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 improve fluency, stamina, text comprehension, and close reading analysis of the formal elements of fiction with this resource for teaching “A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett. Additional materials are included to facilitate planning for unexpected teacher absences. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Included are the following:
Public domain short story. With an estimated Lexile Measure range of 1200 to 1300, the narrative is a suitable selection for high school English Language Arts classes.
Close reading analysis worksheet. By engaging with this exercise, students will articulate what is stated explicitly and implicitly; provide a description of the narrative’s setting; analyze how complex characters think, interact, and behave; explore the dynamic transformation of a character; discern the tone of a given passage; explore cause-and-effect relationships; compare and contrast characters; apply knowledge of literary devices including simile and anthropomorphism; explore how the author achieves effects such as conveying a sense of awe; conduct brief online research; cite textual evidence in support of claims; and write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision. Questions are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Close reading analysis worksheet answer key.
Low-prep lesson plan for unexpected absences. This comes pre-filled with learning targets and agenda items. Space is also designated for classroom teachers to identify the name(s) of their class(es), the hour(s) of their class(es), student leaders, and upcoming homework assignments and assessments.
Bell ringer activity. Help a substitute teacher engage students (and find time to take attendance) with a thematically linked writing prompt.
Miscellaneous performance task handouts. Extend student thinking and learning in the event of unexpected absences with this item outlining creative tasks pertaining to the short story. For example, students may write poetry or journal entries from the perspective of a character; write a brief retelling of the narrative from a different character’s perspective; explore the thematic significance of stories; review the overall quality of the narrative with objectivity and supporting evidence; and more.
Use this set of reflective surveys and writing prompts to help middle and high school students meditate on their study habits and develop data-driven strategies for achieving a growth mindset. These are helpful back-to-school materials for a range of subject areas and age groups, though they are especially useful in structured study halls with emphasis on improving task management, time management, and organizational skills. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Included are the following:
A study habits survey asking students to rank themselves in 30 relevant areas
A distractibility survey asking students to assess the quality of their study spaces
Twenty-eight writing prompts to facilitate reflection, discussion, and growth mindset
A PowerPoint to display each of the twenty-eight writing prompts
For many high school readers, age-appropriate fantasy and fairy tale fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. With this worksheet composed of rigorous questions on “The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Andersen, English teachers will help students extend beyond reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative (estimated Lexile Range 810-1000) 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
Identify textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity and precision
Identify examples of various literary devices including alliteration, consonance, sibilance, situational irony, dramatic irony, metaphor, personification, inversion, and hyperbole
Discern author’s intent
Analyze the author’s incorporation of multiple similes to discern and explain what they have in common and what purpose(s) they serve
Discern tone in context
Identify and explain an example of situational irony in a given passage
Articulate why mermaids suffer sadness more strongly than humans
Articulate why there is a merry atmosphere aboard the prince’s ship
Identify and explain an example of dramatic irony in a given passage
Analyze the mermaid’s character to discern how she is naïve
Articulate factors that contribute to the little mermaid’s strife
Analyze how the little mermaid undergoes dynamic transformation
Isolate a factual statement about plot from falsehoods
Articulate the obstacles facing the little mermaid, according to her grandmother
Make logical inferences about the mermaid’s psychological state given her statements, thoughts, and actions
Infer why the little mermaid is most disturbed by the discovery of a mermaid’s skeleton in the sea-witch’s home
Analyze the character of the sea-witch to discern how she is portrayed as an antagonist
Define words and phrases in the context of a passage
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus
Articulate the personal sacrifices the little mermaid will make in order to have a chance at gaining love and an immortal soul
Explain what makes a given scenario ironic
Analyze the relationship between the little mermaid and the prince to discern and articulate how it is unhealthy
Articulate the significance of a given detail or details
Analyze the little mermaid’s actions the night before the prince’s wedding to determine which virtues she exhibits
Articulate an internal conflict facing the little mermaid
Identify what the Daughters of the Air say about the effect of heat on human psychology
Explain the irony of the story’s resolution
Fairy tales are not just for elementary school students; even middle and high school students can use fairy tale literature as a tool for evaluating general reading comprehension and sharpening close reading analysis skills. This bundle of instructional resources covers “Rumpelstiltskin” by the Brothers Grimm and includes the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a set of rigorous close reading questions; the public domain short story; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Articulate the narrative’s inciting incident
Locate and explain examples of dramatic irony
Explore character motivations
Examine how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others
Support the claim that the hobgoblin is responsible for the maiden’s discovery
Determine a relevant theme after reading the entire story
Cite textual evidence in defense of claims and statements
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
With this printable bundle of high school resources for teaching “The Man to Send Rain Clouds” by Leslie Marmon Silko, educators will measure reading comprehension with a multiple choice quiz on character and plot and support high-order thinking with a set of close reading analysis questions. 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.
