Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 18 through 21 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: Renfield’s previous behaviors The purpose of a group meeting Van Helsing’s assessment of Dracula’s brain Dracula’s limitations The general consensus that Renfield may be ready for release from the asylum The emergence of hundreds of rats Signs of Mina’s decline Jonathan’s relief over keeping Mina out of the loop The plan to enter Dracula’s Piccadilly residence Dracula’s feeding on Mina Renfield’s death

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 22 through 24 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: The lie about Renfield’s death The group’s decision to stop hiding information from Mina Mina’s concern that she specifically is endangering the men in her group Mina’s bodily reaction to the Communion wafer The process of neutralizing Dracula’s wooden boxes The purpose of Mina’s telegram Dracula’s unsuccessful attack against the men Van Helsing’s logic Mina’s hypnosis Dracula’s mode of travel Mina’s fear of jeopardizing the group’s success Jonathan’s will

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 25 through 27 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: A decision agreed to by the entire group Mina’s hypnosis Van Helsing’s theories about Dracula’s manipulation Seward’s concern for others’ traveling efforts Van Helsing’s mode of protecting Mina and himself from danger The return of the three sisters Dracula’s defeat The nature of Jonathan’s injuries The death of Morris Morris’ dying thoughts

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 11 through 13 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: How Mrs. Westenra compromises Lucy’s wellness Van Helsing’s efforts to protect Lucy Lucy’s claims of a bat striking against her window The content of a featured newspaper article The nature of Seward’s injuries Mrs. Westenra’s cause of death Lucy’s memo The relationship between Hawkins and Jonathan Renfield’s observations Van Helsing’s refusal to let Arthur kiss Lucy

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 8 through 10 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: Lucy’s sleepwalking tendencies The appearance of pinpricks on Lucy’s neck Renfield’s behavior Jonathan’s illness Jonathan’s journal Jonathan and Mina’s wedding Dr. Seward’s decision to release Renfield The effect of a bat’s appearance of Renfield Van Helsing’s profession Lucy’s medical needs Van Helsing’s recommendations to help Lucy

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapters 14 through 17 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: Van Helsing’s appreciation for Mina’s contributions Reasons for Mina’s sense of guilt Renfield’s surprising sanity Seward’s cautious belief in the occult A rash of child abductions Seward’s rationalization of an empty casket Van Helsing and Seward’s desire not to get personally involved with police The process of releasing Lucy’s soul Arthur’s reluctance to accept the plan How the group intends to keep Lucy from accessing the interior of her casket Mina’s responsibilities on behalf of the group Jonathan’s intentions

Support the development of high school and college close reading skills with this assessment on the satirical short story “The Businessman” by Edgar Allan Poe. A variety of question types facilitates the process of analyzing character motivations, analyzing the author’s craft, citing relevant and compelling textual evidence to support claims, and more. The resource is delivered in Word Doc and PDF formats. An answer key and copy of the public domain text are included. 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, ultimately, will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking. By engaging in this exercise, students will… Articulate what is stated in the text explicitly and implicitly Explore cause-and-effect relationships Discern the primary function of a given excerpt Define complex words and phrases in context Analyze how complex characters think, interact, and behave Analyze the author’s use of language and direct characterization Explore nuances in word meanings Make logical inferences about American culture in the context of a given passage Explore character motivations Articulate the situational irony present in a given excerpt Analyze the author’s decision to name his protagonist Peter Profitt Cite textual evidence in support of inferences and claims Write with clarity and precision

Help high school students extend beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous, text-dependent questions on the short story “After Twenty Years” by O. Henry. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will: Articulate what is stated in the text explicitly and implicitly Articulate the significance of a given detail Discern the tone of a given excerpt Discern the function of a given paragraph Apply knowledge of foreshadowing Explore character motivations Demonstrate knowledge of characterization Analyze the effect point of view has on the reader Cite textual evidence in support of inferences and claims Write with clarity and precision

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 the short story “The Imp of the Perverse” by Edgar Allan Poe, a piece of horror and psychological fiction that explores the impulse to do wrong for wrong’s sake alone. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative, which is especially fitting for the Halloween season, are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will: Consult reference materials as needed to verify word meanings Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques Discern the tone of a given paragraph Determine the function of a given paragraph Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on situational irony Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class better prepared to discuss literature

Reinforce the standard conventions of academic writing and perform a quick check of knowledge with this grammar worksheet designed to help students understand how context influences word choices. Delivered in printable Word Document format, as well as in PDF format, this resource conveniently offers the option to edit. An answer key is provided.

This formative grammar packet reviews the basics of singular and plural indefinite pronouns and matching them with appropriate verb forms in context. This resource is recommended for middle and high school students enrolled in composition classes emphasizing rudimentary writing skills. An answer key is included.

Use this editable grammar activity to help middle and high school students reinforce the basics of conjugating verbs so their forms match their compound subjects correctly. To facilitate the process, the worksheet includes tips for discerning whether a compound subject is considered singular and plural. 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 definition of compound subject Choose plural verb forms when multiple subjects are combined with the conjunction and Navigate situations in which multiple subjects are combined with or, either…or, and neither…nor

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and dramatic craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 4, scene 1, of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. 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: Read for literal comprehension Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings Discern the intended effects of the Shakespeare’s word choices and narrative techniques Describe tone in context Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on 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

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 5, scene 3, of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this exercise, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly as well as 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 Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on foreshadowing, 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 Shakespearean drama

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and dramatic craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 4, scene 2, of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. 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: Read for literal comprehension Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings Discern the intended effects of the Shakespeare’s word choices and narrative techniques Apply knowledge of literary devices including dramatic 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

Help high school students explore literary craft with this activity covering H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “The Outsider.” With this worksheet, students will isolate and reflect upon textual details the author provided to establish a suspenseful tone that is consistent with the conventions of Dark Romanticism. An answer key is provided, as well as a copy of the narrative, which makes for an excellent addition to a Halloween-themed short story unit for grades 9 through 12. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this literary craft analysis activity, students will: Isolate examples of compelling sensory description Isolate characterization details that elicit emotional responses from readers Reflect upon traditional aspects of the Halloween season and identify textual details that evoke those aspects Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on dramatic irony, foreshadowing, personification, situational irony, and symbolism Convey information through speech and writing in a coherent manner Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works

Help high school students explore literary craft with this activity covering the morbid Grimm’s fairy tale “The Juniper Tree.” With this worksheet, students will isolate and reflect upon textual details that are consistent with the conventions of fairy tale fiction. An answer key is provided, as well as a copy of the narrative, which makes for an excellent addition to a short story unit for grades 9 through 12, especially during the Halloween season. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this literary craft analysis activity, students will: Isolate examples of compelling sensory description Isolate characterization details that elicit emotional responses from readers Make connections between elements of the story and aspects of the modern-day Halloween season Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on personification, situational irony, and symbolism Convey information through speech and writing in a coherent manner Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works

Help high school students explore literary craft with this activity covering Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Black Cat.” With this worksheet, students will isolate and reflect upon textual details that are consistent with the conventions of Dark Romanticism, horror, and supernatural fiction. An answer key is provided, as well as a copy of the narrative, which makes for an excellent addition to a short story unit for grades 9 through 12. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this literary craft analysis activity, students will: Isolate examples of compelling sensory description Isolate characterization details that elicit emotional responses from readers Isolate details that evoke the spirit of Halloween Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on dramatic irony, foreshadowing, metaphor, personification, situational irony, and symbolism Convey information through speech and writing in a coherent manner Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works

Help high school students explore literary craft with this activity covering Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “Hop-Frog.” With this worksheet, students will isolate and reflect upon textual details that are consistent with the conventions of Dark Romanticism, horror, and supernatural fiction. An answer key is provided, as well as a copy of the narrative, which makes for an excellent addition to a short story unit for grades 9 through 12. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this literary craft analysis activity, students will: Isolate examples of compelling sensory description Isolate characterization details that elicit emotional responses from readers Isolate details that evoke the spirit of Halloween Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on dramatic irony, foreshadowing, situational irony, and symbolism Convey information through speech and writing in a coherent manner Come to class better prepared to discuss works of fiction

Help high school students develop a greater understanding of how the Brothers Grimm used descriptive language, characterization, exaggeration, and various literary devices to establish a mood in “Cinderella” that is consistent with the conventions of fairy tale writing. Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this resource serves well for an independent learning opportunity, as well as for small-group discussions. Through such discussions, students may evaluate peers’ reasoning and use of rhetoric to support claims, clarifying or challenging ideas as needed. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included.