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.
Incorporate narrative nonfiction into the classroom, evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching George Orwell’s essay titled “Shooting an Elephant.” A plot-based quiz, a close reading worksheet, 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. 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
Articulate the dominant internal conflict
Determine the function of a given anecdote
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony
Infer the message that the narrator’s inaction would have sent to the community
Consider how the author achieves specific effects with emphasis on how the resolution provides a sense of relief
Investigate autobiographical parallels, conducting brief research on the author’s life
Write about literature 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 set of games and activities covering H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “The Hound” to support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: amulet, charnel, comely, eldritch, ennui, ensanguined, fastidious, formidable, hasten, horde, inert, insatiate, jarring, leer, malign, nebulous, obeisance, pelf, phosphorescent, piquant, placid, prosaic, recede, respite, scarcely, selfsame, sentiently, shudder, squalid, vex, and wan.
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
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
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the classic Grimm’s fairy tale titled “The Goose Girl.” A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: arresting, betrothed, comely, dowry, furtively, gale, habiliments, hasten, haughtily, idle, implore, jovial, luminous, meek, parched, treacherous, and vex.
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 George Orwell’s essay titled “Shooting an Elephant.” A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: aimless, alter, bazaar, constable, coolie, despotic, feebly, futility, garish, imperialism, invariably, mahout, miry, nimble, pretext, prostrate, resolute, sahib, senility, sneer, squalid, squeamish, supplant, thatch, vague, and wander.
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
Incorporate narrative nonfiction into the English Language Arts classroom and measure general reading comprehension with this quiz covering George Orwell’s essay “Shooting an Elephant.” This autobiographical account addresses the author’s experiences with and attitude toward imperialism. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The narrator’s profession
The narrator’s attitude toward his job
Setting
The narrator’s perspective on imperialism
The townspeople’s attitude toward the narrator
How the elephant had gotten loose
The elephant’s dangerous behavior
The townspeople’s expectations of the narrator as they relate to handling the elephant
What motivates the narrator to kill the elephant
What the townspeople do with the elephant’s corpse
And more
This bundle includes 6 three-week, standards-based unit plans and all instructional materials for supporting high school Creative Writing students as they generate original works of fiction. Not only does this bundle provide everything a teacher needs to carry out the curriculum to fidelity, but it substantially reduces prep work so teachers may invest more time developing positive relationships with students and offering personalized support as they work to achieve learning targets. All materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
A variety of literary genres is covered with this bundle: Gothic, fantasy, fairy tales, science fiction, realistic fiction, and adventure fiction.
At the conclusion of the six units, students will have have done the following:
Developed greater understanding of the conventions of each genre.
Analyzed how professionally published authors used characterization, description, and literary devices that are consistent with the conventions of each genre
Conducted research to facilitate idea development
Organized initial ideas in a coherent manner.
Engaged the reader with compelling exposition that established setting and tone.
Used many appropriate narrative techniques (dialogue, dialect, description, pacing, etc.) to enhance plot.
Drafted coherent, cohesive, and appropriate narratives that build toward a particular tone and outcome (a sense of mystery, suspense, etc.).
Used precise words and phrases, active verbs, and sensory language to convey compelling stories.
Drafted unrushed conclusions that resolve conflicts and convey themes.
Showed mastery of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
Help high school Creative Writing students better understand the conventions of realistic young adult fiction and prepare for the drafting of original short stories with this comprehensive, low-prep, standards-aligned unit plan. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Included are the following:
A detailed, standards-based unit plan articulating the unit’s transfer goal(s), essential question(s), enduring understanding(s), learning target(s), academic vocabulary, formative assessment(s), summative performance task(s), and learning plan(s).
Representative realistic fiction narratives.
Worksheets to facilitate analysis of representative literature.
Detailed directions.
A comprehensive outline for student planning.
A document to facilitate the editing process.
A comprehensive rubric for evaluating student writing.
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the classic fairy tale “The Golden Goose” by the Brothers Grimm. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the text. An answer key and copy of the short story are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The family’s treatment of Dullhead
Why the brothers go into the woods
How Dullhead’s experience in the woods differs from his brothers’
How Dullhead acquires a golden goose
What happens to those who touch the golden goose
The general demeanor of the princess
The conditions under which the king will allow a man to marry his daughter
The range of tasks the king gives Dullhead
The resolution
Help high school Creative Writing students better understand the conventions of the fairy tale genre and prepare for the drafting of modified fairy tales with this comprehensive, low-prep, standards-aligned unit plan. All supporting materials are provided in both Word Document and PDF formats. More specifically, the following are included:
A detailed, standards-based unit plan articulating the unit’s transfer goal(s), essential question(s), enduring understanding(s), learning target(s), academic vocabulary, formative assessment(s), summative performance task(s), and learning plan(s).
A PowerPoint addressing the conventions of the fairy tale genre.
Representative narratives by the Brothers Grimm for analysis with supplemental worksheets.
Detailed directions.
A student exemplar for reference.
A comprehensive outline for student planning.
A document to facilitate the editing process.
A comprehensive rubric for evaluating student writing.
Save time without sacrificing rigor in the high school Creative Writing classroom with this Common Core-aligned unit plan and these comprehensive materials for engaging students fully in the narrative writing process. Included are the following:
♦ A detailed, standards-based unit plan articulating the unit’s transfer goal(s), essential question(s), enduring understanding(s), learning target(s), academic vocabulary, formative assessment(s), summative performance task(s), and learning plan(s).
♦ A PowerPoint presentation addressing the conventions of Gothic literature.
♦ A formative research activity designed to build student knowledge in regard to the historical context of Halloween
♦ Representative Gothic narratives by Edgar Allan Poe (“The Black Cat”), H.P. Lovecraft (“The Outsider”), and W. W. Jacobs (“The Monkey’s Paw”).
♦ Worksheets to facilitate analysis of representative literature.
♦ Detailed directions.
♦ A comprehensive outline for student planning.
♦ A document to facilitate the editing process.
♦ A comprehensive rubric for evaluating student writing.
With these materials, students will do the following:
♦ Develop greater understanding of the conventions of Gothic literature and the horror genre.
♦ Analyze how famous authors of Gothic literature used characterization, description, and various literary devices that are consistent with the horror genre. The featured texts are Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat,” H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Outsider,” and W. W. Jacobs’ “The Monkey’s Paw.”
♦ Conduct brief research on aspects of Halloween’s history and synthesize knowledge gained to draft an original narrative consistent with the conventions of horror writing.
♦ Organize initial ideas in a coherent manner.
♦ Engage the reader with a compelling exposition that establishes an eerie setting.
♦ Use many appropriate narrative techniques (dialogue, dialect, description, pacing, etc.) to enhance plot.
♦ Draft a coherent, cohesive, and appropriate narrative that builds toward a particular tone and outcome (a sense of mystery, suspense, etc.)
♦ Use precise words and phrases, active verbs, and sensory language to convey a compelling story
♦ Draft an unrushed conclusion that resolves conflicts and implies a theme
♦ Show mastery of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
Help high school Creative Writing students better understand the conventions of adventure fiction and prepare for the drafting of original short stories with this comprehensive, low-prep, standards-aligned unit plan. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Included are the following:
A detailed, standards-based unit plan articulating the unit’s transfer goal(s), essential question(s), enduring understanding(s), learning target(s), academic vocabulary, formative assessment(s), summative performance task(s), and learning plan(s).
Representative adventure fiction narratives by Jack London (“To Build a Fire”), Richard Connell (“The Most Dangerous Game”), and H.P. Lovecraft (“The Beast in the Cave”).
Worksheets to facilitate analysis of representative literature.
Detailed directions.
Suggested prompts for students who struggle to generate their own ideas
A comprehensive outline for student planning.
A document to facilitate the editing process.
A comprehensive rubric for evaluating student writing.
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering the short story “The Golden Goose” by the Brothers Grimm. The brevity of the narrative and the nature of the learning targets help teachers fill awkward gaps in schedules without sacrificing academic rigor. An answer key and copy of the fairy tale are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, 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
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare two groups of characters
Apply knowledge of literary devices including sibilance and situational irony
Generate a relevant theme
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 the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “The Golden Goose.” 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:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
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
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare two groups of characters
Apply knowledge of literary devices including sibilance and situational irony
Generate a relevant theme
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 and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of formative assessments covering Algernon Blackwood’s “The Woman’s Ghost Story,” a narrative of special appeal to high school students interested in Halloween, supernatural fiction, and the paranormal realm. 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 Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will perform the following tasks:
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
Demonstrate knowledge of the conventions of Dark Romanticism
Consider the effects of the author’s language and narrative techniques
Determine the purpose of a given passage
Discern tone in context
Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with an emphasis on simile, metaphor, imagery, hyperbole, foreshadowing, personification, epiphany, and more
Conduct brief online research on women’s rights in the context of England in the early 1900s
Explore themes in context
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Looking for high school ghost story activities for the Halloween season? Looking for a text to pair with the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, or similar authors? Use this set of games and activities covering Algernon Blackwood’s “The Woman’s Ghost Story” to support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: affect, aghast, ajar, alter, assert, beget, beseech, dingy, earnestness, ebb, grimace, humbug, hypochondriasis, intangible, misanthrope, pluck, preliminary, prolix, rogue, and weary.
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 classic Grimm’s fairy tale “The Golden Goose.” A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: apt, arresting, benevolently, berate, beseech, bestow, brazen, brusquely, countenance, dejected, disconsolate, emaciated, emphatically, hasten, immense, lethargically, noisome, parched, perpetually, prudently, reign, sneer, toothsome, vexed, voraciously, and zealously.
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 Act 5 of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: abate, beset, besmear, bestow, cackle, cherubin, cuckold, feign, hark, hymn, immortal, infinitely, paltry, perchance, posy, prate, quarrel, quire, unthrift, vehement, vesture, whom, and zeal.
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 Act 2 of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: abode, allay, amorous, barbarous, base, beshrew, clamber, cozen, cudgel, foppery, gormandise, haste, immure, misconstrue, ostent, prey, proverb, renowned, reproach, sirrah, stern, tedious, valiant, and wherefore.
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 Act 4 of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. A vocabulary application worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: alter, beseech, commend, confiscate, contrive, deed, entreat, heartily, infidel, jot, keen, malice, mitigate, penance, perjury, precedent, predicament, principal, recant, salvation, tarry, temporal, tender, and thine.
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
