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.
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Act 2 of William Shakespeare’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: apt, beseech, blithe, brethren, commence, cozen, cuckold, daff, dissuade, ducat, fain, fowl, harpy, marl, melancholy, pains, perturbation, poniard, repent, scarcely, shrewd, wherefore, woo, and zeal.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Act 3 of William Shakespeare’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: accordingly, arrant, boast, bode, carp, civet, contempt, couched, counsel, coverture, defiled, fancy, heavy, incite, limed, meddle, mirth, pleached, slander, tedious, treacherous, trow, and vagrom.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
By engaging with these activities, students will determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words, consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings, and discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed:
accoutred
beseech
bestow
cogitation
construe
countenance
fain
feeble
fleer
gamesome
idle
knave
lusty
meddle
portentous
rabblement
saucy
shrill
soothsayer
thrice
vexed
weary
wherefore
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and minimize assessment planning responsibilities with this close reading analysis worksheet covering George Orwell’s essay titled “Shooting an Elephant.” An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Articulate the dominant internal conflict
Determine the function of a given anecdote
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony
Infer the message that the narrator’s inaction would have sent to the community
Consider how the author achieves specific effects with emphasis on how the resolution provides a sense of relief
Investigate autobiographical parallels, conducting brief research on the author’s life
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Act 5 of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: apace, apt, bondman, consort, demeanor, ere, exigent, melancholy, parley, peevish, presage, prey, prithee, proclaim, smatch, and tarry.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences*
Help high school students navigate William Shakespeare’s language with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of Julius Caesar. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 5 vocabulary application activities, 5 crossword puzzles, 5 word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
A total of 108 words are addressed: abide, abridge, accoutred, adder, amiss, apace, apprehensive, apt, ascend, augurer, barren, bequeath, beseech, bestow, bondman, brutish, carrion, chastisement, choler, clamor, cogitation, consort, construe, contrive, council, counsel, countenance, cur, decree, demeanor, dint, drachmas, earnest, emulation, entreat, ere, errand, exigent, extenuate, fain, feeble, fleer, fray, gamesome, grievous, hark, hasty, hither, hollow, idle, immortal, inflame, insurrection, inter, jade, knave, lament, leaden, lowliness, lusty, malice, mart, meddle, meek, melancholy, mettle, mirth, mutiny, nimbleness, parley, peevish, phantasma, portentous, presage, prey, prithee, proclaim, provender, quarrel, rabblement, rash, redress, repose, reverence, rive, salutation, saucy, selfsame, shrill, sirrah, smatch, soothsayer, spurn, stern, tarry, thither, thrice, throng, undeserver, valiant, vanquish, vexed, wander, wary, waspish, weary, whelp, and wherefore.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Act 4 of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: barren, chastisement, choler, drachmas, earnest, hark, hasty, hollow, jade, leaden, mart, mettle, mirth, nimbleness, provender, rash, repose, rive, salutation, selfsame, sirrah, undeserver, and waspish.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Act 2 of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
By engaging with these activities, students will determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words, consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings, and discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed:
adder
ascend
augurer
contrive
council
counsel
emulation
entreat
errand
fray
hither
immortal
insurrection
lament
lowliness
phantasma
quarrel
redress
spurn
throng
valiant
wary
whelp
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Act 3 of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: abide, abridge, amiss, apprehensive, bequeath, brutish, carrion, clamor, cur, decree, dint, extenuate, grievous, inflame, inter, malice, meek, mutiny, reverence, stern, thither, vanquish, and wander.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Looking for high school horror story activities for the Halloween season? Looking for a text to pair with “The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe or a similar narrative? Use this close reading worksheet on H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Hound” to help students go beyond general reading comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading analysis activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Utilize dictionaries to ensure knowledge of word meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Compare the opening paragraph of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat” with the opening paragraphs of “The Hound”
Describe tone in context
Determine the functions of various passages
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including alliteration, euphemism, foreshadowing, imagery, personification, situational irony, and more
Conduct research as needed to answer questions about plot
Find similarities among the following groups: Symbolists, pre-Raphaelites, and Decadents
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
Looking for a high school horror story resource for the Halloween season? Looking for a text to pair with “The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe or a similar narrative? Use this plot-based quiz to evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities. The quiz may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate student engagement with the short story. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
What the protagonists do with the artifacts they collect
The conditions under which the protagonists prefer to do their work
Setting
Surprising discoveries inside a coffin
A physical description of the amulet
The effect the amulet seems to have on the protagonists
The manner of St. John’s death
Details of an assault against the narrator
The narrator’s epiphany
An ironic turn of events
The disturbing visual of the corpse inside the coffin
The fate of the narrator
Incorporate narrative nonfiction into the classroom, evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching George Orwell’s essay titled “Shooting an Elephant.” A plot-based quiz, a close reading worksheet, vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Articulate the dominant internal conflict
Determine the function of a given anecdote
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony
Infer the message that the narrator’s inaction would have sent to the community
Consider how the author achieves specific effects with emphasis on how the resolution provides a sense of relief
Investigate autobiographical parallels, conducting brief research on the author’s life
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Looking for high school horror story activities for the Halloween season? Looking for a text to pair with “The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe or a similar narrative? Use this set of games and activities covering H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “The Hound” to support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: amulet, charnel, comely, eldritch, ennui, ensanguined, fastidious, formidable, hasten, horde, inert, insatiate, jarring, leer, malign, nebulous, obeisance, pelf, phosphorescent, piquant, placid, prosaic, recede, respite, scarcely, selfsame, sentiently, shudder, squalid, vex, and wan.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Looking for high school horror story activities for the Halloween season? Looking for a text to pair with “The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe or a similar narrative? Use this bundle of materials covering H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Hound” to evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills. A plot-based quiz, a close reading worksheet, vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques
Compare the opening paragraph of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat” with the opening paragraphs of “The Hound”
Describe tone in context
Determine the functions of various passages
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including alliteration, euphemism, foreshadowing, imagery, personification, situational irony, and more
Conduct research as needed to answer questions about plot
Find similarities among the following groups: Symbolists, pre-Raphaelites, and Decadents
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
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the classic Grimm’s fairy tale titled “The Goose Girl.” A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: arresting, betrothed, comely, dowry, furtively, gale, habiliments, hasten, haughtily, idle, implore, jovial, luminous, meek, parched, treacherous, and vex.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement George Orwell’s essay titled “Shooting an Elephant.” A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: aimless, alter, bazaar, constable, coolie, despotic, feebly, futility, garish, imperialism, invariably, mahout, miry, nimble, pretext, prostrate, resolute, sahib, senility, sneer, squalid, squeamish, supplant, thatch, vague, and wander.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Incorporate narrative nonfiction into the English Language Arts classroom and measure general reading comprehension with this quiz covering George Orwell’s essay “Shooting an Elephant.” This autobiographical account addresses the author’s experiences with and attitude toward imperialism. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The narrator’s profession
The narrator’s attitude toward his job
Setting
The narrator’s perspective on imperialism
The townspeople’s attitude toward the narrator
How the elephant had gotten loose
The elephant’s dangerous behavior
The townspeople’s expectations of the narrator as they relate to handling the elephant
What motivates the narrator to kill the elephant
What the townspeople do with the elephant’s corpse
And more
This bundle includes 6 three-week, standards-based unit plans and all instructional materials for supporting high school Creative Writing students as they generate original works of fiction. Not only does this bundle provide everything a teacher needs to carry out the curriculum to fidelity, but it substantially reduces prep work so teachers may invest more time developing positive relationships with students and offering personalized support as they work to achieve learning targets. All materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
A variety of literary genres is covered with this bundle: Gothic, fantasy, fairy tales, science fiction, realistic fiction, and adventure fiction.
At the conclusion of the six units, students will have have done the following:
Developed greater understanding of the conventions of each genre.
Analyzed how professionally published authors used characterization, description, and literary devices that are consistent with the conventions of each genre
Conducted research to facilitate idea development
Organized initial ideas in a coherent manner.
Engaged the reader with compelling exposition that established setting and tone.
Used many appropriate narrative techniques (dialogue, dialect, description, pacing, etc.) to enhance plot.
Drafted coherent, cohesive, and appropriate narratives that build toward a particular tone and outcome (a sense of mystery, suspense, etc.).
Used precise words and phrases, active verbs, and sensory language to convey compelling stories.
Drafted unrushed conclusions that resolve conflicts and convey themes.
Showed mastery of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
Help high school Creative Writing students better understand the conventions of realistic young adult fiction and prepare for the drafting of original short stories with this comprehensive, low-prep, standards-aligned unit plan. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Included are the following:
A detailed, standards-based unit plan articulating the unit’s transfer goal(s), essential question(s), enduring understanding(s), learning target(s), academic vocabulary, formative assessment(s), summative performance task(s), and learning plan(s).
Representative realistic fiction narratives.
Worksheets to facilitate analysis of representative literature.
Detailed directions.
A comprehensive outline for student planning.
A document to facilitate the editing process.
A comprehensive rubric for evaluating student writing.