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, 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
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering chapters 6 and 7 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An alternate short answer version is provided for re-assessment purposes. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following plot elements:
A contest between Jem and Dill
The kids’ decision to sneak to the Radley residence
Mr. Radley scaring the kids off
How and why Jem lost his pants
Dill’s excuse for Jem’s lost pants
The lie Jem tells to Atticus
What motivates Jem to leave home in the middle of the night
Jem’s alarming discovery
Items in the knothole
Mr. Radley’s heartbreaking attempt to break Boo’s connection to the outside world
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering chapters 4 and 5 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An alternate short answer version is provided for re-assessment purposes. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following plot elements:
Discoveries in the knothole
Jem’s fear for Scout’s life
The irony of the discovery of money
Dill’s claim of a peculiar talent
The rolling tire incident
The game the kids play
Dill and Scout’s relationship
The evolving relationship between Scout and Miss Maudie
Theories pertaining to the mystery of Boo Radley
Miss Maudie’s impressions of Boo
Delivering a note to Boo
Atticus’s trick
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering chapters 24, 25, and 26 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An alternate short answer version is provided for re-assessment purposes. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following plot elements:
The missionary circle
Mrs. Merriweather’s critical comments
Mrs. Merriweather’s hypocrisy
Tom’s death
The bitter editorial
Bob Ewell’s antagonistic behaviors
Miss Gates’s hypocrisy
Jem’s reaction to the trial’s outcome
Eliminate assessment planning responsibilities and evaluate high school students’ knowledge of plot and literary craft with this summative test covering Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. An answer key is included, as well as a test prep guide and a standards-based rubric for scoring essay responses. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. The test is divided into four sections, outlined as follows:
Part 1 - Characters and Plot. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following characters and aspects of plot:Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following characters and aspects of plot:
♦ Perry’s background
♦ Perry’s medical condition
♦ Perry’s family
♦ Perry’s external conflicts
♦ Perry’s superiors
♦ Perry’s cohorts
♦ A nurse Perry meets
♦ Miscellaneous characters Perry meets along the way
Part 2 - Literary Craft. Students will apply knowledge of the following literary devices to quotes from the novel:
♦ Anaphora
♦ Aphorism
♦ External conflict
♦ Hyperbole
♦ Internal conflict
♦ Irony
♦ Metaphor
♦ Oxymoron
Part 3 - Meaningful Quotations in Context. Students will read the given quotes in order to discern the speaker and significance of each:
♦ “The army was the place I was going to get away from all the questions.” (Chapter 2)
♦ “Anything anybody got in the army, I got. You got a gun, I got a gun. You got boots, I got boots.” (Chapter 2)
♦ “Movies are the only real thing in life.” (Chapter 6)
♦ “He was a thing, a trophy. I wondered if I could become a trophy.” (Chapter 7)
♦ “A man in Nam fighting by my side is a man fighting by my side.” (Chapter 18)
♦ “Mama would expect me to be the same person, but it could never happen.” (Chapter 20)
Part 4 - Essay Writing. Students will develop a five paragraph essay in response to one of two given prompts:
♦ The first prompt requires students to explore Perry’s changing perspective on the war
♦ The second prompt requires students to evaluate any meaningful character’s methods of coping with the terrible realities of war
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 1, 2, and 3 of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. 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:
Historical context
Setting
Environmental conditions
Tom Joad’s 4-year stay
Tom Joad’s conviction
The interaction between Tom Joad and the driver
Tom Joad’s irritability
Workers vs. owners
The incident with the turtle
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 4, 5, and 6 of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. 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:
An encounter with Jim Casy
Jim Casy’s former profession
Jim Casy’s revelation
Jim Casy’s philosophical/religious belief
Tom’s conviction
Tom’s experience in prison
Tom’s farm
The eviction of farmers
What happened to Tom’s family
The family’s work
Where Tom and his acquaintances sleep
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 7, 8, and 9 of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. 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:
Narration of a used car salesman
Taking advantage of departing families
Uncle Tom’s guilt
Ma and Pa Joad’s reaction to Tom’s return
Granma’s request at breakfast
Tom’s youngest brother, Al
Narration of tenant farmers
Talk of material possessions and memories of home
Pawning belongings
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 10, 11, and 12 of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. 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:
Granma’s concern about California
Granpa’s intentions upon getting to California
The family pawning their possessions
The purpose of a family meeting
The activities following the family meeting
Muley Graves bidding goodbye
Granpa’s surprising reaction to departing
The method of halting a protest
Farmers’ worries about transportation and travel
The narrator’s assessment of corporate farmers
Treatment of farmers and their observations on a typical journey west
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 13, 14, and 15 of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. 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 family driver
Ma Joad’s perspective on the future
Al’s conflict with a gas station attendant
An incident involving the family dog
The family’s reaction to Oklahoma City
The Wilsons’ background
Sudden death of a family member
The influx of farmers posing a perceived threat to citizens of western states
Truckers and the coffee shop
A request of Mae
A shift in Mae’s reaction to patrons of the coffee shop
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 16, 17, and 18 of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. 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:
Ma’s reaction to Rose of Sharon’s news
An engine issue with the Wilsons’ vehicle
Ma’s disagreement with Tom and Casy’s decision
Spending the night at a roadside camp
Conditions for migrant farmers in California
The creation of larger migrant family communities
A degrading term for migrant families
Noah’s life-changing decision
A gravely ill character
Agricultural inspectors stopping the family
Sad news shared with the family
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 28, 29, and 30 of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. 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 Joads’ financial situation
Ruthie’s fight and revelation
Tom’s reflective thoughts
Tom’s significant decision
Al and Agnes’s decision to get married
Horrendous weather conditions
How to men may remain strong according to the women
The need to build an embankment
Rose of Sharon’s stillborn child
Rose of Sharon’s role in trying to save a dying man
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 22, 23, and 24 of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. 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:
Life in the government-sponsored camp
The generosity of Timothy and Wilkie Wallace
The demands of the Farmers’ Association
“Red agitators”
The Farmers’ Association’s plan to cause trouble
Mrs. Sandy’s scary warning to Rose of Sharon
Ma’s feelings of sadness and loss
Ezra Huston’s big responsibility
The mountain men of Akron, Ohio
The “turkey shoot”
Hold students accountable for reading Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird with this bundle of comprehension-based quizzes . Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By completing these assessments, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of the novel:
Point of view
Setting
Jem’s injury
The kids’ mother and father
Calpurnia’s job
Dill
Boo Radley’s background
The dare
Walter Cunningham’s philosophy
The effects of the Great Depression on Maycomb’s citizens
Scout’s fight
The teacher’s reaction to an alarming situation
Perception of the Ewells
Discoveries in the knothole
Jem’s fear for Scout’s life
The irony of the discovery of money
Dill’s claim of a peculiar talents
The rolling tire incident
The game the kids play
Dill and Scout’s relationship
The evolving relationship between Scout and Miss Maudie
Theories pertaining to the mystery of Boo Radley
Miss Maudie’s impressions of Boo
Delivering a note to Boo
A contest between Jem and Dill
The kids’ decision to sneak to the Radley residence
Mr. Radley scaring the kids off
How and why Jem lost his pants
Dill’s excuse for Jem’s lost pants
The lie Jem tells to Atticus
What motivates Jem to leave home in the middle of the night
Jem’s alarming discovery
Items in the knothole
Mr. Radley’s heartbreaking attempt to break Boo’s connection to the outside world
Miss Maudie’s peculiar reaction to the house fire
The blanket wrapped around Scout
Scout’s reaction upon a disturbing discovery
Beating up Cecil Jacobs
Christmas gifts
Scout’s punishment
Atticus discussing the trial with Uncle Jack
The Tim Johnson incident
Why the kids dislike Mrs. Dubose
Mrs. Dubose’s condition
Jem’s misbehavior and subsequent punishment
The true purpose behind Jem’s punishment
“The bravest person I ever knew”
A gift left for Jem
Jem’s misunderstanding of Mrs. Dubose’s intent
Jem’s moodiness
Disappointing news to begin summer
The reason for Atticus’s two-week absence
The incident involving Eunice Ann Simpson