By completing these exercises, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Discern and articulate Leon’s motivation to keep Teofilo’s death a secret
Analyze Louise’s actions to discern and articulate what they reveal about her mindset
Analyze how character interactions contribute to the development of internal conflict
Locate textual evidence in support of the claim that the priest is not very familiar with his community
Articulate a reason for Leon to feel content
Make a claim about character beliefs in the context of the entire narrative
Apply knowledge of symbolism, choosing an object that represents an abstract and significant idea
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
For many high school readers, realistic fiction is a genre that maximizes relatability and engagement with literature. “The Lie” by Kurt Vonnegut is a story about rejection, family pressures, and the unintended and unexpected consequences of one’s actions. With this bundle of high school resources covering “The Lie,” English teachers will save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading analysis questions; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore character motivations
Make logical inferences about a character’s values and beliefs
Explain how point of view shapes the reader’s understanding of plot
Articulate how one character serves as a foil to another
State two significant conflicts in the story
Defend the claim that Mrs. Remenzel is a good mother despite her shortcomings
Explore the similarities between the protagonist and his father
Generate a relevant theme that relates to the idea of embarrassment
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and reduce time spent assessment planning with this bundle of materials covering “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Included are the following: a plot-based, multiple choice quiz; a rigorous close reading activity; a copy of the public domain short story; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in a zip file containing editable Word Documents and printable PDFs. By engaging with these materials, students will engage in the following performance tasks:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Compare and contrast characters
Infer the intended effect of the author’s phrasing (“liquor of youth”)
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including foreshadowing and symbolism
Examine nuances in words with similar meanings
Articulate the significance of a given detail
Come to class/leave class better prepared to discuss literary materials
Support claims and ideas with relevant evidence and valid reasoning
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Conclude a unit on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein with this summative assessment delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. An answer key with a Common Core-aligned rubric for evaluating essay writing is included. This assessment is divided into three sections and breaks down as follows.
In the first part of the exam, students will demonstrate comprehension of character development, setting, and general plot.
In the second part of the exam, students will apply knowledge of literary devices to a variety of excerpts from the novel: metaphor, simile, hyperbole, aposiopesis, antithesis, assonance, allusion, situational irony, and more.
In the final part of the exam, students will respond to a prompt thoroughly and thoughtfully, making reference to relevant textual details in support of claims. Included is a Common-Core aligned rubric for evaluating student writing in response to the following prompt:
Alienation from society is a subject Mary Shelley addresses in the novel Frankenstein. What textual details develop and maintain an alienated tone throughout the novel? Focus on the characters of Victor and his creation specifically, though other characters may be referenced. You may also consider how the author uses language to achieve tone.
For many high school readers, horror and supernatural fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe features elements consistent with both genres: a Gothic mansion, psychological deterioration, heightened emotions, grim imagery, 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 and motivations
Examine how complex characters think, behave, and interact
Determine the greater significance of a given detail
Apply knowledge of various sound and literary devices including alliteration, personification, euphemism, foreshadowing, situational irony, hyperbole, epiphany, juxtaposition, and more
Articulate the intended effects of various sound devices, literary devices, and figurative expressions
Analyze Poe’s use of descriptive language to infer the author’s intent
Conduct brief research on Swiss painter Henry Fuseli to develop greater understanding of Poe’s allusion to him
Explore the connection between the plot of the short story and the content of the poem titled “The Haunted Palace”
Examine how the author successfully intensifies suspense in the context of a passage
Analyze the connotative significance of the narrator’s labeling Roderick a hypochondriac
Identify details that contribute to a dreamlike or nightmarish atmosphere
Discern the functions of particular details
Make logical inferences about the resolution
Defend claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and minimize take-home lesson planning with this set of instructional resources covering chapter three of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading analysis questions; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these materials, students will:
Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Examine how complex characters interact
Analyze the author’s craft
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
Apply knowledge of literary devices to the text with an emphasis on understatement and situational irony
Analyze what Nick’s dialogue and behavior at the party reveals about his psychological state
Explore character motivations
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Articulate how Nick’s expectations of Gatsby are violated
Write with clarity and precision
Incorporate narrative nonfiction into the English Language Arts classroom and help high school students practice their close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous questions covering an excerpt titled “Loophole of Retreat” from Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs. This text addresses an enslaved woman’s paradoxically empowering decision to hide from her master in a confined space. An answer key and copy of the public domain text are included. Additionally, a bonus PowerPoint providing more context on the author’s background is provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Summarize key details from the text
Use context to make logical inferences about the author’s beliefs
Explore the symbolism attached to an object (the gimlet)
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including invective, metaphor, paradox, and more
Examine nuances in words with similar meanings in order to choose the most appropriate synonym for a given term
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent based on stylistic choices
Discern the tone of a given passage
Support claims and ideas with relevant textual details
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
This low-prep, end-of-unit creative writing project is an engaging alternative to a traditional summative test on Animal Farm by George Orwell. Students will write ten journal entries from Benjamin’s point of view, exploring the character’s internal state throughout the course of the novel. This assessment requires more than basic plot summary; it encourages students to analyze a character’s relationships, emotions, fears, motivations, and more. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Included are the following:
Detailed directions, which include a rationale for the project, a rundown of student expectations, and a list of learning standards emphasized
A thorough, standards-based rubric for grading student writing, which aligns evaluative criteria to Common Core standards and includes a section for written teacher feedback
A set of prewriting documents, which may be completed while or after reading each chapter, to facilitate planning for the end-of-unit project
An “Important Quotations” document to help students explore style and tone
Conclude a unit on The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood with this printable summative assessment. Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this test includes 55 multiple choice questions. In addition to objective questions on character, plot, literary devices, and quote/passage analysis, an essay section is featured, requiring high school students to explore the author’s warnings about totalitarianism and its influence on ordinary people. An answer key and sample essay response are provided.
By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate an ability to:
Correctly identify characters based on given details and descriptions
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, simile, allusion, dramatic irony, portmanteau, pun, and more
Analyze passages and make logical inferences in the context of those passages
Write a brief essay in which students convey ideas with relevant textual evidence and adhere to the standard conventions of written English
Measure high school reading comprehension and support analysis of Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night (Act 5) with this bundle featuring a plot-based quiz and a rigorous close reading activity. By engaging with these resources, students will identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly, apply knowledge of literary devices, interpret figurative expressions, make engagement with text visible, and more. Answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze what character dialogue reveals about the character’s mindset
Analyze the author’s word choice in order to determine the most suitable synonym
Apply knowledge of personification, hyperbole, situational irony, personification, metaphor, allusion, and oxymoron
Analyze the greater implied meaning of a given statement
Analyze how complex characters behave and interact
Analyze the author’s application of figurative language for greater meaning
Isolate a falsehood from factual statements about plot
Write ideas with clarity and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills while teaching Act 2 of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew with this bundle of formative assessments. Included are the following: a multiple choice quiz on characters and plot, a close reading worksheet addressing the author’s craft, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging in these exercises, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Apply knowledge of literary devices such as metaphor and anaphora
Discern the tone of a given excerpt
Conduct brief research on the Roman goddess Diana and articulate the similarities between her and Katharina
Evaluate Baptista’s attitude toward arranged marriage and articulate how it is both morally sound and unsound
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Measure high school reading comprehension and support analysis of Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet (Act 5) with this bundle that features a plot-based quiz and a rigorous close reading activity. By engaging with these resources, students will identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly, apply knowledge of literary devices, interpret figurative expressions, make engagement with text visible, and more. Answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with these resources, students will:
Articulate what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Consider author’s intent and articulate why Shakespeare may have chosen to begin this scene in a graveyard
Analyze characterization to discern the gravedigger’s primary function(s)
Discern the tone of a given excerpt
Consider how aristocratic class privileges influence plot development
Describe Hamlet’s reaction to the gravedigger’s singing, as well as the reason for his reaction
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, simile, hyperbole, allusion, alliteration, dramatic irony, situational irony, and more
Characterize Hamlet’s relationship with Yorick
Articulate how Hamlet’s lack of emotional or psychological control is manifested physically
Make logical inferences from the point of view of Hamlet
Demonstrate knowledge of Claudius’s mindset
Write with clarity and precision
For many high school readers, age-appropriate fantasy and fairy tale fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. This quiz and close reading activity bundle covers “Hansel and Gretel” by the Brothers Grimm and helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate general reading comprehension, support the development of literary analysis skills, and save time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based assessment; a worksheet composed of challenging analysis questions; answer keys; and a copy of the public domain short story. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Analyze dialogue to discern how a character uses manipulative tactics to achieve a goal
Analyze characterization to discern and articulate a dominant internal conflict in the text
Apply knowledge of alliteration to the text
Analyze the authors’ word choices to discern and articulate how these choices create the literary device of paradox
Identify several examples of simile in the text
Apply knowledge of dramatic irony to the text, discerning and articulating how it manifests
Apply knowledge of situational irony to the text, discerning and articulating how it manifests
Apply knowledge of foreshadowing to the text, explaining what is foreshadowed and how
Write with clarity and precision
With this printable bundle of high school resources for teaching “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” by the Brothers Grimm, educators will measure reading comprehension with a multiple choice quiz on character and plot and support high-order thinking with a set of close reading analysis questions. A copy of the public domain short story and 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.
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
With this printable bundle of high school resources for teaching “The Bremen Town Musicians” by the Brothers Grimm, educators will measure reading comprehension with a multiple choice quiz on character and plot and support high-order thinking with a set of close reading analysis questions. A copy of the public domain short story and 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.
By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Analyze the authors’ craft, paying special attention to diction and how it contributes to the complexity of the text
Apply knowledge of literary devices to the text, identifying and explaining examples of simile and situational irony in the text
Define complex words in context, taking into consideration denotative definitions and connotative associations and using reference materials as needed
Respond clearly, concisely, and accurately to analytical questioning
Fairy tales are not just for elementary readers; even middle and high school students may use Grimms’ fairy tales as tools for extending beyond reading comprehension and practicing close reading analysis skills. “Donkey Cabbages” by the Brothers Grimm is a representative short story that promotes active engagement with fiction. Included in this bundle are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a set of rigorous close reading questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others
Articulate what makes a particular character’s actions suspicious
Analyze nuances in words with similar meanings
Select the most appropriate synonym to replace a word in the text
Discern the greater significance of a given detail
Articulate the irony associated with a given detail
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including situational irony, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, and juxtaposition
Isolate an example of figurative language from among several options
Examine the authors’ diction to determine its intended effect
Defend claims and ideas with valid reasoning and relevant evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision