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.
Gothic fiction and horror are genres that maximize many high school students’ engagement with literature. “In the Vault” by H.P. Lovecraft is one such short story. It features elements such as entrapment, mutilated corpses, and the avenging of wrongdoing—making the narrative a particularly chilling read during the Halloween season. This multiple choice quiz on “In the Vault” helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate reading comprehension, and save time at home without sacrificing quality in the classroom. 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 assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The narrator’s criticism of people
A general description of the protagonist’s personality
The protagonist’s work
The characterization of Matthew Fenner
The characterization of Asaph Sawyer
The reason the protagonist gets trapped in the vault
The duration of time the protagonist is trapped
The protagonist’s initial reaction to being in the company of corpses
A plan to escape the vault
A complication that hinders progress
Dr. Davis’s reaction to the protagonist’s injury
The discovery as a result of an investigation
Gothic fiction and horror are genres that maximize many high school students’ engagement with literature. “In the Vault” by H.P. Lovecraft is one such short story. It features elements such as entrapment, mutilated corpses, and the avenging of wrongdoing—making the narrative a particularly chilling read during the Halloween season. With this bundle of high school resources for teaching “In the Vault,” English teachers will save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; an alternate, self-grading Easel Assessment; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including foreshadowing, situational irony, allusion, and theme
Analyze context clues and draw logical inferences about characterization/character motivations
Define complex words as they are used in the text
Identify relevant textual details in support of a claim
Analyze the author’s craft to determine the his intent
Discern the tone of a passage
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, Gothic fiction, fantasy, and horror are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “Cool Air” by H.P. Lovecraft is a compelling short story that features elements consistent with those genres: noxious chemicals, medical experiments, desperate attempts to achieve immortality, and more. This multiple choice quiz on “Cool Air” helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate reading comprehension, and save time at home without sacrificing quality in the classroom. 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 assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The narrator’s reaction to cool air
The narrator’s philosophical beliefs
The reason the narrator moves from apartment to apartment
The narrator’s treatment of his lodgemates
Peculiar smells that permeate the building
Mrs. Herrero’s role in the story
How the narrator came to know Dr. Muñoz
The narrator’s initial perception of Dr. Muñoz
Dr. Muñoz’s beliefs concerning the power of human will
Dr. Muñoz’s medical practices
The reason Dr. Muñoz becomes a “gruesome companion”
Dr. Muñoz’s independence
A habit Dr. Muñoz develops
The consequences of a broken refrigeration system
A discovery in Dr. Muñoz’s apartment
A stunning revelation
For many high school readers, fantasy and horror are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “What the Moon Brings” by H.P. Lovecraft is a brief, yet compelling short story that features elements consistent with both genres: a bizarre dreamscape, an anxious narrator, and the discovery of an underwater city. (The briefness of the story makes it an appropriate time-filler for awkward gaps in teaching schedules.) This multiple choice quiz on “What the Moon Brings” helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate reading comprehension, and save time at home without sacrificing quality in the classroom. 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 assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Point of view
Setting
The narrator’s emotional reaction to the moon
The narrator’s obsessiveness
Transformative qualities of ordinary things
The appearance of an animal in the distance
A discovery in the water
The smell that overwhelms the narrator’s senses
A realization about the reef
The narrator’s decision in the resolution
For many high school readers, fantasy and horror are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “What the Moon Brings” by H.P. Lovecraft is a brief, yet compelling short story that features elements consistent with both genres: a bizarre dreamscape, an anxious narrator, and the discovery of an underwater city. (The briefness of the story makes it an appropriate time-filler for awkward gaps in teaching schedules.) This rigorous worksheet covering “What the Moon Brings” helps English teachers extend student learning beyond reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. A detailed answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will:
Articulate what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Discern the purpose of em dashes as they are used in context
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including personification, foreshadowing, epiphany, and sibilance
Explore the author’s diction to draw reasoned inferences about characterization
Determine the intended effect of juxtaposition as it is applied in the text
Examine plot-based statements for accuracy
Choose an applicable theme in the context of a given passage
Explore the symbolism of a black condor as it is portrayed in the narrative
