Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this self-grading quiz covering the short story “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin. The resource may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with fiction. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot: The identities of the individuals who share devastating news with Louise The apparent manner of Brently’s death Louise’s medical concerns The effect of the news on Louise’s mental, emotional, and psychological states Louise’s assessment of her husband upon reflection Brently’s general demeanor toward Louise The author’s incorporation of imagery A surprising discovery The consequence of the surprising discovery The doctors’ judgment of what happens to Louise

Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet covering Kurt Vonnegut’s short story titled “The Lie.” An answer key is provided. 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 completing this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Explore character motivations Make logical inferences about a character’s values and beliefs Explain how point of view shapes the reader’s understanding of plot Articulate how one character serves as a foil to another State two significant conflicts in the story Defend the claim that Mrs. Remenzel is a good mother despite her shortcomings Explore the similarities between the protagonist and his father Generate a relevant theme that relates to the idea of embarrassment Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Evaluate general reading comprehension with this set of quizzes on Life As We Knew It, a dystopian young adult novel by Susan Beth Pfeffer, with emphasis on chapters five through seven. A multiple choice assessment is provided, as well as a subjective version. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Questions pertain to the following important details: Miranda’s perspective on her mother’s increasing worry Ms. Nesbitt’s treat to the family Megan’s alarming charity Mom’s ironic response to fliers requesting help for the needy Peter’s health advice to the family Miranda’s stubborn response to health advice Dan’s backstory Miranda recalling a “perfect” day Miranda and Ms. Nesbitt’s discovery at the elementary school The reason Mom is outraged at Miranda Jonny’s dreams New natural disasters

Evaluate general reading comprehension with this multiple choice quiz covering the induction of Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Christopher Sly’s disruptive behavior Christopher Sly’s eccentric behavior A wealthy lord’s discovery A wealthy lord’s deception A wealthy lord’s perception of Christopher Sly A visit from traveling performers A reason to attend a comedy

Evaluate general reading comprehension with this multiple choice quiz covering Act 2 of Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Katherine’s treatment of Bianca Bianca’s conformity to societal expectations of women The true identities of disguised people Katherine’s treatment of her supposed teachers Baptista’s feelings toward Petruchio Petruchio’s belief concerning how Katherine should behave The standard by which Baptista will select Bianca’s husband Baptista’s preference in terms of who should be Bianca’s husband Tranio’s intentions at the end of the Act

Evaluate general reading comprehension with this multiple choice quiz covering Act 4 of Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: An accident involving a horse Petruchio’s reaction to the accident The reason for Petruchio’s frustration with his servants The techniques by which Petruchio will try to tame his wife Biondello’s willingness to participate in a charade Background information about the merchant Petruchio’s refusal to let Katherine do certain things Hortensio’s admiration of Petruchio Petruchio’s bizarre behavior

Help high school students explore how Gabriel Garcia Marquez used literary devices such as hyperbole, personification, simile, metaphor, and imagery to develop a compelling short story: “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World.” Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this resource serves well for an independent learning opportunity, as well as for small-group discussions in which students evaluate their peers’ reasoning and use of rhetoric to support claims. An answer key is included.

Evaluate general reading comprehension with this plot-based quiz covering Mark Twain’s tall tale “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” also known as “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog” and “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.” Alternatively, this set of questions may serve as a guided reading document to foster active reading habits. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of: Setting The reason for the narrator’s frustration The speaking style of Simon Wheeler Characterization of Jim Smiley Characterization of Daniel Webster Characterization of Andrew Jackson Simon Wheeler’s compulsive gambling The reason Wheeler hands off his box to the stranger The stranger’s trickery The resolution

Help high school students explore how Mark Twain used literary devices like hyperbole, allusion, and simile to develop an exaggerated short story in “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” also known as “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog” and “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.” Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this resource serves well for an independent learning opportunity, as well as for small-group discussions in which students evaluate their peers’ reasoning and use of rhetoric to support claims. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included.

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 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 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 1, 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 Explore cause-and-effect relationships Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on hyperbole

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 1, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Delivered in 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 meaning of complex words and figurative language in context Determine the function of a given passage Explore cause-and-effect relationships Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Compare Gloucester and Lear Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony, metaphor, assonance, and personification Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help middle and high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet covering the Grimm’s fairy tale “The Spindle, the Shuttle, and the Needle,” a narrative addressing the values of hard work and devotion. The brevity of the short story helps to fill awkward gaps in the teaching schedule, while the activity upholds rigor in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the text are 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 and implicitly Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Choose the most appropriate synonym to replace a given word Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed Discern the intended effect of narrative techniques in context Determine the function of a given excerpt Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of several literary devices including alliteration, assonance, hyperbole, euphemism, oxymoron, hypophora, personification, paradox, and situational irony Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about fairy tale fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and develop critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet covering Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “The Wives of the Dead,” a piece addressing themes of grief and illusion. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are provided. 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. Students will perform the following tasks: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Discern the narrative’s point of view Describe tone in context Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Compare and contrast the protagonists Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, ambiguity, dramatic irony, and situational irony Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Evaluate reading comprehension, support the development of critical thinking skills, and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this bundle for teaching Hans Christian Andersen’s short story “The Old Tombstone,” a narrative that conveys a method by which beauty may always exist in the world despite humanity’s tendency to be ruinous. A plot-based quiz, close reading analysis worksheet, the public domain short story, and answer keys are 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 engaging with these materials, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Consider the greater significance of given details Discern the tone of a given excerpt Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, symbolism, and situational irony Conduct brief research as needed to convey how modern memorial services are different from those in the 1800s Explore themes in context Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about complex literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and promote the development of close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous questions to complement Act 4, scene 2 of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. This resource may serve as the basis for 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 this exercise, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Determine the function of a particular character in the context of the scene Discern the tone of a given excerpt Apply knowledge of literary devices including alliteration, simile, oxymoron, and callback

Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and promote the development of close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous questions to complement Act 4, scene 3, of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. This resource may serve as the basis for 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 this exercise, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Apply knowledge of literary devices including assonance, anaphora, onomatopoeia, and situational irony Articulate the external conflict between two characters Discern the tone of a given conversation Support claims with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence Apply knowledge of literary devices including alliteration, simile, oxymoron, and callback

Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and promote the development of close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous questions to complement Act 4, scene 1 of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. This resource may serve as the basis for 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 this exercise, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, anaphora, and aposiopesis Express the function of a given excerpt Conduct brief research on the four humours and articulate the findings Analyze research findings to make a logical inference about Petruchio’s mindset Support claims with valid reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision