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 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 William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Delivered in 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 meaning of complex words and figurative language in context
Determine the function of a given passage
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare Gloucester and Lear
Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony, metaphor, assonance, and personification
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 1, scene 4, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Delivered in 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
Choose the most appropriate synonym for a given word
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including synecdoche, antithesis, aphorism, and allusion
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 1, scene 3, 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
Define words/phrases as they are used in the text
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on hyperbole
Help high school students develop a greater understanding of how Jack London used descriptive language, direct and indirect characterization, and figurative language to generate distinct characters and a compelling piece of adventure fiction in “To Build a Fire.” Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this resource serves well for an independent learning opportunity, as well as for small-group discussions. Through such discussions, students may evaluate peers’ reasoning and use of rhetoric to support claims, clarifying or challenging ideas as needed. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included.
Help high school students develop a greater understanding of how Richard Connell used descriptive language, direct and indirect characterization, and figurative language to generate a distinct protagonist and compelling piece of adventure fiction in “The Most Dangerous Game.” Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this resource serves well for an independent learning opportunity, as well as for small-group discussions. Through such discussions, students may evaluate peers’ reasoning and use of rhetoric to support claims, clarifying or challenging ideas as needed. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included.
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 7, 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 do the following:
Discern what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Analyze character statements and behaviors to draw logical inferences about character development and motivations
Determine the tone of a given passage
Determine the functions of a given passage
Isolate a true statement about plot from falsehoods
Apply knowledge of a variety of literary devices including hubris, personification, metaphor, and irony
Provide textual evidence in support of a claim about Claudius
Articulate ideas with clarity 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 6, 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, ultimately, will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.
More specifically, students will do the following:
Discern what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Analyze character statements and behaviors to draw logical inferences about character development and motivations
Analyze how characters interact
Determine the primary purpose of Hamlet’s letter to Horatio
Apply knowledge of literary devices to the text
Analyze complex vocabulary and phrasing in context to determine meaning and intended effect
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 5, 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, ultimately, will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.
More specifically, students will do the following:
Discern what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Determine the function of a given passage
Analyze character statements and behaviors to draw logical inferences about character development and motivations
Discern the tone of a given passage
Apply knowledge of literary devices to the text
Analyze complex vocabulary and phrasing in context to determine meaning and intended effect
Locate textual evidence in support of claims
Compare and contrast Hamlet and Ophelia
Compare and contrast Hamlet and Laertes
Articulate ideas with clarity 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 3, scene 4, 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
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on metaphor and personification
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 2, 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
Compare and contrast two characters
Determine the function of the scene
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on situational irony
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 5, 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
Apply knowledge of literary devices including euphemism, simile, personification, and hyperbole
Conduct brief research to answer a question connecting the drama to aspects of Greek mythology
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 4, 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
Determine the primary function of a given passage
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Examine the effect of Shakespeare’s figurative language upon the reader
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare and contrast two characters
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Help high school students develop a greater understanding of how Hans Christian Andersen used descriptive language, characterization, figurative language, and other literary devices to establish a fairy tale atmosphere and empathetic protagonist in “The Little Mermaid.” This resource serves well for an independent learning opportunity, as well as for small-group discussions. Through such discussions, students may evaluate peers’ reasoning and use of rhetoric to support claims, clarifying or challenging ideas as needed. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
Save time without sacrificing rigor in the high school Creative Writing classroom with this Common Core-aligned unit plan and these comprehensive materials for engaging students fully in the narrative writing process. Included are the following:
A detailed, standards-based unit plan articulating the unit’s transfer goal(s), essential question(s), enduring understanding(s), learning target(s), academic vocabulary, formative assessment(s), summative performance task(s), and learning plan(s).
A PowerPoint presentation addressing the conventions of the fantasy genre.
Representative fantasy narratives.
Worksheets to facilitate analysis of representative literature.
Detailed project directions.
A comprehensive outline for student planning.
A document to facilitate the editing process.
A comprehensive rubric for evaluating student writing.
By engaging with these materials, students will do the following:
Develop greater understanding of the conventions of the fantasy genre.
Analyze how John Collier used figurative language (simile, metaphor, and euphemism), characterization, direct description, and foreshadowing to generate a compelling fantasy narrative in “The Chaser.”
Analyze how Ursula K. Le Guin used characterization and grammatically improper language to develop an anthropomorphized protagonist in “The Wife’s Story.”
Organize initial ideas in a coherent manner.
Engage the reader with a compelling exposition that establishes setting, characters, and conflicts
Use many appropriate narrative techniques (dialogue, dialect, description, pacing, etc.) to enhance a plot that is consistent with the fantasy genre
Draft a coherent, cohesive, and appropriate narrative that builds toward a particular tone and outcome (a sense of mystery, suspense, etc.)
Use precise words and phrases, active verbs, and sensory language to convey a compelling story
Draft a reasonable and unrushed conclusion that resolves conflicts and conveys a theme
Show mastery of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning duties with this plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering the short story “Catch the Moon” by Judith Ortiz Cofer. Additionally, a short answer option is provided for re-assessment purposes. These resources may double as guided reading handouts to foster active reading habits among students. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Luis’s criminal behavior and its consequences
The reason for disruptive behavior
Luis’s defining characteristics
How Luis made his gang “legal”
The general characterization of Luis’s dad
The reason Naomi comes to the junkyard
Naomi’s positive influence on Luis
Borrowing his father’s car
The reason Luis cries for his mother
The significance of the “treasure hunt”
An evolving relationship with Luis’s father
Finding textual support for Luis’s status as a dynamic character
Internal vs. external conflict and seeking textual evidence
Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering the science fiction short story “The Star” by H.G. Wells. A detailed 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
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern 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 alliteration, personification, simile, and more
Generate a relevant theme and support how it is developed
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
For many high school readers, psychological fiction and horror are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Premature Burial” by Edgar Allan Poe features elements consistent with both genres: a stream-of-consciousness technique, the intensification of an irrational fear, tales of being buried alive, and more. With this challenging worksheet composed of high-order questions, English teachers will help students extend beyond basic reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and save valuable time at home without sacrificing quality and rigor in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are 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
Explore dominant character traits
Examine how complex characters think and behave
Analyze diction to make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Articulate the greater significance of a given detail
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including eye dialect, onomatopoeia, allusion, dramatic irony, situational irony, and more
Discern the meaning of an idiom as it is used in the text
Explain how a particular word or expression is considered a pun
Investigate the intended effect of narrative techniques such as the liberal incorporation of em dashes
Discern the function of a particular detail
Choose the most appropriate synonym to replace a word used in the story
Explore nuances in words with similar denotative meanings
Examine narrative structure
Evaluate whether the narrator’s thinking is rational
Draw parallels between the narrative and a featured nonfiction passage
Defend claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of high-order analysis questions on Virginia Woolf’s short story “A Haunted House.” The narrative makes a fitting inclusion to a Halloween-themed short story unit at the high school level. A detailed answer key and a copy of the public domain short story are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Analyze the author’s narrative technique to discern how she emphasizes multiple presences in the house
Infer why the author incorporates references to second-person you
Discern the significance of active present participles in the text
Analyze the effect of sibilant phrases on the reader
Apply knowledge of literary devices to the text, with emphasis placed on personification, anaphora, and symbolism
Discern and articulate the significance of the window
Analyze a passage in the text to discern the author’s intent as it relates to characterization
Analyze character actions and dialogue to discern their primary intent
Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering part three of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (“Burning Bright”). This assessment may also serve as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading experiences. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The source of the alarm call
Beatty’s striking of Montag
The nature of Beatty’s death
What Montag learns about Beatty after his death
Complicating factors in terms of Montag’s escape
Montag’s suggestions for Faber
Faber’s suggestions for Montag
How authorities get the public to help them find Montag
What Montag watches on television
How books continue to exist
What happens to the city
A new responsibility
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering part two of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (“The Sieve and the Sand”). This assessment may also serve as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading experiences. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Montag’s perception of the world
Montag’s perspective on books
A phone call between Montag and Faber
Faber’s professional background
Faber’s offerings of help
The purpose of Faber’s visit to St. Louis
Interactions among Mildred and her friends
How Montag irritates Mildred and her friends
Montag and Beatty’s interaction at the firehouse
A fire alarm