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.
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching Daphne du Maurier’s short story “The Birds,” which features compelling elements consistent with the horror and psychological fiction genres: an isolated setting, killings without clear motivations, the suggestion of humanity’s inevitable extinction, and more. A plot-based quiz, close reading analysis worksheet, vocabulary application activity, crossword puzzle, word search game, and answer keys are provided in this bundle. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
This resource may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging with these exercises, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Choose the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Examine how elements of setting contribute to the development of suspense
Explore how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others
Determine the functions of characters
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including personification, amplification, onomatopoeia, simile, epiphany, foreshadowing, and more
Conduct online research to answer a question about historical context
Reflect on humanity’s relationship with Nature
Consider relevant themes
Discern the significance of the protagonist’s final actions
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of activities for teaching the short story “A Day’s Wait” by Ernest Hemingway. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a 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:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Determine the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including alliteration, assonance, cacophony, and sibilance
Consider themes in context
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of activities for teaching Francisco Jiménez’s short story “The Circuit,” an autobiographical narrative about the challenges of migrant families in America. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a 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:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Determine the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Describe the tone of a given excerpt
Determine the functions of given excerpts
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including juxtaposition, oxymoron, personification, situational irony, symbolism, and more
Consider themes in context
Conduct research as needed to answer questions about the author’s background
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of activities for teaching the short story “Broken Chain” by Gary Soto. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a 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:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Determine the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including dramatic irony, idiom, invective, simile, situational irony, and symbolism
Reflect on the author’s choice of title and interpret it figuratively
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “The Dog and the Sparrow.” A plot-based quiz, a close reading worksheet, a 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
Choose the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching “An Hour with Abuelo” by Judith Ortiz Cofer, a coming-of-age short story about a teen whose youthful determination and stubbornness keep him from learning a lesson about controlling one’s destiny - that is, until an hour-long meeting with his grandfather. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and 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
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, such as how the first-person narration affects the readers’ perception of Arturo’s mother
Determine the function of the opening paragraph
Discern the greater significance of a given excerpt
Examine how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Compare and contrast two characters (Arturo and Abuelo)
Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile, euphemism, verbal irony, and more
Explore themes in context
Defend claims with valid reasoning and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class/leave class better prepared to discuss literary materials
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of activities for teaching the short story “Spunk” by Zora Neale Hurston. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a 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:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Determine the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including hubris, juxtaposition, foil, metaphor, epiphany, and situational irony
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “The Owl,” a cautionary story about how fear affects human behavior. 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:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
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
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare the actions of the owl with those of the humans
Apply knowledge of literary devices including hyperbole, onomatopoeia, personification, 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
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching the satirical short story “The Emperor’s New Clothes” by Hans Christian Andersen. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the public domain narrative, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
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
Consider how the story conforms to conventions of fairy tale literature
Discern the function of a given passage
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including dramatic irony and situational irony
Explore implied themes about society
Make a claim about which human vice is most scrutinized in the story
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching the humorous Grimm’s fairy tale “Clever Gretel.” A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the public domain 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:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
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
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of activities for teaching the short story “The No-Guitar Blues” by Gary Soto. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a 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:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Choose the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including dramatic irony, metaphor, and simile
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
Save time and maintain academic rigor with these printable resources supporting reading comprehension and analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (chapters 12-13). General comprehension quizzes are included, as are challenging close reading and vocabulary development activities. These materials may be used to facilitate differentiated instruction in the classroom. Answer keys are provided.
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 will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.
Copyright restrictions prohibit the inclusion of the complete literary works, so the purchaser is responsible for providing students with access to the novel.
By engaging in these exercises, students will:
Apply knowledge of coordinating conjunctions, selecting the most appropriate conjunction to join two sentences in context
Discern the most logical interpretation of an excerpt
Analyze the author’s word choices and phrasing to determine intent
Apply knowledge of literary devices (imagery and theme) to the text
Analyze an excerpt to discern its significance
Analyze a passage to discern tone in context
Discern the meaning of complex vocabulary and phrases in context, taking into consideration both denotative definitions and connotative associations
Analyze context clues to articulate how Calpurnia is characterized, citing textual evidence in support of claims
Analyze the author’s word choices and phrasing to discern what she means explicitly and implicitly about Aunt Alexandra
Draw reasonable inferences about Jem’s thinking in terms of how he perceives Aunt Alexandra
Consider synonyms that may replace a given word or phrase without changing the original fundamental meaning
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
Challenge high school students to go beyond basic reading comprehension and practice close reading analysis skills while engaging with To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Covering chapters ten and eleven, this bundle offers a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a short answer quiz option for re-assessment purposes; a pair of vocabulary games; two close reading worksheets; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Materials in this bundle may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using these resources for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging in these exercises, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including symbolism and situational irony
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Challenge high school students to go beyond basic reading comprehension and practice close reading analysis skills while engaging with To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Covering chapters four and five, this bundle offers a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a short answer quiz option for re-assessment purposes; a pair of vocabulary games; two close reading worksheets; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Materials in this bundle may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using these resources for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Examine how the author’s language affects the reader
Discern the greater significance of given details
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification, hyperbole, allusion, situational irony
Identify the best textual evidence in support of claims
Save time and maintain rigor with these printable resources supporting reading comprehension and analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (chapters 14-15). General comprehension quizzes are included, as are rigorous close reading activities and vocabulary development resources. These materials may be used to facilitate differentiated instruction in the classroom. Answer keys are provided.
