Help high school students extend beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet covering Willa Cather’s short story “The Burglar’s Christmas.” An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable 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 as well as implicitly
- 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
- Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, epiphany, foreshadowing, internal conflict, metaphor, paradox, personification, simile, and situational irony
- Argue whether the author wants the audience to empathize with the protagonist
- Consider themes in context
- Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
- Write about coming-of-age fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
- Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
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Short Stories for Christmas Quizzes, Close Readings, Vocabulary Games, and Test Bundle
Evaluate reading comprehension, support critical thinking, and embrace the spirit of Christmas and wintertime no matter the time of year with this bundle of plot-based quizzes, close reading analysis worksheets, vocabulary development exercises, and an end-of-unit test for six holiday-themed short stories: **"A Christmas Memory"** by Truman Capote, **"The Gift of the Magi"** by O. Henry, **"The Burglar's Christmas"** by Willa Cather, **"At Christmas Time"** by Anton Chekhov, **"The Heavenly Christmas Tree"** by Fyodor Dostoevsky, and **"Three Wise Guys"** by Sandra Cisneros. Answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable 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 * 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 intended effects of the authors' word choices and narrative techniques * Determine the functions of given excerpts * Describe and examine tone in context * Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop * Apply knowledge of literary devices including epiphany, foreshadowing, idiom, metaphor, onomatopoeia, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile, situational irony, and more * Consider themes in context * 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
"The Burglar's Christmas" by Willa Cather Quiz, Close Reading, and Vocab Games
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching the short story "The Burglar's Christmas" by Willa Cather. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the public domain narrative, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. 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 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 * Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, epiphany, foreshadowing, internal conflict, metaphor, paradox, personification, simile, and situational irony * Argue whether the author wants the audience to empathize with the protagonist * Consider themes in context * Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence * Write about coming-of-age fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision * Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
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