Defend ideas and claims with valid reasoning and textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, Gothic fiction, fantasy, and horror are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “Cool Air” by H.P. Lovecraft is a compelling short story that features elements consistent with those genres: noxious chemicals, medical experiments, desperate attempts to achieve immortality, and more. With this bundle of high school resources covering “Cool Air,” English teachers will save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will:
Articulate what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Explore character intentions and motivations
Analyze how complex characters behave and interact
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing, situational irony, and dramatic irony
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in context
Identify relevant textual evidence in support of claims
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, fantasy and horror are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “What the Moon Brings” by H.P. Lovecraft is a brief, yet compelling short story that features elements consistent with both genres: a bizarre dreamscape, an anxious narrator, and the discovery of an underwater city. (The briefness of the story makes it an appropriate time-filler for awkward gaps in teaching schedules.) With this bundle of high school resources covering “What the Moon Brings,” English teachers will save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will:
Articulate what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Discern the purpose of em dashes as they are used in context
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including personification, foreshadowing, epiphany, and sibilance
Explore the author’s diction to draw reasoned inferences about characterization
Determine the intended effect of juxtaposition as it is applied in the text
Examine plot-based statements for accuracy
Choose an applicable theme in the context of a given passage
Explore the symbolism of a black condor as it is portrayed in the narrative
Defend ideas and claims with valid reasoning and textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Tree” by H.P. Lovecraft features plot elements consistent with the aforementioned genres: allusions to Greek mythology, inexplicable vanishings, the personification of inanimate objects, and more. This multiple choice quiz covering “The Tree” helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate reading comprehension, and save time at home without sacrificing quality in the classroom. 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 assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The role of the beekeeper
The protagonists’ jobs
The nature of the relationship between the protagonists
The artistic inspirations of each individual protagonist
The Tyrant of Syracuse’s motivations
The goddess whom the Tyrant wishes to honor
Kalos’ reaction to his grave illness
The request Kalos makes of his friend upon his death
The promise Musides makes to Kalos prior to his death
The length of time it takes Musides to complete his assigned task
Peculiar characteristics of the tree
The fate of Musides and his work
For many high school readers, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “Polaris” by H.P. Lovecraft features plot elements consistent with the aforementioned genres: a narrator of questionable sanity, a dreamscape setting, the conflict between imagination and reality, and more. This multiple choice quiz covering “Polaris” helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate reading comprehension, and save time at home without sacrificing quality in the classroom. 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 assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The narrator’s home
Medical conditions from which the protagonist suffers
Setting
The role of the Inutos
The strange qualities of the protagonist’s dreams
The narrator’s strengths and weaknesses in the context of the war
The job assigned to the protagonist
The narrator’s observations of Polaris
How the narrator fails his people
The resolution
or many high school readers, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “Polaris” by H.P. Lovecraft features plot elements consistent with the aforementioned genres: a narrator of questionable sanity, a dreamscape setting, the conflict between imagination and reality, and more. With this bundle of high school resources covering “Polaris,” English teachers will save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With this resources, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Provide an objective description of the story’s setting
Discern how the narrator feels about Polaris and cite textual evidence in support of the claim
Analyze the author’s craft to discern which literary devices are applied, with emphasis on hyperbaton, sibilance, callback, and personification
Analyze a portion of the text to determine tone in context
Identify several variables that put the protagonist and his people at a severe disadvantage against their brutish enemies
Describe the narrator’s physical condition and infer how it may have influenced his opinion of Alos
Understand the narrator’s modes of thinking, particularly as it relates to his failures
Elaborate upon what is revealed in the poem, paying special attention to the Pole Star’s influence on the narrator
Explain the effect that callback and personification have upon the reader
Define complex vocabulary and phrasing in context
Navigate specialized reference materials successfully
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
For many high school readers, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Doom that Came to Sarnath” by H.P. Lovecraft features plot elements consistent with the aforementioned genres: the plundering of a race of lizard people, shadows that seemingly originate from the moon, the vanishing of an entire city, and more. This multiple choice quiz covering “The Doom that Came to Sarnath” (estimated Lexile Measure of 1300-1400) helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate reading comprehension, and save time at home without sacrificing quality in the classroom. 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 assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The name Sarnath used to be known by
