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.
Measure general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of two quizzes covering Book 2, chapters 9 and 10, of George Orwell’s 1984. A multiple choice assessment and a short answer option are provided, along with answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Winston’s 90-hour work week
Oceania’s new enemy
Goldstein’s book
Crimestop
A singing prole woman
“We are the dead”
The picture on the wall and what it conceals
The sudden appearance of troops
A realization about Mr. Charrington
Promote active engagement with fiction and evaluate general reading comprehension with this multiple choice quiz on the science fiction short story “Backward Step” by Paul Jennings. An answer key is included. All materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The television program John watches
What John’s mom does that makes her feel very guilty
A teenage boy’s desperate plea for John’s mom to read a book
John’s status as a famous child
John’s sudden appearance in a classroom
John’s family background
An attempt to help John find his home
A visit to the police station
John’s grandmother, who agrees to take John in
John’s unique capabilities (time travel)
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 fairy tale “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” by the Brothers Grimm. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with this activity, students will do the following:
Articulate what is stated in the text explicitly and implicitly
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, pleonasm, dramatic irony, and more
Discern the function of a given excerpt
Explore relationships between complex characters
Determine the meaning of complex words in context
Analyze what Snow White’s behavior reveals about her character
Articulate how poetic justice is carried out
Analyze plot to discern and articulate sexist stereotypes of women
Cite textual evidence in support of inferences and claims
Write with clarity and precision
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze chapter 25 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is provided. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, these instructional materials save teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom.
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.
Copyright restrictions prohibit the inclusion of the complete chapter, so the purchaser is responsible for providing students with access to the novel.
By engaging in this exercise, students will:
Analyze an excerpt to draw rational inferences
Discern the most logical interpretation of a particular excerpt
Analyze an excerpt to discern its significance to the plot
Analyze Mr. Underwood’s actions to discern his personal motivations
Analyze Bob Ewell’s remarks to predict his future behaviors, possibly addressing foreshadowing in the process
Discern the meaning of complex vocabulary and phrases in context, taking into consideration both denotative definitions and connotative associations
Isolate factual statements from false statements
Apply knowledge of literary devices (metaphor) to the text
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984. Featuring a brief passage about the Ministry of Truth’s mission to falsify records from Book 1, chapter 4, this resource saves teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing academic rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered as printable Word Documents and PDFs.
This resource may facilitate 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:
Discern what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Conduct brief research to discern and articulate historical parallels to media manipulation and the falsification of records
Apply and articulate knowledge of literary devices and techniques including euphemism
Analyze the author’s word choices to discern and articulate how they contribute to the development of plot
Analyze an excerpt to discern its primary function
Define complex words and phrases in context
Write with logic, clarity, and precision
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984. Featuring a brief passage about the threat proles could theoretically pose to the Party from Book 1, chapter 7, this resource saves teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing academic rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered as printable Word Documents and PDFs.
This resource may facilitate 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 with this resource, students will:
Identify what the text says both explicitly and implicitly
Articulate why the proles could pose a formidable threat to the Party
Articulate why the Brotherhood is comparatively and profoundly less powerful than the proles could be
Paraphrase what the narrator means by “[r]ebellion meant a look in the eyes, an inflexion of the voice, at the most, an occasional whispered word.”
Analyze the author’s use of simile
Analyze the author’s craft to discern and articulate the author’s intent
Apply knowledge of aposiopesis to the text
Analyze the symbolic significance of reverberating bells and inferring why the author made reference to them in context
Analyze an excerpt to discern and articulate examples of situational irony
Write with clarity and precision
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Othello. With a focus on Act 5, scene 1, this resource saves teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing academic rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered as printable PDFs and Word Documents.
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.
More specifically, students will be able to:
Articulate what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Write with clarity and precision
Cite specific, relevant textual evidence in support of a claim or idea
Apply knowledge of literary devices including dramatic irony, situational irony, and caesura
Articulate character motivations
Discern the best description of Roderigo’s characterization
Analyze and articulate how the setting contributes to a sense of uncertainty
Articulate how dialogue contributes to the development of suspense
Analyze character interactions
Define complex words or phrases in context
Verify interpretations using reference materials including a dictionary or thesaurus
Extend comprehension and support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of analytical questions on chapters 10 through 12 of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. With this resource, high school English teachers can save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the public domain chapters are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. More specifically, students will be able to:
Articulate what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims
Explore character motivations
Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing and allusion
Isolate an accurate statement about plot among a set of falsehoods
Explain the significance of the pool of water
Discern the function of a given paragraph
Analyze how Victor becomes a dynamic character in the context of a given chapter
Analyze the author’s craft
Articulate how chapter 10 is different from chapter 11
Explore “the barbarity of man”
Explore how the creature demonstrates childlike naivety
Extend comprehension and support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of analytical questions on chapters 13 through 15 of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. With this resource, high school English teachers can save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the public domain chapters are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. More specifically, students will be able to:
Articulate what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims
Explore character motivations
Apply knowledge of literary devices including antithesis, allusion, and irony
Isolate a factual statement about plot from falsehoods
Articulate how the creature acquires an education
Articulate how a person’s value is determined by society, according to the creature’s teachings
Define complex words in context
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Discern the effect that learning has on the creature’s psychological state
Discern what the treatment of Safie’s father reveals about about the class system
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Articulate the influence of Paradise Lost on the creature
Compare and contrast the creature to the biblical character of Adam
Explain the greater significance of a given excerpt
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Othello. With a focus on Act 4, scene 3, this resource saves teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing academic rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered as printable PDFs and Word Documents.
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.
More specifically, students will be able to:
Articulate what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Write with clarity and precision
Cite specific, relevant textual evidence in support of a claim or idea
Discern the tone of a given excerpt
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, alliteration, sibilance, personification, foreshadowing, and paradox
Articulate character motivations
Compare two characters
Articulate the significance of dialogue
Analyze what dialogue reveals about a character’s psychological state
Consider how the imagery of a willow tree is relevant to the content of Desdemona’s song
Make logical inferences from the point of view of a particular character
Promote homework accountability and measure general reading comprehension with this quiz on Act 1 of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The sighting of the King of Denmark’s ghost
Horatio’s forceful interaction with the ghost
Character motivations
Hamlet’s mourning over the loss of his father
The reason for Hamlet’s anger toward his mother
Laertes’ perspective on the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia
Polonius’ condemnation of young men for their lack of decency
A ghost’s revelation to Hamlet
Horatio and Marcellus’ promise to Hamlet
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Hamlet. With a focus on Act 5, scene 1, this resource saves teachers valuable time without sacrificing academic rigor. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered as printable PDFs and Word Documents.
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 will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.
More specifically, students will be able to:
Articulate what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Consider author’s intent and articulate why Shakespeare may have chosen to begin this scene in a graveyard
Analyze characterization to discern the gravedigger’s primary function(s)
Discern the tone of a given excerpt
Consider how aristocratic class privileges influence plot development
Describe Hamlet’s reaction to the gravedigger’s singing, as well as the reason for his reaction
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, simile, hyperbole, allusion, alliteration, dramatic irony, situational irony, and more
Characterize Hamlet’s relationship with Yorick
Articulate how Hamlet’s lack of emotional or psychological control is manifested physically
Make logical inferences from the point of view of Hamlet
Demonstrate knowledge of Claudius’s mindset
Write with clarity and precision
Support the development of high school close reading skills and analysis of Shakespeare’s The Tempest with this worksheet on Act 4, scene 1. A variety of high-order question types facilitates the process of analyzing character motivations, examining how word choices influence a reader’s interpretations, applying knowledge of literary devices, and articulating ideas in writing with clarity and precision. This resource is delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. A detailed answer key is included.
More specifically, students will be able to:
Articulate what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Write with clarity and precision
Cite specific, relevant textual evidence in support of a claim or idea
Discern the tone of an excerpt
Discern and articulate meaning in figurative language
Articulate the task assigned to Ariel
Analyze Shakespeare’s craft to discern and explain how humor is incorporated into the scene
Articulate the intended effect of Shakespeare’s language
Explore character motivations
Identify why Ceres is reluctant to participate in a celebration
Analyze how complex characters change over the course of the scene
Define complex words or phrases in context
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials such as a dictionary and thesaurus
Identify the reason Caliban, Trinculo, and Stephano would be tempted by colorful clothes
Articulate how moral character and physical appearance are related, according to Prospero
Articulate Caliban’s epiphany at the end of the scene
For many middle and high school readers, realistic and young adult fiction are genres that maximize relatability and engagement with literature. “Thank You, Ma’am” by Langston Hughes is a short story involving socioeconomic struggles, social pressures, the importance of second chances, and the power of empathy and forgiveness. 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. A detailed answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Discern what is stated in the text explicitly and implicitly
Articulate character motivations
Analyze how a character’s behaviors reveal their life principles
Apply knowledge of metaphor to the text
Analyze the author’s choice of words conveys subtle meaning
Analyze how complex characters interact
Explore Roger’s emotional and psychological state
Cite textual evidence in support of inferences and claims
Write with clarity and precision
Go beyond reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this set of rigorous questions on chapter 8 of Lord of the Flies by William Golding. A variety of question types facilitates preparation for standardized testing scenarios. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource may serve as the basis for 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 resource, students will:
Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze how complex characters interact and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices (simile, onomatopoeia, situational irony, and more)
Analyze a given passage to identify which of Jack’s character traits are highlighted
Analyze a given passage to identify which literary theme is most dominant in context
Articulate the significance of given descriptive details in terms of character and plot development
Analyze the author’s craft to identify the technique used to maximize shock value
Isolate a passage that reflects the conflict between primal impulses and the conditioning of civil society
Conduct brief research on the Greek myth of Prometheus and draw literary parallels between it and Lord of the Flies
Write with clarity and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this multiple choice, plot-based quiz on chapter 2 of Lord of the Flies by William Golding. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Ralph’s emphasis on the boys’ need to maintain patience and calm
Ralph’s recommendation that rules be established
Jack’s reaction to the idea of establishing and enforcing rules
A new purpose of the conch shell
Reasons for Piggy’s frustration with the boys
An unsettling claim by a young boy
Ralph’s recommendation that the boys signal for help on the mountain
The tool that is used and inadvertently causes a raging fire
The boys’ general reaction to the devastating event
Save time and measure general reading comprehension with this printable quiz on “A Haunted House,” a short story by Virginia Woolf. Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this multiple choice assessment makes it easier to quickly and efficiently gather data on student recall and reading habits. An answer key and a copy of the public domain narrative are provided. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Setting
Signs of a supernatural presence
The nature of the ghosts’ discussions
The background of the ghostly couple
How the ghostly husband (when alive) reacted to his wife’s death
The ghosts’ courteous demeanor
The living couple’s new understanding of the ghosts’ purpose
The personification of the house
The effect of the moonlight
An appropriate classification of the narrative
“Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros is a coming-of-age short story involving a girl who, for the first time, experiences public marginalization and must learn to navigate an unjust world. This plot-based quiz covering the short story helps English teachers promote homework accountability and evaluate general reading comprehension—while eliminating take-home assessment planning responsibilities. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in a zip file containing editable Word Documents and printable PDFs. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Point of view
The significance of the title
The narrator’s perspective on aging
The general characterization of Mrs. Price
The reason the narrator is upset
How the narrator attempts to cope with emotional turmoil
Why the narrator is instructed to put on a sweater
The actual owner of the red sweater
The narrator’s assumption about Sylvia
The narrator’s desire for her mother’s comfort
The narrator’s self-perception
Incorporate narrative nonfiction into the English Language Arts classroom and measure general reading comprehension with this editable quiz on “Not Poor, Just Broke” by Dick Gregory. This autobiographical account addresses the author’s formative years with emphasis on the transformational incident that caused him to feel personal shame for the first time. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The mother’s perspective on life
The mother’s job and how it complicates life for the family
How the narrator demonstrates anger at his mother’s treatment
An item hidden in the family closet
The reason for hiding the item
The importance of Helene Tucker
Why the narrator gathers ice from the grocery store
How the teacher treats the narrator
The narrator’s motivations
Why the mother called her son, the narrator, a “little rat”
A terrible incident at the diner and its effect on the narrator
The narrator’s reaction to a visitor
Why the narrator throws a brick through the grocery store window
Reinforce the standard conventions of academic writing and perform a quick check of students’ knowledge with this grammar worksheet on the three types of subordinate clauses: adverb clauses, adjective clauses, and noun clauses. Two versions of this activity are provided, including a multiple choice option to expedite take-home grading. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with this resource, students will demonstrate an ability to:
Distinguish among adverb clauses, adjective clauses, and noun clauses
Isolate examples of each type of subordinate clauses
Identify the subjects and verbs in a variety of subordinate clauses
Discern the functions of relative pronouns and noun clauses