"Shooting an Elephant" Quiz, Close Reading Worksheet, and Vocabulary Games

Incorporate narrative nonfiction into the classroom, evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching George Orwell’s essay titled “Shooting an Elephant.” A plot-based quiz, a close reading worksheet, vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:

• Read for literal comprehension
• Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings
• Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
• Articulate the dominant internal conflict
• Determine the function of a given anecdote
• Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
• Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony
• Infer the message that the narrator’s inaction would have sent to the community
• Consider how the author achieves specific effects with emphasis on how the resolution provides a sense of relief
• Investigate autobiographical parallels, conducting brief research on the author’s life
• Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision