All students will be developing the critical thinking skills to navigate our increasingly complex world.  They will be making inferences and predictions, as well as creating and evaluating.  They will be integrating technology as appropriate.  Further, they will learn how their failth helps them to contribute constructively to their family, school, and community.

Students will be reading across the genres and learning to build and strengthen both analytic and comprehension skills. In addition to short stories, poems and non-fiction pieces from the texts, learners will read one class novel and one independent novel each quarter. 

Class literary selections may be based on various criteria including genres, author's technique, connection to studies in other disciplines (science, history, etc.), or social issues such as bullying, prejudice, or discrimnation. 

Students learn to write in response to their reading as well as how to make both formal and informal presentations. 

Students are expected to apply the skills they learn across the curriculum.