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.
Go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet to complement chapter 19 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. An answer key and copy of the chapter, which is in the public domain, 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 completing this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Discern tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including oxymoron, metaphor, simile, personification, and foreshadowing
Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills with this bundle of resources covering chapters 22, 23, and 24 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. A plot-based quiz, close reading worksheets, vocabulary activities, and answer keys are provided. 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 materials, students will:
Identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Determine the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Discern the intended effects of the author’s narrative techniques
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including oxymoron and situational irony
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills with this bundle of resources covering chapters 25, 26, and 27 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. A plot-based quiz, close reading worksheets, vocabulary activities, and answer keys are provided. 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 materials, students will:
Identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Determine the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Activate prior knowledge to identify and articulate inconsistencies in plot
Discern the intended effects of the author’s narrative techniques
Consider the greater significance of given details
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing, situational irony
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet to complement chapter 25 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. An answer key and copy of the chapter, which is in the public domain, 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 completing this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Consider the greater significance of given details
Discern the intended effect of the author’s narrative techniques with emphasis on how urgency is conveyed
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on foreshadowing and situational irony
Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this set of close reading analysis worksheets covering chapters 15 through 27 of Bram Stoker’s Gothic novel Dracula. Answer keys and copies of the relevant chapters, which are in the public domain, are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By completing these close reading activities, students will do the following:
Identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Isolate examples of internal conflict in context
Discern the intended effects of the author’s narrative techniques
Determine the function of a given passage
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare and contrast characters
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including situational irony, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, metaphor, and more
Conduct brief research on relevant topics
Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
And more
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the Gothic short story “Hop Frog” by Edgar Allan Poe. A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain narrative, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: barbarous, bestow, clamber, corpulent, deficiency, detrimental, dismayed, feebly, fetid, folly, gait, illimitable, implore, indignation, inimitable, pacify, procure, shrill, sulky, and swoon.
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 the short story “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” by Edgar Allan Poe. A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain narrative, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: atrocity, blundering, chagrin, clamber, continually, countenance, desolate, diminutive, elicit, fervor, ingenious, inordinately, procure, remonstrance, requisite, shrill, sulky, totter, trepidation, vague, and vivid.
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 the Gothic short story “The Premature Burial” by Edgar Allan Poe. A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain narrative, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: abeyance, amiability, anomalous, apathetic, catalepsy, diffuse, feeble, gibbering, impunity, indubitably, insufferable, interment, lethargic, melancholy, obstinacy, palpable, petulantly, procure, solemn, spasmodic, vague, and yowl.
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 the Gothic short story “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe. A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain narrative, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: brazen, countenance, dauntless, eccentric, emphatic, folly, gaudy, gaunt, impetuosity, monotonous, murmur, revery, sagacious, sedate, solemn, summon, tangible, tremulousness, wane, and writhe.
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the Gothic short story “The Oval Portrait” by Edgar Allan Poe. The assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement with fiction. 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:
Setting
The narrator’s physical condition
Pedro’s role
A discovery on the narrator’s pillow
Noteworthy qualities about the titular portrait
The characterization of the painter’s wife
How the painter’s passion for art influences his relationship
Evaluate reading comprehension, encourage critical thinking, prepare for unexpected absences, and eliminate take-home assessment planning with this bundle of materials for teaching the Gothic short story “The Oval Portrait” by Edgar Allan Poe. Included are the following: a plot-based quiz, a close reading worksheet, a craft analysis activity, a vocabulary application exercise, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the public domain narrative, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. 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 intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare two characters
Conduct brief research into Poe’s personal life to explain autobiographical parallels between the author and the plot of the text
Apply knowledge of literary devices including alliteration, assonance, metaphor, simile, and more
Support claims and inferences with sound logic and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
“The Premature Burial” by Edgar Allan Poe is a short story of special appeal to high school students interested in human psychology, horror stories, and Halloween. With this bundle of assessment materials, English teachers will save valuable time without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain narrative, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in 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 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
Consider the greater significance of given details
Discern the intended effects of the author’s diction, punctuation, and narrative techniques
Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including eye dialect, onomatopoeia, allusion, pun, dramatic irony, situational irony, and more
Draw parallels between the narrative and a featured nonfiction passage
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills with this bundle of formative assessments covering Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “Hop Frog.” Included are the following: a plot-based quiz, a set of rigorous close reading questions, a craft analysis activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, 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 do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Explore nuances in words with similar meanings
Discern the intended effects of the author’s language and narrative techniques
Consider the greater significance of given details
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony, dramatic 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, support critical thinking, and promote homework accountability with this bundle of formative assessments covering Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” 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 included. 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 materials, students will perform the following tasks:
Make a logical inference based on the narrative’s title
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Discern the intended effect of the author’s language in context
Determine the function of the narrative’s point of view
Consider the effects of the author’s narrative techniques
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Contrast the characterizations of the protagonist and the police
Apply knowledge of literary devices with an emphasis on red herring and symbolism
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the Gothic short story “The Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe. A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain narrative, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: acuteness, continually, cunningly, dissemble, fluently, gesticulation, hearken, hearty, mournful, rave, sagacity, shriek, stealthily, stifle, suavity, supposition, vehemently, vex, and wane.
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
For many high school readers, horror and psychological fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe features elements consistent with both genres: a psychotic protagonist trying to rationalize his thinking, the senseless killing of an innocent man, dramatic irony, and more. This multiple choice quiz covering “The Tell-Tale Heart” 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 alleged effects of the narrator’s fever the previous year
The narrator’s motivations
The narrator’s defense against claims of his being insane
The duration of time it took for the narrator to kill the old man
The reason the old man springs up in bed, awake
The manner of the old man’s death
The location of the old man’s remains
The reason police are alerted to the scene of the crime
The narrator’s initial reaction to the police’s arrival
The narrator’s explanation for the old man’s disappearance
The psychotic breakdown of the narrator
How the police came to learn of the old man’s murder
“The Pit and the Pendulum” by Edgar Allan Poe is a short story of special appeal to high school students interested in horror stories and Halloween. Use this plot-based quiz on “The Pit and the Pendulum” to evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability. The assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement with Gothic fiction. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Point of view
Setting
Disturbing imagery
Accusations against the protagonist
Diabolical punishments
The role of the rats in terms of plot development
How the protagonist attracts the rats
An abrupt sound
The resolution
“The Pit and the Pendulum” by Edgar Allan Poe is a short story of special appeal to high school students interested in horror stories and Halloween. With this bundle of assessment materials, English teachers will save valuable time without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain narrative, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in 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 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
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Consider the role punctuation plays in terms of developing suspense and advancing plot with an emphasis on em dashes
Demonstrate knowledge of the conventions of Dark Romanticism
Determine the effects of the author’s language and narrative techniques
Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with an emphasis on allusion, metaphor, onomatopoeia, paradox, personification, sibilance, situational irony, and more
Articulate how the author establishes and maintains a surreal tone throughout the story
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering chapters 12 and 13 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An alternate short answer version is provided for re-assessment purposes. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following plot elements:
Jem’s moodiness
Disappointing news to begin summer
The reason for Atticus’s two-week absence
The incident involving Eunice Ann Simpson
Lula’s treatment of the children
The general reaction of the parishioners toward the children
Calpurnia’s separate identities
Why Alexandra decides to stay with the family
Alexandra’s philosophy on what makes “fine” people
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering chapters 16, 17, and 18 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An alternate short answer version is provided for re-assessment purposes. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following plot elements:
Dolphus Raymond as a social outcast
The “sad” life of Dolphus Raymond’s children
Who arranges for the children to have seats at the trial
Judge Taylor’s peculiarity
The prosecution’s first witness
The significance of Mayella’s injured eye
Bob Ewell’s testimony
Dramatic irony
The significance of Bob Ewell writing his name
Mayella’s insubordination
Tom Robinson’s injury