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.
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement chapters 4 and 5 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. A crossword puzzle, word search activity, vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: abominable, aloof, arbitrate, auspicious, benign, dreary, foolhardy, hearty, illicit, inquisitive, melancholy, morbid, pestilence, reluctantly, scowl, tacit, and tyranny.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement chapters 1, 2, and 3 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. A crossword puzzle, word search activity, vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: amiable, apothecary, assuage, condescension, contemptuous, contentious, diminutive, eccentric, imprudent, indigenous, malevolent, nebulous, predilection, quaint, sneer, taciturn, vague, and vapid.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Support the development of high school close reading skills with this set of analysis questions to complement the short story “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. A detailed answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Determine the narrative’s dominant conflict
Analyze how complex characters interact and develop
Explore character motivations
Apply knowledge of literary devices including anaphora, personification, foreshadowing, simile, and onomatopoeia
Articulate the intended effect of the author’s diction in context
Identify several ways in which the author applies the concept of ambiguity to the narrative
Explain how the narrative is consistent with the conventions of Dark Romanticism (Gothic literature)
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Save time, support improved reading stamina, and measure general reading comprehension with this printable quiz on the short story “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. 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 is provided. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Setting
Character motivations
The protagonist’s marriage
General characterization of the old man
The protagonist’s psychological and emotional states
General characterization of Goody Cloyse
Ominous observations
A surprising discovery about the protagonist’s wife
The resolution
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching Hans Christian Andersen’s classic short story “The Little Mermaid.” A plot-based quiz, a close reading worksheet, a craft analysis activity, a vocabulary application handout, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the public domain fairy tale, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
This resource may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Choose the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Develop a greater understanding of how Hans Christian Andersen used descriptive language, characterization, figurative language, and other literary devices to establish a fairy tale atmosphere and empathetic protagonist
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including alliteration, consonance, sibilance, situational irony, dramatic irony, metaphor, personification, inversion, and hyperbole
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fictional texts with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and practice close reading analysis skills while engaging with the short story “A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett. A bell-ringer writing prompt, a plot-based quiz, a close reading worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, a low-prep lesson plan template with pre-filled learning targets and agenda items, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
This resource may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Choose the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Discern narrative techniques used to convey a sense of immediacy and awe
Determine the tone of a given passage
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Compare and contrast two characters
Conduct brief research to articulate the significance of the protagonist’s name
Apply knowledge of literary devices including consonance, simile, and anthropomorphism
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school students, the horror genre promotes more active engagement with literature. “The Terrible Old Man” by H.P. Lovecraft is a concise horror story featuring plot elements such as robbery, a character who dabbles in the occult, and mutilated corpses - making the narrative a particularly compelling read during the Halloween season. The following are included in this bundle: a plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the public domain narrative, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Choose the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Determine the story’s point of view
Discern the overall tone of the narrative
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony
Draw parallels between the author’s life and the plot of “The Terrible Old Man”
Identify relevant textual details in support of claims and ideas
Write about compelling fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Promote active engagement with fiction, support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school, and evaluate general reading comprehension with this bundle of resources for teaching the supernatural short story “The Moon Bog” by H.P. Lovecraft. Included are the following: a printable, 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 explicitly and implicitly
Analyze context clues and draw logical inferences about character mindsets and motivations
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including foreshadowing, situational irony, and dramatic irony
Define complex words as they are used in the text by taking into consideration denotative and connotative meanings
Support responses with relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, fairy tales and fantasy fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Buckwheat” by Hans Christian Andersen is a cautionary tale about a young buckwheat whose pride becomes his tragic downfall. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading questions; answer keys; and a copy of the public domain short story. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including hyperbole, alliteration, assonance, hubris, personification, dramatic irony, and more
Analyze a passage to discern author’s intent
Discern the function of a given paragraph
Analyze what characters’ actions reveal about their modes of thinking
Make logical inferences about characters’ actions
Explain how the author incorporates personification into the text
Explore the symbolism of trees and articulate how the old willow tree’s characterization is consistent with symbolic interpretations
Articulate a relevant theme and connect it to plot developments
Defend claims with valid reasoning and relevant textual details
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching the science fiction short story “The Star Beast” by Nicholas Stuart Gray. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
This resource may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Choose the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques with emphasis on how the author helps the audience empathize with a non-human protagonist
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including hubris and situational irony
Consider themes in context
Articulate how the narrative conforms to standard conventions of science fiction
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching Katherine Anne Porter’s short story “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,” a piece of psychological fiction that complements high school units involving modernist literature and the narrative technique known as stream of consciousness. A plot-based quiz, close reading analysis worksheet, vocabulary application activity, crossword puzzle, word search game, and answer keys are 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 these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Choose the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Discern the narrative’s point of view and setting
Determine the intended effects of the author’s narrative techniques
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony and symbolism
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of activities for teaching the short story “The New Dress” by Virginia Woolf. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the public domain narrative, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Utilize dictionaries to ensure knowledge of word meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the functions of various passages and excerpts
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Articulate the hypocritical nature of the protagonist’s behavior
Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing and metaphor
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension, support critical thinking, and facilitate vocabulary development with this bundle of formative assessments covering Kate Chopin’s short story “Desiree’s Baby,” a piece of historical fiction that, when integrated into the English Language Arts classroom, complements American History curricula, as the plot precedes the Civil War and addresses the issue of how race and ethnicity affect one’s life experiences in the South. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the public domain short story, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
This resource may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging with these materials, students will perform the following tasks:
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Choose the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Consider the effects of the author’s language and narrative techniques
Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including irony and foreshadowing
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
With this printable bundle of high school resources for teaching “A Haunted House” by Virginia Woolf, educators will measure reading comprehension with a multiple choice quiz on character and plot and support high-order thinking with a set of close reading analysis questions. A copy of the public domain short story and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
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 with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Analyze the author’s narrative technique to discern how she emphasizes multiple presences in the house
Infer why the author incorporates references to second-person you
Discern the significance of active present participles in the text
Analyze the effect of sibilant phrases on the reader
Apply knowledge of literary devices to the text, with emphasis placed on personification, anaphora, and symbolism
Discern and articulate the significance of the window
Analyze a passage in the text to discern the author’s intent as it relates to characterization
Analyze character actions and dialogue to discern their primary intent
Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension, support critical thinking, facilitate vocabulary development, and prepare for unexpected teacher absences with this bundle of formative assessments covering Katherine Mansfield’s short story “The Garden Party.” A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the public domain short story, emergency lesson plans with supplemental materials, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
This resource may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Choose the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Consider the effects of the author’s language and narrative techniques
Explore tone in context
Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare two characters from different classes
Contrast Laura and the majority of her family members
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, symbolism, and dramatic irony
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Looking for high school horror story activities for the Halloween season? Looking for a text to pair with “The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe or a similar narrative? Use this bundle of materials covering H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Hound” to evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills. A plot-based quiz, a close reading worksheet, vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques
Compare the opening paragraph of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat” with the opening paragraphs of “The Hound”
Describe tone in context
Determine the functions of various passages
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including alliteration, euphemism, foreshadowing, imagery, personification, situational irony, and more
Conduct research as needed to answer questions about plot
Find similarities among the following groups: Symbolists, pre-Raphaelites, and Decadents
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
With this printable bundle of high school resources for teaching “The Ugly Duckling” by Hans Christian Andersen, educators will measure reading comprehension with a multiple choice quiz on character and plot and support high-order thinking with a set of close reading analysis questions. A copy of the public domain short story and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
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 with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Identify textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity and precision
Identify examples of various literary devices including onomatopoeia, assonance, consonance, foreshadowing, simile, personification, and symbolism
Discern author’s intent
Discern tone in context
Explain an example of foreshadowing in a given passage
Isolate a falsehood about plot among factual statements
Define words and phrases in the context of a passage
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus
Articulate the significance of a given detail or details
Identify which descriptor best applies to the mother duck
Articulate why the mother duck rarely receives visitors
Discern and articulate a lesson the mother duck tries to instill in her babies
Analyze plot to generate a relevant theme about motherhood
Argue whether the mother duck is a sympathetic character
Support the claim that the tom cat and the hen do not appreciate the ugly duckling’s unique qualities
Articulate how the duckling comes into the possession of a peasant
Promote active engagement with fiction, support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school, and evaluate general reading comprehension with this bundle of resources for teaching the Gothic short story “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe. Included are the following: a printable, 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. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Provide an objective summary of the plot
Analyze the intended effect of Poe’s descriptive language
Analyze the author’s technique to explain whether a suggested revision would be appropriate
Make logical inferences about characterization
Articulate how setting influences character actions
Determine the intended effect(s) of simile
Apply knowledge of situational irony to the text
Apply knowledge of anaphora to the text
Apply knowledge of consonance to the text
Isolate examples of inversion in a given excerpt
Identify textual evidence in support of claims
Define complex vocabulary and phrasing in context
Navigate specialized reference materials successfully
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
Promote active engagement with fiction, support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school, and evaluate general reading comprehension with this bundle of resources for teaching the short story “After Twenty Years” by O. Henry. Included are the following: a 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. By engaging with these materials, 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
Gothic fantasy and horror are genres that maximize many high school students’ engagement with literature. “The Cats of Ulthar” by H.P. Lovecraft is a macabre short story featuring savage neighbors, an avenging curse, and flesh-eating felines—making it an especially chilling choice for the Halloween season. With this digital bundle of high school resources for teaching “The Cats of Ulthar,” 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. By engaging with these resources, students will:
Discern a key purpose of the mythological allusions delivered in the exposition
Draw parallels between the author’s choices and knowledge of cat-related proverbs
Explore the antagonistic characterization of the community’s old couple
Examine the narrator’s feelings toward the people of Ulthar
Explore the greater significance of imagery from a mythological perspective
Investigate the author’s decision to name a key character after an Egyptian figure
Discern the functions of several paragraphs
Apply knowledge of a variety of literary devices including personification, irony, inversion, and onomatopoeia
Make logical inferences about the author’s decision to include two seemingly insignificant details
Identify and explain a significant example of foreshadowing in the story
Argue whether the people of Ulthar are better or worse off for having gone through their experiences
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision