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.
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this multiple choice quiz covering Act 2 of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Why Leonato teases Beatrice
Beatrice’s dance partner
Beatrice’s treatment of her dance partner
Borachio and Don John’s deception
Benedick’s self-reflection
Don Pedro’s promise to find Beatrice a husband
Hero’s chambermaid
The nature of Borachio’s interaction with Margaret
A plan to misrepresent Hero
Benedick’s assumptions about his future
Balthasar’s actions
The deception of Benedick
Benedick’s promise to love Beatrice
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this multiple choice quiz covering Act 1 of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The news Leonato receives
Beatrice’s relation to Leonato
Claudio’s romantic interest
Don Pedro’s offer to Claudio
Hero’s relation to Leonato
Don John’s relation to Don Pedro
Conrade’s interactions with Don John
The quality Don John values most
Borachio’s discovery and the method by which he made it
The cause of Don John’s bitterness toward Don Pedro
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering chapters 10 and 11 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An alternate short answer version is provided for re-assessment purposes. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following plot elements:
Atticus’s rule
Miss Maudie’s revelation of Atticus’s skills
The Tim Johnson incident
Why the kids dislike Mrs. Dubose
Mrs. Dubose’s condition
Jem’s misbehavior and subsequent punishment
The true purpose behind Jem’s punishment
“The bravest person I ever knew”
A gift left for Jem
Jem’s misunderstanding of Mrs. Dubose’s intent
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 3, 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
Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile and metaphor
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Determine the tone of the scene
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this quiz covering vignettes 10 through 13 of The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros: “Louie, His Cousin and His Other Cousin,” “Marin,” “Those Who Don’t,” and “There Was an Old Woman She Had So Many Children She Didn’t Know What to Do.” An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Louie and his car accident
Marin’s Puerto Rican boyfriend and her future relationship goal
Marin’s background
Esperanza’s lack of knowledge about other communities leading to fear of those communities
Rosa’s background and personal struggles
A description of the Vargas children
A death resulting from a horrible fall
The significance of the idea of flying, which repeats throughout the story
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this quiz covering vignettes 5 through 9 of The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros: “Cathy Queen of Cats,” “Our Good Day,” “Laughter,” “Gil’s Furniture Bought and Sold,” and “Meme Ortiz.” An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Cathy’s claims
Cathy’s impending move and her alleged reason why her family is moving
The irony of Cathy’s claim
A purchase Esperanza makes with her friends Lucy and Rachel
How Esperanza accumulated enough funds to make the purchase
Esperanza’s realization about how well Nenny understands her
A visit to the junk store
A music box
How Meme broke both of his arms
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this quiz covering vignettes 18 through 21 of The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros: “A Rice Sandwich,” “Chanclas,” “Hips,” and “The First Job.” An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Mom’s note
Esperanza’s desire not to eat lunch at home
The nun’s denial of Esperanza’s request
Esperanza’s deep-rooted feelings of shame
Her cousin’s baptism
Esperanza’s reluctance to dance
Overcoming reluctance
Esperanza’s observation while she dances
A discussion on hips
Esperanza’s similarity to Alicia in terms of a constant search for knowledge
Summer work
Flirting
A distressing kiss
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this quiz covering vignettes 38 through 40 of The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros: “The Monkey Garden,” “Red Clowns,” and “Linoleum Roses.” An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
A peculiar pet
The garden’s deterioration
Tito stealing Sally’s keys and trying to get her to kiss him
Esperanza’s desire to protect Esperanza, only to put herself in jeopardy
A trip to the carnival
Esperanza’s traumatizing experience
Esperanza’s anger at Sally and women
Sally’s marriage
Fairy tales are not just for elementary students; even high school readers can use (and enjoy) fairy tales as a tool for practicing close reading analysis skills. This worksheet composed of rigorous questions covers “Sleeping Beauty” by the Brothers Grimm. With an estimated Lexile Measure range of 1200-1300, the short story is suitable for both middle and high school students. The briefness of the narrative also makes it an appropriate time-filler for awkward gaps in teaching schedules. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this exercise, students will:
Articulate what is stated in the text explicitly and implicitly
Apply knowledge of literary devices including anthropomorphism, symbolism, foreshadowing, and more
Identify the story’s inciting incident
Analyze the author’s craft
Explore relationships between complex characters
Define complex words in context
Articulate conventions of the fairy tale genre
Cite textual evidence in support of inferences and claims
Write with clarity and precision
Evaluate reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapter three of Animal Farm by George Orwell. Alternatively, the quiz may serve as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate more focused engagement with literature. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The horses’ skills
Boxer’s slogan
The characterization of Benjamin
An object of great significance
The interaction between the cat and the sparrow
The contentious nature of the relationship between Napoleon and Snowball
Snowball’s decision regarding the seven commandments
Napoleon’s perspective on education
The pigs’ justification for inequity benefitting them
Intimidation tactics
Evaluate reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapter one of Animal Farm by George Orwell. Alternatively, the quiz may serve as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate more focused engagement with literature. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Setting
The consequences of Mr. Jones’ alcoholism
Old Major’s species
The reason for Old Major’s oration
Old Major’s assessment of England’s climate
The “only real enemy” Old Major believes animals have
An essential claim made by Old Major
An issue on which animals vote
Old Major’s commandments
“Beasts of England”
Mr. Jones’ reaction to thinking there is a fox on his property
Evaluate reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapter two of Animal Farm by George Orwell. Alternatively, the quiz may serve as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate more focused engagement with literature. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The animal who was absent from Old Major’s speech
The fate of Old Major
The significance of Napoleon and Snowball
The Commandments of Animalism
Moses’ statements on what happens after an animal dies
Why Moses is disliked by the other animals
Mollie’s conflict
The most loyal disciples of Animalism
The cause of Mr. Jones’ worsening emotional state
Details about the Revolution
The passing of a resolution
Snowball’s instructions to the animals at the end of the chapter
Evaluate reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapter six of Animal Farm by George Orwell. Alternatively, the quiz may serve as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate more focused engagement with literature. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The year-to-year comparison of the harvest
A newly instituted policy
Squealer’s method of convincing animals the new policy is acceptable
The pigs’ collective lifestyle
Napoleon’s big announcement
Revisions to existing commandments
Muriel’s skill
Benjamin’s general characterization
The fate of the windmill
Napoleon’s response to the windmill’s fate
Evaluate reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapter ten of Animal Farm by George Orwell. Alternatively, the quiz may serve as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate more focused engagement with literature. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Working conditions and general quality of life
The elimination of once common aspects of Animal Farm
A new slogan at Animal Farm
Physical changes to the pigs
The farm’s name change
The reason humans return to the farm
The single remaining commandment
The nature of the interaction between pigs and humans
A conflict between Napoleon and Pilkington
The working animals’ observation of the interaction between pigs and humans
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning duties with this plot-based quiz covering The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (book 1, chapters 6 through 10). An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in a zip file containing both Word Document and PDF versions. By engaging with this material, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Effects of the heat ray
The narrator’s interactions with his wife
The reason many news agencies report that Martians are not a true threat
The arrival of a second cylinder
Factors that contribute to the aliens’ formidability
The item rented by the narrator
The narrator’s intentions
The weather conditions
The means by which Martians travel on Earth
A complication that faces the narrator
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning duties with this plot-based quiz covering The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (book 1, chapters 1 through 5). An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in a zip file containing both Word Document and PDF versions. By engaging with this material, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Setting
Strange sightings on Mars
The Martians’ intentions
First impressions of the Martians’ ship
General characterization of the narrator
The narrator’s assumptions about the cylinder
The identity of a journalist
Physical description of the alien beings
An apparent complication for the extraterrestrials
Acts of violence
Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and practice close reading analysis skills with this rigorous worksheet covering The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (book 1, chapter 1). An answer key is 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 this exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Apply knowledge of literary devices including dramatic irony and simile
Identify the best textual evidence in support of a claim or idea
Determine the most relevant theme among a set of choices
Make logical inferences about the author’s intentions
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 2, scene 1, of Twelfth Night 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:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Examine nuances in words with similar meanings
Discern the tone of dialogue in context
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare and contrast Viola and Sebastian
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on situational irony and dramatic irony
Support claims and inferences with relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 4, scene 1, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. 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 close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Examine cause-and-effect relationships
Describe tone in context
Determine the functions of Edgar’s asides in the scene
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 4, scene 4, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. 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 close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Discern the intended effect of Shakespeare’s narrative techniques
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Consider the symbolism of weeds in context
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Determine the function of the scene
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision