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.
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with Shakespeare’s drama. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Antonio’s lack of awareness in terms of the cause of his sadness
Why Salerio and Solanio think Antonio is unsettled
Salerio’s stated belief concerning human emotions
Gratiano’s thoughts on sad men
Bassanio’s motive for needing money
Antonio’s generosity
Why Portia is sad, according to Nerissa
The condition under which Portia is allowed to marry
Nerissa’s role in Portia’s life
Shylock’s profession
The quality that most distinguishes Shylock
The reason for Shylock’s resentment toward Antonio
Shylock’s deal with Antonio
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Act 3 of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with Shakespeare’s drama. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Salerio and Solanio’s reaction to the news about Antonio
Why Shylock is angry at Salerio and Solanio
How Shylock justifies his behavior
Tubal’s role
Jessica’s behavior
Interactions between Portia and Bassanio
Bassanio’s participation in the riddle-solving contest
The relationship between Gratiano and Nerissa
A letter from Antonio
Shylock’s self-image
Portia’s reaction to news about Antonio
Balthazar’s role
Jessica’s perception of Portia
Extend reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this set of rigorous questions about Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Focusing on Act 1, scene 1, this resource is delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. An answer key is included. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Compare and contrast two characters (Orsino and Olivia)
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, hyperbole, and sibilance
Discern the intended effect of figurative language in context
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Define complex vocabulary in the context of a passage
Examine nuances in words with similar denotations
Determine the function of a particular excerpt
Extend reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this set of rigorous questions about Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Focusing on Act 1, scene 4, this resource is delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. An answer key is included. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Apply knowledge of figurative language
Discern the significance of a given detail
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Identify excerpts in support of claims
Isolate a factual detail about plot from falsehoods
Come to class/leave class better prepared to discuss literary material
Help middle and high schoolers go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering chapter 17 of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with an emphasis on imagery, personification, sibilance, and simile
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
Extend reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this set of rigorous questions about Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Focusing on Act 1, scene 2, this resource is delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. An answer key is included. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Determine the function of a particular excerpt
Conduct brief research on classical mythology — more specifically the tale of Arion and the dolphin — and draw parallels between the mythological figure and Sebastian
Consider the text’s allusion to Elysium to infer greater meaning
Discern the tone of a character’s dialogue
Come to class/depart class better prepared to discuss literary material
Write ideas 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 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
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 students go beyond basic comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices to the text with an emphasis on understatement and situational irony
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Help students go beyond basic comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 2 of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern a primary function of the chapter
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare Myrtle to the puppy she is gifted
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including alliteration, assonance, and simile
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 4, scene 1, 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
Discern the tone of dialogue in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including paradox and situational irony
Isolate the best evidence in support of claims
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 5, scene 1, 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
Explore nuances in words with similar meanings
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification, hyperbole, situational irony, personification, metaphor, allusion, and oxymoron
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 4, 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
Determine the significance of given details
Discern the intended effects of Shakespeare’s choices in terms of characterization
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including oxymoron, allusion, dramatic irony
Isolate the best evidence in support of a claim
Help students go beyond basic comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 4 of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore a shift in tone
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Identify the primary function of Wolfsheim’s character
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including ambiguity, oxymoron, and imagery
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 5, scene 1, of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. More specifically, students will:
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words and phrases in context
Discern the greater significance of a given detail
Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on hyperbole and metaphor
Support inferences and claims with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
This resource extends beyond text comprehension, helping high school students analyze the formal elements of fiction and respond thoughtfully in writing to questions about literature. The featured short story is “Cinderella” by the Brothers Grimm. Included are the following: the public domain fairy tale, which has an estimated Lexile measure of 1000-1100; a related bell ringer activity; a set of rigorous close reading questions in both Word Doc and PDF formats; an answer key; and editable emergency substitute teaching plans.
By completing this exercise, students will:
Articulate what is stated in the text explicitly and implicitly
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, juxtaposition, anthropomorphism, symbolism, and more
Identify the story’s inciting incident
Discern the intended meaning of figurative language
Discern the function of a given excerpt
Analyze the author’s craft
Explore relationships between complex characters
Articulate character motivations
Cite textual evidence in support of inferences and claims
Write with clarity and precision
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 3, scene 5, of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words and phrases in context
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare the characters of Lady Macbeth and Hecate
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on allusion
Support inferences and claims with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Promote active engagement with fiction, support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school, and evaluate general reading comprehension with this bundle of resources for teaching the science fiction short story “The Fog Horn” by Ray Bradbury. Included are the following: a plot-based quiz, a rigorous close reading worksheet, a craft analysis activity, and answer keys. By engaging with these materials, students will perform the following tasks:
Articulate what is stated in the text explicitly and implicitly
Identify several examples of personification and/or anthropomorphism in the narrative
Identify several textual details that contribute to a sense of isolation
Discern the intended meaning of figurative language
Discern the function of a given excerpt
Apply knowledge of sonic literary devices including consonance and assonance
Analyze the author’s craft
Identify stylistic changes in a given excerpt
Articulate the intended effect of stylistic changes in a given excerpt
Analyze relationships between complex characters
Articulate how a given detail is an example of foreshadowing
Make logical inferences about character motivations
Cite textual evidence in support of inferences and claims
Write with clarity and precision
Develop a greater understanding of how Ray Bradbury used descriptive language, characterization, setting, and various literary devices to establish an eerie mood that is consistent with the supernatural fiction and science fiction genres.
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery.” A plot-based quiz, a close reading worksheet, a craft analysis exercise, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in a zip file as Word Documents and PDFs.
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
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
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 tone of a given passage
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Apply knowledge of literary devices with an emphasis on foreshadowing
Determine the author’s intent, as well as its effect on readers
Support claims and inferences with relevant textual evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class/leave class better prepared to discuss literature