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 will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.
Copyright restrictions prohibit the inclusion of the complete literary works, so the purchaser is responsible for providing students with access to the novel.
By engaging in these exercises, students will:
Discern the meaning of complex vocabulary and phrases in context, taking into consideration both denotative definitions and connotative associations
Discern the intended effect of the author’s language upon the reader
Identify the significance of a given detail
Use context to make a logical inference about character motivations
Use context to make a logical inference about character intentions
Use context to make a logical inference about a character’s psychological state
Use context to make a logical inference about a character’s intellectual capacity
Use context to make a logical inference about a character’s family life
Use context to discern the tone of a particular excerpt
Use context to discern the primary function of a particular excerpt
Apply knowledge of literary devices and figurative language to a particular excerpt
Analyze how a complex character has developed
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims
Identify the factors that contributed to the “placid week” preceding the mob incident
Analyze what the fact that “Jem would struggle…through the speeches of Henry W. Grady” suggests about his character development
Explore the shift in tone once Scout approaches Mr. Cunningham
Analyze Mr. Underwood’s values set
Articulate a significant misunderstanding Atticus has about his own community
Explore how Atticus demonstrates courage
Save time and maintain rigor with these printable resources supporting reading comprehension and analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (chapters 19-20). General comprehension quizzes are included, as are rigorous close reading and vocabulary reinforcement activities. These materials may be used to facilitate differentiated instruction in the classroom. Answer keys are provided.
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 will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.
Copyright restrictions prohibit the inclusion of the complete literary works, so the purchaser is responsible for providing students with access to the novel.
By engaging in these exercises, students will:
Explore character motivations and modes of thinking
Articulate why Tom Robinson hesitates to answer Mr. Gilmer’s question
Analyze Mr. Gilmer’s language to discern its racial implications
Define complex words in context
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus
Examine plot developments from a historical perspective
Analyze the author’s application of indirect characterization
Explore the community’s influence on Scout’s way of thinking about the trial
Articulate why Dill relates to Tom
Identify and explain an example of situational irony
Discern the function of a given passage
Identify the object of Atticus’s pity in context
Analyze the author’s phrasing in a cultural context (the “rigid and time-honored code of our society”)
Analyze how the author’s phrasing contributes to the characterization of Mayella
Identify the object of Atticus’s scrutiny in context
Identify what the text states explicitly about Atticus’s beliefs pertaining to U.S. courts
Challenge high school students to go beyond basic reading comprehension and practice close reading analysis skills while engaging with To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Covering chapters eight and nine, this bundle offers a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a short answer quiz option for re-assessment purposes; a pair of vocabulary games; two close reading worksheets; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Materials in this bundle may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using these resources for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging in these exercises, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Analyze nuances in words with similar meanings
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile, metaphor, idiom, hyperbole, and situational irony
Challenge high school students to go beyond basic reading comprehension and practice close reading analysis skills while engaging with To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Covering chapters six and seven, this bundle offers a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a short answer quiz option for re-assessment purposes; a pair of vocabulary games; two close reading worksheets; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Materials in this bundle may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using these resources for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging in these exercises, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Analyze the effect of the author’s phrasing in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including dialect, foreshadowing, slang, simile, and dramatic irony
Determine the greater significance of a particular excerpt
Save time and maintain rigor with these printable resources supporting reading comprehension and analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (chapters 27-28). General comprehension quizzes are included, as are more rigorous close reading activities. These materials may be used to facilitate differentiated instruction in the classroom. Answer keys are provided.
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 will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.
Copyright restrictions prohibit the inclusion of the complete literary works, so the purchaser is responsible for providing students with access to the novel.
By engaging with these exercises, students will:
Address Scout’s youthful misconception of “two minor changes” in Maycomb
Analyze an excerpt to discern its significance to the plot
Draw a logical inference about Atticus’s remarks, which allude to the Supreme Court of the United States
Conduct brief research on the Great Depression’s influence on common Halloween practices, especially in the South
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
Analyze the author’s craft to discern her intent
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Apply knowledge of foreshadowing to the text, with emphasis on how Miss Tutti and Miss Frutti’s deafness contribute to the plot
Analyze an excerpt to discern its tone in context
Discern the meaning of complex vocabulary and phrases in context, taking into consideration both denotative definitions and connotative associations
Analyze a Dr. Reynolds’s remarks to discern tone in context
Analyze the author’s craft to discern the intended effect
Apply knowledge of literary devices (hyperbole) to the text
Analyze Dr. Reynolds’s comments to Scout to discern and articulate his intent