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 support the development of critical thinking and craft analysis skills with this bundle of formative assessments covering Act 5 of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. A plot-based quiz, five close reading worksheets, 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
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern 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 situational irony and symbolism
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills while teaching Act 2 of William Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night with this bundle of formative assessments. Included are the following: a multiple choice quiz on characters and plot, five close reading worksheets addressing the author’s craft, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Examine nuances in words with similar meanings
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Discern tone in context
Discern the intended effect of Shakespeare’s choices related to characterization
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare and contrast characters in the play
Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, metaphor, simile, personification, oxymoron, hyperbole, situational irony, dramatic irony, and more
Support claims and inferences with relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Help high school students extend reading comprehension and analyze plot developments in Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night with this bundle of assessments. Answer keys are included. Covering every scene in Act 1, this bundle offers a plot-based quiz and five close reading analysis worksheets designed to facilitate students’ abilities to do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex vocabulary in the context of a passage
Examine nuances in words with similar denotations
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Compare and contrast two characters (Orsino and Olivia)
Discern the tone of a given excerpt
Determine the functions of particular excerpts
Explore nuances in words with similar meanings
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on metaphor, simile, hyperbole, and sibilance
Conduct brief research on classical mythology — more specifically the tale of Arion and the dolphin — and draw parallels between the mythological figure and Sebastian
Consider the text’s allusion to Elysium to infer greater meaning
Defend claims with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class/leave class better prepared to discuss literary materials
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills while teaching Act 4 of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew with this bundle of formative assessments. Included are the following: a multiple choice quiz on characters and plot; five close reading worksheets addressing the author’s craft and covering each scene respectively; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and 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 in these exercises, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Consider how a particular excerpt advances the plot
Examine the greater significance of a given detail
Discern the tone of given excerpts
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Determine the function of a particular character in the context of a scene
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, simile, allusion, oxymoron, hyperbole, anaphora, consonance, callback, oxymoron, hyperbole, and situational irony
Express the function of a given excerpt
Conduct brief research on the four humours and articulate the findings
Analyze research findings to make a logical inference about Petruchio’s mindset
Support claims with valid reasoning and relevant textual evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this bundle of quizzes covering the entirety of The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Christopher Sly’s disruptive behavior
Christopher Sly’s eccentric behavior
A wealthy lord’s discovery
A wealthy lord’s deception
A wealthy lord’s perception of Christopher Sly
A visit from traveling performers
A reason to attend a comedy
Lucentio’s studies
Tranio’s role
Baptista’s terms for Bianca’s being married off
Gremio and Hortensio’s intentions
Katherine’s general demeanor
Baptista’s academic hopes for Bianca
Gremio’s perception of Katherine
Lucentio’s strategy for getting closer to Bianca
Petruchio’s reason for visiting
The quality Petruchio most values in a potential spouse
Lucentio’s disguise
Katherine’s treatment of Bianca
Bianca’s conformity to societal expectations of women
The true identities of disguised people
Katherine’s treatment of her supposed teachers
Baptista’s feelings toward Petruchio
Petruchio’s belief concerning how Katherine should behave
The standard by which Baptista will select Bianca’s husband
Baptista’s preference in terms of who should be Bianca’s husband
Tranio’s intentions at the end of the Act
Who first identifies himself to Bianca
Hortensio’s changing perspective on Bianca
Petruchio’s conduct on his wedding day
Katherine’s emotional reaction to Petruchio’s behavior
Gremio’s perceptions of Petruchio and Katherine
Petruchio’s defiance of custom
Petruchio’s perception of his wife
Bianca’s assessment of the relationship between Petruchio and Katherine
An accident involving a horse
Petruchio’s reaction to the accident
The reason for Petruchio’s frustration with his servants
The techniques by which Petruchio will try to tame his wife
Biondello’s willingness to participate in a charade
Background information about the merchant
Petruchio’s refusal to let Katherine do certain things
Hortensio’s admiration of Petruchio
Petruchio’s bizarre behavior
The fake Vincentio’s reaction to meeting the real Vincentio
The interactions between the real Vincentio and Biondello
Baptista and Vincentio’s forgiveness of their children
Petruchio’s getting Katherine to kiss him
Hortensio’s marriage
Tranio’s teasing of Petruchio
A bet among men
The content of Katherine’s major speech
Measure high school reading comprehension and support analysis of Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet (Act 1) 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:
Define complex words and phrases in context
Verify interpretations of words and phrases using reference materials such as a dictionary and thesaurus
Discern the tone of a given passage
Isolate a falsehood about plot development among factual statements
Analyze character actions and dialogue to discern character motivations
Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas
Discern the most adequate characterization of Horatio
Analyze plot from a historical context
Analyze character dialogue to discern and articulate what is implied
Apply knowledge of dynamic character to the text
Apply knowledge of foreshadowing to the text
Identify context clues that suggest Horatio’s opinion on supernatural occurrences is correct
Explain how Denmark gained authority over Norwegian lands
Make an inference about author’s intent, analyzing plot to determine what is suggested about the universe and its relationship to humankind
Conduct brief research to answer a question connecting Greek mythology to the drama
