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.
With this bundle of ten plot-based quizzes covering the entirety of Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, high school English teachers will be able to evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability. Answer keys are provided, as well as a copy of the public domain novel, which is divided into ten parts. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Evaluate reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this bundle of resources for teaching Lord of the Flies by William Golding (chapter 11). A multiple choice, plot-based quiz is included along with a set of rigorous, high-order questions. Answer keys are also provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with this resource, students will:
Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze how complex characters interact and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices (personification)
Discern the greater significance of a given detail
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language
Make logical inferences about character behavior
Analyze character intentions and motivations
Define complex words and phrases in context
Identify textual evidence in support of a claim
Evaluate reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this bundle of resources for teaching Lord of the Flies by William Golding (chapter 10). A multiple choice, plot-based quiz is included along with a set of rigorous, high-order questions. Answer keys are also provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource may serve as the basis for 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:
Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze how complex characters interact and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices (metaphor, simile, personification, imagery, situational irony, and syncope)
Make logical inferences about Ralph’s psychological state in the context of a passage
Explore character motivations
Discern the greater significance of a given detail
Explain how a given phrase is a euphemism and why the author chose to employ this device
Articulate the purpose of Wilfred’s brutal punishment in terms of plot development
Identify textual evidence in support of a claim
Write with clarity and precision
Evaluate reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this bundle of resources for teaching Lord of the Flies by William Golding (chapter 12). A multiple choice, plot-based quiz is included along with a set of rigorous, high-order questions. Answer keys are also provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with this resource, students will:
Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze how complex characters interact and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices (personification, aposiopesis, sibilance, and situational irony)
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language
Make logical inferences about character behavior
Analyze character intentions and motivations
Analyze the author’s craft to articulate how the incorporation of frequent em-dashes contributes to storytelling
Articulate the significance of a given detail
Conduct brief research on the author and identify examples of autobiographical parallel
Identify textual evidence in support of a claim
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
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
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
Support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of comprehension and analysis questions on the short story “The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage” by the Brothers Grimm. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative, which has an estimated Lexile measure of 1100-1200, are 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 engaging with these materials, students will:
Demonstrate comprehension of the general plot
Analyze the author’s craft to discern the meaning of particular words and phrases in context
Apply knowledge of literary devices by identifying examples of inciting incident, situational irony, and theme
Support analysis of text by using relevant textual evidence and reasoned logic
Analyze character dialogue and actions to infer their interests and motivations
Write with clarity and precision
Support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of comprehension and analysis questions on Hans Christian Andersen’s short story “The Butterfly.” A variety of question types are included to help prepare for standardized testing scenarios: vocabulary-in-context questions, main idea questions, detail questions, author’s craft questions, and more. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story (estimated Lexile range of 700-800) are included. 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 and implicitly
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity and precision
Verify interpretations of words and phrases using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including situational irony and alliteration
Articulate variables that influence the protagonist’s modes of thinking
Evaluate whether the protagonist is fair in his process of selecting a potential wife
Make logical inferences about characters’ motivations
Explain how the author incorporates foreshadowing into the text
For many high school readers, fairy tales and fantasy fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Red Shoes” by Hans Christian Andersen is about a peasant girl whose obsession with her footwear leads to supernatural events, seemingly divine punishment, and eventual redemption. With this rigorous worksheet composed of high-order questions, English Language Arts teachers will help students extend reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills. A detailed answer key is included. 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
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including dramatic irony, personification, symbolism, and more
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Explore how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others
Make a claim about whether a detail is ironic
Defend claims with valid reasoning and relevant textual details
Explore potential themes
Discern the function of a given paragraph
Connect the text to societally relevant concepts in modern society, such as social mobility
Conduct research to answer questions about autobiographical parallel
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, fairy tales and fantasy fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Buckwheat” by Hans Christian Andersen is a cautionary tale about a young buckwheat whose pride becomes his tragic downfall. With this rigorous worksheet composed of high-order questions, English Language Arts teachers will help students extend reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills. The briefness of the narrative also helps teachers fill awkward gaps in scheduling. A detailed answer key is included. 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
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including hyperbole, alliteration, assonance, hubris, personification, dramatic irony, and more
Analyze a passage to discern author’s intent
Discern the function of a given paragraph
Analyze what characters’ actions reveal about their modes of thinking
Make logical inferences about characters’ actions
Explain how the author incorporates personification into the text
Explore the symbolism of trees and articulate how the old willow tree’s characterization is consistent with symbolic interpretations
Articulate a relevant theme and connect it to plot developments
Defend claims with valid reasoning and relevant textual details
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Save time without sacrificing rigor by utilizing this bundle of analysis worksheets designed to promote close reading skills associated with Fitzgerald’s classic novel The Great Gatsby. 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. Answer keys are included. 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.
Students will be able to do the following:
Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Discern point of view
Analyze character motivations
Analyze how complex characters interact
Clarify cause-and-effect relationships
Apply knowledge of a variety of literary devices including situational irony, hyperbole, simile, alliteration, assonance, metaphor, oxymoron, and others
Articulate the intended effect of metaphorical language
Analyze the author’s craft to determine intent
Make logical inferences about how Tom perceives Myrtle
Demonstrate awareness of how social status influences behavior
Compare Myrtle to the puppy she is gifted
Discern a primary function of a given chapter
Analyze the effect comparing Gatsby to Belasco has on the reader
Infer why the author may have intended to wait to introduce Gatsby until chapter three
Analyze what Nick’s dialogue and behavior at the party reveals about his psychological state
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Articulate how Nick’s expectations of Gatsby are violated
Articulate the cultural significance of the white chauffeur transporting people of color
Discern what Nick finds astonishing about Wolfsheim’s behavior
Identify the primary function of Wolfsheim’s character in the context of the plot
Articulate the technique Fitzgerald uses to spark a significant shift in tone
Identify textual evidence that best supports a claim
Explore the symbolism of an object or objects
Clarify and elaborate on a concern Nick has for Gatsby in a given passage
Explore how Tom sees himself in the context of the tragedies of Gatsby, Myrtle, and Wilson
Write with clarity and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension with this set of quizzes on Life As We Knew It, a dystopian young adult novel by Susan Beth Pfeffer, with emphasis on chapters fifteen through seventeen. A multiple choice assessment is provided, as well as a subjective version. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Questions pertain to the following important details:
Mom’s feelings about needing Miranda’s help
Why Mrs. Nesbitt believes it is better that Miranda visit daily
What Mrs. Nesbitt wants Miranda’s mom to know
The significance of people moving plywood into their living rooms
Miranda’s feelings following the death of Mrs. Nesbitt
Mrs. Nesbitt’s pendant
The alarming discovery at Mrs. Nesbitt’s house following her death
Gray snow and the blizzard
Miranda and Jonny’s plan to help Matt find his way home
Jonny’s discovery about the family’s eating habits
Matt’s suggested diet change
The fantasy that plays out in Miranda’s head
The Adventures of Ulysses by Bernard Evslin is a modern retelling of Homer’s The Odyssey, written in a manner that is easier to process—even for struggling readers. This comprehensive bundle includes the following: multiple choice, plot-based quizzes; close reading analysis activities; a summative test; and answer keys. With these resources, English teachers will be able to evaluate students’ general text comprehension, promote analysis of complex literature, hold learners accountable for completing assigned readings, eliminate at-home assessment planning, and expedite the grading process without sacrificing academic rigor. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with these materials, students will do the following by the end of the novel:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words as they are used in a given passage
Select the best synonyms for given words as they are used in the text
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Discern tone in context
Explore how characters think, behave, and interact
Compare and contrast characters
Examine how setting influences character development
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including foreshadowing, personification, simile, epiphany, understatement, symbolism, situational irony, and dramatic irony
Apply knowledge of various sound devices including sibilance and assonance
Locate relevant textual details in support of the claim that Ulysses was the only crew member with the ability to think critically in the face of danger
Explore themes that are reinforced in a given passage
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension with this set of quizzes on Life As We Knew It, a dystopian young adult novel by Susan Beth Pfeffer, with emphasis on chapters one through four. A multiple choice assessment is provided, as well as a subjective version. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Questions pertain to the following important details:
The relationship between Miranda and her mother
The neighbors’ collective reaction to the meteor strike
The subsequent natural disasters that occur
The significance of school not being cancelled the following day
Miranda’s heroism in the face of disaster
People’s peculiar purchasing habits at the supermarket
Rumors that begin to circulate
Miranda’s step-mother and her condition
Megan’s alarming response to the worldwide disaster
Matt’s arrival home and his comments on heroism
This bundle of editable quizzes measures comprehension and holds students accountable for the assigned reading of Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. For each section of the novel, a multiple choice assessment and short answer alternative are provided. The subjective assessments may double as guided reading worksheets to encourage more active engagement with the text. Answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in both Word Document and PDF formats.
Go beyond reading comprehension with this set of analysis questions for Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Covering a chapter sixteen journal entry dated November 17, this resource supports the development of high school close reading skills and facilitates preparation for standardized testing scenarios. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource may serve as the basis for 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 exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explain the intended effect of figurative language
Consider how an allusion shapes meaning
Analyze differences and nuances in word meanings
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Apply knowledge of literary devices such as onomatopoeia
Explore implications about society in a post-meteor world
Write about literature with clarity and precision
Go beyond reading comprehension with this set of analysis questions for Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Covering a chapter two journal entry dated May 18, this resource supports the development of high school close reading skills and facilitates preparation for standardized testing scenarios. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource may serve as the basis for 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 exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore how complex characters develop and interact
Analyze language to discern the intended effect
Apply knowledge of literary devices including hyperbole and metaphor
Explore the author’s craft
Support claims with relevant textual evidence and reasoning
Write ideas with clarity and precision
And more
Go beyond reading comprehension with this set of analysis questions for Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Covering a chapter one journal entry dated May 11, this resource supports the development of high school close reading skills and facilitates preparation for standardized testing scenarios. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource may serve as the basis for 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 exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore how complex characters develop and interact
Analyze language to discern the intended effect
Apply knowledge of literary devices including pun
Make logical inferences about the protagonist’s modes of thinking
Discern the main function of a given excerpt