A physical description of the beings who once inhabited the area
The name of the beings’ leader
The object worshiped by the beings
The value humans saw in this region
The fate of the strange beings and the object they worshiped
The function of the amphitheater
The celebration humans held in commemoration of genocide
A strange event that takes place annually
The amount of time that has passed since the killing of the beings
The fate of the kings and their noblemen
The resolution
For many high school readers, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Doom that Came to Sarnath” by H.P. Lovecraft features plot elements consistent with the aforementioned genres: the plundering of a race of lizard people, shadows that seemingly originate from the moon, the vanishing of an entire city, and more. With this bundle of high school resources covering “The Doom that Came to Sarnath,” English teachers will save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading questions; the public domain narrative (estimated Lexile Measure of 1300-1400); and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Determine the function of a given paragraph
Provide a detailed description of a group of characters
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Analyze nuances in words with similar definitions
Make logical inferences about character motivations
Analyze how complex characters think, behave, and interact
Examine the author’s intent
Articulate the significance of a given detail
Apply knowledge of literary devices such as foreshadowing
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, psychological fiction and horror are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Premature Burial” by Edgar Allan Poe features elements consistent with both genres: a stream-of-consciousness technique, the intensification of an irrational fear, tales of being buried alive, and more. This multiple choice quiz covering “The Premature Burial” helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate reading comprehension, and save time at home without sacrificing quality in the classroom. 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 assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The exposition
The identities of those mentioned who suffered premature burials
The intentions of Julien Bossuet
The narrator’s beliefs concerning premature burials
The narrator’s medical condition
Precautions taken by the narrator to avoid death by premature burial
Where the narrator seeks shelter during a storm
How a premature burial scare affects the narrator’s life moving forward
The narrator’s evaluation of human imagination
For many high school readers, horror and supernatural fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe features elements consistent with both genres: a Gothic mansion, psychological deterioration, heightened emotions, grim imagery, and more. This multiple choice quiz covering “The Fall of the House of Usher” helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate reading comprehension, and save time at home without sacrificing quality in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Questions pertain to the following key details:
How the narrator comes upon the House of Usher
The narrator’s descriptions of the House of Usher
What the narrator means when he refers to “shadowy fancies”
A characterization of the relationship between the narrator and Roderick
The content of the letter Roderick wrote the narrator
What the narrator means when he refers to Roderick’s “reserve [which] had always been excessive and habitual.
The Ushers’ ancestry
A description of the narrator as he first explores the House of Usher
Roderick’s ill appearance
Madeline’s relationship to Roderick
Madeline’s unusual medical condition
Roderick’s ability to play the guitar
Why Roderick wants to keep Madeline’s corpse in the house
A realization that Roderick and Madeline were twins
A strange sight through the window
Peculiar noises
Roderick’s terrible fear regarding Madeline
Roderick’s death
The narrative’s resolution
For many high school readers, horror and supernatural fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe features elements consistent with both genres: a Gothic mansion, psychological deterioration, heightened emotions, grim imagery, 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. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore dominant character traits and motivations
Examine how complex characters think, behave, and interact
Determine the greater significance of a given detail
Apply knowledge of various sound and literary devices including alliteration, personification, euphemism, foreshadowing, situational irony, hyperbole, epiphany, juxtaposition, and more
Articulate the intended effects of various sound devices, literary devices, and figurative expressions
Analyze Poe’s use of descriptive language to infer the author’s intent
Conduct brief research on Swiss painter Henry Fuseli to develop greater understanding of Poe’s allusion to him
Explore the connection between the plot of the short story and the content of the poem titled “The Haunted Palace”
Examine how the author successfully intensifies suspense in the context of a passage
Analyze the connotative significance of the narrator’s labeling Roderick a hypochondriac
Identify details that contribute to a dreamlike or nightmarish atmosphere
Discern the functions of particular details
Make logical inferences about the resolution
