Save time without sacrificing rigor by utilizing resources designed for teachers to measure their students' skills in areas such as close reading, analytical thinking, and creative writing.
Save time without sacrificing rigor by utilizing resources designed for teachers to measure their students' skills in areas such as close reading, analytical thinking, and creative writing.
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Patricia McKissack’s short story “The 11:59,” a narrative addressing the futility of controlling fate. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Utilize dictionaries to ensure knowledge of word meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Describe the tone of a given comment
Determine the functions of given excerpts
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, foreshadowing, oxymoron, personification, situational irony, and more
Consider themes in context
Conduct research as needed to answer questions about relevant plot points
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the short story “The War of the Wall” by Toni Cade Bambara. The resource may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the narrative. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The narrator’s feelings toward the wall
The narrator’s feelings toward the painter
The name of the person whose name is chiseled into the wall
The general characterization of the narrator’s mother
The Morris twins’ offer to the painter
Why the narrator’s mother says an artist’s life is hard
What the narrator’s mother thinks is a real shame
The narrator’s devious plans
Historical figures painted on the wall
The significance of the painted flowers
Side Pocket’s observations about the mural
The painter’s identity
Help middle and high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering the short story “A Day’s Wait” by Ernest Hemingway. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Utilize dictionaries to ensure knowledge of word meanings
Choose the most appropriate synonym to replace an adjective in the text
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including alliteration, assonance, cacophony, and sibilance
Consider themes in context
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
This bundled close reading resource promotes thoughtful, critical analysis of several classic Grimms’ fairy tales, helping students focus on significant details to develop improved reading proficiency and contribute more meaningfully to class discussion. Each close reading assessment includes an answer key with detailed explanations for correct options. You will receive two versions of each individual item: a Word Document version and a PDF version.
These resources may serve as the basis for small-group discussions. Through these discussions, students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development, demonstrating an ability to analyze how complex characters transform and advance the plot and themes by applying logic and citing compelling, meaningful textual evidence. They will also evaluate their peers’ reasoning and use of rhetoric to advance claims, clarifying or challenging unclear ideas. Using this resource for structured guidance, students, ultimately, will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.
Make reading more purposeful with these close reading activities to support students in their efforts to demonstrate the following:
An ability to define complex vocabulary in context
An ability to analyze context clues and draw logical inferences about character motivations
An ability to analyze context clues and draw logical inferences about character relationships
An ability to analyze the text for literary devices such as foreshadowing, situational irony, dramatic irony, theme, symbolism, dynamic character, and more
An ability to find and articulate relevant textual details in support of a claim
An ability to analyze context clues to discern and articulate the significance of a given detail
An ability to articulate what the text indicates both explicitly and implicitly
An ability to write with clarity and precision
Help middle and high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering “The Twelve Huntsmen,” a classic Grimm’s fairy tale. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials as needed to verify word meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on anthropomorphism, assonance, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, hyperbole, metaphor, sibilance, simile, and situational irony
Consider themes in context
Argue whether the narrative perpetuates stereotypes about women or fights against stereotypes about women
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “The Twelve Huntsmen.” Alternatively, the assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement with the narrative. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The protagonist’s personal tragedy
An internal conflict the protagonist experiences
The maiden’s personal desires
The special quality of the lion
Incidents characterized by dramatic irony
The maiden’s medical incident
The significance of a ring
The resolution
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “The Twelve Huntsmen.” A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: acrimonious, betrothed, counsel, doleful, entreat, exultant, genial, harrow, infirm, jovial, latter, subdue, summon, and treachery.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering “The Tomb” by H.P. Lovecraft, a short story with elements of Gothic fantasy that evokes the works of Edgar Allan Poe. The assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate engagement with the text. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative, which is especially fitting for the Halloween season, are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The narrator’s confinement
The protagonist’s self-image
The name of a long-gone family
The legend surrounding the long-gone family
The protagonist’s interest in the legend from a young age
The protagonist’s attempts to gain access to a tomb
The reason the protagonist stops trying to access the tomb
Aspects of the protagonist’s characterization that astound his family
The protagonist’s ancestry
A discovery in the attic
A discovery inside the vault
How the narrator’s parents demonstrate concern for their son
Events that seem to transpire when the protagonist enters the cellar
The protagonist’s intensifying phobia
The contents of an antique box
A servant’s actions to help the narrator
Gothic fiction, fantasy, and horror are genres that appeal to many high school readers, and H.P. Lovecraft checks all the boxes. Promote active literary engagement with this bundle of reading comprehension quizzes and close reading analysis activities covering a variety of Lovecraft’s short stories: “The Outsider,” “The Beast in the Cave,” “The Tomb,” “The Cats of Ulthar,” “The Hound,” and “The Moon Bog.” Answer keys and copies of public domain narratives are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering “The Tomb” by H.P. Lovecraft, a short story with elements of Gothic fantasy that evokes the works of Edgar Allan Poe. A detailed answer key and copy of the public domain narrative, which is especially fitting for the Halloween season, are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Make logical inferences about the author’s inspiration
Examine how the protagonist is introduced
Explore the functions of given paragraphs
Examine cause-and-effect relationships
Discern the intended effect of the author’s diction
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Examine the connotative significance of words or phrases
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including personification and onomatopoeia
Draw parallels between the narrator and the mythical figure Theseus
Articulate how a particular paragraph contributes to character development
Explore the symbolic importance of incidents and objects including the extinguishing of light and a lightning bolt
Examine the nature of the relationship between the narrator and his family
Explain an example of situational irony in the context of a given paragraph
Consider the role of an unreliable narrator in the context of the plot
Justify responses with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support vocabulary development, enhance reading comprehension, and indulge the Halloween spirit no matter the time of year with this set of games and activities to complement “The Tomb” by H.P. Lovecraft, a short story with elements of Gothic fantasy that evokes the works of Edgar Allan Poe. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the public domain text, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: accordingly, accost, admonish, allude, archaism, beckon, boisterous, commence, conviviality, declivity, dryad, empiricism, erudition, habitual, interment, inure, keen, mirth, monotony, phosphorescence, prosaic, sojourn, sultry, sylvan, tangible, temperament, transmute, uncanny, verdure, and voluble.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Help middle and high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering “Old Rinkrank,” a classic Grimm’s fairy tale. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will perform the following tasks:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Examine how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Evaluate the protagonist’s positive attributes and how they benefit her as the plot develops
Compare and contrast two characters (Old Rinkrank and the king)
Apply knowledge of literary devices with an emphasis on situational irony
Analyze the author’s craft to determine what the name Mother Mansrot suggests about the antagonist’s thinking
Consider themes in context
Defend claims and ideas with valid reasoning and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class/leave class better prepared to discuss literary material
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of activities for teaching “The Tomb” by H.P. Lovecraft, a short story with elements of Gothic fantasy that evokes the works of Edgar Allan Poe. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the public domain narrative, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Determine the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the functions of given excerpts
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Draw parallels between the narrator and the mythical figure Theseus
Consider the role of an unreliable narrator in the context of the plot
Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification, symbolism, situational irony, and onomatopoeia
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “Old Rinkrank.” A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: acquiesce, ascend, avaricious, betrothed, despondent, exultation, feeble, haggard, hasten, implore, lament, subterranean, and weary.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “Old Rinkrank.” Alternatively, the assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement with the narrative. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The terms of marrying a princess
What the mountain is made of
Why the princess travels to the mountain
The misfortune of the princess
Old Rinkrank’s antagonistic traits
The means by which Old Rinkrank reaches the top of the mountain
A peculiar nickname for the princess
The princess’ resistance to Old Rinkrank
A distinguishing physical characteristic of Old Rinkrank
How Old Rinkrank is trapped
Old Rinkrank’s fate
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “Old Rinkrank.” A plot-based quiz, a close reading worksheet, vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques
Examine how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Evaluate the protagonist’s positive attributes and how they benefit her as the plot develops
Compare and contrast two characters (Old Rinkrank and the king)
Apply knowledge of literary devices with an emphasis on situational irony
Consider themes in context
Defend claims and ideas with valid reasoning and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class/leave class better prepared to discuss literary material
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: assail, athwart, beseech, boisterous, counsel, fair, heavy, idle, languish, lusty, moved, obscure, parlous, pernicious, portentous, princox, quarrel, sirrah, soft, sup, tetchy, vain, vexed, and woo.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Act 5 of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: arbitrate, aweary, bait, bane, bough, fain, false, harbinger, hew, holily, industrious, intrenchant, kern, lily-livered, loon, mortified, perilous, prowess, purgative, rabble, raze, shadow, tarry, and unrough.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Act 3 of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: absolve, affray, amerce, baggage, bedeck, beguiled, corse, decree, descend, fain, fond, forbear, garish, lamentation, lenity, naught, plead, runagate, slander, smatter, sullen, tedious, weraday, and wot.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Help high school students navigate William Shakespeare’s language with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of Macbeth. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 5 vocabulary application activities, 5 crossword puzzles, 5 word search games, and answer keys. Materials delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
A total of 121 words are addressed: abide, abjure, affliction, anon, appease, arbitrate, avaricious, avaunt, avouch, aweary, bait, bane, barren, beldam, benison, bent, bestow, blaspheme, boast, bodement, bough, brainsickly, broil, buffet, chastise, cherubin, clamor, commend, compunctious, concord, consort, deftly, desolate, dispatch, doff, dun, entreat, ere, fain, false, fantastical, firstling, fitful, foison, fry, gild, glare, gout, groom, harbinger, haste, hew, hie, holily, homely, hurly-burly, husbandry, implore, impress, incarnadine, industrious, infirm, intrenchant, kern, largess, liege, lily-livered, loon, malice, marrowless, metaphysical, mettle, mortal, mortified, multitudinous, muse, naught, obscure, pain, palpable, parricide, perchance, perilous, pernicious, pine, pious, posset, prithee, prowess, purgative, quarrel, quoth, rabble, rapt, raze, rebuke, reign, relish, repose, rue, saucy, scarcely, shadow, sirrah, sleight, spongy, stanchless, stealthy, stern, suborn, summon, swift, tarry, thither, thriftless, timely, toil, treachery, unrough, verity, and woeful.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences