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 and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 13, 14, and 15 of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the novel. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The rumor circulating about the war
An incident that jeopardizes the squad’s safety
Who accepts responsibility for the aforementioned incident
The reason for a group vote
The main purpose of the American soldiers’ mission to ambush Vietnamese forces
Perry’s brush with death
How Peewee is affected by events
The ARVN
Jamal’s role
Tam Ky
Why Gearhart does not order his men to fire upon enemy forces
Simpson’s feelings toward Captain Stewart
Perry’s physical condition
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 20, 21, 22, and 23 of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the novel. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Monaco’s hallucinations
The reason Gearhart hands Perry a letter
What Gearhart hands Walowick
Why Perry feels distressed when writing to Kenny
Brunner’s new role
Qualities Perry and Peewee share in common
How Perry and Peewee are separated from their peers
Where Perry and Peewee spend a night
The Viet Cong fighters’ trap
Perry’s concerns for his physical condition
An update on Judy Duncan
Characters who are sent home
Help students engage in analysis of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers with this set of close reading worksheets delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Passages from chapters 1, 5, 10, 14, and 21 are featured. Answer keys are included.
By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Identify textual evidence in support of claims
Discern what given passages reflect about the protagonist’s modes of thinking
Make logical inferences about characters’ psychological states based on actions
Apply knowledge of a variety of literary devices
Determine the functions of given passages
Analyze a situation to discern what is both positive and negative in terms of its outcome
Explore character motivations
Explain how dramatic irony is present in a given passage
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Examine how complex characters behave and interact
Discern tone in context
Write with clarity and precision
And more
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this bundle of plot-based quizzes covering the entirety of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. The assessments may double as guided reading worksheets to facilitate active engagement with the novel. Answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
By taking these quizzes, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Perry’s home city
Perry’s hopes and dreams
Perry’s motivations for serving in the military
Perry’s physical limitations
Rumors concerning the war
Peewee’s erratic behavior
Perry’s relation to Kenny
Why Peewee likes being in the military
Jenkins’ motivations for serving in the military
Why Lt. Carroll refers to Jenkins as an “angel warrior”
The veteran soldiers’ perception of Lt. Carroll
The reason for a mission to a Vietnamese village
The purpose of Earlene’s letter to Peewee
Lt. Carroll’s request of Perry
Perry’s loyalty to his squad
Lobel’s mindset at he is on patrol
Perry’s stated reason for being a soldier
The reason Perry does not participate in the killing of an adversary
Perry’s mindset as he looks at the corpse of the adversary
Captain Stewart’s lies
Perry’s physical condition
The reason for a fistfight between two characters
Why Peewee asks Perry to write a letter to Earlene
A major mistake by another squad
Lt. Carroll’s generosity
Perry’s request of Brew
Monaco’s reckless behavior
The purpose of a visit to a Vietnamese village
Brunner’s behavior while in the Vietnamese village
Johnson’s defense of Perry
What Peewee wants to buy while in the Vietnamese village
The content of a letter Lobel receives
Kenny’s personal goals as outlined in his letter to Perry
Peewee’s emotional state as he interacts with Red Cross representatives
The location where the squad will wait to ambush enemy forces
The death of a character following a conflict
Who is tasked with notifying the dead character’s family
Perry’s declining of an offer from Stewart
Perry’s learning of how Vietnamese forces treat hostages
Lobel’s extreme guilt
The author of a letter sent to Peewee
A lengthy discussion on draft-dodging
The rumor circulating about the war
An incident that jeopardizes the squad’s safety
Who accepts responsibility for the aforementioned incident
The reason for a group vote
The main purpose of the American soldiers’ mission to ambush Vietnamese forces
Perry’s brush with death
How Peewee is affected by events
The ARVN
Jamal’s role
Tam Ky
Why Gearhart does not order his men to fire upon enemy forces
Simpson’s feelings toward Captain Stewart
Perry’s physical condition
The nature of Perry’s injuries
Judy’s role
What happens to Brew
What Perry sends Kenny
The squad’s suspicions about Dongan
Dongan’s trick to make enemy forces vulnerable to attack
A booby-trapped child
Perry’s observations before shooting an enemy soldier
Dongan’s death
The reason for burning American soldiers’ bodies
The incident involving a jet
Monaco’s hallucinations
The reason Gearhart hands Perry a letter
What Gearhart hands Walowick
Why Perry feels distressed when writing to Kenny
Brunner’s new role
Qualities Perry and Peewee share in common
How Perry and Peewee are separated from their peers
Where Perry and Peewee spend a night
The Viet Cong fighters’ trap
Perry’s concerns for his physical condition
An update on Judy Duncan
Characters who are sent home
Facilitate vocabulary development, evaluate general reading comprehension, and support critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching three compelling short stories by Kate Chopin: “The Story of an Hour,” “A Pair of Silk Stockings,” and “Desiree’s Baby.” A quiz, close reading worksheet, vocabulary application activity, crossword puzzle, and word search game are provided for each narrative. Answer keys for everything are also included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will do the following:
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
Discern 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
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing, metaphor, paradox, simile, and situational irony
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
Facilitate vocabulary development, evaluate general reading comprehension, and support critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching three short stories by Roald Dahl: “Lamb to the Slaughter,” “Beware of the Dog,” and “The Landlady.” A quiz, close reading worksheet, vocabulary application activity, crossword puzzle, and word search game are provided for each narrative. Answer keys for everything are also included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
By engaging with these materials, students will do the following:
Identify what the texts state explicitly and implicitly
Determine the meanings 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 “Beware of the Dog” conforms to the conventions of surrealism
Conduct research as needed to answer questions involving historical context and autobiographical parallels in “Beware of the Dog”
Describe the tone of a given passage
Determine the functions of given passages
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including euphemism, foreshadowing, onomatopoeia, paradox, personification, 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
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 “Beware of the Dog” by Roald Dahl. 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 the story conforms to the conventions of surrealism
Conduct research as needed to answer questions involving historical context and autobiographical parallels
Describe the tone of a given passage
Determine the functions of given passages
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including onomatopoeia, paradox, personification, 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
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 the short story “Beware of the Dog” by Roald Dahl. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Utilize dictionaries to ensure knowledge of word meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how the story conforms to the conventions of surrealism
Conduct research as needed to answer questions involving historical context and autobiographical parallels
Describe the tone of a given passage
Determine the functions of given passages
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including onomatopoeia, paradox, personification, 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
Help middle and high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering the short story “Ambush” by Tim O’Brien, which addresses a soldier’s experience during the Vietnam War. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Utilize dictionaries to ensure knowledge of word meanings
Isolate details that contribute to a surreal atmosphere
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the functions of given details and characters
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on onomatopoeia
Articulate how the narrative fits the classification of ‘cautionary story’
Support claims and inferences with relevant evidence and sound reasoning
Write about literature with clarity, precision, and accuracy
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Evaluate general reading comprehension and align English Language Arts curriculum to world history with this plot-based quiz covering Tim O’Brien’s short story “Ambush,” which addresses a soldier’s experience during the Vietnam War. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate engagement with historical fiction. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
A daughter’s question
The nature of the father’s response
Setting
Secondary characters
A deadly object
The description of an “enemy”
The driving force behind the narrator’s deadly actions
The narrator’s post-killing assessment of the situation
Evaluate general reading comprehension, sharpen critical thinking skills, and align English Language Arts curriculum with world history by using these resources for Tim O’Brien’s short story “Ambush,” which addresses a soldier’s experience during the Vietnam War. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, 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
Utilize dictionaries to ensure knowledge of word meanings
Isolate details that contribute to a surreal atmosphere
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the functions of given details and characters
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on onomatopoeia
Articulate how the narrative fits the classification of ‘cautionary story’
Support claims and inferences with relevant evidence and sound reasoning
Write about literature with clarity, precision, and accuracy
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Evaluate general reading comprehension and align English Language Arts and World History curricula with this plot-based quiz covering Rebecca Harding Davis’ short story “Life in the Iron Mills,” one of the earliest narratives representing the realist movement in American Literature. A dominant theme is the unpleasant effects of the industrial revolution on common workers, such as the two Welsh immigrants who propel the story. An answer key and copy of the public domain text are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
General characterization of Deborah
General characterization of Wolfe
General characterization of the narrator
General characterization of Clarke Kirby
General characterization of Mitchell
General characterization of Haley
General characterization of Janey
A significant object in the story
Support vocabulary development, enhance reading comprehension, and align English Language Arts and American History curricula with this set of games and activities covering Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Soldier’s Home,” a piece of historical fiction focusing on the effects of war on a Marine who returns from fighting in World War I. A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain narrative, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: ambition, apocryphal, atrocity, bar, beau, boast, court, elaborately, hamper, muss, noncommittal, resentful, vaguely, 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
Evaluate general reading comprehension and align English Language Arts and American History curricula with this plot-based quiz covering Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Soldier’s Home,” a piece of historical fiction focusing on the effects of war on a Marine who returns from fighting in World War I. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate engagement with the narrative. An answer key and copy of the public domain text are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The protagonist’s educational background
The military branch in which the protagonist is enlisted
Why the protagonist finds it difficult to talk to others
The protagonist’s physical effects of lying and exaggerating stories
The protagonist’s musical instrument
What the protagonist does that temporarily makes him feel better
Helen’s relation to the protagonist
The protagonist’s relationship with his parents
How the protagonist makes his mother cry
The protagonist’s response to his mother’s tears
The resolution
Facilitate research on thirty topics related to The House on Mango Street and its author, Sandra Cisneros, with this low-prep, standards-based activity. Students will navigate informational texts about historically significant women (Elvia Carillo Puerto, Adelina Zendejas, Lydia Cacho, and more), landmark events (Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Equal Rights Amendment, and more), social justice organizations (American Civil Liberties Union, League of Women Voters, Hispanic Heritage Foundation, and more), Chicana authors (Gloria Evangelina Anzaldúa, Denise Chávez, Michele Serros, and more), and opportunities for writers (Hispanic Scholarship Fund, National Endowment for the Arts, and more). After compiling relevant details, the process culminates in the delivery of a formal presentation. A detailed scoring rubric is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Ultimately, students will perform the following tasks:
Articulate connections between a research topic and the assigned text
Conduct research using available resources
Collect and classify reliable sources
Develop successful methods of recording information
Evaluate the credibility of nonfiction texts, taking into consideration readability, date, relevance, expertise, and bias
Apply conventions of MLA formatting
Correctly site resources to avoid plagiarism
Organize information in a cohesive manner, using a note-taking system that includes summary, paraphrasing, and quoted material
Analyze, synthesize, and integrate information, generating a thoughtfully comprehensive report, free of generalities and redundancies
Present information in a formal, coherent manner
Complement a unit on Gothic fiction and embrace the harvest season with this low-prep, standards-based research project addressing 33 topics directly and indirectly related to Halloween: ancient celebrations, holidays, and practices (Samhain, Lemuria, guising, souling, and more); more recent traditions (Guy Fawkes Night, the history of trick-or-treating, and the history of pumpkin carving); myths, legends, and superstitions (Jack O’Lantern, the Beast of Bray Road, Mothman, and more); medical conditions (“werewolf syndrome,” “walking corpse syndrome,” and “vampire disease”); historical figures (Vlad the Impaler, John Hathorne, Sarah Good, and more); and Halloween-inspired authors (Ray Bradbury, Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, H.P. Lovecraft, and more). Supporting materials—including a detailed scoring rubric—are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Ultimately, students will perform the following tasks:
Collect and classify reliable sources on an assigned topic
Develop successful methods of recording information
Evaluate the credibility of nonfiction texts, taking into consideration readability, date, relevance, expertise, and bias
Apply conventions of MLA formatting
Correctly site resources to avoid plagiarism
Organize information in a cohesive manner, using a note-taking system that includes summary, paraphrasing, and quoted material
Analyze, synthesize, and integrate information, generating a thoughtfully comprehensive report, free of generalities and redundancies
Present information in a formal, coherent manner
Evaluate general reading comprehension, support critical thinking, and facilitate vocabulary development with this bundle of formative assessments covering Kate Chopin’s short story “Desiree’s Baby,” a piece of historical fiction that, when integrated into the English Language Arts classroom, complements American History curricula, as the plot precedes the Civil War and addresses the issue of how race and ethnicity affect one’s life experiences in the South. 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 included. 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 materials, students will perform the following tasks:
Identify what the text states both 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
Consider the effects of the author’s language and narrative techniques
Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including irony and foreshadowing
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Reduce teacher workload, promote homework accountability, and measure reading comprehension with this set of quizzes on chapters one through six of Bette Greene’s Summer of My German Soldier. A multiple choice version and short answer alternative are provided in addition to an answer key. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these resources, middle and high school students will demonstrate general knowledge of characters, setting, historical context, and plot.
Reduce teacher workload, promote homework accountability, and measure reading comprehension with this set of quizzes on chapters seven through 12 of Bette Greene’s Summer of My German Soldier. A multiple choice version and short answer alternative are provided in addition to an answer key. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these resources, middle and high school students will demonstrate general knowledge of characters, setting, historical context, and plot.
Help students better understand the historical context of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers and facilitate the process of researching topics related to the Vietnam War with this low-prep, standards-based resource. Students will choose from more than twenty relevant subjects—the Gulf of Tonkin incident, the Tet Offensive, the My Lai Massacre, Tinker vs. Des Moines, and Milton L. Olive III to name a few—and navigate credible sources with the goal of teaching others about their topic. A detailed scoring rubric is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Ultimately, students will perform the following tasks:
Articulate connections between a research topic and the assigned novel
Conduct research using available resources
Collect and classify reliable sources
Develop successful methods of recording information
Evaluate the credibility of nonfiction texts, taking into consideration readability, date, relevance, expertise, and bias
Apply conventions of MLA formatting
Correctly site resources to avoid plagiarism
Organize information in a cohesive manner, using a note-taking system that includes summary, paraphrasing, and quoted material
Analyze, synthesize, and integrate information, generating a thoughtfully comprehensive report, free of generalities and redundancies
Present information in a formal, coherent manner