posts, writing assignments, and the creative project. The oral presentation and collaborative project assignments are provided with rubrics for parents or charter school teachers to evaluate.

Assignment Type Description Frequency
Reading Quizzes Short comprehension quizzes covering assigned readings, reinforcing careful reading and retention. Weekly
Discussion Posts Written responses to literature discussion prompts. Your student practices forming and supporting interpretive claims about texts read in class. Graded by the lit TA or writing coach. Weekly
Writing Assignments Weekly writing assignments are submitted online and returned with detailed, personalized feedback from your student's writing coach. A rubric score is given on the final draft of each paper. Weekly
Creative Project The creative assignment gives your student an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the literature in a way other than writing. Your student's writing coach will grade the creative project. Once
Oral Presentation & Collaborative Project Assignments and rubrics are provided by WriteAtHome. Grading is completed by parents or charter school teachers. Once each
Instructors Literature teacher  ·  Writing coach
Brian Wasko

Brian Wasko is the founder and president of WriteAtHome. A graduate of the University of Virginia, he began teaching high school English in a public school in 1988. He began offering weekly writing classes to local teen homeschoolers in 1994, developing his own curriculum and seeing rapid growth in their writing skills. The idea of offering courses to homeschoolers everywhere came to him a few years later, and WriteAtHome.com was born. Today, Brian shares his passion for books by teaching all our middle and high school literature classes.

Your student is also assigned a dedicated WriteAtHome writing coach who reviews all writing assignments and provides directive, personalized feedback. Writing coaches are trained and supervised by WriteAtHome's VP of Coaching and Care.

How to Enroll

Enrollment is handled through your charter school. Check with your school's purchasing department for enrollment details, purchase order procedures, and course approval specific to your school.

Questions? Contact WriteAtHome at info@writeathome.com.

WriteAtHome is Fully Accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges

Supplementary Education Center/Program:

WriteAtHome (4-12) is Fully Accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools

Western Association of Schools and Colleges

533 Airport Blvd., Suite 200

Burlingame, CA 94010

Website: www.acswasc.org