Help high school students extend beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 1, scene 2, of Hamlet 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. By engaging with this resource, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Examine Shakespeare’s narrative techniques with emphasis on the incorporation of figurative language Determine the tone of the scene Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students extend beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 1, scene 1, of Hamlet 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. By engaging with this resource, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Discern the tone of a given passage Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Analyze plot from a historical context Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing Identify context clues that suggest Horatio’s opinion on supernatural occurrences is correct Explore themes with emphasis on humanity’s relationship with the universe Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students extend beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 1, scene 4, of Hamlet 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. More specifically, students will do the following: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Determine the primary function of a given passage Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Examine the effect of Shakespeare’s figurative language upon the reader Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Compare and contrast two characters Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students extend beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 2, scene 2, of Hamlet 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. More specifically, students will do the following: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Discern the intended effect of Shakespearean language in context Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Discern tone in context Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

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 5, 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 Analyze the author’s craft Explore cause-and-effect relationships Identify the function of Maria’s letter Examine how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, allusion, consonance, oxymoron, and dramatic irony

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 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 Determine which part of speech is represented in a given word Demonstrate general awareness of the characteristics of an Elizabethan audience Discern the function of the scene Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Compare and contrast two characters (Edgar and Lear) Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification, hyperbole, metaphor, onomatopoeia, inversion, and more Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 1, 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 Consider nuances in words with similar meanings Articulate the intended effect of figurative language in context Explore cause-and-effect relationships Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including assonance, hyperbole, and apheresis Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 4, 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 the intended effects of Shakespeare’s narrative techniques Describe tone in context Conduct brief research on pelicans to better understand their symbolic value in context ('pelican daughters") Examine 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

Evaluate general reading comprehension with this multiple choice quiz covering Act 3 of William Shakespeare’s Othello. The plot-based assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading experiences. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Cassio’s verbal exchange with Desdemona Iago encouraging Othello’s suspicions toward Desdemona Desdemona’s requests for Othello to forgive Cassio Othello’s insistence that Iago tell him everything he knows Iago’s underhanded behaviors and statements Othello’s statements on marital trust and jealousy The retrieval of Desdemona’s handkerchief Othello’s mounting suspicions Othello’s ultimatum to Iago Desdemona’s frustrations

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Act 4 of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with Shakespeare’s drama. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: The nature of Antony’s conversation with Octavius and Lepidus What Antony intends to do with Caesar’s will Antony’s intentions for Lepidus The changing nature of Brutus and Cassius’s relationship Brutus’s observations about Cassius’s behavior Information provided to Brutus by Lucilius Why Brutus punished Lucius Brutus’s accusations against Cassius Cassius’s self-image Cassius’s emotionally charged offer to Brutus An unexpected visitor to the tent A supernatural encounter

Eliminate assessment planning responsibilities and evaluate high school students’ knowledge of plot and literary craft with this summative test covering William Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear. An answer key is included, as well as a standards-based rubric for scoring a thematic essay response tied to a significant quotation (“Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides, / Who covers faults at last with shame derides”). Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students are responsible for demonstrating an understanding of the following characters, details, concepts, and quotes: Cordelia Goneril Regan King Lear Edmund Edgar Kent Albany Cornwall The Fool Gloucester Oswald The King of France Tom of Bedlam The play’s setting Edmund’s status as an illegitimate child and associated consequences Edmund’s promotion to Earl of Gloucester Cornwall’s torture of Gloucester Edgar’s philosophies on life Edmund’s desire to kill his father King Lear’s epiphany regarding power and its benefits King Lear’s imprisonment Metaphor Simile Foreshadowing Situational irony Dramatic irony Paradox Alliteration Hyperbole Personification Internal conflict External conflict Dynamic character Symbolism “Nothing will come from nothing.” (Act 1, scene 1) “I love your Majesty / According to my bond; no more no less.” (Act 1, scene 1) “Let his knights have colder looks among you.” (Act 1, scene 3) “Fortune, good night; smile once more; turn thy wheel!” (Act 2, scene 2) “The younger rises when the old doth fall.” (Act 3, scene 3) “I will have my revenge ere I depart this house.” (Act 3, scene 5) “Out, vile jelly!” (Act 3, scene 7) “I have no way, and therefore want no eyes; / I stumbled when I saw.” (Act 4, scene 1) “Was this a face / To be opposed against the warring winds?”(Act 4, scene 7) “You have some cause; they have not.”(Act 4, scene 7) “Ripeness is all.” (Act 5, scene 2) “My master calls me, I must not say no.” (Act 5, scene 3)

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. The assessment may otherwise double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading experiences and subsequent class discussions. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Questions pertain to the following relevant details: Setting A king’s life-changing decision Edmund’s status as an illegitimate child and its effect on him Daughters’ expressions of love for their father Contrasting Cordelia from her two sisters Cordelia’s punishment Kent’s assessment of King Lear’s behavior An agreement with the King of France Comparing Cordelia’s two sisters to their father (identifying similar motivations) Edmund’s underhanded deeds Goneril’s feelings toward her recently moved-in father Kent’s act of self-preservation Character description of the Fool The intent of King Lear’s letter The king’s acknowledgement of a fear Kent’s loyalty

Help high school readers go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 1, scene 3, of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word and phrase meanings Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Isolate the best textual evidence in support of a claim Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor 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 literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 2, scene 3, of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Annotate text to show active engagement 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 Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification, paradox, and foreshadowing Choose the best textual evidence in support of a claim Discern the tone of Friar Laurence’s soliloquy 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 literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 2, scene 6, of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this activity, 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 Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification and imagery Choose an applicable theme in the context of the 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

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 3, scene 2, of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this activity, 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 Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices such as dramatic irony and oxymoronic language Conduct brief research on a variety of subjects including allusions to obscure mythological creatures 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

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Act 4, scene 5, of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Compare aspects of this scene with aspects of a previous scene (Act 3.5) 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 Discern the tone of the scene Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile, metaphor, personification, and situational irony 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