Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning duties with this plot-based quiz covering The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (book 1, chapters 1 through 5). An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in a zip file containing both Word Document and PDF versions. By engaging with this material, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot: Setting Strange sightings on Mars The Martians’ intentions First impressions of the Martians’ ship General characterization of the narrator The narrator’s assumptions about the cylinder The identity of a journalist Physical description of the alien beings An apparent complication for the extraterrestrials Acts of violence

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning duties with this plot-based quiz covering The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (book 2, chapters 1 through 5). An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in a zip file containing both Word Document and PDF versions. By engaging with this material, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot: The narrator’s stated intentions The narrator’s main motivations The eerie strangeness of London The reason for the narrator and minister’s entry into a house The reason the narrator and the minister get stuck in the house The narrator’s observations of the aliens The conclusions the narrator draws about the extraterrestrials The means by which the minister dies What happens to the minister’s body The length of the narrator’s confinement

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 2, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. 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 this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Discern the intended effect of Shakespeare’s narrative techniques Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Articulate the purpose of the storm from Lear’s perspective Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification, metaphor, and verbal irony Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 7, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. 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 this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Discern the intended effect of figurative language in context Explore cause-and-effect relationships Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile, imagery, hyperbole, and situational irony Conduct brief research on relevant topics Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 2, scene 3, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. 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 this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define words/phrases as they are used in the text Determine which part of speech is represented in a given word Demonstrate general awareness of the characteristics of an Elizabethan audience Discern the function of the scene Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Compare and contrast two characters (Edgar and Lear) Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification, hyperbole, metaphor, onomatopoeia, inversion, and more Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 4, scene 1, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. 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 this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Examine cause-and-effect relationships Describe tone in context Determine the functions of Edgar’s asides in the scene Verify interpretations of language using reference materials Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 6, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. 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 this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Determine the function of the scene Explore how Shakespeare’s use of language influences mood Discern the greater significance of a given detail Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including paradox Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 5, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. 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 this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define words/phrases as they are used in the text Verify interpretations of language using reference materials Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Compare two characters in the play (Edgar and Edmund) 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

Evaluate general reading comprehension with this multiple choice quiz covering Act 4 of William Shakespeare’s Othello. The plot-based assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading experiences. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Othello’s rage-fueled trance Iago’s conspiracy to make Othello think Cassio loves Desdemona Iago’s barbarous suggestion regarding Desdemona’s fate The letter from Venice Lodovico’s witnessing Othello’s abusive behavior Emilia’s verbal exchange with Othello Othello’s confrontation with Desdemona Desdemona turning to Iago for help Roderigo’s frustration with Iago The arrangement Iago makes for Roderigo Desdemona’s foreshadowing fear

Evaluate general reading comprehension with this multiple choice quiz covering Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s Othello. The plot-based assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading experiences. An answer key is included. Additionally, a short answer worksheet is provided for re-assessment purposes. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Roderigo’s affections for Desdemona Iago’s fury toward Othello Brabantio The Turks’ plan to attack Cyprus Othello and Desdemona’s relationship Desdemona’s internal conflict Othello’s departure Brabantio’s warning to Othello Iago’s manipulation of Roderigo

Use this editable grammar activity to help middle and high school students reinforce the rules for punctuating dialogue with quotation marks; commas; and end marks including periods, questions marks, and exclamation points. To facilitate the process, the worksheet includes examples of correctly formatted sentences with detailed explanations as to why each is punctuated adequately. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with this grammar exercise, students will demonstrate awareness of: The general need to separate dialogue tags from quotations with commas When the need for a comma to separate dialogue tags from quotations is negated by the need to incorporate an end mark into the quotation When end marks should be placed within a quotation or outside a quotation How to punctuate dialogue that is interrupted with a dialogue tag The rules of capitalization as they relate to formatting dialogue

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 5 through 7 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. The assessment may otherwise double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement with fiction. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Mina’s letters to Lucy Lucy’s marriage proposals Dr. Seward’s work The reason for Dr. Seward’s sadness The characterization of Renfield Mina’s anxiety relating to Lucy The content of a newspaper article Lucy’s city of residence Dracula’s supernatural capabilities

Go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet to complement chapter 17 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. An answer key and copy of the chapter, which is in the public domain, are provided. 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 completing this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly Indicate the function of a given passage Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on situational irony Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet to complement chapter 20 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. An answer key and copy of the chapter, which is in the public domain, are provided. 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 completing this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet to complement chapter 22 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. An answer key and copy of the chapter, which is in the public domain, are provided. 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 completing this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed Discern the intended effects of the author’s narrative techniques Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on situational irony Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet to complement chapter 24 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. An answer key and copy of the chapter, which is in the public domain, are provided. 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 completing this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed Consider the greater significance of given details Determine the function of a given excerpt Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on foreshadowing, symbolism, and aposiopesis Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet to complement chapter 27 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. An answer key and copy of the chapter, which is in the public domain, are provided. 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 completing this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed Discern the tone of a passage in context Consider the greater significance of given details Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification and epimone Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

For many high school readers, horror and psychological fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe features elements consistent with both genres: a psychotic protagonist trying to rationalize his thinking, the senseless killing of an innocent man, dramatic irony, and more. With this challenging worksheet composed of high-order questions, English teachers will help students extend beyond basic reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and save valuable time at home without sacrificing quality and rigor in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included. Materials are delivered in printable 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 completing this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Explore narrative techniques used to establish an unreliable narrator Discern the function of a given passage Explain how situational irony applies to a particular passage Examine how complex characters think, behave, and interact Compare and contrast characters Determine the intended effect of figurative language as it is used in the text Discern the tone of a given passage Articulate the significance of the narrator’s chair placement Identify an example of literary callback and state its significance Infer the nature of the relationship between the narrator and his victim Analyze a detail for symbolism and make logical inferences about the narrator’s subconscious motivations based on this analysis Defend claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision