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 extend beyond general reading comprehension and stamina with this rigorous set of close reading analysis questions on a short story titled “Cool Air” by H.P. Lovecraft. With an estimated Lexile Measure of 1200-1300, the narrative and its corresponding activity are suitable additions to high school fiction units, especially at the 11th and 12th grade levels and during the Halloween season. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this activity, 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
Help high school students improve fluency, stamina, text comprehension, and close reading analysis of the formal elements of fiction with this resource for teaching “The Tree” by H.P. Lovecraft. 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; analyze how complex characters think, interact, and behave; compare and contrast characters; analyze a given excerpt and explain how situational irony develops; discern the meaning of complex words and phrases; make logical inferences about the author’s intentions; 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 tasks handout. 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.
Eliminate assessment planning responsibilities and evaluate high school students’ knowledge of plot and literary craft with this summative test covering William Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear. An answer key is included, as well as a standards-based rubric for scoring a thematic essay response tied to a significant quotation (“Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides, / Who covers faults at last with shame derides”). Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students are responsible for demonstrating an understanding of the following characters, details, concepts, and quotes:
Cordelia
Goneril
Regan
King Lear
Edmund
Edgar
Kent
Albany
Cornwall
The Fool
Gloucester
Oswald
The King of France
Tom of Bedlam
The play’s setting
Edmund’s status as an illegitimate child and associated consequences
Edmund’s promotion to Earl of Gloucester
Cornwall’s torture of Gloucester
Edgar’s philosophies on life
Edmund’s desire to kill his father
King Lear’s epiphany regarding power and its benefits
King Lear’s imprisonment
Metaphor
Simile
Foreshadowing
Situational irony
Dramatic irony
Paradox
Alliteration
Hyperbole
Personification
Internal conflict
External conflict
Dynamic character
Symbolism
“Nothing will come from nothing.” (Act 1, scene 1)
“I love your Majesty / According to my bond; no more no less.” (Act 1, scene 1)
“Let his knights have colder looks among you.” (Act 1, scene 3)
“Fortune, good night; smile once more; turn thy wheel!” (Act 2, scene 2)
“The younger rises when the old doth fall.” (Act 3, scene 3)
“I will have my revenge ere I depart this house.” (Act 3, scene 5)
“Out, vile jelly!” (Act 3, scene 7)
“I have no way, and therefore want no eyes; / I stumbled when I saw.” (Act 4, scene 1)
“Was this a face / To be opposed against the warring winds?”(Act 4, scene 7)
“You have some cause; they have not.”(Act 4, scene 7)
“Ripeness is all.” (Act 5, scene 2)
“My master calls me, I must not say no.” (Act 5, scene 3)
This assessment measures general reading comprehension, gathers formative data to inform instructional planning, and holds students accountable for the assigned reading of King Lear by Shakespeare (Act 5). An answer key is included. The material is delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Questions pertain to the following relevant details:
Edmund’s deception as it relates to the nature of his relationship with Goneril
The delivery of a letter to Albany
Edmund’s motives
Edgar’s viewpoints on life
Cordelia’s attempts to console her father
King Lear’s perspective on being held prisoner
Goneril’s evil deeds
A deadly duel
Albany’s motives
Edmund’s reaction to his brother’s account
Goneril’s suicide
One of Edmund’s final acts
The death of Cordelia
The death of King Lear
Kent’s loyalty to the king
Edgar’s promotion
This assessment measures general reading comprehension, gathers formative data to inform instructional planning, and holds students accountable for the assigned reading of King Lear by Shakespeare (Act 4). An answer key is included. The material is delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Questions pertain to the following relevant details:
Edgar’s changing perspective on life
Gloucester’s criticism of the gods
Gloucester’s concern for a beggar
Goneril’s assumptions about her husband
Goneril’s adulterous desires
King Lear’s concerns about Cordelia
Cordelia’s desires for her father
Edmund’s intensifying desire to commit murder
Edgar’s efforts to save his father from his suicidal desires
A second fake trial
King Lear’s struggle to understand his daughters
King Lear’s thoughts about powerful people
A duel
The intent of a letter
Cordelia’s request of Kent
A moment of mental clarity
This assessment measures general reading comprehension, gathers formative data to inform instructional planning, and holds students accountable for the assigned reading of King Lear by Shakespeare (Act 3). An answer key is included. The material is delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Questions pertain to the following relevant details:
Character motivations (King of France)
The application of metaphor in the text
Analysis of King Lear as a dynamic character and articulating relevant textual evidence
A character’s treasonous actions
Significant details about Gloucester
King Lear’s epiphany regarding his treatment of struggling subjects
Edgar’s deceptive behavior
The application of dramatic irony in the text
Edmund as the new Earl of Gloucester
Displays of King Lear’s mental decline
Regan’s display of disrespect toward Gloucester
Cornwall’s cruel and violent acts
Cornwall’s injury
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Act 2 of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. The assessment may otherwise double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading experiences and subsequent class discussions. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Edmund’s newest methods of compromising Edgar’s reputation
A physical confrontation and its instigator’s punishment
Gloucester’s reluctance to offer help
Edgar’s decision to assume a new identity
King Lear’s reaction to Kent’s punishment
King Lear’s efforts to seek clarification on what led to Kent’s situation
An argument among father and daughters
King Lear’s isolation
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. The assessment may otherwise double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading experiences and subsequent class discussions. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Questions pertain to the following relevant details:
Setting
A king’s life-changing decision
Edmund’s status as an illegitimate child and its effect on him
Daughters’ expressions of love for their father
Contrasting Cordelia from her two sisters
Cordelia’s punishment
Kent’s assessment of King Lear’s behavior
An agreement with the King of France
Comparing Cordelia’s two sisters to their father (identifying similar motivations)
Edmund’s underhanded deeds
Goneril’s feelings toward her recently moved-in father
Kent’s act of self-preservation
Character description of the Fool
The intent of King Lear’s letter
The king’s acknowledgement of a fear
Kent’s loyalty
Extend reading comprehension and support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of analysis questions covering chapter 15 of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. With this resource, students will focus on significant details in order to develop a deeper understanding of the novel and its craft, thus helping them contribute more meaningfully during class discussions. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with this resource, students will…
Analyze the effect of the author’s language upon the reader
Determine tone in context
Define unfamiliar and challenging vocabulary in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Apply knowledge of literary devices to the novel
Read closely to determine logical inferences
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support claims with relevant textual evidence and/or reasoned thinking
Engage a variety of middle and high school students with the incorporation of Grimm’s fairy tales into the classroom. “The Elves and the Shoemaker” by the Brothers Grimm is a short story about the positive effects of performing good deeds for others. With this set of high-order questions, teachers will be able to extend reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills. While the close reading activity upholds academic rigor, the brevity of the narrative helps teachers fill awkward gaps in their teaching schedules. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in a zip file containing editable Word Documents and printable PDFs. 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
Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, simile, hyperbole, allusion, and symbolism
Explore theme
Come to class/leave class better prepared to discuss literary material
Defend claims and ideas with valid reasoning and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Engage middle and high school students with a classic fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm: “The Seven Ravens.” With this close reading worksheet, students will go beyond basic reading comprehension and practice their critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills. An answer key is included, as well as a copy of the short story. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings
Infer the intended effects of the authors’ word choices and narrative techniques
Determine the function of a given excerpt
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Evaluate whether the authors intended for the father to be considered a villain
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including foreshadowing, personification, symbolism, and more
Consider themes in context
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
Engage middle and high school students with a classic fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm: “The Clever Brothers.” With this close reading worksheet, students will go beyond basic reading comprehension and practice their critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills. An answer key is included, as well as a copy of the short story. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings
Infer the intended effects of the authors’ word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Evaluate the characters’ levels of enthusiasm for the tasks at hand
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including allusion, onomatopoeia, simile, situational irony, symbolism, and more
Consider themes in context
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
Engage middle and high school students with a classic fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm: “The Dog and the Sparrow.” With this close reading worksheet, students will go beyond basic reading comprehension and practice their critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills. An answer key is included, as well as a copy of the short story. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings
Infer the intended effects of the authors’ word choices and narrative techniques
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including dramatic irony, foreshadowing, hyperbole, situational irony, and more
Consider themes in context
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 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 “Rumpelstiltskin,” 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 engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Consult reference materials as needed to verify word meanings
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques
Describe tone in context
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including dramatic irony, foreshadowing, hubris, inciting incident, metaphor, and situational irony
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Consider themes in context
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 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 the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “Clever Gretel.” 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 engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques
Consult reference materials to learn or verify meanings of challenging words
Describe tone in context
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Articulate contradictions made evident by the protagonist’s behavior
Apply knowledge of literary devices including dramatic irony and foreshadowing
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
Extend reading comprehension and support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of analysis questions covering chapter 14 of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. With this resource, students will focus on significant details in order to develop a deeper understanding of the novel and its craft, thus helping them contribute more meaningfully during class discussions. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with this resource, students will…
Analyze the effect of the author’s language upon the reader
Determine tone in context
Define unfamiliar and challenging vocabulary in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Apply knowledge of literary devices to the novel
Read closely to determine logical inferences
Explore theme
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support claims with relevant textual evidence and/or reasoned thinking
Extend reading comprehension and support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of analysis questions covering chapter 13 of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. With this resource, students will focus on significant details in order to develop a deeper understanding of the novel and its craft, thus helping them contribute more meaningfully during class discussions. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with this resource, students will…
Analyze the effect of the author’s language upon the reader
Determine tone in context
Define unfamiliar and challenging vocabulary in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on dramatic irony, imagery, and symbolism
Read closely to isolate logical inferences from less compelling or illogical inferences
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support claims with relevant textual evidence and/or reasoned thinking
Extend reading comprehension and support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of analysis questions covering chapter 12 of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. With this resource, students will focus on significant details in order to develop a deeper understanding of the novel and its craft, thus helping them contribute more meaningfully during class discussions. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with this resource, students will…
Analyze the effect of the author’s word choices, including figurative language, on the reader
Determine tone in context
Define unfamiliar and challenging vocabulary in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Apply knowledge of literary devices to the novel
Read closely to isolate logical inferences from less compelling or illogical inferences
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support claims with relevant textual evidence and/or reasoned thinking
Extend reading comprehension and support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of analysis questions covering chapter 11 of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. With this resource, students will focus on significant details in order to develop a deeper understanding of the novel and its craft, thus helping them contribute more meaningfully during class discussions. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with this resource, students will…
Analyze the effect of the author’s language upon the reader
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Determine tone in context
Define unfamiliar and challenging vocabulary in context
Apply knowledge of literary devices with an emphasis on callback and situational irony
Analyze the symbolism of an object
Read closely to isolate logical inferences from less compelling or illogical inferences
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support claims with relevant textual evidence and/or reasoned thinking
Extend reading comprehension and support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of analysis questions covering chapter 10 of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. With this resource, students will focus on significant details in order to develop a deeper understanding of the novel and its craft, thus helping them contribute more meaningfully during class discussions. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging in this exercise, students will…
Analyze the effect of the author’s language upon the reader
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Determine tone in context
Define unfamiliar and challenging vocabulary in context
Draw reasoned inferences about characterization
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on simile and alliteration
Read closely to isolate accurate statements from false statements
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support claims with relevant textual evidence and/or reasoned thinking