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.
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
“Desiree’s Baby” by Kate Chopin is an example 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. With this multiple choice quiz covering the short story, teachers will be able to evaluate general reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and save valuable 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. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Setting
How Désirée came to be part of the Valmonde family
Armand’s initial attitude toward marrying Désirée
Madame Valmonde’s reaction to the sight of the baby
How Armand’s treatment of others changes after the birth of his child
Désirée’s observations of the plantation visitors
Désirée’s demands of her husband
Madame Valmonde’s response to a letter from Désirée
The final interaction between Armand and Désirée
Désirée’s final action in the story
The fate of Désirée’s belongings
Armand’s surprising discovery
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “Rumpelstiltskin.” Alternatively, the assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The miller’s feelings toward his daughter
The miller’s feelings toward the king
The king’s greed
A task the maiden is assigned
An offer the king makes the maiden
Offerings made to the hobgoblin
A new task for the maiden
The length of time the maiden has to complete her new task
A messenger’s observations
The hobgoblin’s response to failure
The court’s reaction to the hobgoblin
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the short story “The New Dress” by Virginia Woolf. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the text. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF Formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The reason for Mabel’s limited fashion
Mabel’s distinguishing characteristic
Mabel’s assumptions about her treatment at a party
Robert Haydon
Mrs. Barnet
Clarissa Dalloway
The reason for Mabel’s frustration with herself
Mabel’s perception of the partygoers
The effect a memory involving a dressmaker has on Mabel
Mabel’s opinion of her parents
Fairy tales are not just for elementary students; even high school readers can use (and enjoy) fairy tales as a tool for measuring general reading comprehension. This multiple choice quiz covers “Rapunzel” by the Brothers Grimm. With an estimated Lexile Measure range of 1010-1200, the short story is especially suitable for middle and high school students. The briefness of the narrative also makes it an appropriate time-filler for awkward gaps in teaching schedules. 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:
Why the setting is dangerous
The wife’s desires in the exposition
The characterization of the husband
The bargain between the husband and the antagonist
Life events involving Rapunzel
Rapunzel’s talents
The means by which a prince visits Rapunzel
Rapunzel’s request of the prince
The antagonist’s punishment of Rapunzel
The prince’s physical condition following an encounter with the enchantress
How Rapunzel cures the prince
For many high school readers, age-appropriate fantasy and fairy tale fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. With this multiple choice, plot-based assessment on “The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Andersen, English teachers will promote homework accountability, measure general reading comprehension, and save valuable time without sacrificing quality 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. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following plot elements:
An object cherished by the little mermaid
The significance of the little mermaid’s fifteenth birthday
The reason a mermaid’s sadness is more intense than a human’s
The function of the oysters worn by the little mermaid
The cause of the little mermaid’s frustration
The little mermaid’s longing to experience life as a human
The means by which the little mermaid could obtain an immortal soul
The sea-witch’s residence
The transaction between the sea-witch and the little mermaid
The little mermaid’s emotional reaction to seeing her sisters
The reason for the prince’s visit to a nearby kingdom
A physical change in the little mermaid’s sisters
The transaction between the little mermaid’s sisters and the sea-witch
The resolution
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the short story “The Owl” by the Brothers Grimm, a cautionary tale about how fear affects human behavior. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the text. An answer key and copy of the fairy tale are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The cause of the owl’s fear
The location of the owl
The man-servant’s assessment of the owl
The master’s reaction to his man-servant’s assessment
The master’s request of the community
A soldier’s request
The comparison of the soldier to St. George
A suggestion for how to spend tax money
The means by which the owl dies
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning duties with this plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering the short story “A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett. Alternatively, this resource may serve as a guided reading handout to foster active reading habits among students. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Setting
The protagonist’s background
The nature of the interactions between Sylvia and the hunter
The differences between the lives of Sylvia and the hunter
For many high school readers, age-appropriate fantasy and fairy tale fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. With this multiple choice, plot-based assessment on “Hansel and Gretel” by the Brothers Grimm, English teachers will promote homework accountability, measure general reading comprehension, and save valuable time without sacrificing quality 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. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following plot elements:
The problem facing Hansel and Gretel’s family
The stepmother’s solution to the family’s problem
Hansel’s strategic thinking and resourcefulness
A key instance of dramatic irony
Hansel and Gretel’s encounter with the white bird
The discovery of an old witch’s house
A supernatural quality associated with witches
Gretel’s duty according to the old witch
Gretel’s strategic thinking
The resolution
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. This multiple choice quiz on “The Terrible Old Man” 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:
Setting
Rumors circulating about the Terrible Old Man
Details that suggest something sinister about the Terrible Old Man
What curious people see when they look into the Terrible Old Man’s window
A peculiar habit of the Terrible Old Man
The means by which three men in the story make their living
An alarming physical characteristic of the Terrible Old Man
A disturbing discovery
An implied hobby of the Terrible Old Man
The background of the Terrible Old Man
For many high school students, supernatural fiction is a genre that maximizes engagement with literature. “The Moon Bog” by H.P. Lovecraft features strange beings, mind manipulations, and even implied social criticism of humanity’s greed and treatment of the environment. This multiple choice quiz on “The Moon Bog” 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. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Setting
The purpose of the narrator’s visit
Denys Barry’s intentions for the bog
Denys Barry’s disregard for the supernatural
The legend of the bog
Eerie happenings
The locals’ collective reaction to Denys Barry’s decisions
The narrator’s dreams
The narrator’s observations of the bog
The fate of Denys Barry
Save time and measure general reading comprehension with this printable quiz on “The Godfather,” a short story by the Brothers Grimm. 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:
The cause of the poor man’s poverty
The reason the protagonist approaches a stranger
The stranger’s gift to the protagonist
The protagonist’s new ability
The appearance of a particular mythical figure
The reason the protagonist decides to visit the stranger
Strange encounters at the stranger’s residence
Physical traits of the stranger
The nature of the conversation between the protagonist and the stranger
The resolution
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. With this editable quiz on “The Buckwheat,” English teachers will promote homework accountability and evaluate reading comprehension. 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 assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The narrator’s stated purpose for the narrative
The description of a willow tree
The personality trait associated with the buckwheat
The buckwheat’s treatment of the willow tree
How the buckwheat exhibits defiance
The antagonist of the narrative
The willow tree’s reaction to the buckwheat’s fate
The sparrow’s compassionate nature
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the science fiction short story “The Star Beast” by Nicholas Stuart Gray. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the narrative. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Where the creature first encounters humans
What drives the creature to approach humans
The physical characteristics of the creature
The older couple’s emotional reaction to the creature
Where the city experts keep the creature detained
The knowledge of the creature
The collective reaction to the creature after examination and interrogation
How humans mock the creature
The creature’s definition of a man
How the proceeds of the creature’s sale are invested
The new location of the creature after being sold
The creature’s prominent fear
The resolution
Promote active engagement with fiction and evaluate general reading comprehension with this multiple choice quiz on the satirical science fiction short story titled “Lose Now, Pay Later” by Carol Farley. A short answer option is also included, as are answer keys. All materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Setting
The narrator’s assessment of her brother
The name of a deliciously sweet treat
The protagonist’s initial reaction to the discovery of a new mall business
The message conveyed on the store’s largest sign
The mall directors’ feelings toward the new establishment
The name of a new feature in the mall parking lot
The function of a new feature in the mall parking lot
How the power of the new feature is regulated
The protagonist’s emotional reaction prior to using the new feature
Trinja’s immediate reaction to witnessing the new feature in action
The physical effects of the new feature
The general characterization of the woman who operates the new feature
The brother’s theory about the machines
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “Clever Gretel.” The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the short story. An answer key and copy of the text are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Objects that intensify Gretel’s self-esteem
Gretel’s tendencies while she cooks
Gretel’s preparations for cooking
Gretel’s belief on what constitutes a sin
The purpose for Gretel’s visits to the cellar
The problem that exists when the master returns
What the master does with a knife
How Gretel gets herself out of an awkward situation
The resolution
Save time and measure general reading comprehension with this printable quiz on “Who Am I This Time?” by Kurt Vonnegut. 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:
The North Crawford Mask and Wig Club
The avoidance of social gatherings
The narrator’s wish for Harry Nash
The narrator’s invitation to an auditioning woman
The town’s reaction to Harry’s acting
The narrator’s first impression of Helene’s acting
Efforts to improve Helene’s acting
Helene’s fantasy when viewing movies in the past
Helene’s difficulty in establishing relationships
Lydia’s impressions on who will direct
Lydia’s prediction for Helene
A gift from Harry
“The luckiest girl in town”
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the short story “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” by Katherine Anne Porter, a piece of psychological fiction that complements high school units involving modernist literature and the narrative technique known as stream of consciousness. This resource may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with literature. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The characterization of George
Setting
The joys and pleasures in life
Granny Weatherall’s religious affiliation
Granny Weatherall’s perspective on dying
Granny Weatherall’s perspective on how women fulfill their lives
The contents of a box in the attic
Granny Weatherall’s message for George
The purpose of Father Connolly’s visit
Granny Weatherall’s eagerness to see someone
The resolution
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Anton Chekhov’s short story “The Bet.” The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with fiction. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Point of view
The context of the lawyer and banker’s encounter
The lawyer and banker’s respective views on capital punishment
The general tone of the conversation
The terms of the bet
The lawyer’s motivations
Items the lawyer is allowed to possess
The banker’s carelessness
The banker’s willingness to commit a crime
The lawyer’s revelation
News from the night watchman
The resolution
Save time without sacrificing rigor with this collection of challenging close reading analysis worksheets for teaching William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Each worksheet covers a single chapter for a total of 12 resources. Answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with these materials, students will do the following:
Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze how complex characters interact and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including personification, slang, invective, simile, zoomorphism metaphor, onomatopoeia, situational irony, and more
Analyze the author’s craft to articulate the intended effect of language and imagery
Infer what is foreshadowed by a given detail using reasoned thinking
Determine the most appropriate synonym for a given word in context
Contrast Simon with his peers in the context of a given passage
Conduct brief research on the mythological figure Triton and compare him to Ralph
Identify relevant textual evidence in support of claims regarding Jack’s defiant nature and Piggy’s leadership potential
Analyze the author’s craft to better understand how Jack is becoming more savage
Analyze Ralph’s behavior in a given passage to infer what it reveals about his psychological state
Identify textual evidence that reinforces the idea of being disconnected from modern society
Articulate the internal conflict Simon experiences
Contrast Jack’s behavior toward Ralph versus Piggy and evaluate what it indicates about Jack’s mindset
Identify specific textual details from this chapter that reinforce the claim that Simon is compassionate and thoughtful
Articulate the potential error in Ralph’s judgment in terms of the assembly’s timing
Identify the qualities that make Jack successful in garnering larger scale support
Infer the author’s social commentary associated with Jack’s manner of leadership
Analyze how Ralph becomes a dynamic character and connect Ralph’s transformation to the author’s theme on human nature
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
Identify several chapter details that contribute to Piggy and Ralph’s loss of discipline
Explain how a given passage honors and dignifies the character of Simon after his death
Articulate the purpose of Wilfred’s brutal punishment in terms of plot development
Conduct brief research on the author and identify examples of autobiographical parallel
Analyze the author’s craft to articulate how the incorporation of frequent em-dashes contributes to storytelling
Write with clarity and precision