Facilitate the process of investigating relevant topics, documenting information gathered, and delivering formal speeches with this low-prep, standards-based research project to complement Susan Beth Pfeffer’s dystopian novel The Dead and the Gone, the sequel to Life As We Knew It. The focus of the project is natural and human-influenced disasters, covering twenty topics including the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, the flu pandemic of 1918, the tri-state tornado outbreak of 1925, the Fukushima nuclear accident (2011), and Hurricane Maria (2017). A detailed scoring rubric is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Ultimately, students will perform the following tasks: Articulate connections between a research topic and the assigned novel Conduct research using available resources Collect and classify reliable sources Develop successful methods of recording information Evaluate the credibility of source work, taking into consideration readability, date, relevance, expertise, and bias Apply conventions of MLA formatting Correctly site resources to avoid plagiarism Organize information in a cohesive manner, using a note-taking system that includes summary, paraphrasing, and quoted material Analyze, synthesize, and integrate information, generating a thoughtfully comprehensive report, free of generalities and redundancies Present findings verbally, using their own words

This summative test covers six short stories for the Christmas season that focus on themes of selflessness, compassion, and self-discovery (“A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote, “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry, “The Burglar’s Christmas” by Willa Cather, “At Christmas Time” by Anton Chekhov, “Three Wise Guys: Un Cuento de Navidad” by Sandra Cisneros, and “The Heavenly Christmas Tree” by Fyodor Dostoevsky). An answer key, test prep study guide, standards-aligned writing rubric, and public domain narratives are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will: Match the author’s name to his or her work Demonstrate knowledge of primary and secondary characters and the key aspects of their lives Demonstrate knowledge of significant events that take place in a variety of stories Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, epiphany, euphemism, hyperbole, metaphor, onomatopoeia, oxymoron, personification, simile, and more Relate themes to narratives Match relevant vocabulary terms to their definitions Respond to thematically significant essay prompts Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims made in an academic essay

This visually pleasing PowerPoint presentation introduces students to the key characters in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, offering them context on character traits, relationships, conflicts, and development over the course of the novel. In order to evaluate the accuracy and quality of students’ note-taking skills, an open-notes quiz and answer key are also provided. The following are covered: Bilbo Baggins. ♦ Modest nature ♦ Appreciation for the simple things ♦ His reluctance and obligation to help ♦ His role along the journey ♦ His brushes with adversity ♦ His sense of justice ♦ His dynamic character ♦ And more Gandalf. ♦ His noteworthy character traits ♦ The mentor archetype ♦ And more Thorin Oakenshield. ♦ His leadership ♦ His bravery and his pretentiousness ♦ His family background ♦ His classification as a foil to Bilbo ♦ His fatal flaws Dwalin. ♦ General character details (e.g., family ties) Balin. ♦ General character details (e.g., his acceptance of Bilbo) Gloin. ♦ General character details (e.g., his skepticism of Bilbo) Oin. ♦ General character details (e.g., family ties) Dori. ♦ General character details (e.g., his strength) Nori. ♦ General character details (e.g., his appearance) Ori. ♦ General character details (e.g., his musical talent) Kili & Fili. ♦ General character details (e.g., their youth) Bombur. ♦ General character details (e.g., his laziness) Bifur. ♦ General character details (e.g., family ties) Bofur. ♦ General character details (e.g., family ties) Gollum. ♦ His home ♦ His miserable disposition ♦ His interests and talents ♦ His significant loss Smaug. ♦ His greediness ♦ His vengefulness ♦ His appearance ♦ His symbolism ♦ The cultural perspective on dragons Elrond. ♦ The Last Homely House ♦ His special, helpful traits ♦ His graciousness ♦ Foreshadowing Beorn. ♦ His personality traits ♦ His special skills ♦ His discomfort toward visitors ♦ His pursuit of justice ♦ His help given to the adventurers ♦ And more Bard of Esgaroth. ♦ His tremendous talent ♦ His honorable nature ♦ His leadership ♦ His response to tragedy ♦ His sense of fairness and justice The Elvenking. ♦ His suspicion of strangers ♦ His weakness ♦ His crucial role late in the novel

With this summative test covering The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, high school English teachers will evaluate student knowledge and analysis of plot while eliminating the need for at-home assessment planning. In addition to an answer key, a standards-based rubric for scoring the essay section is included to streamline the scoring process. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this test, students will demonstrate understanding of plot (characters, setting, conflicts, etc.); apply knowledge of literary devices to the text; write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision; and support claims with relevant textual evidence Part 1. Character Identification Multiple choice. Demonstrate knowledge of the following characters: Bilbo Thorin Gandalf Elrond Beorn Bard Smaug Roac Kili & Fili Bombur Bifur Bofur Dwalin Balin Dori Gollum The Great Goblin Lord of the Eagles The trolls The Elvenking The woof-elves The thrush Wargs Part 2. Important Places and Concepts. Multiple choice. Demonstrate awareness of the following: The Arkenstone Durin’s Day Description of a typical Baggins What it means to be “Tookish” The dwarves’ response to Bilbo’s participation Bilbo’s emotional response following the unexpected party The conflict involving the trolls Beorn’s concerns Bilbo’s sword The Orcrist Rivendell and the Last Homely House The enchanted stream Thorin and the Elvenking’s stubbornness Bilbo’s strategic rescue of the adventurers Bilbo’s flaw in the escape plan Lake-town’s reaction to the presence of the adventurers The mountain’s secret door A dragon’s special traits Part 3. Multiple Choice. Literary Devices. Apply knowledge of the following literary devices: Internal conflict Metaphor Simile Hyperbole Imagery Dramatic irony Situational irony Onomatopoeia Alliteration Personification Part 4. Quote Association. Part 4. Quote Association. Identify the speakers of the following quotes: “If I say he is a Burglar, a Burglar he is, or will be when the time comes.” “Moon letters are rune letters, but you cannot see them.” “He’s found it, yes he must have. My birthday present.” “The day will come when they will perish and I will go back!” “I’m going to lie here and sleep and dream of food, if I can’t get it any other way.” “No treasure will come back through Mirkwood without my having something to say in the matter.” “You ought to have brought 500 burglars, not one.” “I don’t know your smell, but if you are not one of those men of the lake, you had their help.” “Look for the hollow of the left breast as he flies and turns above you.” “It is a hundred years and three and fifty since I came out of the egg…” Part 5. Essay Writing. Students will read the last few paragraphs of the novel and articulate what the author implies about achieving a fulfilling life.

This resource offers four creative alternatives to traditional culminating assessments associated with The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. For each project prompt, a unique, comprehensive rubric for evaluating student work is included. Materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. The primary objectives of the project options include the following: Students will demonstrate a strong understanding of the process by which characters become dynamic Students will demonstrate an ability to discern key textual evidence in support of ideas Students will demonstrate a strong understanding of setting and its influence on plot and character development Students will demonstrate an ability to express their knowledge with clarity and creativity Students will demonstrate an ability to work efficiently in both independent and group contexts

With this summative test covering the entirety of Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, English teachers will evaluate students’ reading comprehension, essay writing skills, and ability to analyze key aspects of plot. Included are the following: an answer key, standards-based writing rubric, and test prep study guide. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will: Demonstrate knowledge of primary and secondary characters and the key aspects of their lives Demonstrate knowledge of significant events that take place throughout the novel Evaluate substantive quotations for deeper meaning Apply knowledge of literary devices including alliteration, allusion, assonance, euphemism, foreshadowing, hyperbole, idiom, metaphor, simile, slang, and verbal irony Respond to an essay prompt about the influence of family on Holden’s world views Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims made in an academic essay

With this summative test covering the entirety of William Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night, English teachers will evaluate students’ essay writing skills and comprehension of characters, plot, and craft. A test prep study guide, answer key, and standards-based essay rubric are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will: Demonstrate knowledge of primary and secondary characters and the key aspects of their lives Demonstrate knowledge of significant events that take place throughout the novel Evaluate substantive excerpts for deeper meaning Apply knowledge of literary devices including alliteration, allusion, assonance, euphemism, hyperbole, metaphor, oxymoron, personification, and simile Generate an essay about the influence of love on three characters Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims made in an academic essay

Promote student choice and facilitate the process of researching relevant topics from beginning to end with this low-prep activity to conclude a unit on The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. Students will choose from thirty research topics—addressing ideas such as real-life UFO sightings (the 1947 Roswell incident, the 1997 Phoenix Lights incident, the 2006 O’Hare International Airport incident, etc.), UFO programs and organizations (Project Blue Book, Mutual UFO Network, SETI Institute, etc.), and famous figures in ufology (J. Allen Hynek, John Mack, George Adamski, etc.)—and navigate academically appropriate sources with the goal of teaching their peers about their topics. A detailed scoring rubric is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Ultimately, students will perform the following tasks: Articulate connections between a research topic and the assigned novel Conduct research using available resources Collect and classify reliable sources Develop successful methods of recording information Evaluate the credibility of nonfiction texts, taking into consideration readability, date, relevance, expertise, and bias Apply conventions of MLA formatting Correctly site resources to avoid plagiarism Organize information in a cohesive manner, using a note-taking system that includes summary, paraphrasing, and quoted material Analyze, synthesize, and integrate information, generating a thoughtfully comprehensive report, free of generalities and redundancies Present information in a formal, coherent manner

Facilitate research on thirty topics related to The House on Mango Street and its author, Sandra Cisneros, with this low-prep, standards-based activity. Students will navigate informational texts about historically significant women (Elvia Carillo Puerto, Adelina Zendejas, Lydia Cacho, and more), landmark events (Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Equal Rights Amendment, and more), social justice organizations (American Civil Liberties Union, League of Women Voters, Hispanic Heritage Foundation, and more), Chicana authors (Gloria Evangelina Anzaldúa, Denise Chávez, Michele Serros, and more), and opportunities for writers (Hispanic Scholarship Fund, National Endowment for the Arts, and more). After compiling relevant details, the process culminates in the delivery of a formal presentation. A detailed scoring rubric is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Ultimately, students will perform the following tasks: Articulate connections between a research topic and the assigned text Conduct research using available resources Collect and classify reliable sources Develop successful methods of recording information Evaluate the credibility of nonfiction texts, taking into consideration readability, date, relevance, expertise, and bias Apply conventions of MLA formatting Correctly site resources to avoid plagiarism Organize information in a cohesive manner, using a note-taking system that includes summary, paraphrasing, and quoted material Analyze, synthesize, and integrate information, generating a thoughtfully comprehensive report, free of generalities and redundancies Present information in a formal, coherent manner

With this summative test covering the entirety of the science fiction novel Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, English teachers will evaluate students’ reading comprehension, essay writing skills, and ability to analyze key aspects of plot. Included are the following: an answer key, standards-based rubric, and test prep study guide. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will: Demonstrate knowledge of primary and secondary characters and the key aspects of their lives Demonstrate knowledge of significant events that take place throughout the novel Evaluate substantive excerpts for deeper meaning Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, anaphora, dramatic irony, euphemism, foreshadowing, hubris, hyperbole, imagery, invective, metaphor, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile, and verbal irony Respond to an essay prompt about the protagonist’s isolation, arguing whether he is better or worse off for having been isolated Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims made in an academic essay

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood lends itself to compelling research opportunities for high school students. This low-prep, standards-based project has students investigate topics related to women’s history and human rights around the world: from America (the Fourteenth Amendment, Equal Pay Act, Equal Rights Amendment, etc.) to Canada (the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada, National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, etc.), from the Middle East (Benazir Bhutto, the Taliban’s treatment of women, the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq, etc.) to Mexico (Laureana Wright de Kleinhans, First Feminist Congress of the Yucatan, etc.). Thirty-nine topics are addressed. Supporting materials—including a detailed scoring rubric—are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Ultimately, students will perform the following tasks: Articulate connections between a research topic and the assigned text Conduct research using available resources Collect and classify reliable sources Develop successful methods of recording information Evaluate the credibility of nonfiction texts, taking into consideration readability, date, relevance, expertise, and bias Apply conventions of MLA formatting Correctly site resources to avoid plagiarism Organize information in a cohesive manner, using a note-taking system that includes summary, paraphrasing, and quoted material Analyze, synthesize, and integrate information, generating a thoughtfully comprehensive report, free of generalities and redundancies Present information in a formal, coherent manner

Promote student choice and facilitate the process of researching relevant topics from beginning to end with this low-prep activity to conclude a unit on Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. Students will choose from thirty research topics—addressing ideas such as real-life child soldiers, humanitarian organizations, Project Blue Book, the Fermi paradox, space travel, and other events transpiring as recently as 2023—and navigate academically appropriate sources with the goal of teaching their peers about their topics. A detailed scoring rubric is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Ultimately, students will perform the following tasks: Articulate connections between a research topic and the assigned novel Conduct research using available resources Collect and classify reliable sources Develop successful methods of recording information Evaluate the credibility of nonfiction texts, taking into consideration readability, date, relevance, expertise, and bias Apply conventions of MLA formatting Correctly site resources to avoid plagiarism Organize information in a cohesive manner, using a note-taking system that includes summary, paraphrasing, and quoted material Analyze, synthesize, and integrate information, generating a thoughtfully comprehensive report, free of generalities and redundancies Present information in a formal, coherent manner

This summative test covers William Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It and includes an answer key, as well as a standards-based rubric for scoring essays. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will: Demonstrate knowledge significant characters and the key aspects of their lives Demonstrate knowledge of significant events throughout the play Identify the context of meaningful quotations in the play Apply knowledge of a variety of literary devices applied in the play including hyperbole, metaphor, oxymoron, allusion, personification, and more Respond to an essay prompt requiring students to explore the theme of bravery and its effects on a character in the play Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims made in an academic essay

This end-of-unit test covers William Shakespeare’s comedy The Tempest and includes an answer key, as well as a standards-based rubric for scoring essays. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will: Demonstrate knowledge of significant characters and the key aspects of their lives Demonstrate knowledge of significant events throughout the play Identify the context of meaningful quotations in the play Apply knowledge of a variety of literary devices applied in the play including hyperbole, metaphor, personification, situational irony, and more Respond to an essay prompt requiring students to generate a relevant theme in the context of the play and explore its development Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims made in an academic essay

This summative test covers William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and includes an answer key, as well as a standards-based rubric for scoring essays. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will: Demonstrate knowledge significant characters and the key aspects of their lives Demonstrate knowledge of significant events throughout the play Identify the context of meaningful quotations in the play Apply knowledge of a variety of literary devices applied in the play including hyperbole, metaphor, malapropism, oxymoron, hyperbole, personification, invective, and pun Respond to an essay prompt requiring students to explore the complexities of Benedick’s character Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims made in an academic essay

This summative assessment complements a Grimms’ fairy tales unit with emphasis on application of literary devices, examination of character motivations, and synthesis of textual details to perform thematic analysis. In addition to 50 objective questions, the test includes a writing prompt requiring students to select three texts from which to draw textual evidence in support of analytical thinking. The core objective of the essay is to demonstrate an ability to identify a common theme among three texts and synthesize textual details with clarity and precision to elaborate upon the shared theme. A Common Core-aligned rubric for evaluating student writing is included in addition to the objective portion’s answer key. Fourteen short stories are covered, and copies of each are included (listed in order of estimated Lexile Measure): “The Dog and the Sparrow” (700-800) “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (800-900) “Clever Gretel” (900-1000) “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” (900-1000) “Cinderella” (1000-1100) “Rumpelstiltskin” (1000-1100) “The Elves and the Shoemaker” (1000-1100) “The Four Clever Brothers” (1000-1100) “The Seven Ravens” (1000-1100) “Donkey Cabbages” (1100-1200) “The Frog King” (1100-1200) “The Juniper Tree” (1100-1200) “The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage” (1100-1200) “Sleeping Beauty” (1200-1300)

Dystopian fiction and adolescent literature are genres that appeal to the imaginations of many middle and high school students and maximize their ability to relate to literary works. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer is a representative narrative, told from the perspective of a seemingly ordinary teenage girl facing extraordinary conflicts. With this summative test covering the entire novel, English teachers will be able to evaluate students’ comprehensive text comprehension and ability to analyze key characters, plot developments, and themes. Additionally, the self-grading nature of all multiple choice questions helps teachers minimize take-home grading responsibilities. An answer key and standards-based rubric for scoring essays are provided. Materials are delivered in both Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will: Demonstrate knowledge of primary and secondary characters and the key aspects of their lives Demonstrate knowledge of significant events that take place throughout the novel Apply knowledge of a variety of literary devices applied in the novel including hyperbole, personification, metaphor, simile, allusion, onomatopoeia, situational irony, dramatic irony, and verbal irony Respond to an essay prompt requiring students to examine the protagonist’s emotional growth and transformation into a genuine hero Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims made in an academic essay

Help students better understand the historical context of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah and facilitate the process of researching topics related to Sierra Leone with this low-prep, standards-based resource. Students will choose from thirty relevant subjects—the deposing of Siaka Stevens’ government, the Revolutionary United Front, illegal diamond mining, the West Side Boys, and All People’s Congress to name a few—and navigate credible sources with the goal of teaching others about their topic. A detailed scoring rubric is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Ultimately, students will perform the following tasks: Articulate connections between a research topic and the assigned text Conduct research using available resources Collect and classify reliable sources Develop successful methods of recording information Evaluate the credibility of nonfiction texts, taking into consideration readability, date, relevance, expertise, and bias Apply conventions of MLA formatting Correctly site resources to avoid plagiarism Organize information in a cohesive manner, using a note-taking system that includes summary, paraphrasing, and quoted material Analyze, synthesize, and integrate information, generating a thoughtfully comprehensive report, free of generalities and redundancies Present information in a formal, coherent manner