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.
Help middle and high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet covering a classic Grimm’s fairy tale titled “Little Red Riding Hood” (also called “Little Red Cap”). 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 exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques
Describe tone in context
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including personification, assonance, sibilance, dramatic irony, and situational irony
Determine the primary function of the epilogue
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
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
Measure comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school and college with this set of rigorous questions on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “The Very Old Folk.” The variety of reading question types also facilitates preparation for standardized testing scenarios. With an estimated Lexile Measure of 1400-1500, this text and its corresponding active reading exercise are appropriate additions to a high school short story unit, especially at the 11th and 12th grade levels. A detailed answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource 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.
By completing this activity, students will demonstrate the following:
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 mindsets
An ability to analyze complex vocabulary and phrasing in context
An ability to navigate specialized reference materials successfully
An ability to analyze a passage to discern its primary purpose
An ability to analyze the text for literary devices such as situational irony
An ability to analyze cause-and-effect relationships
An ability to analyze textual details to infer and articulate the author’s intent
An ability to find and articulate relevant textual details in support of a claim
An ability to articulate what the text indicates both explicitly and implicitly
An ability to write with clarity, logic, and precision
Measure comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school and college with this set of rigorous questions on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “He.” With an estimated Lexile Measure of 1500-1600, this text and its corresponding active reading worksheet are appropriate additions to a high school short story unit, especially at the 12th grade level or in advanced literature classes. A detailed answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource 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 will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.
By completing this activity, students will demonstrate the following:
An ability to define complex vocabulary in context
An ability to navigate specialized reference materials to clarify a word’s precise meaning(s)
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 context clues to identify and articulate author’s intent
An ability to analyze the text for literary devices such as situational irony and foreshadowing
An ability to analyze cause-and-effect relationships
An ability to find and articulate relevant textual details in support of a claim
An ability to articulate what the text indicates both explicitly and implicitly
An ability to write with clarity, logic, and precision
For many high school readers, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “Beyond the Wall of Sleep” by H.P. Lovecraft is a compelling short story that features elements consistent with both genres: dreamy aberrations, astral projection, the possession of a human body, and more. This rigorous worksheet covering “Beyond the Wall of Sleep” helps English teachers extend student learning beyond reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. A detailed answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Analyze nuance in words with similar meanings
Examine the narrator’s attitude toward Freud
Determine the function of a given paragraph
Discern the tone of a particular passage
Examine the author’s choices to infer his intent
Explore character motivations
Analyze how complex characters develop and interact
Identify and explain an example of situational irony
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Defend claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Measure reading comprehension and support the development of close reading skills for high school and college with this set of analysis questions on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “Hypnos.” A variety of reading question types facilitates preparation for standardized testing scenarios. With an estimated Lexile Measure of 1300-1400, this text and its corresponding active reading worksheet are appropriate additions to short story, Halloween, or horror units, especially at the 11th and 12th grade levels. A detailed answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource 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 will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.
By completing this activity, secondary students will demonstrate the following:
An ability to analyze a paragraph in the text in order to discern its primary function.
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 define complex words and phrases in context
An ability to analyze the text to discern the tone of an excerpt
An ability to analyze the text for literary devices such as situational irony
An ability to analyze the author’s craft and articulate the significance of sensory descriptions in the context of a specific excerpt
An ability to find and articulate relevant textual details in support of a claim
An ability to read closely to isolate a correct statement about the text.
An ability to articulate what the text indicates both explicitly and implicitly
An ability to write with clarity and precision
Measure comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school and college with this set of rigorous questions on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “Ex Oblivione.” The variety of reading question types also facilitates preparation for standardized testing scenarios. With an estimated Lexile Measure of 1400-1500, this text and its corresponding active reading exercise are appropriate additions to a high school short story unit, especially at the 11th and 12th grade levels. A detailed answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource 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.
By completing this activity, students will demonstrate the following:
An ability to define complex vocabulary in context
An ability to navigate specialized reference materials to clarify a word’s precise meaning(s)
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 mindsets
An ability to analyze the text for literary devices such as situational irony
An ability to analyze cause-and-effect relationships
An ability to analyze the author’s craft to discern and articulate tone in context
An ability to find and articulate relevant textual details in support of a claim
An ability to articulate what the text indicates both explicitly and implicitly
An ability to write with clarity, logic, and precision
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 Lurking Fear” by H.P. Lovecraft, a short story with elements of horror and supernatural fiction: ghosts, unsolved murders, secret investigations, and bizarre creatures. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative 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 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 tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including assonance and sibilance
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 literaturetly and implicitly
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
For many high school readers, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “Polaris” by H.P. Lovecraft features plot elements consistent with the aforementioned genres: a narrator of questionable sanity, a dreamscape setting, the conflict between imagination and reality, and more. This rigorous worksheet covering “Polaris” (estimated Lexile Measure of 1200-1300) helps English teachers extend student learning beyond reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. A detailed answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Provide an objective description of the story’s setting
Discern how the narrator feels about Polaris and cite textual evidence in support of the claim
Analyze the author’s craft to discern which literary devices are applied, with emphasis on hyperbaton, sibilance, callback, and personification
Analyze a portion of the text to determine tone in context
Identify several variables that put the protagonist and his people at a severe disadvantage against their brutish enemies
Describe the narrator’s physical condition and infer how it may have influenced his opinion of Alos
Understand the narrator’s modes of thinking, particularly as it relates to his failures
Elaborate upon what is revealed in the poem, paying special attention to the Pole Star’s influence on the narrator
Explain the effect that callback and personification have upon the reader
Define complex vocabulary and phrasing in context
Navigate specialized reference materials successfully
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Hamlet. With a focus on Act 4, scene 2, this resource saves teachers valuable time without sacrificing academic rigor. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered as printable PDFs and Word Documents.
This resource 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 will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.
More specifically, students will be able to:
Discern the tone of a given passage
Identify the meaning of a particular line
Identify an example of metaphor and explain its intended meaning
Analyze Hamlet’s dialogue to discern and articulate how he portrays Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as less than human
Cite textual evidence in support of the claim that Hamlet shows disrespect toward the king
Analyze the author’s craft to discern what effect is created by presenting several consecutive brief scenes
Isolate a factual statement about plot development from falsehoods
Help high school students extend beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 4, scene 1, of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided.
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.
More specifically, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Discern the intended effect of Shakespearean language in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Discern the tone of a given passage
Apply knowledge of literary devices including verbal irony, sibilance, personification, consonance, and inversion
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Help high school students extend beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 1, scene 1, of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided.
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 engaging with this resource, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Discern the tone of a given passage
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Analyze plot from a historical context
Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing
Identify context clues that suggest Horatio’s opinion on supernatural occurrences is correct
Explore themes with emphasis on humanity’s relationship with the universe
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet to complement chapter 13 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. An answer key and copy of the chapter, which is in the public domain, are 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 says explicitly and implicitly
Indicate the function of Van Helsing’s telegram to Mina
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including dramatic irony
Make a prediction about potential plot developments
Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet to complement chapter 12 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. An answer key and copy of the chapter, which is in the public domain, are 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 says 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 narrative techniques with emphasis on figurative language and the development of an ominous atmosphere
Consider tone in context
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
List examples of male chauvinism in context
Consider how heteronormativity may play a role in Van Helsing’s decision not to ask the maids to donate their blood to save Lucy’s life
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on personification, alliteration, paradox, onomatopoeia, and more
Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet to complement chapter 11 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. An answer key and copy of the chapter, which is in the public domain, are 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 says 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 narrative techniques with emphasis on the relationship between language and visualization
Consider tone in context
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on foreshadowing and situational irony
Analyze the allusion to Ophelia from Shakespeare’s Hamlet and draw parallels between the play and this text
Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet to complement chapter 10 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. An answer key and copy of the chapter, which is in the public domain, are 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 says explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Consider tone in context
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on elaborative diacope, anaphora, sibilance, and hyperbaton
Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet to complement chapter 9 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. An answer key and copy of the chapter, which is in the public domain, are 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 says explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Consider tone in context
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Contrast two characters
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on dramatic irony
Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet to complement chapter 8 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. An answer key and copy of the chapter, which is in the public domain, are 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 says explicitly and implicitly
Consider the greater significance of given details
Discern the intended effects of the author’s narrative techniques with emphasis on developing suspense
Determine the function of a given excerpt
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including symbolism and dramatic irony
Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet to complement chapter 7 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. An answer key and copy of the chapter, which is in the public domain, are 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 says 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 narrative techniques
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, simile, assonance, consonance, sibilance, personification, and dramatic irony
Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of analysis questions on the short story “The Sparrow and His Four Children” by the Brothers Grimm. The narrative has an estimated Lexile measure of 1200-1300, making it an appropriate addition to a fairy tale or fantasy fiction unit at the high school level, especially at the 11th and 12th grade levels. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource 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.
By completing this exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Articulate the means by which the four children are saved
Articulate the father sparrow’s primary internal conflict
Conduct brief research to address a question that pertains to the plot
Define complex words in context
Make logical inferences from the perspective of the father sparrow
Demonstrate comprehension of figurative language
Analyze the authors’ craft to discern and explain how double-denotation influences meaning
Analyze the authors’ craft to discern how assonance is employed
Analyze the narrative’s biblical allusion and paraphrase how it applies to the story
Explain the situational irony of the youngest bird’s remarks late in the story
Cite textual evidence to support claims and ideas
Write with clarity and precision
Help middle and high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet covering the Grimm’s fairy tale “The Spindle, the Shuttle, and the Needle,” a narrative addressing the values of hard work and devotion. The brevity of the short story helps to fill awkward gaps in the teaching schedule, while the activity upholds rigor in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the text are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and 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 the close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Choose the most appropriate synonym to replace a given word
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Discern the intended effect of narrative techniques in context
Determine the function of a given excerpt
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of several literary devices including alliteration, assonance, hyperbole, euphemism, oxymoron, hypophora, personification, paradox, and situational irony
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fairy tale fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision