Help high school students develop a greater understanding of how the Brothers Grimm used characterization, description, and various literary devices including hubris and symbolism to establish a mood in “Sleeping Beauty” that is consistent with the conventions of fairy tale writing. Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this resource serves well for an independent learning opportunity, as well as for small-group discussions. Through such discussions, students may evaluate peers’ reasoning and use of rhetoric to support claims, clarifying or challenging ideas as needed. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included.

Help high school students develop a greater understanding of how Jack London used descriptive language, direct and indirect characterization, and figurative language to generate distinct characters and a compelling piece of adventure fiction in “To Build a Fire.” Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this resource serves well for an independent learning opportunity, as well as for small-group discussions. Through such discussions, students may evaluate peers’ reasoning and use of rhetoric to support claims, clarifying or challenging ideas as needed. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included.

Evaluate reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapter eight of Animal Farm by George Orwell. Alternatively, the quiz may serve as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate more focused engagement with literature. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Further modifications to existing commandments The reason Squealer presents the animals with statistics The fate of three hens Napoleon’s announcements Frederick’s forgeries Details about the attack on Animal Farm A discovery made by the pigs Squealer’s newest allegations against Snowball

Evaluate reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapter four of Animal Farm by George Orwell. Alternatively, the quiz may serve as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate more focused engagement with literature. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: The important role of the pigeons The characterization of Pilkington and Frederick The nature of the relationship between Pilkington and Frederick A rumor circulating around Animal Farm Snowball’s research Injured animals Boxer’s terrible concern An animal who goes missing The name of the battle that transpired The identity of an animal killed in battle

Evaluate reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapter five of Animal Farm by George Orwell. Alternatively, the quiz may serve as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate more focused engagement with literature. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Mollie’s life-changing decision Napoleon’s strategies for disrupting Snowball’s speeches The growing rift between Snowball and Napoleon Napoleon’s priorities Napoleon’s treatment of Snowball’s drawn-up plans A dangerous incident that precedes Snowball’s departure Napoleon’s big decision about community meetings Intimidation tactics Squealer’s accusations Boxer’s new motto Details concerning Sunday ceremonies Napoleon’s surprise announcement

Evaluate reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapter seven of Animal Farm by George Orwell. Alternatively, the quiz may serve as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate more focused engagement with literature. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: The humans’ belief about the fate of the windmill Napoleon’s dynamic character The deaths of nine hens Squealer’s allegations Napoleon’s lies Immoral tactics used against the animals Boxer’s reaction to the animal-on-animal violence Clover’s reaction to the animal-on-animal violence The decision related to the anthem “Beasts of England”

Evaluate reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering chapter nine of Animal Farm by George Orwell. Alternatively, the quiz may serve as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate more focused engagement with literature. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Boxer’s medical condition The raising of Napoleon’s children Details concerning spontaneous demonstrations Animal Farm’s classification Napoleon’s official title New allegations against Snowball The re-appearance of a character The effect the re-appearance has on the community The collapsing of an overworked animal Benjamin’s distressing belief Squealer’s newest misinformation campaign

For many high school students, humorous fiction, tall tales, and satire are types of literature that maximize interest and engagement. “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” by Mark Twain is a representative short story with great literary and academic merit. With this rigorous worksheet, learners will be prompted to exercise close reading analysis skills. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative 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 this activity, students will: Articulate what is stated in the text explicitly and implicitly Determine the tone of a particular passage Discern the author’s intent and its effect on readers. Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on simile Apply knowledge of the elements of satire and tall tales Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning duties with this plot-based quiz covering The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (book 2, chapters 6 through 10). An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in a zip file containing both Word Document and PDF versions. By engaging with this material, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot: A reunion with the artilleryman Characters’ specific fears An unappealing suggestion for humanity’s survival The narrator’s judgments about the artilleryman A theory concerning the aliens’ cause of death The narrator’s psychological state Beliefs concerning an alternative location for colonization Discoveries made at the narrator’s home The invasion’s effect on humanity in general

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning duties with this plot-based quiz covering The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (book 2, chapters 1 through 5). An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in a zip file containing both Word Document and PDF versions. By engaging with this material, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot: The narrator’s stated intentions The narrator’s main motivations The eerie strangeness of London The reason for the narrator and minister’s entry into a house The reason the narrator and the minister get stuck in the house The narrator’s observations of the aliens The conclusions the narrator draws about the extraterrestrials The means by which the minister dies What happens to the minister’s body The length of the narrator’s confinement

Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and practice close reading analysis skills with this rigorous worksheet covering The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (book 1, chapters 2 through 5). An answer key is included. 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 completing the close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly Analyze nuances in words with similar definitions and connotations Discern the intended effects of given details Explore how characters think, behave, develop, and interact Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification, metaphor, simile, hyperbole, verisimilitude, and imagery Explore the symbolism of waving a white flag Support claims and inferences with reasoned thinking and relevant evidence Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 2, scene 3, of Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. 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. With this close reading activity, students will do the following: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Examine how characters think, behave, develop, and interact Compare and contrast characters in the play Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, metaphor, and simile

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 2, scene 2, of Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. 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. With this close reading activity, students will do the following: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Examine nuances in words with similar meanings Explore cause-and-effect relationships Discern tone in context Discern the intended effect of Shakespeare’s choices related to characterization Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification and situational irony

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 2, scene 5, of Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. 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. With this close reading activity, students will do the following: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Analyze the author’s craft Explore cause-and-effect relationships Identify the function of Maria’s letter Examine how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, allusion, consonance, oxymoron, and dramatic irony

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 2, scene 4, of Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. 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. With this close reading activity, students will do the following: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Analyze figurative language to determine its effect on the reader Discern tone in context Examine how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Choose the best textual evidence in support of a claim Apply knowledge of various literary devices including allusion, oxymoron, simile, hyperbole, and ambiguity

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering part one of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (“The Hearth and the Salamander”). This assessment may also serve as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading experiences. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Details on Montag’s encounter with Clarisse A lingering question in Montag’s mind Mildred’s self-destructive behavior The behavior of the mechanical hound Clarisse’s concerns about school kids Peculiarities about a particular fire call Montag’s sneakiness Mildred’s general disposition Beatty’s general characterization The campaign against books

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering part three of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (“Burning Bright”). This assessment may also serve as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading experiences. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: The source of the alarm call Beatty’s striking of Montag The nature of Beatty’s death What Montag learns about Beatty after his death Complicating factors in terms of Montag’s escape Montag’s suggestions for Faber Faber’s suggestions for Montag How authorities get the public to help them find Montag What Montag watches on television How books continue to exist What happens to the city A new responsibility

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 2, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. 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 this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Discern the intended effect of Shakespeare’s narrative techniques Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Articulate the purpose of the storm from Lear’s perspective Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification, metaphor, and verbal irony Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 3, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. 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 this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define words/phrases as they are used in the text Verify interpretations of language using reference materials Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including consonance, dramatic irony, and situational irony Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 7, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. 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 this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Discern the intended effect of figurative language in context Explore cause-and-effect relationships Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile, imagery, hyperbole, and situational irony Conduct brief research on relevant topics Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision