Say hello to a platform dedicated to industrious, yet overtasked teachers like you. Say goodbye to countless hours spent developing relevant and engaging ELA lessons. Whether you are teaching the fundamentals of grammar, creative writing skills, classic literature, or contemporary fiction, you will find thousands of activities and assessments to help you achieve a healthier work-life balance without sacrificing academic rigor.
Say hello to a platform dedicated to industrious, yet overtasked teachers like you. Say goodbye to countless hours spent developing relevant and engaging ELA lessons. Whether you are teaching the fundamentals of grammar, creative writing skills, classic literature, or contemporary fiction, you will find thousands of activities and assessments to help you achieve a healthier work-life balance without sacrificing academic rigor.
With this printable bundle of high school resources for teaching “The Godfather” 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
Demonstrate understanding of the narrative’s surreal tone, identifying several pieces of textual evidence that advances the tone
Explore character motivations, whether explicitly stated in the text or implied through character actions
Analyze character interactions to discern intent
Analyze textual details to draw inferences and support rational arguments
Apply knowledge of literary devices to the text, articulating how the title is ironic
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Respond clearly, concisely, and accurately to analytical questioning
Gothic fiction and horror are genres that maximize many high school students’ engagement with literature. “In the Vault” by H.P. Lovecraft is one such short story. It features elements such as entrapment, mutilated corpses, and the avenging of wrongdoing—making the narrative a particularly chilling read during the Halloween season. With this bundle of high school resources for teaching “In the Vault,” English teachers will save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; an alternate, self-grading Easel Assessment; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including foreshadowing, situational irony, allusion, and theme
Analyze context clues and draw logical inferences about characterization/character motivations
Define complex words as they are used in the text
Identify relevant textual details in support of a claim
Analyze the author’s craft to determine the his intent
Discern the tone of a passage
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, Gothic fiction, fantasy, and horror are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “Cool Air” by H.P. Lovecraft is a compelling short story that features elements consistent with those genres: noxious chemicals, medical experiments, desperate attempts to achieve immortality, and more. With this bundle of high school resources covering “Cool Air,” 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 questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will:
Articulate what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Explore character intentions and motivations
Analyze how complex characters behave and interact
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing, situational irony, and dramatic irony
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in context
Identify relevant textual evidence in support of claims
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, fantasy and horror are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “What the Moon Brings” by H.P. Lovecraft is a brief, yet compelling short story that features elements consistent with both genres: a bizarre dreamscape, an anxious narrator, and the discovery of an underwater city. (The briefness of the story makes it an appropriate time-filler for awkward gaps in teaching schedules.) With this bundle of high school resources covering “What the Moon Brings,” 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 questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will:
Articulate what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Discern the purpose of em dashes as they are used in context
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including personification, foreshadowing, epiphany, and sibilance
Explore the author’s diction to draw reasoned inferences about characterization
Determine the intended effect of juxtaposition as it is applied in the text
Examine plot-based statements for accuracy
Choose an applicable theme in the context of a given passage
Explore the symbolism of a black condor as it is portrayed in the narrative
Defend ideas and claims with valid reasoning and textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
or many high school readers, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “Polaris” by H.P. Lovecraft features plot elements consistent with the aforementioned genres: a narrator of questionable sanity, a dreamscape setting, the conflict between imagination and reality, and more. With this bundle of high school resources covering “Polaris,” 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 questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With this resources, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Provide an objective description of the story’s setting
Discern how the narrator feels about Polaris and cite textual evidence in support of the claim
Analyze the author’s craft to discern which literary devices are applied, with emphasis on hyperbaton, sibilance, callback, and personification
Analyze a portion of the text to determine tone in context
Identify several variables that put the protagonist and his people at a severe disadvantage against their brutish enemies
Describe the narrator’s physical condition and infer how it may have influenced his opinion of Alos
Understand the narrator’s modes of thinking, particularly as it relates to his failures
Elaborate upon what is revealed in the poem, paying special attention to the Pole Star’s influence on the narrator
Explain the effect that callback and personification have upon the reader
Define complex vocabulary and phrasing in context
Navigate specialized reference materials successfully
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
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. With this bundle of high school resources covering “The Doom that Came to Sarnath,” 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 questions; the public domain narrative (estimated Lexile Measure of 1300-1400); 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
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
For many high school readers, horror and psychological fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Sphinx” by Edgar Allan Poe features plot elements consistent with both genres: a cholera epidemic, social isolation, omens, fear of death, and more. With this bundle of high school resources covering “The Sphinx,” 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; the public domain narrative; 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
Examine how complex characters think, behave, and interact
Explore character motivations
Define complex words as they are used in context
Analyze nuances in words with similar meanings
Choose the most appropriate synonym to replace a given word without changing fundamental meaning
Paraphrase information
Make logical inferences based on context clues
Explain how a given detail (the fact that it was “an exceedingly warm day”) is an example of paradox
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including hyperbole
Identify several examples of the narrator’s self-awareness
Identify several examples of the narrator’s questionable judgment
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, logic, and precision
For many high school readers, realistic and young adult fiction are genres that maximize relatability and engagement with literature. “Geraldine Moore the Poet” by Toni Cade Bambara is a short story focusing on a girl with unfavorable life circumstances who is on the verge of an important self-discovery: that she has a natural talent for expressing herself poetically. With this bundle of high school resources covering “Geraldine Moore the Poet,” English Language Arts teachers will be able to evaluate general reading comprehension and support the continued development of close reading analysis skills. 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, editable Word Document and PDF formats. With these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including foreshadowing, idiom, and ambiguity
Articulate the function of a given detail
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Demonstrate awareness of the narrative’s inciting incident
Articulate the symbolism associated with Geraldine’s being offered tomato soup
Choose an opinion with which Geraldine is most likely to agree
Evaluate the qualities that make Geraldine’s poem “the most poetic thing”
Argue whether Geraldine or Mrs. Scott experiences the greatest epiphany
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, realistic and young adult fiction are genres that maximize relatability and engagement with literature. “Blues Ain’t No Mockin Bird” by Toni Cade Bambara is a short story focusing on a Black family whose ways of life are being infringed upon by opportunistic, politically motivated filmmakers. With this bundle of high school resources covering “Blues Ain’t No Mockin Bird,” English Language Arts teachers will be able to evaluate general reading comprehension and support the continued development of close reading analysis skills. Included are the following: an editable, 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 how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others
Infer character motivations
Articulate the function of a specific character (Cathy)
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including metaphor, idiom, and onomatopoeia
Isolate an example of figurative language from among several options
Choose an opinion with which Granny would most likely agree based on an anecdote she shares with her family
Determine which character or characters are represented in the character of Goldilocks
Identify several ways in which the filmmakers dehumanize Granny and members of her family
Draw parallels between the American folk hero John Henry and the character of Granddaddy Cain
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Fairy tales are not just for elementary readers; even middle and high school students may use fairy tales as tools for extending beyond reading comprehension and practicing close reading analysis skills. “The Girl Without Hands” by the Brothers Grimm, also known as “The Maiden Without Hands” and “The Armless Maiden,” is a short story about the plight of a maiden whose poor father makes a bargain that results in her disfigurement and confinement. Included are the following: an editable, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading analysis 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 as well as implicitly
Explore how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others
Isolate a factual statement from falsehoods in the context of the miller’s characterization
Explain how situational irony and dramatic irony are applied
Discern the significance of the maiden’s decision to draw a circle around her
Explore cause-and-effect relationships (how losing her hands affects the maiden physically, psychologically, and interpersonally)
Analyze the silver hands for symbolic value
Define complex words in context
Apply knowledge of literary devices including alliteration and foreshadowing
Cite textual evidence to support claims and ideas
Write with clarity 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 two 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. Students will:
Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze character motivations
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including alliteration, assonance, and simile
Discern and articulate the greater significance of a given detail with emphasis on what is revealed about character modes of thinking
Analyze how complex characters interact
Make logical inferences about how Tom perceives Myrtle
Demonstrate awareness of how social status influences behavior
Compare Myrtle to the puppy she is gifted
Discern a primary function of the chapter
Write with clarity 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 four 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
Analyze how complex characters interact
Analyze the author’s craft to determine the effect diction has on the reader’s comprehension
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including sibilance, invective, ambiguity, oxymoron, and imagery
Articulate the cultural significance of the white chauffeur transporting people of color
Discern what Nick finds astonishing about Wolfsheim’s behavior
Identify the primary function of Wolfsheim’s character in the context of the plot
Define complex words as they are used in the text
Make logical inferences about Nick’s modes of thinking
Articulate the technique Fitzgerald uses to spark a significant shift in tone
Write with clarity 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 five 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
Analyze how complex characters interact
Articulate how Gatsby’s behavior is ironic from Nick’s perspective
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including situational irony, simile, and hyperbole
Identify textual evidence that best supports a claim
Analyze the author’s use of language to discern his intent
Explore the symbolism of an object or objects
Clarify and elaborate on a concern Nick has for Gatsby in a given passage
Write with clarity 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 six 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
Analyze how complex characters interact
Discern the intended effect of figurative language in context
Make logical inferences about Gatsby’s decision making
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including metaphor, situational irony, hyperbole, euphemism, allusion, and personification
Analyze the author’s craft to determine the intended meaning of a lesser known phrase
Analyze what character dialogue reveals about their psychological and emotional states
Determine the significance of a given detail
Explore dynamic character
Identify a main function of the chapter
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 seven 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
Analyze how complex characters interact
Make a logical inference about Daisy’s parenting style
Identify the significance of given characterization details
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including assonance, consonance, metaphor, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, imagery, euphemism, and catharsis
Analyze word choices to determine which word most accurately conveys an idea
Explore character motivations
Explore Nick’s assessment of Gatsby’s behavior in the context of the chapter
Analyze the author’s craft
Write ideas with clarity 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 eight 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
Analyze how complex characters interact
Explore character motivations
Analyze how and why complex characters behave certain ways
Make logical inferences based on characterization details and other narrative techniques
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including personification, oxymoron, simile, onomatopoeia, assonance, and more
Explore the meanings of complex words, taking into consideration both denotative and connotative associations
Analyze a given passage to determine its tone
Determine the primary function of a given detail
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Analyze plot developments in the context of the chapter to discern and articulate social commentary
Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims
Analyze the symbolic importance of dust
Write with clarity 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 nine 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
Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony and metaphor
Explore character motivations
Analyze how complex characters interact
Determine the greater significance of a given characterization detail
Analyze the author’s word choices to infer the author’s intent
Make logical inferences about a character’s mode of thinking in context
Explore how Tom sees himself in the context of the tragedies of Gatsby, Myrtle, and Wilson
For many high school readers, fairy tales and fantasy fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Red Shoes” by Hans Christian Andersen is about a peasant girl whose obsession with her footwear leads to supernatural events, seemingly divine punishment, and eventual redemption. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading questions; answer keys; and a copy of the public domain short story. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including dramatic irony, personification, symbolism, and more
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Explore how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others
Make a claim about whether a detail is ironic
Defend claims with valid reasoning and relevant textual details
Explore potential themes
Discern the function of a given paragraph
Connect the text to societally relevant concepts in modern society, such as social mobility
Conduct research to answer questions about autobiographical parallel
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “Beyond the Wall of Sleep” by H.P. Lovecraft is a compelling short story that features elements consistent with both genres: dreamy aberrations, astral projection, the possession of a human body, and more. With this bundle of high school resources covering “Beyond the Wall of Sleep,” 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 questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Analyze nuance in words with similar meanings
Examine the narrator’s attitude toward Freud
Determine the function of a given paragraph
Discern the tone of a particular passage
Examine the author’s choices to infer his intent
Explore character motivations
Analyze how complex characters develop and interact
Identify and explain an example of situational irony
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Defend claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
With this printable bundle of high school resources for teaching “The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage” 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 comprehension of the general plot
Analyze the author’s craft to discern the meaning of particular words and phrases in context
Apply knowledge of literary devices by identifying examples of inciting incident, situational irony, and theme
Support analysis of text by using relevant textual evidence and reasoned logic
Analyze character dialogue and actions to infer their interests and motivations
Write with clarity and precision