This class is designed to increase the student's joy of reading and writing by developing critical reading and writing skills. The student and teacher will pick a book together. Each class we will explore the richness of the book through:
- in-depth discussion on themes
- pondering character development
- analyzing plot development 
- enjoying figurative language  
- making connections 

The student and the teacher will develop confidence in critical writing through:
- brainstorming writing ideas
- writing responses
- outlining essays
- writing strong sentences
- building clear, colorful paragraphs
- creating beautiful essays

Critical reading/writing project format: 
--Introduction, project/book decision.
--Introduction to book and author. Overview of genre, point of view, and theme.
--Comprehension check and critical analysis of the book's opening chapters. Making predictions.
--Comprehension check and critical analysis of the week's reading. Learning how to think about a text. Review and edit writing responses to reading.
--Comprehension check and critical analysis of the week's reading. Learning how to think about a text. ---
--Review and edit writing responses to reading.
--Comprehension check and critical analysis of the week's reading. Introductory paragraphs. The importance of focusing a thesis.
--Comprehension check and critical analysis of the week's reading. Body paragraphs. Finding and following the logic!
--The pleasure of expression through words. Brining your writing to life by combining your personality with metaphors, similes phrasing, and figures of speech.
--The difficult fact of the first draft. Editing for a second draft. Creating a gem.
--The presentation of the essay. Satisfaction through expression.