Evaluate general reading comprehension and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching the short story “Early Autumn” by Langston Hughes. 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 Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques Describe tone in context Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor and symbolism Consider themes in context Write about literature with clarity, precision, and accuracy Support claims and inferences with relevant evidence and sound reasoning Come to class better prepared to discuss literature

For many high school readers, horror and psychological fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Sphinx” by Edgar Allan Poe features plot elements consistent with both genres: a cholera epidemic, social isolation, omens, fear of death, and more. With this bundle of high school resources covering “The Sphinx,” English teachers will save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading analysis questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these materials, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Examine how complex characters think, behave, and interact Explore character motivations Define complex words as they are used in context Analyze nuances in words with similar meanings Choose the most appropriate synonym to replace a given word without changing fundamental meaning Paraphrase information Make logical inferences based on context clues Explain how a given detail (the fact that it was “an exceedingly warm day”) is an example of paradox Apply knowledge of various literary devices including hyperbole Identify several examples of the narrator’s self-awareness Identify several examples of the narrator’s questionable judgment Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence Write ideas with clarity, logic, and precision

Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Ugly Duckling.” A plot-based quiz, a close reading worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will: Read for literal comprehension Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques Describe tone in context Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Argue whether the mother duck is a sympathetic character Apply knowledge of literary devices including onomatopoeia, assonance, consonance, foreshadowing, simile, personification, and symbolism Consider themes in context Write about literature with clarity, precision, and accuracy Support claims and inferences with relevant evidence and sound reasoning Come to class better prepared to discuss literature

Promote high school reading comprehension and textual analysis in classroom and distance learning contexts with close readings of “The Little Mermaid,” “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” “The Red Shoes,” “The Old Tombstone,” “The Buckwheat,” “The Butterfly,” and “The Leaping Match,” all written by Hans Christian Andersen. A variety of question types are included to help prepare for standardized testing scenarios: vocabulary-in-context questions, main idea questions, detail questions, author’s craft questions, and more. Copies of all short stories are included since they are in the public domain. Word Document and PDF versions of these resources will be delivered. By completing these exercises, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Identify textual evidence in support of claims Write with clarity and precision Identify examples of various literary devices including onomatopoeia, assonance, consonance, foreshadowing, simile, metaphor, inversion, personification, situational irony, dramatic irony, symbolism, and more Discern author’s intent Discern tone in context Isolate factual statements about plot from falsehoods Cite textual evidence in support of claims Analyze character interactions and motivations Verify interpretations of language using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus Articulate the significance of a given detail or details Use the Internet to conduct brief research on the life of Hans Christian Andersen Articulate autobiographical parallels between the author and a specific story Discern the primary function of a given passage

For many high school readers, fairy tales and fantasy fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. This bundle focuses on five short stories by Hans Christian Andersen: “The Little Mermaid,” “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” and “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Red Shoes,” and “The Buckwheat.” English teachers may use these resources as tools for evaluating general reading comprehension, supporting the development of close reading analysis skills, and promoting homework accountability. Included are the following: multiple choice, plot-based quizzes for each narrative; close reading analysis activities for each narrative; answer keys; and copies of each public domain short story. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.