2. Welcome to Dickerson!

3. Welcome to Reading!
Don’t we already know how to read by the 6th Grade?
Our reading class focuses on strategies and concepts to further understand what we read
We focus on novels and non-fiction texts to help add more meaning to our fictional texts.
Fiction: using novels, poetry, short stories, and plays to further understand elements of plot, characterization, setting and more
Non-fiction: using news articles, historical texts and texts from other core classes to find main ideas, supporting details, making inferences and other important reading strategies to help with comprehension

4. Middle School What middle school is about…
Developing positive peer relationships (DMS Challenge)
Learning how to . . .
Solving problems when the answer isn’t obvious
Making the best possible decision
Figuring out how to work with someone next to them that they may not really like

5. General Information
Blog— I keep a weekly updated blog. On Wednesdays, I recap what we have done during the week and give a preview of what we’ll be doing the rest of week
cobblearning.net/mholmquist
I put as many resources as possible on the blog (review guides, graphic organizers, notes, assignment instructions, etc
For all classes: If students get home without what they need for homework, please encourage them to check the blog. If they are absent, they should check the blog to see what they missed and what they might be able to do at home.
Grades
We are on the quarter grade system (every 9 weeks). Grades will be posted to Synergy.