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.
Help high school students navigate William Shakespeare’s language with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of The Merchant of Venice. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the play during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 5 vocabulary application activities, 5 crossword puzzles, 5 word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
A total of 118 words are addressed: abate, abode, accoutred, allay, aloof, alter, amity, amorous, argosy, barbarous, base, bechance, beseech, beset, beshrew, besmear, bestow, bleared, cackle, carrion, cherubin, clamber, commend, confiscate, conjure, contrive, counsel, cozen, cuckold, cudgel, cunning, cur, decree, deed, ducat, entreat, estimable, feign, foppery, forbear, fourscore, fray, gaberdine, gaoler, gaudy, gormandise, grandsire, gratis, hark, haste, heartily, hymn, immortal, immure, infidel, infinitely, jot, keen, knave, malice, mar, melancholy, mirth, misconstrue, mitigate, mutton, ostent, paltry, peevish, peize, penance, perchance, perjury, posy, prate, precedent, predicament, presage, prey, principal, prodigal, prolixity, proverb, quarrel, quire, recant, renowned, repent, reproach, requite, reverence, rheum, salvation, shrive, shudder, signior, sirrah, spurn, stern, summon, sunder, superfluity, tarry, tedious, temporal, tender, thine, thrice, unthrift, usance, valiant, vehement, vesture, wherefore, whom, wont, wooer, 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
Help high school students navigate William Shakespeare’s language with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of Julius Caesar. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 5 vocabulary application activities, 5 crossword puzzles, 5 word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
A total of 108 words are addressed: abide, abridge, accoutred, adder, amiss, apace, apprehensive, apt, ascend, augurer, barren, bequeath, beseech, bestow, bondman, brutish, carrion, chastisement, choler, clamor, cogitation, consort, construe, contrive, council, counsel, countenance, cur, decree, demeanor, dint, drachmas, earnest, emulation, entreat, ere, errand, exigent, extenuate, fain, feeble, fleer, fray, gamesome, grievous, hark, hasty, hither, hollow, idle, immortal, inflame, insurrection, inter, jade, knave, lament, leaden, lowliness, lusty, malice, mart, meddle, meek, melancholy, mettle, mirth, mutiny, nimbleness, parley, peevish, phantasma, portentous, presage, prey, prithee, proclaim, provender, quarrel, rabblement, rash, redress, repose, reverence, rive, salutation, saucy, selfsame, shrill, sirrah, smatch, soothsayer, spurn, stern, tarry, thither, thrice, throng, undeserver, valiant, vanquish, vexed, wander, wary, waspish, weary, whelp, 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
Help high school students navigate William Shakespeare’s language with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of The Taming of the Shrew. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 5 vocabulary application activities, 5 crossword puzzles, 5 word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
A total of 120 words are addressed: abode, accoutrements, affable, alarum, amiable, amorous, amort, bauble, beguile, bemoil, bereft, beseech, bestow, blear, bondmaid, bonny, breeching, carouse, chattels, chide, choleric, clamorous, confer, confound, construe, counsel, countenance, court, coxcomb, coy, cozen, crack-hemp, cullion, currish, deign, digress, diligent, din, disdain, dissemble, doff, dole, dotard, dowry, ducat, ere, fain, fair, famish, flout, forbear, forthwith, fray, frivolous, gale, gamesome, giddy, gird, goodly, graybeard, habiliments, haste, headstrong, heartily, heedless, heir, hither, immortal, imprimis, insolence, irksome, jarring, knavery, lackey, largess, loggerheaded, lusty, madcap, mar, meddle, miry, moralize, mutton, noddle, notorious, pains, paltry, pate, patrimony, pedant, perpetually, pine, plead, quaff, quench, raiment, reign, rudesby, scornful, scrivener, solemn, sullen, surly, swiftly, swinge, tarry, tedious, thrall, toil, unapt, undone, vex, volubility, wander, wane, weary, wherefore, woo, and worshipful.
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
Help high school students navigate William Shakespeare’s language with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of Othello. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 5 vocabulary application activities, 5 crossword puzzles, 5 word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
A total of 121 words are addressed: abode, affliction, alarum, amorous, anon, balmy, base, beckon, begrimed, beguile, beseech, beshrew, bestow, boast, boon, bound, chide, chuck, clamor, conjunctive, construe, counsel, coxcomb, credulous, cudgel, dames, defunct, designment, direful, discern, discord, dispatch, dote, dull, earnestness, ebb, eminent, encave, enchafed, exhibition, exsufflicate, fain, fair, filch, forbear, forfend, forsooth, frailty, fulsome, galls, gastness, gorge, grievously, gull, haste, heartily, heathenish, hie, hither, humors, hungerly, imminent, imperious, importunity, impudent, insolent, languish, light, lip, malice, mar, mischance, murmur, mutiny, mutter, obscure, odious, oft, pains, penitent, perchance, perdition, peril, perjured, pernicious, plead, pox, prate, prologue, quarrel, quench, rash, rebuke, relish, repent, reproach, reverence, ruminate, sans, saucy, sirrah, slander, slubber, smote, solemn, strumpet, subdue, summon, thrice, timorous, treachery, trifle, unbookish, valiant, vehement, voluble, votarist, wary, wherefore, woo, and yerk.
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
Help high school students navigate William Shakespeare’s language with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of Hamlet. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 5 vocabulary application activities, 5 crossword puzzles, 5 word search games, and answer keys. Materials delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
A total of 116 words are addressed: afflict, affront, anon, auspicious, base, beseech, beshrew, besmirch, beteem, boisterous, bough, brainish, bravery, brevity, cautel, chapless, charge, cherub, chide, cicatrice, condolement, contumely, corse, counsel, craven, credent, cudgel, dearth, discord, divulge, ducat, dup, effect, entreat, ere, fain, fair, felicity, fetters, fond, forbear, fordo, gambol, gaudy, gibber, gibe, glean, gorge, green, grizzled, gyve, hasten, heartily, heaves, hither, imminent, importunate, incensed, incorporal, infallibly, insolence, jocund, lament, lard, liegemen, malefactions, massy, melancholy, melodious, mirth, needful, ominous, orison, ostentation, palmy, palpable, pang, paragon, perchance, pernicious, perpend, pigeon-livered, pious, porpentine, portentous, prate, prithee, profane, prologue, quarrel, rash, rebuke, reechy, reign, remiss, repose, robustious, rub, scourge, scullion, skyish, softly, springe, stonish, strumpet, sultry, superfluous, suspiration, tedious, tender, tristful, truepenny, wander, wary, wittingly, and wonted.
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
Help high school students navigate William Shakespeare’s language with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of Macbeth. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 5 vocabulary application activities, 5 crossword puzzles, 5 word search games, and answer keys. Materials delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
A total of 121 words are addressed: abide, abjure, affliction, anon, appease, arbitrate, avaricious, avaunt, avouch, aweary, bait, bane, barren, beldam, benison, bent, bestow, blaspheme, boast, bodement, bough, brainsickly, broil, buffet, chastise, cherubin, clamor, commend, compunctious, concord, consort, deftly, desolate, dispatch, doff, dun, entreat, ere, fain, false, fantastical, firstling, fitful, foison, fry, gild, glare, gout, groom, harbinger, haste, hew, hie, holily, homely, hurly-burly, husbandry, implore, impress, incarnadine, industrious, infirm, intrenchant, kern, largess, liege, lily-livered, loon, malice, marrowless, metaphysical, mettle, mortal, mortified, multitudinous, muse, naught, obscure, pain, palpable, parricide, perchance, perilous, pernicious, pine, pious, posset, prithee, prowess, purgative, quarrel, quoth, rabble, rapt, raze, rebuke, reign, relish, repose, rue, saucy, scarcely, shadow, sirrah, sleight, spongy, stanchless, stealthy, stern, suborn, summon, swift, tarry, thither, thriftless, timely, toil, treachery, unrough, verity, and woeful.
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
Help high school students navigate William Shakespeare’s language with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of Romeo and Juliet. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 5 vocabulary application activities, 5 crossword puzzles, 5 word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
A total of 120 words are addressed: absolve, affray, alack, aloof, ambiguity, amerce, anon, apothecary, assail, athwart, baggage, baleful, bedeck, beguiled, behoveful, beseech, beshrew, boisterous, chapless, charnel, chide, churl, conceit, corse, counsel, decree, descend, descent, detestable, discern, discourse, disperse, doff, doleful, ducat, enmity, entreat, fain, fair, fond, forbear, garish, gleek, gyves, hap, haply, haste, haughty, heavy, henceforth, hie, hoarse, idle, immoderately, inauspicious, inexorable, inundation, lamentation, languish, lenity, liege, light, loathsome, lusty, meager, mouse-hunt, moved, muffle, naught, needful, obscure, obsequy, orison, pains, parlous, pennyworth, pensive, penury, pernicious, perverse, pine, plead, portentous, pox, presage, princox, privy, procure, prorogued, provision, quarrel, rash, reeky, reign, repent, repose, runagate, scourge, sirrah, slander, slug-a-bed, smatter, soft, solace, strew, sullen, sup, tedious, tetchy, treacherous, tush, vain, vexed, wail, wander, wanny, weraday, wherefore, woo, and wot.
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
With this bundle of plot-based, multiple choice quizzes covering The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, high school English teachers will be able to evaluate reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and eliminate assessment planning. Answer keys are provided, as are short answer options, and all materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Questions pertain to the following key details:
Nick’s personal background
Nick’s self perception
Nick’s perception of Gatsby
The setting
Nick’s career
The contrast between West Egg and East Egg
Nick’s academic background
A character description of Daisy
A character description of Tom
A character description of Jordan
The green light in the distance
Conditions of daily life in the valley
The enormous advertisement overlooking the valley
A character description of George Wilson
A character description of Myrtle
A trip to the Morningside Heights apartments
Speculation concerning Gatsby’s background
The behavior of the party-goers (and Nick’s reaction to it)
Tom’s gift to Myrtle
Myrtle’s behavior and why it unsettles Tom
How Tom takes his anger out on Myrtle
The flamboyant nature of Gatsby’s parties
The enduring mystery of Gatsby’s background
Sensationalized rumors surrounding Gatsby
Owl Eyes’ surprising realization about Gatsby’s books
Nick and Gatsby’s shared past
Nick’s characterization of Gatsby’s smile
Gatsby’s manner of speaking to others
Gatsby’s general behavior at his own party
Gatsby’s request to see Jordan
The drunken incident involving Owl Eyes
Nick’s characterization of Jordan
The purpose of Nick’s list
The apparent inconsistencies in Gatsby’s autobiography
Gatsby’s proof to assuage Nick’s skepticism
Gatsby’s interaction with a police officer
Meyer Wolfshiem’s questionable background
Nick’s new assumption concerning Gatsby’s wealth
Gatsby’s motive to move into his West Egg mansion
A revelation concerning the green light across the water
A request Gatsby makes of Jordan
Gatsby’s efforts to convince Nick to arrange a reunion
Gatsby’s gratitude to Nick for agreeing
Daisy’s humorous response to Nick’s request that Tom not join
Examples of Gatsby’s self-conscious and nervous behavior
Daisy’s being brought to tears
Gatsby’s long nights outside staring at the green light
Klipspringer
A characterization of Gatsby’s mansion
Gatsby’s biography
Gatsby’s college experience
Gatsby’s job to pay for college
Gatsby meeting Dan Cody
Dan Cody’s influence on Gatsby
Tom’s presence in Gatsby’s house
Tom’s suspicions of Gatsby
Nick’s insight concerning Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship
The death of a dream
Gatsby’s rationale for ceasing the parties
Gatsby’s concerns that information about Daisy will be revealed
A luncheon at Tom and Daisy’s house
A revelation concerning Myrtle
Tom’s confrontation with Gatsby
Gatsby’s assured reaction to Tom’s confrontational behavior
A surprise shift in Daisy’s feelings
The death of Myrtle (what happened, who’s responsible, etc.)
Gatsby’s desire to protect Daisy from Tom
A broken promise
The gardener’s intention and Gatsby’s refusal
Nick’s judgment of Gatsby
Dr. T.J. Eckleburg’s eyes and Wilson’s interpretation of them
The death of Myrtle
Wilson’s beliefs concerning Myrtle’s death
A tragic, deadly incident
Underwhelming attendance at Gatsby’s funeral
An unexpected telegram
Henry Gatsby’s discovery of his son’s death
Young Gatsby’s self-improvement plan
A brief conversation with Klipspringer
Nick’s decision to move back to the Midwest
Nick and Jordan’s breakup
An encounter with Tom
Tom’s feelings concerning Gatsby’s death
Nick’s character assessment of Tom and Daisy
Nick’s analysis of people’s dreams
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills while teaching Act 2 of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with this bundle of formative assessments. Included are the following: a reading guide, a multiple choice quiz on characters and plot, six close reading worksheets addressing the author’s craft, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word and phrase meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Determine the function of a given excerpt
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including hyperbole, imagery, personification, and more
Choose an applicable theme in the context of a scene
Support claims or inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills while teaching Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with this bundle of formative assessments. Included are the following: a reading guide, a multiple choice quiz on characters and plot, six close reading worksheets addressing the author’s craft, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Discern the significance of a given detail
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Draw logical inferences about the author’s stylistic choices
Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing, allusion, metaphor, simile, situational irony, and onomatopoeia
Analyze the author’s paradoxical language to discern a theme related to love
Isolate examples of punning language
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Identify the best textual evidence in support of a claim
Evaluate reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and support the development of critical thinking skills with this bundle of resources for teaching The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (chapters 6, 7, and 8). Three plot-based quizzes, three close reading analysis worksheets, three vocabulary application activities, three crossword puzzles, three word search games, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these activities, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Choose the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Discern the intended effects of the author’s diction and narrative techniques
Describe the tone of a given passage
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including imagery, symbolism, metaphor, hyperbole, and dramatic 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 works of fiction
This bundle of 20 assessments (10 objective versions and 10 alternate short answer versions) measures general reading comprehension and holds students accountable for understanding general plot details about George Orwell’s 1984. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Questions pertain to the following key details:
“Big Brother is watching you”
Setting
Winston’s job
The telescreen and its purpose
The ironic role of the Ministry of Peace
Characteristics of proles
Writing as an act of rebellion
The Party’s efforts to stir up hate
Winston’s feelings toward the Party
Winston as a thought-criminal
Winston’s fear of the Thought Police
The Junior Spies and their job
Public executions of the Party’s dissidents
Winston’s dream involving O’Brien’s voice
Winston’s dream involving his mother
A government purge
Physical jerks
Why it is so difficult to recall one’s childhood
Oceania’s enemy country
Communication via the telescreen
Comrade Withers
The concept of “unpersoning” an individual
The purpose of Newspeak
Understanding Doublespeak
Syme’s intelligence and Winston’s concerns about it
Ironic messaging from the Ministry of Plenty
Winston’s diary entry
The government’s goal concerning sexual behavior
Winston’s ex-wife
Winston’s internal strife
Winston’s assessment on who would best stage a revolt against the government
Winston’s reasoning behind the aforementioned assessment
The logic as to why the proles would not likely stage a revolt
Living conditions
A photograph and Winston’s concerns about it
Winston’s belief on how reality should be determined
Winston’s curiosity about actual history (not the Party-sanctioned accounts of it)
Winston’s fear over being followed
An alternative to the Thought Police’s torture
The irony of Julia’s message to Winston
Analysis of Julia’s comment, " We’re not dead yet."
Hate Week
The prisoner transport
Winston’s reaction to Julia’s very personal admission
Primary influences on Julia’s behaviors
How the government manipulates people into frenzy
Winston’s alarming admission about his ex-wife
The room Winston rents
Julia’s encounter with a rat
The significance of the paperweight
Winston’s imagination as he stares into the paperweight
The expected vanishing of a character
Winston’s reaction to the singing of a prole woman
The hate song and other preparations for Hate Week
Julia’s accusations against the Party
An encounter with O’Brien
O’Brien’s offer to Winston
Winston’s nightmare
Winston’s previous belief that he was responsible for his mom’s death
A flood of memories returning
The Party’s influence on its members
How Winston and Julia are jeopardizing their own safety
Winston and Julia’s desire to join the Brotherhood
An encounter with O’Brien
Winston’s feelings after his meeting with O’Brien
Winston’s 90-hour work week
Oceania’s new enemy
Goldstein’s book
A singing prole woman
“We are the dead”
The picture on the wall and what it conceals
The sudden appearance of troops
A realization about Mr. Charrington
Winston’s imprisonment
A prole woman with the last name of Smith
An imprisoned poet and his crime
Parson’s imprisonment and his crime
Who turned Parsons in for his crime
Winston’s suicidal thoughts
O’Brien’s torture techniques/methods of persuasion
The Party’s efforts to control the mind
Winston’s growing appreciation for O’Brien
The Party’s efforts to eliminate their opposition
O’Brien’s comments about Julia
Room 101
Winston’s efforts to see the Party’s way
Winston’s nightmare
Winston’s confession that he still hates the Party
Winston’s worst nightmare and O’Brien’s most effective torture technique
Winston’s means of getting out of his torturous situation (betrayal)
A reunion at the Chestnut Tree Cafe
Winston’s ultimate feelings about Big Brother
Support the development of close reading skills for high school with this bundle of analysis worksheets for The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. Covering the entire novel, these materials save teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
Facilitate vocabulary development, evaluate general reading comprehension, and support critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching three compelling short stories by Shirley Jackson: “The Lottery,” “The Possibility of Evil,” and “Charles.” A quiz, close reading worksheet, vocabulary application activity, crossword puzzle, and word search game are provided for each narrative. Answer keys for everything are also included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will do the following:
Identify what the texts state explicitly and implicitly
Determine the meanings 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
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the functions of given details
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including dramatic irony, foreshadowing, situational irony, and symbolism
Conduct brief online research on a relevant topic to answer a question about plot
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
Frontload assigned readings with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are eight vocabulary application activities, eight crossword puzzles, answer keys, and the public domain text. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
A total of 146 challenging words are addressed: abasement, absolved, acquiesce, afresh, alacrity, anguish, appease, ardor, armament, ashen, assent, avarice, badinage, barren, bauble, benign, beseech, brooding, brute, cackle, carafe, celerity, cerebration, chagrin, coarse, conspicuously, consternation, contemptuous, corroborate, decorum, demurely, desecration, desolate, detrimentally, dilapidated, disdain, disheveled, dismay, doggedly, eccentricity, emaciated, engrossed, enigmatical, exquisite, famished, feeble, fervor, fitfully, flourish, furtively, genially, gloomy, gnarled, haggard, harrowing, hasten, haughty, heresy, horrid, humbly, impalpable, imperious, impetuosity, implore, importunate, incite, indifferent, indignation, injunction, insolent, keen, laconically, languid, lethargic, livid, lugubrious, lurid, meekly, melancholy, menial, mirth, multitude, mundane, nebulous, obsequious, obstinately, obviate, odium, omnipotent, pallid, paroxysm, pedantry, perfunctory, peril, phlegmatic, pious, pique, placidly, plaintive, poignant, polyglot, precipice, procure, profuse, prosaic, quaint, redress, remonstrance, reproach, repudiate, resolute, reticent, reverently, salient, salvation, sanctify, saunter, scrutinize, sentimental, serpentine, servile, shrill, sneer, solemn, sternly, stertorous, stupendous, suavely, subdued, sulky, surly, swoon, tacit, tangible, tremulous, uncanny, vague, verbatim, vindictive, vivacity, vivify, vocation, wary, weary, withered, and woefully.
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
Frontload assigned readings with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of Margaret Atwood’s dystopian fiction novel The Handmaid’s Tale. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are nine vocabulary application activities, nine crossword puzzles, nine word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
A total of 162 challenging words are addressed: abdicate, absolve, acquisitive, adrenaline, affront, ambiguous, anguished, apathetic, appease, approbation, archaic, assent, atrocity, audacity, banter, barren, bedraggled, benevolent, bereaved, beseech, blasphemy, blatantly, blitzkrieg, camaraderie, candid, catastrophe, clad, clamber, commotion, commune, complicity, condone, conspicuously, debase, decadent, decorous, deferential, defiantly, demurely, diffuse, dingy, disconsolate, dismay, eccentric, emaciated, evasive, falter, famished, fervor, festoon, frivolous, frowzy, fruitful, furtively, futility, gaiety, genial, genteel, grudgingly, heretical, ignominious, illicit, implore, incredulous, indifferent, indignation, indignity, ingratiate, innocuous, insatiability, inscrutable, irreverent, jaunty, jocularity, juvenile, languid, lethargic, lithe, lugubrious, lurid, luxuriate, macabre, martyr, melancholy, melodramatic, menial, mirth, monotony, munificent, obscurity, obsolete, obstinately, opaque, ornate, palpable, paranoid, penance, perfunctory, pervade, pious, placid, plaintively, platitude, plumage, precarious, primitive, procure, prude, purloin, quagmire, querulous, rancid, ravenous, rebuke, relinquish, reminiscence, repentance, replenish, reproach, respectively, revile, rickety, sanctity, sardonic, sedately, serene, servile, shrill, smoldering, sneer, solemn, solitude, squeamish, stagnant, stealthily, suave, subdued, subversive, suffuse, sulky, superfluous, surly, tactile, transgression, treachery, tremulous, trivial, trivialize, uncouth, undulate, vague, viable, vindictive, volition, wary, whimper, whimsical, wimple, wince, wistful, withered, 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
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and craft analysis skills with this bundle of close reading activities covering each scene of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Determine the functions of given excerpts
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare and contrast characters
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including metaphor, simile, situational irony, symbolism, and more
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works
Promote active engagement with science fiction, support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school, and evaluate general reading comprehension with this bundle of resources for teaching a collection of Ray Bradbury’s short stories: “Dark They Were and Golden Eyed,” “All Summer in a Day,” “The Fog Horn,” and “There Will Come Soft Rains.” Answer keys for every resource are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.