Say hello to a platform dedicated to industrious, yet overtasked teachers like you. Say goodbye to countless hours spent developing relevant and engaging ELA lessons. Whether you are teaching the fundamentals of grammar, creative writing skills, classic literature, or contemporary fiction, you will find thousands of activities and assessments to help you achieve a healthier work-life balance without sacrificing academic rigor.
Say hello to a platform dedicated to industrious, yet overtasked teachers like you. Say goodbye to countless hours spent developing relevant and engaging ELA lessons. Whether you are teaching the fundamentals of grammar, creative writing skills, classic literature, or contemporary fiction, you will find thousands of activities and assessments to help you achieve a healthier work-life balance without sacrificing academic rigor.
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (chapters 35, 36, 37, 38, and 39). A crossword puzzle, word search activity, vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: apathetic, bedraggled, conspicuously, deferential, evasive, frivolous, frowzy, inscrutable, jocularity, juvenile, lurid, martyr, monotony, precarious, procure, sneer, sulky, and volition.
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 reading comprehension, support the development of critical thinking skills, and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this bundle for teaching Hans Christian Andersen’s short story “Grandmother,” which centers on themes of appreciating one’s elders and the fleeting nature of physical life. A plot-based quiz, close reading analysis worksheet, the public domain short story, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Determine the function of a given excerpt
Describe the tone of the complete text
Discern the intended effects of figurative language and other narrative techniques
Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including alliteration, sibilance, irony, symbolism, imagery, metaphor, and more
Explore themes in context
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate reading comprehension, support the development of critical thinking skills, and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this bundle for teaching Hans Christian Andersen’s short story “The Old Tombstone,” a narrative that conveys a method by which beauty may always exist in the world despite humanity’s tendency to be ruinous. A plot-based quiz, close reading analysis worksheet, the public domain short story, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consider the greater significance of given details
Discern the tone of a given excerpt
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, symbolism, and situational irony
Conduct brief research as needed to convey how modern memorial services are different from those in the 1800s
Explore themes in context
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about complex literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “The Fox and the Cat,” a cautionary story about hubris and its consequences. The brevity of the narrative also helps to fill awkward gaps in the teaching schedule. The assessment may otherwise double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement with fiction. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The characters’ first impressions of each other
The cat’s question of the fox
The fox’s question of the cat
The cat’s self-proclaimed talent
The fox’s self-proclaimed talents
The fox’s offer to the cat
The fate of the cat
And more
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement chapter 7 of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. A crossword puzzle, word search activity, vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: abounding, abyss, affront, dart, earnestly, elude, gibberish, inviolate, keenly, portentous, presumptuous, relinquish, sagely, sneer, tangible, truculent, weary, and whimper.
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 chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. A crossword puzzle, word search activity, vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: credulity, implore, indifferent, melancholy, notorious, permeate, poignant, scamper, skeptically, swoon, tinny, unintelligible, urbane, vacuous, vague, vehemently, veranda, and wan.
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 chapter 2 of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. A crossword puzzle, word search activity, vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: ambiguously, apathetically, coarse, countenance, deft, desolate, flounce, haste, incessant, jovially, languid, muslin, obscure, saunter, scrawny, strident, sumptuous, and vigorously.
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 chapter 5 of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. A crossword puzzle, word search activity, vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: abortive, confounding, corrugated, defunct, disheveled, exultant, fumble, gaudily, innumerable, nebulous, obliged, obstinate, peasantry, ragged, reluctance, scrutinize, suppressed, and tactlessly.
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
Frontload assigned readings with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of Margaret Atwood’s dystopian fiction novel The Handmaid’s Tale. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are nine vocabulary application activities, nine crossword puzzles, nine word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
A total of 162 challenging words are addressed: abdicate, absolve, acquisitive, adrenaline, affront, ambiguous, anguished, apathetic, appease, approbation, archaic, assent, atrocity, audacity, banter, barren, bedraggled, benevolent, bereaved, beseech, blasphemy, blatantly, blitzkrieg, camaraderie, candid, catastrophe, clad, clamber, commotion, commune, complicity, condone, conspicuously, debase, decadent, decorous, deferential, defiantly, demurely, diffuse, dingy, disconsolate, dismay, eccentric, emaciated, evasive, falter, famished, fervor, festoon, frivolous, frowzy, fruitful, furtively, futility, gaiety, genial, genteel, grudgingly, heretical, ignominious, illicit, implore, incredulous, indifferent, indignation, indignity, ingratiate, innocuous, insatiability, inscrutable, irreverent, jaunty, jocularity, juvenile, languid, lethargic, lithe, lugubrious, lurid, luxuriate, macabre, martyr, melancholy, melodramatic, menial, mirth, monotony, munificent, obscurity, obsolete, obstinately, opaque, ornate, palpable, paranoid, penance, perfunctory, pervade, pious, placid, plaintively, platitude, plumage, precarious, primitive, procure, prude, purloin, quagmire, querulous, rancid, ravenous, rebuke, relinquish, reminiscence, repentance, replenish, reproach, respectively, revile, rickety, sanctity, sardonic, sedately, serene, servile, shrill, smoldering, sneer, solemn, solitude, squeamish, stagnant, stealthily, suave, subdued, subversive, suffuse, sulky, superfluous, surly, tactile, transgression, treachery, tremulous, trivial, trivialize, uncouth, undulate, vague, viable, vindictive, volition, wary, whimper, whimsical, wimple, wince, wistful, withered, and zeal.
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 the dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (chapters 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, and 46). A crossword puzzle, word search activity, vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: abdicate, assent, banter, complicity, decorous, implore, incredulous, munificent, penance, pervade, placid, platitude, purloin, relinquish, sardonic, serene, shrill, and zeal.
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 reading comprehension, support the development of critical thinking skills, and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this bundle for teaching the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “The Fox and the Cat,” a cautionary story about hubris and its consequences. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, the public domain short story, and answer keys are included. The brevity of the narrative helps to fill awkward gaps in the teaching schedule, while the supporting activity upholds rigor in the classroom. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Describe the tone of a given excerpt
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Discern the intended effect of figurative language in context
Consider the greater significance of a given detail
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with an emphasis on hubris, invective, and metaphor
Explore themes in context
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of activities to complement the Gothic fiction novel Dracula by Bram Stoker (chapters 11, 12, and 13). A crossword puzzle, a vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: ashen, avarice, badinage, decorum, dismay, emaciated, engrossed, feeble, fitfully, harrowing, insolent, obsequious, pedantry, placidly, poignant, sentimental, wary, 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
Support the development of high school close reading skills and analysis of Shakespeare’s The Tempest with this worksheet on Act 1, scene 1. A variety of high-order question types facilitates the process of analyzing character motivations, examining how word choices influence a reader’s interpretations, applying knowledge of literary devices, and articulating ideas in writing with clarity and precision. This resource is delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. A detailed answer key is included.
More specifically, students will be able to:
Articulate what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Write with clarity and precision
Cite specific, relevant textual evidence in support of a claim or idea
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on hyperbole
Articulate the responsibilities of a boatswain
Cite textual evidence in support of the claim that the king’s loyalists are arrogant
Define complex words or phrases in context
Verify interpretations using reference materials including a dictionary or thesaurus
Identify what dialogue reveals about characterization
Articulate why Gonzalo is less concerned about dying than others onboard the ship
Analyze Gonzalo’s dialogue to discern his philosophical perspective on life
Articulate how Nature influences class systems based on this scene
Support the development of high school close reading skills and analysis of Shakespeare’s The Tempest with this worksheet on Act 1, scene 2. A variety of high-order question types facilitates the process of analyzing character motivations, examining how word choices influence a reader’s interpretations, applying knowledge of literary devices, and articulating ideas in writing with clarity and precision. This resource is delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. A detailed answer key is included.
More specifically, students will be able to:
Articulate what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Write with clarity and precision
Cite specific, relevant textual evidence in support of a claim or idea
Articulate what Miranda and the audience (or readers) have in common
Analyze what is revealed about Miranda through her interactions with Prospero
Identify character motivations
Demonstrate knowledge of Prospero’s emotional state as it relates to his past with Antonio
Define complex words or phrases in context
Very interpretations of words and phrases using reference materials like a dictionary and thesaurus
Analyze what is revealed about Gonzalo’s psychological state through his actions
Articulate a primary function of a given excerpt
Identify and explain an example of dramatic irony
Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and facilitate analysis of Shakespeare’s craft with this close reading worksheet covering Act 2, scene 2, of The Tempest. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
This resource may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Determine several functions of a particular excerpt
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Describe the tone of a particular excerpt
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on situational irony
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works
Support the development of close reading skills with this comprehensive bundle of worksheets composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze Shakespeare’s classic drama The Tempest. With an activity for each individual scene, this bundle saves teachers valuable time without sacrificing academic rigor. All materials are delivered as printable PDFs and Word Documents. Answer keys are provided.
Students will be able to do the following:
Articulate what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Write with clarity and precision
Cite specific, relevant textual evidence in support of a claim or idea
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on hyperbole
Articulate the responsibilities of a boatswain
Cite textual evidence in support of the claim that the king’s loyalists are arrogant
Define complex words or phrases in context
Verify interpretations using reference materials including a dictionary or thesaurus
Identify what dialogue reveals about characterization
Articulate why Gonzalo is less concerned about dying than others onboard the ship
Analyze Gonzalo’s dialogue to discern his philosophical perspective on life
Articulate how Nature influences class systems based on this scene
Articulate what Miranda and the audience (or readers) have in common
Analyze what is revealed about Miranda through her interactions with Prospero
Demonstrate knowledge of Prospero’s emotional state as it relates to his past with Antonio
Analyze what is revealed about Gonzalo’s psychological state through his actions
Articulate a primary function of a given excerpt
Articulate why Gonzalo’s bringing up Claribel is a mistake
Identify what Alonso believes is the cause of his misfortune
Articulate Gonzalo’s opinion of what constitutes an ideal society
Articulate what Caliban assumes about the reason for Trinculo’s appearance
Identify the means by which Stephano and Trinculo derive some of their courage
Articulate the conditions under which Caliban will revere Stephano and Trinculo
Articulate how Stephano came into possession of a cask of wine
Articulate how Caliban entices Stefano to participate in his plot
Articulate how Ariel complicates matters for Trinculo specifically
Determine the part of speech of a given word in context
Articulate what causes Stefano and Trinculo to be afraid
Analyze how Antonio and Sebastian demonstrate cowardliness
Identify textual details that contribute to the surreal tone of the scene
Identify whether Ariel believes the king’s party may avoid eternal damnation
Articulate the effect Ariel’s speech has on the king’s party
Conduct brief research on the mythological harpy and analyze what the creature has in common with Ariel
Analyze Shakespeare’s craft to discern and explain how humor is incorporated into the scene
And more
Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and facilitate analysis of Shakespeare’s craft with this close reading worksheet covering Act 2, scene 1, of The Tempest. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
This resource may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Describe the tone of a particular excerpt
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare two characters (Antonio and Sebastian)
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on situational irony
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works
Promote homework accountability and measure general reading comprehension with this quiz on Act 3 of The Tempest by William Shakespeare. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
Ferdinand’s status at the start of the Act
Ferdinand’s perspective on doing hard labor
The interactions between Ferdinand and Miranda
The effect of said interactions on Prospero
Caliban’s resentment of Trinculo
Stephano’s visions of the future
Ariel’s eavesdropping on Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban
A strange occurrence
Ariel’s warnings to King Alonso and his attendants
Prospero’s observations
King Alonso’s psychological state
Gonzalo’s concerns about his cohorts
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this quiz covering Act 4 of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. The quiz may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the play. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Prospero’s advice for the engaged couple, Miranda and Ferdinand
Ariel’s role in terms of arranging the wedding ceremony
Gifts given to Miranda and Ferdinand
The sprites who impersonate various goddesses
An interruption during the wedding festivities
Prospero’s erratic behavior
How Prospero intends to entice his enemies
Caliban’s awareness of a trap
Prospero’s assessment of Caliban’s character
Caliban’s epiphany
The appearance of spirits in the form of animals
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this bundle of plot-based quizzes covering William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. These assessments may double as guided reading handouts to facilitate active engagement with the play. Answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The purpose of King Alonso’s travels
The calmest character in the midst of a terrible storm
Prospero’s former title
The relationship between Prospero and Miranda
Prospero’s intentions
Prospero’s studies
The relationship between Prospero and Antonio
Ariel’s function
Ferdinand’s sadness
The characterization of Sycorax
Interactions between Prospero and Ariel
The first interaction between Ferdinand and Miranda
Prospero’s feelings toward Ferdinand
Gonzalo’s interactions with King Alonso
Sebastian’s interactions with King Alonso
The reason for King Alonso’s emotional distress
Ariel’s effect on the shipwrecked crew
Antonio’s planned betrayal of King Alonso
Caliban’s feelings toward Prospero
The role of Trinculo
Trinculo’s reaction to Caliban
The characterization of Stephano
Caliban’s assumption about Trinculo and Caliban
Caliban’s decision to serve Stephano
Ferdinand’s status at the start of the Act
Ferdinand’s perspective on doing hard labor
The interactions between Ferdinand and Miranda
The effect of said interactions on Prospero
Caliban’s resentment of Trinculo
Stephano’s visions of the future
Ariel’s eavesdropping on Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban
A strange occurrence
Ariel’s warnings to King Alonso and his attendants
Prospero’s observations
King Alonso’s psychological state
Gonzalo’s concerns about his cohorts
Prospero’s advice for the engaged couple, Miranda and Ferdinand
Ariel’s role in terms of arranging the wedding ceremony
Gifts given to Miranda and Ferdinand
The sprites who impersonate various goddesses
An interruption during the wedding festivities
Prospero’s erratic behavior
How Prospero intends to entice his enemies
Caliban’s awareness of a trap
Prospero’s assessment of Caliban’s character
Caliban’s epiphany
The appearance of spirits in the form of animals
Miranda and Ferdinand’s actions
Advice given to help Prospero “become tender”
Prospero’s reason for letting his enemies go
A major personal decision made by Prospero
Ariel’s fate
Alonso’s dynamic character
Prospero’s reason for not accusing his enemies of treason
The fate of the shipwrecked crew
Caliban’s promise
Prospero’s storytelling
Ariel’s last act of helping Prospero
Conditions under which Caliban will be freed