PA Virtual Online Ninth Grade: Unleash Your Potential
Embark on an exciting new chapter in your educational journey with Pennsylvania's leading online school. Our Grade 9 program is meticulously designed to offer a comprehensive, engaging, and secure learning experience that caters to the unique needs of high school freshmen. We provide a robust curriculum that not only aligns with state standards but also fosters critical thinking, creativity, and a love for learning.
Cyber Charter High School Grade 9 Curriculum
English Language Arts 9
In our English Language Arts 9 course, students embark on a yearlong journey of literary exploration and analysis. This course features a rich selection of classic and contemporary texts, including Homer's "The Odyssey," Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," and Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game." Students also delve into influential speeches by renowned figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan. The course encourages students to master comprehension and literary analysis strategies, strengthen their oral language skills, and produce clear, coherent writing.
Honors English Language Arts 9
Our Honors English Language Arts 9 course invites students to delve deeper into a diverse range of complex texts. This yearlong course is organized into thematic units, allowing students to engage in in-depth literary analysis of classic and contemporary works. Students will explore texts such as Homer's "The Odyssey," Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," Jack London's "To Build a Fire," and Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game." The course also includes a full-length nonfiction work, "Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way)" by Sue Macy. The course encourages students to strengthen their research skills, critically analyze sources of information, and produce clear, coherent writing. The honors program provides additional opportunities for project-based learning activities, including writing a Shakespearian sonnet and creating an original interpretation of a Shakespearian play.
Algebra 1A
Our Algebra 1A course is a yearlong journey designed for students transitioning from middle school mathematics to high school algebra. This course revisits key algebra readiness skills and deepens students' understanding of fundamental Algebra I topics. The curriculum covers numbers and operations, expressions and equations, ratios and proportions, and basic functions. As students progress through the course, they begin to prepare for the Algebra Keystone exam, which they will take after completing the Algebra 1B course.
Algebra 1B
Algebra 1B is a yearlong course that delves into five critical areas: relationships between quantities and reasoning with equations, linear and exponential relationships, descriptive statistics, expressions and equations, and quadratic functions and modeling. This course builds on the foundation set in Algebra 1A, deepening students' understanding of linear and exponential functions and developing fluency in writing and solving one-variable equations and inequalities. Students will interpret, analyze, compare, and contrast functions represented in various ways. The course emphasizes quantitative reasoning, as students use algebra to represent quantities and the relationships among those quantities. The course culminates with students taking the required state Keystone exam in Algebra.
Honors Algebra I
Our Honors Algebra I course is a yearlong exploration of linear, exponential, and quadratic functions. Students will interpret, analyze, compare, and contrast functions represented numerically, tabularly, graphically, and algebraically. The course incorporates technology to support students in identifying key features and displaying images of the functions. Building upon the basic concepts of functions, the course includes transformations of linear and nonlinear functions. Students deepen their understanding of quantitative reasoning, piecewise, and quadratic functions through performance tasks. The course concludes with students analyzing data through displays and statistical analysis. This course culminates in students taking the required state Keystone exam in Algebra.
Financial Math
This practical yearlong course connects mathematical concepts to personal and business settings. It covers a range of topics including personal financial planning, budgeting, banking, taxes, insurance, long-term investing, buying a house, consumer loans, economic principles, traveling abroad, starting a business, and business data analysis. The course encourages mastery of math skill sets, including percentages, proportions, data analysis, linear systems, and exponential functions.
Geography
Our yearlong Geography course offers an in-depth study of global issues that shape our world today. Using a thematic approach, the course explores the development of human systems, our understanding of the world, and how we organize society. Students are challenged to develop key geographic skills, such as interpreting maps, analyzing data, and comparing theories. The course encourages students to analyze economic trends, compare global markets, and study urban environments. Interactive content enhances students' understanding of the evolution of modern civilization and human systems, from the agricultural revolution to the technological revolution.
Honors Geography
Honors Geography is an advanced yearlong course that delves into current global issues and their impact on today's world. Using a thematic approach, students examine the development of human systems, our understanding of the world, and how we organize society. The course further develops students' geographic skills, including interpreting maps, analyzing data, and comparing theories. The course includes interactive content that facilitates students' understanding of the development of modern civilization and human systems. This is achieved by analyzing economic trends, comparing global markets, and studying urban environments. The course is designed for students who have demonstrated a high level of proficiency in history or have received a teacher's recommendation.
Earth and Space Science
Our year long Earth and Space Science course provides a comprehensive understanding of the phenomena that are central to earth and space sciences and our daily lives. Students explore the universe and delve into Earth's history, structure, weather, biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and resources. They also study the impact of human activities on Earth's resources. The course includes interactive real-world examples, application projects, and lab simulations. Students also have the option to participate in hands-on labs. The course provides a solid foundation for understanding the unique physical characteristics of Earth and how these characteristics compare to other planets in our solar system.
Honors Earth and Space Science
Honors Earth and Space Science is a rigorous yearlong course that offers an in-depth exploration of phenomena central to the earth and space sciences. Students gain a comprehensive understanding of the universe and delve deeper into Earth's history, structure, weather, biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and resources. They also study the impact of human activities on Earth's resources. The course includes interactive real-world examples, application projects, and lab simulations. Students also have the option to participate in hands-on labs. The course provides a solid foundation for understanding the unique physical characteristics of Earth and how these characteristics compare to other planets in our solar system. This course is designed for students who have demonstrated a high level of proficiency in science or have received a teacher's recommendation.
Environmental Science
Our year long Environmental Science course surveys key topics, including the application of the scientific process to environmental analysis, ecology, energy flow, ecological structures, biochemistry, and biogeochemical cycles. Students explore these topics and conduct hands-on, unit-long research projects. They accurately apply the scientific method and process, including the creation of hypotheses. The course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the environment and the impact of human activities on it.
Biology
Our year long Biology course immerses students in the study of life and living organisms, integrating traditional concepts with real-world applications. The course covers a broad range of topics, including biochemistry, cell biology, cell processes, heredity and reproduction, the evolution of life, taxonomy, human body systems, and ecology. Students engage in both hands-on wet labs and virtual lab options, providing a comprehensive and interactive learning experience. The course culminates in students taking the required state Keystone exam in Biology, ensuring they have mastered the key concepts and are ready for advanced studies.
Read More In Our High School Course Guide
Spanish I
Our yearlong Spanish I course provides a comprehensive introduction to high school Spanish, focusing on four key areas of foreign language study: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Each unit is structured around an ongoing adventure story, a new vocabulary theme, and a grammar concept. Students engage in interactive games that reinforce vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension activities, and speaking and writing exercises. The course also includes multimedia cultural presentations that cover major Spanish-speaking regions in Europe and the Americas.
French I
Our yearlong French I course offers a thorough introduction to high school French, emphasizing four key areas of foreign language study: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Each unit is centered around an ongoing adventure story, a new vocabulary theme, and a grammar concept. Students participate in interactive games that reinforce vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension activities, and speaking and writing exercises. The course also features multimedia cultural presentations that cover major French-speaking areas in Europe and across the globe.
German I
Our yearlong German I course provides a comprehensive introduction to high school German, focusing on four key areas of foreign language study: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Each unit is structured around an ongoing adventure story, a new vocabulary theme, and a grammar concept. Students engage in interactive games that reinforce vocabulary and grammar, reading and listening comprehension activities, and speaking and writing exercises. The course also includes multimedia cultural presentations that cover major German-speaking regions in Europe.
Art History I
Our year long Art History I course provides high school students with a comprehensive overview of art history. The course is organized chronologically and by world regions, covering a broad range of topics. These include early medieval and Romanesque art, art from the twelfth to the fourteenth centuries, fifteenth-century European art, sixteenth-century Italian art, the master artists, High Renaissance and Baroque art, and world art from Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Pacific cultures. The course also delves into eighteenth and nineteenth-century art in Europe and the Americas, as well as modern art from these regions.
Music Appreciation
Our year long Music Appreciation course introduces students to the history, theory, and various genres of music. The course takes students on a journey through music history, from the earliest forms of music to contemporary pieces from around the world. The first section of the course covers early musical forms, classical music, and American jazz. The second section explores modern traditions, including gospel, folk, soul, blues, Latin rhythms, rock and roll, and hip hop. The course also examines the relationship between music and social movements, and how the emergence of a global society and the prominence of the Internet are making music more accessible worldwide.
Lifetime Fitness I
This quarter-long course explores safe exercise and injury prevention, nutrition, and weight management. Additional topics include product evaluation and healthy stress management techniques. The goal is to equip high school students with the skills they need to achieve and maintain lifetime fitness. We split our fitness assessments into the five categories: Cardiovascular health, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. Students are encouraged to design their own personal fitness plan to meet their goals.
Healthy Living
This one-semester course invites students to make responsible and informed decisions in important aspects of life, as well as consider healthy attitudes and behavior patterns.
Contemporary Health
This one-semester course examines and analyzes various health topics. It places alcohol use, drug use, physical fitness, healthy relationships, disease prevention, and mental health in the context of creating a healthy lifestyle. Students examine practices and plans they can implement to carry out a healthy lifestyle and the consequences they can face if they do not follow safe practices.
Digital Citizenship and Career Exploration
This 1-quarter, pass/fail course provides students with a comprehensive overview of online learning, independent work, safety, and effective study habits. A mixture of direct-instruction videos, interactive tasks, authentic projects, and rigorous assessments prepares students for high school by teaching them critical study skills.
As well as Electives including:
Astronomy
Civics & Government
Child Development
Computer Applications: Office 2016
Creative Writing
Culinary Arts I
Drawing & Design
Economics
Intro to Coding
Intro to Family and Consumer Science
Literacy Skills
Personal Finance
Psychology
Principles of Business, Marketing, and Finance
Principles of Information Technology
Sports & Entertainment Marketing
Veterinary Science
A Safe & Supportive Online Learning Environment
Parents as Learning Partners
In our online ninth-grade, we view education as a collaboration between school and home. We actively involve parents in their child's cyber schooling, providing regular updates, resources, and support. Together, we can illuminate a bright future for your child.
Ignite Your High School Journey with Pennsylvania's Top Cyber Charter School
Step into the world of high school with confidence and enthusiasm. Our Grade 9 program at Pennsylvania's top cyber charter school is designed to provide a seamless transition into high school, equipping students with the academic skills and personal growth necessary for success. Join us today and experience a transformative education that prepares you for the future. Let's shape your high school journey together, one exciting step at a time.
Ready to Enroll?
