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.
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 bundle of high school resources covering “Geraldine Moore the Poet,” English Language Arts teachers will be able to evaluate general reading comprehension and support the continued development of close reading analysis skills. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading analysis questions; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable, editable Word Document and PDF formats. With these materials, 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
For many high school readers, realistic and young adult fiction are genres that maximize relatability and engagement with literature. “Blues Ain’t No Mockin Bird” by Toni Cade Bambara is a short story focusing on a Black family whose ways of life are being infringed upon by opportunistic, politically motivated filmmakers. With this bundle of high school resources covering “Blues Ain’t No Mockin Bird,” English Language Arts teachers will be able to evaluate general reading comprehension and support the continued development of close reading analysis skills. Included are the following: an editable, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading analysis questions; 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
Explore how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others
Infer character motivations
Articulate the function of a specific character (Cathy)
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including metaphor, idiom, and onomatopoeia
Isolate an example of figurative language from among several options
Choose an opinion with which Granny would most likely agree based on an anecdote she shares with her family
Determine which character or characters are represented in the character of Goldilocks
Identify several ways in which the filmmakers dehumanize Granny and members of her family
Draw parallels between the American folk hero John Henry and the character of Granddaddy Cain
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, realistic, historical, and young adult fiction are genres that maximize relatability and engagement with literature. “Blues Ain’t No Mockin Bird” by Toni Cade Bambara is a short story focusing on a Black family whose ways of life are being infringed upon by opportunistic, politically motivated filmmakers. 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
Infer character motivations
Articulate the function of a specific character (Cathy)
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including metaphor, idiom, and onomatopoeia
Isolate an example of figurative language from among several options
Choose an opinion with which Granny would most likely agree based on an anecdote she shares with her family
Determine which character or characters are represented in the character of Goldilocks
Identify several ways in which the filmmakers dehumanize Granny and members of her family
Draw parallels between the American folk hero John Henry and the character of Granddaddy Cain
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Fairy tales are not just for elementary readers; even middle and high school students may find fairy tales highly engaging. “The Girl Without Hands” by the Brothers Grimm, also known as “The Maiden Without Hands” and “The Armless Maiden,” is a short story about the plight of a maiden whose poor father makes a bargain that results in her disfigurement and confinement. English Language Arts teachers may assign the Grimms’ tale and administer this editable assessment to evaluate reading comprehension. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The miller’s understanding of his deal with a stranger
The stranger’s underhandedness
The true identity of the stranger
The maiden’s attempts at saving herself
The means by which the maiden loses her hands
The assistance of a guardian fairy
The nature of the relationship between the king and the maiden
The king’s gift to the maiden
The trickery of the wizard and its effect on the king’s relationship with the maiden
The message displayed on the cottage
The reason the maiden’s hands grow back
The length of time the king travels in search of the maiden
The nickname of the maiden’s son
The son’s initial reaction to learning the identity of his father
The resolution
Fairy tales are not just for elementary readers; even middle and high school students may use fairy tales as tools for extending beyond reading comprehension and practicing close reading analysis skills. “The Girl Without Hands” by the Brothers Grimm, also known as “The Maiden Without Hands” and “The Armless Maiden,” is a short story about the plight of a maiden whose poor father makes a bargain that results in her disfigurement and confinement. Included are the following: an editable, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading analysis questions; the public domain short story; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Explore how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others
Isolate a factual statement from falsehoods in the context of the miller’s characterization
Explain how situational irony and dramatic irony are applied
Discern the significance of the maiden’s decision to draw a circle around her
Explore cause-and-effect relationships (how losing her hands affects the maiden physically, psychologically, and interpersonally)
Analyze the silver hands for symbolic value
Define complex words in context
Apply knowledge of literary devices including alliteration and foreshadowing
Cite textual evidence to support claims and ideas
Write with clarity and precision
Evaluate reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and minimize take-home lesson planning with this set of instructional resources covering chapter two of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading analysis questions; and answer keys. Students will:
Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze character motivations
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including alliteration, assonance, and simile
Discern and articulate the greater significance of a given detail with emphasis on what is revealed about character modes of thinking
Analyze how complex characters interact
Make logical inferences about how Tom perceives Myrtle
Demonstrate awareness of how social status influences behavior
Compare Myrtle to the puppy she is gifted
Discern a primary function of the chapter
Write with clarity and precision
Evaluate reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and minimize take-home lesson planning with this set of instructional resources covering chapter five of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading analysis questions; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these materials, students will:
Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze how complex characters interact
Articulate how Gatsby’s behavior is ironic from Nick’s perspective
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including situational irony, simile, and hyperbole
Identify textual evidence that best supports a claim
Analyze the author’s use of language to discern his intent
Explore the symbolism of an object or objects
Clarify and elaborate on a concern Nick has for Gatsby in a given passage
Write with clarity and precision
Evaluate reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and minimize take-home lesson planning with this set of instructional resources covering chapter six of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading analysis questions; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these materials, students will:
Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze how complex characters interact
Discern the intended effect of figurative language in context
Make logical inferences about Gatsby’s decision making
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including metaphor, situational irony, hyperbole, euphemism, allusion, and personification
Analyze the author’s craft to determine the intended meaning of a lesser known phrase
Analyze what character dialogue reveals about their psychological and emotional states
Determine the significance of a given detail
Explore dynamic character
Identify a main function of the chapter
Evaluate reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and minimize take-home lesson planning with this set of instructional resources covering chapter seven of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading analysis questions; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these materials, students will:
Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze how complex characters interact
Make a logical inference about Daisy’s parenting style
Identify the significance of given characterization details
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including assonance, consonance, metaphor, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, imagery, euphemism, and catharsis
Analyze word choices to determine which word most accurately conveys an idea
Explore character motivations
Explore Nick’s assessment of Gatsby’s behavior in the context of the chapter
Analyze the author’s craft
Write ideas with clarity and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 8 through 10). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The search crew’s efforts to recover Huck’s body
How Huck comes into possession of bread to eat
Huck’s evolving perspective on prayer
Huck’s first indication that someone else is on the island
The reason for Jim’s intense fear when he first meets Huck
Jim’s motivations for taking up residence on the island
Jim’s superstitious nature
The circumstances surrounding the death of Pap
Jim’s motivations for concealing information from Huck
Huck’s prank and its unintended consequences
Huck and Jim’s plan involving a disguise
Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 11 through 13). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Huck’s motives for lying to Judith
Textual evidence to support the claim that Judith and her family have fallen on tough times
The advice Judith offers Huck before his departure
How Huck and Jim avoid being discovered while traveling
Pap’s philosophy on stealing and Huck’s acceptance of this philosophy
What is revealed about Huck’s character based on his actions
The discovery of robbers and murderers
The reason Jake and Bill want a man dead
Jake’s reluctance to kill a man
The fate of the raft
Huck’s ability to empathize and show compassion
Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 14 through 16). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Jim’s opinion of King Solomon
Huck’s frustration with Jim’s perspective
Huck and Jim’s plan to reach safety
The trick Huck plays on Jim involving the fog
How the trick strengthens the bond of understanding between Huck and Jim
Jim’s plan once they reach Cairo
Huck’s reaction to Jim’s plan
Huck’s cunning nature
The change in Jim and Huck’s plans
Huck’s internal conflict
The separation of Huck and Jim
Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 17 through 19). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Buck’s characterization
The Grangerfords’ social status
Emmeline Grangerford’s art and Huck’s reaction to it
The circumstances leading to Huck’s reunion with Jim
The ambiguity surrounding the cause of the feud between the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons
The irony of churchgoers’ behavior
The cause of a bloody battle
The consequences of the bloody battle
The introduction of the two con artists
Huck’s motivation for going along with the con artists’ trickery
Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 20 through 23). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Huck’s powers of persuasion
Background information on the king
The content of the printed poster
The king’s attempts to learn dialogue from Shakespeare’s Hamlet
Twain’s unpleasant description of the town
The characterization of Boggs
The interactions between Boggs and Sherburn
Huck’s opinion of the circus
Huck’s feelings toward the ringmaster
The duke and king’s first performance
Efforts to increase attendance numbers
The low humor of subsequent performances
What angers the attendees of the subsequent performances
The vengeful intent of the spectators
Jim’s opinion of kings
The cause of Jim’s sadness
Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 24 and 25). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
How Jim is made more comfortable while others are gone
The characterization of Mr. Wilks
The king’s motivation for wearing black
The details pertaining to the king and duke’s newest scam
Huck’s opinion of the newest scam
How the duke and the king build relationships with people
How the king almost reveals himself to be a con man
Dr. Robinson’s advice to Mary Jane
Mary Jane’s decision pertaining to her money
Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 26 through 28). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Joanna’s influence on Huck’s psychological state
What motivates Huck to help the sisters
Mary Jane’s disregard for her sister’s intuition
The debate between the duke and the king
Huck’s willingness to expose the duke and the king as con men
What Huck does with the stolen money
A disturbance at the funeral
Who Huck blames for the stolen money
The girls’ reaction to the settling of the estate
Why Huck decides to reveal the plot to Mary Jane
A concern Huck has pertaining to Mary Jane
Mary Jane’s influence on Huck’s emotional state
Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 29 through 31). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
How Huck’s plan goes awry
How Harvey proves his identity
The crowd’s decision to dig up the body
How Huck gets away from the king and the duke
Huck’s feelings about the duke and the king getting away
How Huck is saved from being accused of stealing
Why the king confessed to a crime
Huck’s motives for wanting to write to Tom Sawyer
Why Huck reconsiders his decision
The decision Huck feels dooms him to hell
Transactional behavior between Huck and the duke
The duke’s inability to be trusted
Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 36 through 39). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The boys’ digging efforts
Jim’s reaction to the boys’ plan
Tom’s opinion of the rescue efforts
Why Jim pokes his food with a fork
Nat’s superstitious nature
The boys’ guilt over their behavior
The disappearances of household items
The difficulty in baking a pie with a rope ladder in it
The coat of arms
Conditions in the hut that make Jim’s stay there unbearable
The contents of an anonymous letter
Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 32 through 35). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The dramatic irony associated with Huck’s introduction to Aunt Sally
Aunt Sally’s playful prank
Why Huck rushes away in the middle of a conversation with Sally and Silas
Why Tom is frightened upon first meeting Huck
Tom’s agreement to free Jim
Tom and Sally’s similarities
Sid Sawyer
The treatment of the king and the duke
Huck’s conscience
Huck’s admiration of Tom
Tom’s motivations
Preparations for rescuing Jim
Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 40 through 43). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Who is in the Phelps’ parlor
Sally’s concern for Huck’s health
A complication involving Tom’s health
Huck’s lie to the doctor
A racist assumption
Huck’s promise to Sally
Why mob participants decide against lynching Jim
Tom’s feelings about Jim
Aunt Polly’s introduction
A major revelation