Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering part one of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (“The Hearth and the Salamander”). 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: Details on Montag’s encounter with Clarisse A lingering question in Montag’s mind Mildred’s self-destructive behavior The behavior of the mechanical hound Clarisse’s concerns about school kids Peculiarities about a particular fire call Montag’s sneakiness Mildred’s general disposition Beatty’s general characterization The campaign against books

For many high school readers, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Doom that Came to Sarnath” by H.P. Lovecraft features plot elements consistent with the aforementioned genres: the plundering of a race of lizard people, shadows that seemingly originate from the moon, the vanishing of an entire city, and more. This rigorous worksheet covering “The Doom that Came to Sarnath” (estimated Lexile Measure of 1300-1400) 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 Determine the function of a given paragraph Provide a detailed description of a group of characters Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text Analyze nuances in words with similar definitions Make logical inferences about character motivations Analyze how complex characters think, behave, and interact Examine the author’s intent Articulate the significance of a given detail Apply knowledge of literary devices such as foreshadowing Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, 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 Hans Christian Andersen’s short story “Grandmother,” a narrative centering on themes of appreciating the elderly and the fleeting nature of physical life. The brevity of the narrative helps to fill awkward gaps in the teaching schedule, while the supporting activity maintains rigor in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the text (estimated Lexile range of 1000-1100) 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 this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Determine the function of a given excerpt Describe the tone of the complete text Discern the intended effects of figurative language and other narrative techniques Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including alliteration, sibilance, irony, symbolism, imagery, metaphor, and more Explore themes in context Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of comprehension and analysis questions on the short story “The Giant and the Tailor” by the Brothers Grimm. 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. The short story has an estimated Lexile range of 900 to 1000, making it an appropriate supplement to fantasy fiction and fairy tale units for high school. An answer key and copy of the public domain text 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 Apply knowledge of various literary devices including situational irony, dramatic irony, and sibilance Define complex words, phrases, and concepts (credulity) Verify interpretations of words and phrases using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus Make logical inferences about character motivations Discern tone in context Paraphrase dialogue Isolate a true statement among falsehoods Defend whether the giant’s description of being “clownish and stupid” is fair Articulate a lesson this narrative teaches about interpersonal relationships

Help middle and high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering “Old Rinkrank,” a classic Grimm’s fairy tale. 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 activity, students will perform the following tasks: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Examine how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Evaluate the protagonist’s positive attributes and how they benefit her as the plot develops Compare and contrast two characters (Old Rinkrank and the king) Apply knowledge of literary devices with an emphasis on situational irony Analyze the author’s craft to determine what the name Mother Mansrot suggests about the antagonist’s thinking Consider themes in context Defend claims and ideas with valid reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class/leave class better prepared to discuss literary material

Support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of comprehension and analysis questions on the short story “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” by the Brothers Grimm. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative, which has an estimated Lexile measure of 900-1000, 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 general comprehension of the plot Analyze the author’s craft to determine how diction affects the reader Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on foreshadowing, metaphor, and dramatic irony Analyze character actions to draw reasoned inferences about 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 “The Three Languages,” a short story by the Brothers Grimm. A variety of 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. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story, which has an estimated Lexile Measure of 1100-1200, 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 Apply knowledge of various literary devices including situational irony, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, and alliteration Verify interpretations of words and phrases using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus Make logical inferences about character motivations Discern tone in context Isolate a true statement among falsehoods Make and defend logical inferences about character behaviors and motivations Articulate what the narrative suggests about the power of effective communication

Help high school Creative Writing students better understand the conventions of the fairy tale genre and prepare for the drafting of modified fairy tales with this comprehensive, low-prep, standards-aligned unit plan. All supporting materials are provided in both Word Document and PDF formats. More specifically, the following are included: 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 addressing the conventions of the fairy tale genre. Representative narratives by the Brothers Grimm for analysis with supplemental worksheets. Detailed directions. A student exemplar for reference. A comprehensive outline for student planning. A document to facilitate the editing process. A comprehensive rubric for evaluating student writing.

Support the development of high school close reading skills with this set of analysis questions for The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros with emphasis on the vignette titled “Edna’s Ruthie.” The variety of question types also helps students prepare for standardized testing scenarios: main idea questions, detail questions, author’s craft questions, and more. 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. 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. Copyright restrictions do not allow for novel content to be included, so the purchaser is responsible for providing students with the text. 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 Analyze how the author uses direct and indirect description to develop a sympathetic character in Ruthie Make logical inferences about the relationships between characters Determine the tone of a given passage Analyze the author’s language to discern and articulate the intended effect Analyze what a character’s actions reveal about their psychological state Articulate the significance of reading and writing in Esperanza’s life Articulate the significance of the fact that Ruthie no longer reads and writes Compare characters from two texts to articulate what they share in common, using Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Nightingale” for reference

Help students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of high school close reading skills with this set of analysis questions for The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros with emphasis on the vignette titled “Beautiful and Cruel.” 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. Copyright restrictions do not allow for novel content to be included, so the purchaser is responsible for providing students with the text. By completing this exercise, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Verify interpretations of language using reference materials including a dictionary or thesaurus Examine how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Explore cause-and-effect relationships Make logical predictions based on context clues Compare and contrast two characters (Nenny and Esperanza) Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification Support claims with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of high school close reading skills with this set of analysis questions for The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros with emphasis on the twenty-fifth vignette titled “Geraldo No Last Name.” An answer key is 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 Connect the phrase “Nothing in his pockets” to the vignette’s title Articulate the significance of the phrase “Nothing in his pockets” Discern the intended effect of the author’s stylistic choices (with emphasis on the incorporation of fragments and colloquialisms) Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Apply knowledge of literary devices including verbal irony and dramatic irony Explore the concept of systematic prejudice, or institutional bias, in the text Support claims with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of high school close reading skills with this set of analysis questions for The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros with emphasis on the twenty-third vignette titled “Born Bad.” An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this exercise, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Verify interpretations of language using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus Explore cause-and-effect relationships Discern the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices Examine how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Articulate the power of photographs, as well as their limitations Conduct brief research on Our Lady of Guadalupe in order to explain why the name Guadalupe suits the character Support claims with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of high school close reading skills with this set of analysis questions for The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros with emphasis on the twenty-first vignette titled “The First Job.” An answer key is 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 Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Evaluate Esperanza’s work ethic Discern the nature of the relationship between Esperanza and Tito Determine whether Esperanza’s anxiety is a rational emotional response Apply knowledge of literary devices such as situational irony Support claims with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of high school close reading skills with this set of analysis questions for The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros with emphasis on the thirtieth vignette titled “No Speak English.” An answer key is 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 Analyze stylistic choices to discern the author’s intent Discern the intended effect of figurative language as it is used in the text Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Compare two characters (Esperanza and Mamacita) Articulate the irony of Mamacita’s physical appearance Identify examples of Esperanza’s compassion Support claims with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of high school close reading skills with this set of analysis questions for The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros with emphasis on the eighteenth vignette titled “A Rice Sandwich.” An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this exercise, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Analyze the title of the vignette to articulate how it is suitable to the plot Explore the symbolism of keys in the context of the vignette Examine how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Explore cause-and-effect relationships Apply knowledge of literary devices including epiphany and situational irony Support claims with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering chapter 25 of Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. With this close reading activity, students will be able to: Read for literal comprehension Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, situational irony, symbolism, and verbal irony 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

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering chapter 24 of Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. With this close reading activity, students will be able to: Read for literal comprehension Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including hyperbole and assonance 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

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering chapter 23 of Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. With this close reading activity, students will be able to: Read for literal comprehension Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Consider the symbolism associated with Phoebe’s initial refusal to accept Holden’s red hat Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony, dramatic irony, and hyperbole 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

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering chapter 22 of Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. With this close reading activity, students will be able to: Read for literal comprehension Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques Describe tone in context Determine the function of a given detail Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, situational irony, and hyperbole 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

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering chapter 21 of Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. With this close reading activity, students will be able to: Read for literal comprehension Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques Describe tone in context Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Evaluate the parenting style of Holden and Phoebe’s parents Apply knowledge of literary devices including symbolism and dramatic irony 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