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.
Reduce teacher workload, promote homework accountability, and measure reading comprehension with this bundle of printable quizzes covering the entirety of Bette Greene’s historical fiction novel Summer of My German Soldier. Multiple choice versions and short answer alternatives are provided in addition to answer keys. Materials are delivered in both 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 13 through 21 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 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 a meaningful excerpt from chapter 2 of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. 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 and implicitly
Consult reference materials as needed to learn or verify word meanings
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how knowledge of the Vietnam War’s outcome emotionally influences the reader
Describe tone in context
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Isolate an example of figurative language
Conduct brief research to identify parallels between the narrator and the author James Baldwin
Decide what the primary function of the excerpt is
Write about complex literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Incorporate narrative nonfiction into the English Language Arts classroom and help high school students practice their close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous questions covering an excerpt titled “Loophole of Retreat” from Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs. This text addresses an enslaved woman’s paradoxically empowering decision to hide from her master in a confined space. An answer key and copy of the public domain text are included. Additionally, a bonus PowerPoint providing more context on the author’s background is provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Summarize key details from the text
Use context to make logical inferences about the author’s beliefs
Explore the symbolism attached to an object (the gimlet)
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including invective, metaphor, paradox, and more
Examine nuances in words with similar meanings in order to choose the most appropriate synonym for a given term
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent based on stylistic choices
Discern the tone of a given passage
Support claims and ideas with relevant textual details
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Incorporate more nonfiction into the English Language Arts classroom and help high school students practice their close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous questions covering a persuasive speech delivered by Sojourner Truth. Given to the Convention of the American Equal Rights Association in 1867, the historically significant speech argues in favor of suffrage for Black women and encourages Black women to speak up for their rights in order to achieve a more just society. An answer key and copy of the public domain speech are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Articulate the function of the speech
Identify what the text states explicitly about Truth’s feelings toward slavery, Truth’s desires for all women, Truth’s reason for living a long life, and Truth’s reasoning for why men should fight alongside women for their rights
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Explore Truth’s personal motivations
Analyze stylistic elements of Truth’s speech and evaluate its effectiveness
Make and defend logical inferences about the audience’s reception to the speech
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Help students better understand the historical context of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah and facilitate the process of researching topics related to Sierra Leone with this low-prep, standards-based resource. Students will choose from thirty relevant subjects—the deposing of Siaka Stevens’ government, the Revolutionary United Front, illegal diamond mining, the West Side Boys, and All People’s Congress 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 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
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood lends itself to compelling research opportunities for high school students. This low-prep, standards-based project has students investigate topics related to women’s history and human rights around the world: from America (the Fourteenth Amendment, Equal Pay Act, Equal Rights Amendment, etc.) to Canada (the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada, National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, etc.), from the Middle East (Benazir Bhutto, the Taliban’s treatment of women, the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq, etc.) to Mexico (Laureana Wright de Kleinhans, First Feminist Congress of the Yucatan, etc.). Thirty-nine topics are addressed. 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:
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension and align English Language Arts and World History curricula with this plot-based quiz covering Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Old Man at the Bridge,” a piece of historical fiction addressing the Spanish Civil War. 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:
Point of view
The narrator’s role
Weather conditions
A relevant holiday
The old man’s age
The old man’s home city
The reason the old man is the last person to leave the city
The old man’s personal background
The old man’s health condition
The old man’s perspective on cats
And more
Help high school students go beyond basic comprehension, practice critical thinking skills, and explore literary elements with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 10 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Explore the symbolism associated with killing mockingbirds
Help high school students go beyond basic comprehension, practice critical thinking skills, and explore literary elements with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 17 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, hyperbole, and allusion
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss works of fiction
Help high school students go beyond basic comprehension, practice critical thinking skills, and explore literary elements with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 16 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor and hyperbole
Consider the greater significance of the kids’ being seated in the balcony
Come to class better prepared to discuss works of fiction
Save time and maintain rigor with these printable resources supporting reading comprehension and analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (chapters 16-18). 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 in these exercises, students will:
Draw logical inferences about Scout’s dynamic nature in context
Draw logical inferences about Aunt Alexandra’s concerns for her family’s reputation
Apply knowledge of figurative language to the text, identifying the most logical interpretation of a metaphorical phrase
Apply knowledge of hyperbole to the text
Identify what Aunt Alexandra states explicitly about being a “disgrace to the family”
Identify what Maudie Atkinson states explicitly about why she refuses to attend the trial
Discern the meaning of complex vocabulary and phrases in context, taking into consideration both denotative definitions and connotative associations
Analyze the significance of the kids’ placement on the balcony
Analyze the characterization of Jem and Scout to discern the most accurate statement about their internal states
Analyze the author’s craft with emphasis on the intended effect of metaphorical language (comparing Bob to “a red little rooster”)
Analyze the interactions between Atticus and Mayella to draw logical inferences about Mayella’s personal history
Analyze Bob Ewell’s nonverbal communication to draw logical inferences about his intent
Analyze Atticus Finch’s language to draw a logical inference about his intent
Isolate false statements from factual ones
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
Help high school students go beyond basic comprehension, practice critical thinking skills, and explore literary elements with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 18 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Consider the tone of a particular section of text
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Help high school students go beyond basic comprehension, practice critical thinking skills, and explore literary elements with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 4 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Determine the greater significance of a given detail
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, personification, allusion, and situational irony
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Help high school students go beyond basic comprehension, practice critical thinking skills, and explore literary elements with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 6 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Discern the greater significance of a given detail
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile, dialect, and dramatic irony
Help high school students go beyond basic comprehension, practice critical thinking skills, and explore literary elements with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 2 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Determine the greater significance of a given detail
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Reflect on Miss Caroline’s relationship to the town of Maycomb
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
Save time and maintain rigor with these printable resources supporting reading comprehension and analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (chapters 21-23). 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 in these exercises, students will:
Demonstrate understanding of Atticus’s feelings about his children attending the trial
Analyze Jem’s remarks to Atticus to discern his youthful ignorance of systematic racism
Discern the meaning of complex vocabulary and phrases in context, taking into consideration both denotative definitions and connotative associations
Analyze Reverend Sykes’ remarks to Jem in order to infer his motivations
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Analyze the importance of Reverend Sykes’ instructions to Scout following the trial’s conclusion
Consider the thematic significance of the interaction between Jem and Maudie Atkinson (a belief that there is hope for positive change in the American justice system, although that change will probably happen slowly)
Analyze Scout’s dialogue to make a logical inference about Atticus’s parenting
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor
Identify textual evidence in support of the claim that Jem is a dynamic character
Explore the internal conflict that exists within Jem
Connect a portion of a given passage to the content of a previous chapter
Analyze how complex characters interact
Help high school students go beyond basic comprehension, practice critical thinking skills, and explore literary elements with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 25 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore the greater significance of a given detail
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Make an informed prediction about Bob Ewell’s behavior
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss works of fiction
Help high school students go beyond basic comprehension, practice critical thinking skills, and explore literary elements with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 24 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the tone of a given passage
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile and situational irony
Come to class better prepared to discuss works of fiction