During weekly class sessions, we will work on developing close reading skills that will help middle schoolers progress as readers and writers.
Class will begin with the review of a short reading assignment. Students will be given 10 to 15 minutes to review this passage and take notes based on the instructor's guidelines. 
We will then come together as a class and discuss the details of the text, looking at the following elements:
- what it is about
- language
- structure
- figurative language

Depending on whether we are reviewing fiction or non-fiction, we will also consider:
For fiction:
- characters
- themes
- settings
- narrative voice
- audience

For non-fiction:
- audience
- evidence
- layout