Lula’s treatment of the children
The general reaction of the parishioners toward the children
Calpurnia’s separate identities
Why Alexandra decides to stay with the family
Alexandra’s philosophy on what makes “fine” people
Aunt Alexandra’s feelings toward Calpurnia
The discovery under Scout’s bed
Breaking “the code of childhood”
Dill’s epiphany regarding Boo Radley’s isolation
Jem breaking up the meeting
Atticus and Mr. Underwood outside of the jailhouse
Jem’s concern for his father
The lynch mob
How the lynch mob came to disperse
Dolphus Raymond as a social outcast
The “sad” life of Dolphus Raymond’s children
Who arranges for the children to have seats at the trial
Judge Taylor’s peculiarity
The prosecution’s first witness
The significance of Mayella’s injured eye
Bob Ewell’s testimony
Dramatic irony
The significance of Bob Ewell writing his name
Mayella’s insubordination
Tom Robinson’s injury
Tom’s previous run-in with the law
Why Tom had to serve 30 days
Mayella’s plan to ensure her siblings were not present
Scout’s epiphany regarding Mayella’s loneliness
Link Deas’s support of Tom
Bob Ewell’s comments according to Tom’s testimony
Why Tom frequently helped Mayella
Mr. Gilmer’s treatment of Tom
The major revelation regarding Dolphus Raymond’s condition
Atticus’s summation
Atticus’s peculiar behavior that surprises the kids
Interruption of the court proceedings
Jem’s misunderstanding racial prejudice and the justice system
The jury’s deliberation
The verdict
The African American community’s appreciation of Atticus
Altercation between Bob and Atticus
Alexandra’s strictness
Jem’s opinion on Boo’s isolation
The missionary circle
Mrs. Merriweather’s critical comments
Mrs. Merriweather’s hypocrisy
Tom’s death
The bitter editorial
Bob Ewell’s antagonistic behaviors
Miss Gates’s hypocrisy
Jem’s reaction to the trial’s outcome
Strange incidents in Maycomb
Atticus’s opinion on Bob Ewell’s malicious behaviors
Miss Tutti and Miss Frutti
The pageant and how it was ruined
Jem’s concerns on the way home
The attack
Heck Tate’s discovery at the crime scene
Jem’s method of arriving home
Who saved the kids from Bob’s assault
Atticus’s misunderstanding of the story
Heck Tate’s version of the story
The fairness of hiding the truth
Scout’s awareness of why hiding the truth is acceptable
Scout’s sadness upon recalling items in the knothole
Scout and Atticus’s activity as the novel ends
Atticus’s last lesson he teaches Scout before the novel ends
Measure general reading comprehension with this multiple choice quiz on chapters 10 through 14 of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah. A firsthand account of the author’s experiences as a child soldier during the Sierra Leone Civil War, this book is an excellent choice for teachers who want to incorporate more autobiographical nonfiction into their English and/or history classes. In addition to an answer key, an short answer quiz option is provided for re-assessment purposes. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Acts of kindness
Significant realizations among key figures in the text
Coping strategies among key figures in the text
Ominous occurrences
Medical concerns among key figures in the text
Updates on family members
General descriptions of setting
The collective motivation to join the military
Violent events
The effects of war on key figures in the text
And more
“Desiree’s Baby” by Kate Chopin is an example 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. With this worksheet composed of challenging, text-dependent questions, teachers will help students extend beyond general reading comprehension, exercise close reading analysis skills, and save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Articulate what is stated in the text explicitly and implicitly
Analyze how complex characters think, interact, and behave
Explore character motivations and intentions
Apply knowledge of literary devices including irony and foreshadowing
Analyze the author’s craft, determining how figurative language contributes to storytelling and character development
Articulate point of view
Make logical inferences about the psychological states of characters
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
“Desiree’s Baby” by Kate Chopin is an example 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. With this multiple choice quiz covering the short story, teachers will be able to evaluate general reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and save valuable time at home without sacrificing quality in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Setting
How Désirée came to be part of the Valmonde family
Armand’s initial attitude toward marrying Désirée
Madame Valmonde’s reaction to the sight of the baby
How Armand’s treatment of others changes after the birth of his child
Désirée’s observations of the plantation visitors
Désirée’s demands of her husband
Madame Valmonde’s response to a letter from Désirée
The final interaction between Armand and Désirée
Désirée’s final action in the story
The fate of Désirée’s belongings
Armand’s surprising discovery