(6th-8th) This course is designed to introduce students to literary analysis (including setting, characterization, point of view, figurative language, style, and theme) and encourage critical thinking and meta-cognitive analysis of academic topics. Through reading classic work by famous authors, guided class discussions (Socratic seminar), writing, and other activities, students will be challenged to make inferences, draw conclusions, extend their analysis, and reflect on connections between literature and their lives and society. They will apply their understanding and skills to write multiple formal essays based on their readings.