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 the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Othello. With a focus on Act 1, scene 2, this resource saves teachers valuable time without sacrificing academic rigor. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered as printable PDFs and Word Documents.
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.
More specifically, questions pertain to the following:
Analyzing the phrase “He comes to bad intent” for meaning.
Analyzing the phrase “Come, sir, I am for you” for meaning and synthesizing it with knowledge of Iago’s characterization.
Analyzing text for meaning: why Othello claims that Brabantio is worthy of respect.
Analyzing text to determine character motivations (why Brabantio thinks Othello is a thief).
Analyzing text to isolate true statements from unfounded statements.
Locating textual evidence and annotating text to make comprehension visible: identifying all references to supernatural forces and all indications of Brabantio’s prejudiced mentality.
Paraphrasing dialogue.
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
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
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Othello. With a focus on Act 5, scene 1, this resource saves teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing academic rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered as printable PDFs and Word Documents.
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.
More specifically, students will be able to:
Articulate what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Write with clarity and precision
Cite specific, relevant textual evidence in support of a claim or idea
Apply knowledge of literary devices including dramatic irony, situational irony, and caesura
Articulate character motivations
Discern the best description of Roderigo’s characterization
Analyze and articulate how the setting contributes to a sense of uncertainty
Articulate how dialogue contributes to the development of suspense
Analyze character interactions
Define complex words or phrases in context
Verify interpretations using reference materials including a dictionary or thesaurus
Conclude your unit on Shakespeare’s The Tempest with this summative assessment, which is delivered as a Word Document and a PDF. An answer key is included. Students will demonstrate comprehension of the following:
Gonzalo’s general demeanor
Miranda’s relation to Prospero
Prospero’s intentions in terms of his magic
Antonio’s past betrayal of Prospero
Ariel’s role
General characterization of Trinculo
Caliban’s perception of Stephano
Ferdinand’s captivity
Prospero’s true feelings toward Ferdinand
Ariel’s warnings for King Alonso and his men
Prospero’s reaction to Ferdinand’s relationship with Miranda
An interruption of wedding festivities
Prospero’s tempting of the criminals
Prospero’s perception of Caliban
Prospero’s motivation for releasing his enemies
A major decision made by Prospero
Prospero’s motivation for not charging Antonio and Sebastian with treason
Caliban’s dynamic character
Arrangements for wedding entertainment
Miranda’s offering to help Ferdinand with his physical labor
King Alonso’s psychological state after the presumed death of his son
Gonzalo’s fear regarding his peers
Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban’s collective behavior
Caliban’s feelings toward Prospero
Antonio’s feelings toward King Alonso
Sebastian’s self-blame
Act 1, scene 1: I pray thee, mark me–that a brother should / Be so perfidious…
Act 1, scene 1: You mar our labour.
Act 1, scene 2: …my library / Was dukedom large enough.
Act 1, scene 2: Is there more toil? Since thou dost give me pains, / Let me remember thee what thou hast promised, / Which is not yet performed me.
Act 2, scene 1: That our garments, being, as they were, drenched in / the sea, hold notwithstanding their freshness and / glosses, being rather new-dyed than stained with / salt water.
Act 2, scene 2: I’ll show thee the best springs; I’ll pluck thee berries; / I’ll fish for thee and get thee wood enough. / A plague upon the tyrant that I serve!
Act 3, scene 1: Poor worm, thou art infected! / This visitation shows it.
Act 3, scene 3: I am right glad that he is so / out of hope.
Act 5, scene 1: What a thrice-double ass / Was I, to take this drunkard for a god…
Hyperbole
Allusion
Personification
Oxymoron
Metaphor
Simile
Sibilance
Onomatopoeia
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Othello. With a focus on Act 4, scene 3, this resource saves teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing academic rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered as printable PDFs and Word Documents.
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.
More specifically, students will be able to:
Articulate what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Write with clarity and precision
Cite specific, relevant textual evidence in support of a claim or idea
Discern the tone of a given excerpt
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, alliteration, sibilance, personification, foreshadowing, and paradox
Articulate character motivations
Compare two characters
Articulate the significance of dialogue
Analyze what dialogue reveals about a character’s psychological state
Consider how the imagery of a willow tree is relevant to the content of Desdemona’s song
Make logical inferences from the point of view of a particular character
Extend reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this set of rigorous questions about Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Focusing on Act 1, scene 3, this resource is delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. An answer key is included. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Discern tone in context
Identify the greater significance of a given detail
Apply knowledge of literary devices including hyperbole and simile
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Identify a function of the scene
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 1, of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided.
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.
More specifically, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Discern a function of the scene
Explore the symbolism of lapwings and haggards in the context of the scene
Examine nuances in words and phrases with similar meanings
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare two characters (Beatrice and Benedick)
Apply knowledge of literary devices including oxymoron, pun, hyperbole, and more
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence
Measure high school reading comprehension and support analysis of Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet (Act 2) with this bundle that features a plot-based quiz and rigorous close reading activities. By engaging with these resources, students will identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly, apply knowledge of literary devices, interpret figurative expressions, make engagement with text visible, and more. Answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with these materials, students will:
Discern what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Identify a variety of functions this scene serves
Analyze character statements and behaviors to draw logical inferences about character development and motivations
Analyze complex vocabulary and phrasing in context to determine meaning and intended effect
Apply knowledge of literary devices to the text with emphasis on situational irony
Compare and contrast two characters
Articulate ideas with clarity and precision
Defend a claim with textual evidence
Analyze the factors contributing to Hamlet’s internal conflict (the contradictory nature of religious values coupled with codes of honor)
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 2, scene 3, of Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided.
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.
With this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Examine how characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Compare and contrast characters in the play
Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, metaphor, and simile
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 2, scene 4, of Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided.
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.
With this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze figurative language to determine its effect on the reader
Discern tone in context
Examine how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Choose the best textual evidence in support of a claim
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including allusion, oxymoron, simile, hyperbole, and ambiguity
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 1, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided.
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 this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consider nuances in words with similar meanings
Articulate the intended effect of figurative language in context
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including assonance, hyperbole, and apheresis
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 4, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided.
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 this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words/phrases as they are used in the text
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials
Explore the intended effects of Shakespeare’s narrative techniques
Describe tone in context
Conduct brief research on pelicans to better understand their symbolic value in context ('pelican daughters")
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills while teaching Act 3 of William Shakespeare’s King Lear with this bundle of formative assessments. Included are the following: a quiz on characters and plot, seven close reading worksheets addressing the author’s craft, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these activities, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Discern the intended effect of Shakespeare’s narrative techniques and figurative language
Define words/phrases as they are used in context
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials
Describe tone in context
Consider the greater significance of given details
Determine the primary function of given excerpts/scenes
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare two characters in the play (Edgar and Edmund)
Apply knowledge of literary devices including assonance, hyperbole, personification, paradox, metaphor, verbal irony, dramatic irony, situational irony, and apheresis
Conduct brief research on pelicans to better understand their symbolic value in context (“pelican daughters”)
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Help high school readers go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering the prologue of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word and phrase meanings (“Two households, both alike in dignity,” “Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean,” “What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend,” and more)
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Consider historical context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 2, scene 1, of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word and phrase meanings
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Choose the best textual evidence in support of a claim
Apply knowledge of figurative language and dramatic irony
Support inferences or claims with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 3, scene 1, of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word and phrase meanings
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 such as foreshadowing, pun, and dramatic irony
Choose the best textual evidence in support of a claim
Consider relevant themes in the context of the scene
Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 3, scene 3, of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Compare elements of this scene to the preceding scene
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word and phrase meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques (with emphasis on repetition)
Describe tone in context
Support claims or inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 4, scene 5, of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Compare aspects of this scene with aspects of a previous scene (Act 3.5)
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word and phrase meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the tone of the scene
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile, metaphor, personification, and situational irony
Support claims or inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works