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills while teaching Act 3 of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing with this bundle of formative assessments. Included are the following: a multiple choice quiz on characters and plot, five close reading worksheets addressing the author’s craft, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Discern the functions of scenes
Determine tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare two characters (Beatrice and Benedick)
Apply knowledge of literary devices including oxymoron, personification, malapropism, paradox, allusion, metaphor, simile, pun, hyperbole, foreshadowing, innuendo, situational irony, dramatic irony, and more
Discern the intended effects of literary devices in context
Explore the symbolism of lapwings and haggards in the context of scene one
Articulate the greater significance of Benedick’s appearance in the context of scene two
Conduct brief research on the four humors of classical Greek medicine to facilitate an evaluation of Benedick’s condition
Articulate how Shakespeare established a tense atmosphere in scenes four and five
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills while teaching Act 3 of Shakespeare’s Macbeth with this bundle of formative assessments. Included are the following: a multiple choice quiz on characters and plot, six 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:
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Define challenging words as they are used in the text
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Discern tone in context
Determine the function of given details
Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare characters in the play
Analyze Shakespeare’s incorporation of religious imagery to articulate what it implies about Macbeth
Apply knowledge of literary devices such as allusion, metaphor, euphemism, hyperbole, allusion, callback, situational irony, and more
Consider the symbolism of sleep, diamonds, and an extinguished light in context
Make logical inferences about Elizabethan culture and its perspective on the supernatural
Support inferences and claims with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Create more purposeful reading experiences, measure general comprehension, promote the development of close reading analysis skills, and facilitate review of the plot of Romeo and Juliet with emphasis on Act 3 using this bundle of instructional resources. Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, these materials save English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Answer keys are provided. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze complex character development and interactions
Apply knowledge of a range of literary devices with emphasis on foreshadowing and metaphor
Define complex Shakespearean words and phrases in context
Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims
Make logical inferences about characters, plot development, and author’s intent
Write with clarity and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills while teaching Act 4 of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with this bundle of formative assessments. Included are the following: a reading guide, a multiple choice quiz on characters and plot, five close reading worksheets addressing the author’s craft, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. (Alternatively, a Google Drive bundle option is available.)
By engaging with these materials, 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
Describe tone in context
Discern the overall purpose of a given soliloquy
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Argue whether Friar Laurence’s decision to assist Juliet is consistent or inconsistent with his moral and religious duty
Reflect on a previous scene to articulate how an aspect of Friar Laurence’s plan was foreshadowed
Apply knowledge of literary devices including dramatic irony, metaphor, situational irony, and more
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and dramatic craft analysis skills with this bundle of formative assessments covering Act 3 of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. A plot-based quiz, five close reading worksheets (one per scene), 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:
Read for literal comprehension
Determine the meanings of unfamiliar and archaic 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 stylistic choices and dramatic techniques
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Compare and contrast two characters (Antonio and Shylock; Portia and Antonio)
Apply knowledge of many literary devices with emphasis on metaphor, oxymoron, onomatopoeia, allusion, personification, symbolism, invective, and euphemism
Consider themes in context
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and dramatic craft analysis skills with this bundle of formative assessments covering Act 3 of William Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It. A plot-based quiz, five close reading worksheets (one per scene), a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Determine the meanings of unfamiliar and archaic 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 stylistic choices and dramatic techniques
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, simile, oxymoron, allusion, personification, euphemism, dramatic irony, and situational irony
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
Measure high school reading comprehension and support analysis of Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet (Act 4) 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:
Define complex words and phrases in context
Verify interpretations of words and phrases using reference materials such as a dictionary and thesaurus
Identify an example of figurative language and explain its effect
Apply knowledge of verbal irony, sibilance, personification, consonance, and inversion to the text
Isolate a factual statement about plot development from falsehoods
Analyze character actions and dialogue to discern character motivations
Analyze a character’s dialogue to discern what it suggests about their psychological state
Identify and explain Claudius’s dominant internal conflict
Analyze Hamlet’s dialogue to discern and articulate how he portrays Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as less than human
Cite textual evidence in support of the claim that Hamlet shows disrespect toward the king
Analyze the author’s craft to discern what effect is created by presenting several consecutive brief scenes
Isolate a factual statement about plot development from falsehoods
Identify why it is important for Claudius to give the illusion of careful consideration when banishing Hamlet
Identify Hamlet’s justification for calling Claudius his mother
Make a logical inference about Hamlet’s thinking based on dialogue
Compare and contrast Hamlet and Ophelia
Compare and contrast Hamlet and Laertes
Determine the primary purpose of Hamlet’s letter to Horatio
Discern the tone of a given passage
Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills while teaching Act 4 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.
Materials in this bundle may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using these resources for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging with these activities, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Determine the functions of given scenes
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Evaluate whether Lear is better off or worse off as a result of plot developments
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, onomatopoeia, hyperbole, simile, symbolism, and more
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and craft analysis skills with this bundle of formative assessments covering Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. A plot-based quiz, seven close reading worksheets (one per scene), and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these activities, students will:
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Discern the intended effect of Shakespeare’s diction
Analyze language and articulate its intended effect
Discern tone in context
Determine the function of a given excerpt
Define complex and archaic words as they are used in the text
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including assonance, simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, foreshadowing, paradox, allusion, situational irony, verbal irony, and more
Identify the best textual evidence in support of claims and inferences
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Help high school students navigate William Shakespeare’s language with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of The Merchant of Venice. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the play during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 5 vocabulary application activities, 5 crossword puzzles, 5 word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
A total of 118 words are addressed: abate, abode, accoutred, allay, aloof, alter, amity, amorous, argosy, barbarous, base, bechance, beseech, beset, beshrew, besmear, bestow, bleared, cackle, carrion, cherubin, clamber, commend, confiscate, conjure, contrive, counsel, cozen, cuckold, cudgel, cunning, cur, decree, deed, ducat, entreat, estimable, feign, foppery, forbear, fourscore, fray, gaberdine, gaoler, gaudy, gormandise, grandsire, gratis, hark, haste, heartily, hymn, immortal, immure, infidel, infinitely, jot, keen, knave, malice, mar, melancholy, mirth, misconstrue, mitigate, mutton, ostent, paltry, peevish, peize, penance, perchance, perjury, posy, prate, precedent, predicament, presage, prey, principal, prodigal, prolixity, proverb, quarrel, quire, recant, renowned, repent, reproach, requite, reverence, rheum, salvation, shrive, shudder, signior, sirrah, spurn, stern, summon, sunder, superfluity, tarry, tedious, temporal, tender, thine, thrice, unthrift, usance, valiant, vehement, vesture, wherefore, whom, wont, wooer, and zeal.
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
Help high school students navigate William Shakespeare’s language with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of Julius Caesar. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 5 vocabulary application activities, 5 crossword puzzles, 5 word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
A total of 108 words are addressed: abide, abridge, accoutred, adder, amiss, apace, apprehensive, apt, ascend, augurer, barren, bequeath, beseech, bestow, bondman, brutish, carrion, chastisement, choler, clamor, cogitation, consort, construe, contrive, council, counsel, countenance, cur, decree, demeanor, dint, drachmas, earnest, emulation, entreat, ere, errand, exigent, extenuate, fain, feeble, fleer, fray, gamesome, grievous, hark, hasty, hither, hollow, idle, immortal, inflame, insurrection, inter, jade, knave, lament, leaden, lowliness, lusty, malice, mart, meddle, meek, melancholy, mettle, mirth, mutiny, nimbleness, parley, peevish, phantasma, portentous, presage, prey, prithee, proclaim, provender, quarrel, rabblement, rash, redress, repose, reverence, rive, salutation, saucy, selfsame, shrill, sirrah, smatch, soothsayer, spurn, stern, tarry, thither, thrice, throng, undeserver, valiant, vanquish, vexed, wander, wary, waspish, weary, whelp, and wherefore.
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
Help high school students navigate William Shakespeare’s language with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of The Taming of the Shrew. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 5 vocabulary application activities, 5 crossword puzzles, 5 word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
A total of 120 words are addressed: abode, accoutrements, affable, alarum, amiable, amorous, amort, bauble, beguile, bemoil, bereft, beseech, bestow, blear, bondmaid, bonny, breeching, carouse, chattels, chide, choleric, clamorous, confer, confound, construe, counsel, countenance, court, coxcomb, coy, cozen, crack-hemp, cullion, currish, deign, digress, diligent, din, disdain, dissemble, doff, dole, dotard, dowry, ducat, ere, fain, fair, famish, flout, forbear, forthwith, fray, frivolous, gale, gamesome, giddy, gird, goodly, graybeard, habiliments, haste, headstrong, heartily, heedless, heir, hither, immortal, imprimis, insolence, irksome, jarring, knavery, lackey, largess, loggerheaded, lusty, madcap, mar, meddle, miry, moralize, mutton, noddle, notorious, pains, paltry, pate, patrimony, pedant, perpetually, pine, plead, quaff, quench, raiment, reign, rudesby, scornful, scrivener, solemn, sullen, surly, swiftly, swinge, tarry, tedious, thrall, toil, unapt, undone, vex, volubility, wander, wane, weary, wherefore, woo, and worshipful.
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