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 go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 4, scene 2, of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. 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 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
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
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
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 4, scene 1, of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. 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 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 function of a given excerpt
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare and contrast the characters of Antony and Brutus
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
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 4, scene 3, of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. 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 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
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including foreshadowing, irony, metaphor, and hyperbole
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
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 5, scene 1, of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. 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 explicitly as well as implicitly
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing and situational irony
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 Shakespearean drama
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 5, scene 3, of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. 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 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
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on foreshadowing, situational irony, and symbolism
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 Shakespearean drama
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 5, scene 5, of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. 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 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
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including personification and metaphor
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 Shakespearean drama
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Gary Soto’s short story titled “The No-Guitar Blues.” The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with fiction. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The protagonist’s motivations
Conflict between the protagonist and his parents
Examples of the protagonist’s strategic thinking
The significance of a discovery
The result of the discovery
The internal conflict facing the protagonist
An ironic decision
A pleasantly surprising revelation
The resolution
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Ray Bradbury’s science fiction short story titled “All Summer in a Day.” The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with literature. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
A basic description of setting
The protagonist’s birthplace
The subject matter of the protagonist’s poem
The protagonist’s reputation among her peers
Qualities that distinguish the protagonist from her peers
A physical description of the protagonist
The intentions of the protagonist’s parents
The reason the protagonist is in the closet
The infrequency of the sun’s emergence
Logical inferences to be drawn from the resolution
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “Little Red Riding Hood” (also called “Little Red Cap”). Alternatively, the assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
How people generally perceive Little Red Cap
Grandmother’s expressions of affection
The items Little Red Cap is instructed to bring Grandmother
The reason for the delivery of items
Mother’s advice to Little Red Cap
Little Red Cap’s initial reaction to meeting the wolf
The wolf’s methods of manipulating Little Red Cap
Signs of danger at Grandmother’s house
The reason the huntsman does not shoot the wolf
The rescuing of Little Red Cap and her grandmother
How Little Red Cap gets justice
The huntsman’s reward for his efforts
Information provided in the epilogue
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the satirical short story “The Emperor’s New Clothes” by Hans Christian Andersen. Alternatively, the assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
How the protagonist demonstrates his obsession with clothes
The motivations of the visitors
The visitors’ outlandish claims
The protagonist’s motivations
The protagonist’s internal conflict
Means by which the visitors deceive the community
The emperor’s participation in the procession
The resolution
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “Rumpelstiltskin.” Alternatively, the assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The miller’s feelings toward his daughter
The miller’s feelings toward the king
The king’s greed
A task the maiden is assigned
An offer the king makes the maiden
Offerings made to the hobgoblin
A new task for the maiden
The length of time the maiden has to complete her new task
A messenger’s observations
The hobgoblin’s response to failure
The court’s reaction to the hobgoblin
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Chinua Achebe’s short story “Dead Men’s Path.” The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with fiction. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Character motivations
General description of Obi’s colleagues
Nancy’s emotional and psychological states
The length of time Obi has been married
The nature of the conversation Obi has with a priest
The meaning behind a proverb
The cultural significance of the path
The reason Obi wants to close the path
A tragic situation
Retribution
The resolution
Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Chinua Achebe’s short story “Dead Men’s Path.” An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Determine the narrative’s dominant conflict
Analyze how complex characters interact and develop
Explore character motivations
Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing and situational irony
Determine the function of a particular passage
Make an inference about the author’s point of view
Articulate the intended effect of the author’s diction in context
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Morley Callaghan’s “All the Years of Her Life,” a short story focusing on how a young son’s behavior influences the psychological state of his loving mother. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with fiction. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Setting
Conflict
The background of the protagonist
How complex characters interact
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “Jorinda and Jorindel.” Alternatively, the assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The antagonist’s physical form in both the daytime and the nighttime
What happens to both men and women when they approach the antagonist’s house
The source of mournful singing
The nature of the relationship between the titular characters
Abrupt changes in Jorindel’s life
The content of Jorindel’s dreams
The length of time it takes Jorindel to find an item with magical properties
The resolution
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Leslie Marmon Silko’s short story titled “The Man to Send Rain Clouds.” The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with fiction. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Setting
Character relationships
Actions consistent with a ritual
Character motivations
A complication associated with burial
The priest’s reluctance
Resolution
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “Clever Gretel.” The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the short story. An answer key and copy of the text are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Objects that intensify Gretel’s self-esteem
Gretel’s tendencies while she cooks
Gretel’s preparations for cooking
Gretel’s belief on what constitutes a sin
The purpose for Gretel’s visits to the cellar
The problem that exists when the master returns
What the master does with a knife
How Gretel gets herself out of an awkward situation
The resolution
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 a classic Grimm’s fairy tale titled “Jorinda and Jorindel.” An answer key and copy of the public domain short story 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 this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consider how words and phrases may have dual interpretations in context
Discern the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques
Describe tone in context
Determine the greater significance of given details
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including symbolism and situational irony
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “The Frog King.” The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the short story. An answer key and copy of the text are provided. All materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The cause of the princess’ sadness
The frog’s negotiations with the princess
The princess’ betrayal of the frog
The princess’ reaction to the frog’s sudden appearance
The king’s response to his daughter’s explanation of events
The frog’s conduct in the castle
The princess’ reaction to the frog’s conduct
The reason for the prince’s transformation into a frog
The personal wellness of Faithful Henry
The cause of cracking noises
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “The Twelve Huntsmen.” Alternatively, the assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement with the narrative. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The protagonist’s personal tragedy
An internal conflict the protagonist experiences
The maiden’s personal desires
The special quality of the lion
Incidents characterized by dramatic irony
The maiden’s medical incident
The significance of a ring
The resolution