Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and dramatic craft analysis skills with this bundle of formative assessments covering Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s comedy The Tempest. A plot-based quiz, two 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 Determine the primary function of a given scene Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including dramatic irony and hyperbole 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

Frontload assigned readings with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of Animal Farm by George Orwell. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 10 vocabulary application activities, 10 crossword puzzles,10 word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. A total of 120 challenging words are addressed: articulate, benevolent, blithely, bray, capitulate, clamor, coccidiosis, complicity, conciliatory, contemptuously, continually, contrary, countenance, cryptic, cynical, dart, decree, demeanor, denounce, din, dismay, dissentient, eminent, enmity, ensconce, exclaim, expound, extravagant, falter, feebly, fortnight, frugally, gale, gambol, haughty, hearken, hearty, hoarse, hoist, humble, idle, ignominious, impart, impromptu, incite, indefatigable, indifferent, indignantly, indignation, intently, intermediary, internment, invariably, inventive, irrepressible, knacker, laborious, lamentation, leisure, liable, malignity, manifestly, maxim, misgiving, morose, mournfully, murmur, nimble, obstinate, oration, perpetually, plod, posthumously, preliminary, principle, procure, promptly, prophecy, quarrel, ratify, refuge, reign, rejoice, repose, reproach, restive, retribution, reverent, rheumy, rouse, seclusion, shirk, shrewd, shrill, skirmish, sly, solemn, sturdy, subversive, successive, superannuated, superintendence, taciturn, temper, thwart, timidly, toil, tractable, treachery, trifle, tumult, tyranny, unanimous, unintelligible, vague, waft, weary, whimper, whinny, and wistful. 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 support the development of critical thinking and dramatic craft analysis skills with this bundle of formative assessments covering Act 2 of William Shakespeare’s comedy The Tempest. A plot-based quiz, two 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 Describe tone in context Determine the function of a given excerpt Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Compare two characters (Antonio and Sebastian) Apply knowledge of literary devices including 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

Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching the short story “The Burglar’s Christmas” by Willa Cather. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the public domain narrative, 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 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 Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques Determine the function of a given excerpt Describe tone in context Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, epiphany, foreshadowing, internal conflict, metaphor, paradox, personification, simile, and situational irony Argue whether the author wants the audience to empathize with the protagonist Consider themes in context Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about coming-of-age fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class better prepared to discuss literature