Defend claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, horror and supernatural fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe features elements consistent with both genres: a Gothic mansion, psychological deterioration, heightened emotions, grim imagery, and more. With this bundle of high school resources covering “The Fall of the House of Usher,” English teachers will save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading analysis questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore dominant character traits and motivations
Examine how complex characters think, behave, and interact
Determine the greater significance of a given detail
Apply knowledge of various sound and literary devices including alliteration, personification, euphemism, foreshadowing, situational irony, hyperbole, epiphany, juxtaposition, and more
Articulate the intended effects of various sound devices, literary devices, and figurative expressions
Analyze Poe’s use of descriptive language to infer the author’s intent
Conduct brief research on Swiss painter Henry Fuseli to develop greater understanding of Poe’s allusion to him
Explore the connection between the plot of the short story and the content of the poem titled “The Haunted Palace”
Examine how the author successfully intensifies suspense in the context of a passage
Analyze the connotative significance of the narrator’s labeling Roderick a hypochondriac
Identify details that contribute to a dreamlike or nightmarish atmosphere
Discern the functions of particular details
Make logical inferences about the resolution
Defend claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, horror and psychological fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Sphinx” by Edgar Allan Poe features plot elements consistent with both genres: a cholera epidemic, social isolation, omens, fear of death, and more. With this bundle of high school resources covering “The Sphinx,” English teachers will save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading analysis questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Examine how complex characters think, behave, and interact
Explore character motivations
Define complex words as they are used in context
Analyze nuances in words with similar meanings
Choose the most appropriate synonym to replace a given word without changing fundamental meaning
Paraphrase information
Make logical inferences based on context clues
Explain how a given detail (the fact that it was “an exceedingly warm day”) is an example of paradox
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including hyperbole
Identify several examples of the narrator’s self-awareness
Identify several examples of the narrator’s questionable judgment
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, logic, and precision
For many high school readers, horror and psychological fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Sphinx” by Edgar Allan Poe features plot elements consistent with both genres: a cholera epidemic, social isolation, omens, fear of death, and more. This multiple choice quiz covering “The Sphinx” helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate reading comprehension, and save time at home without sacrificing quality in the classroom. 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 assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The nature of the epidemic
The location of the epidemic
The narrator’s current location
The length of time the narrator is away from home
The relationship of the narrator to his roommate
General character descriptions
The narrator’s beliefs concerning omens
The narrator’s obsessive tendencies
The narrator’s frightening observation
The reason the narrator was mistaken in his observation
The roommate’s evaluation of the narrator in the resolution
For many high school readers, realistic fiction is a genre that maximizes relatability and engagement with literature. “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker is a story about self-image, generational clashes, cultural conflicts, 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. A detailed answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze the narrator’s sense of self-image
Explore the author’s use of language to convey a sense of realism
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including but not limited to dialect, syncope, and malapropism
Contrast how two characters perceive the concept of heritage
Analyze why the narrator takes offense to another character’s actions and evaluate whether her reaction is justified
Examine how point of view shapes the readers’ understanding of Dee’s character
Apply objectivity in order to infer a character’s true motivations
Articulate the greater significance of a given detail (Maggie’s smile)
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, realistic and young adult fiction are genres that maximize relatability and engagement with literature. “Geraldine Moore the Poet” by Toni Cade Bambara is a short story focusing on a girl with unfavorable life circumstances who is on the verge of an important self-discovery: that she has a natural talent for expressing herself poetically. With this challenging worksheet composed of high-order questions, English Language Arts 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:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including foreshadowing, idiom, and ambiguity
Articulate the function of a given detail
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Demonstrate awareness of the narrative’s inciting incident
Articulate the symbolism associated with Geraldine’s being offered tomato soup
Choose an opinion with which Geraldine is most likely to agree
Evaluate the qualities that make Geraldine’s poem “the most poetic thing”
Argue whether Geraldine or Mrs. Scott experiences the greatest epiphany
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision