Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery.” A plot-based quiz, a close reading worksheet, a craft analysis exercise, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in a zip file as Word Documents and PDFs. 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 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 tone of a given passage Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Apply knowledge of literary devices with an emphasis on foreshadowing Determine the author’s intent, as well as its effect on readers Support claims and inferences with relevant textual evidence Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class/leave class better prepared to discuss literature

Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills while teaching Act 3 of William Shakespeare’s King Lear with this bundle of formative assessments. Included are the following: a quiz on characters and plot, seven close reading worksheets addressing the author’s craft, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these activities, students will do the following: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Discern the intended effect of Shakespeare’s narrative techniques and figurative language Define words/phrases as they are used in context Verify interpretations of language using reference materials Describe tone in context Consider the greater significance of given details Determine the primary function of given excerpts/scenes Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Compare two characters in the play (Edgar and Edmund) Apply knowledge of literary devices including assonance, hyperbole, personification, paradox, metaphor, verbal irony, dramatic irony, situational irony, and apheresis Conduct brief research on pelicans to better understand their symbolic value in context (“pelican daughters”) Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching Doris Lessing’s coming-of-age short story “Through the Tunnel.” A plot-based quiz, close reading analysis worksheet, craft analysis exercise, vocabulary application activity, crossword puzzle, word search game, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in printable, editable 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 activities, students will: Come to class better prepared to discuss works of fiction Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words 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 function of a given paragraph Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile, metaphor, personification, and oxymoron Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Evaluate comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills with this bundle of resources covering chapters 22 through 24 of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. A plot-based quiz, close reading worksheet, vocabulary application activity, crossword puzzle, word search game, copy of the relevant chapters, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences Describe tone in context Consider the greater significance of given details Examine how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Analyze the treatment of Elizabeth and other female characters in the novel Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing, metaphor, situational irony, and symbolism Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Measure high school reading comprehension and support analysis of Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello (Act 2) with this bundle that features a quiz and close reading activities. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. This resource may serve as the basis for small-group discussions. Through these discussions, students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development, demonstrating an ability to analyze how complex characters transform and advance the plot and themes by applying logic and citing compelling, meaningful textual evidence. They will also evaluate their peers’ reasoning and use of rhetoric to advance claims, clarifying or challenging unclear ideas. Using this resource for structured guidance, students, ultimately, will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking. By engaging in these exercises, students will: Discern the intended meaning of various complex words and phrases Analyze actions and statements to discern character motivations Discern the tone of a passage Analyze the author’s craft, demonstrating knowledge of how Shakespeare’s language shapes the audience’s perception of Iago Apply knowledge of various literary devices to the text including metaphor, simile, situational irony, and more Demonstrate understanding of figurative language Locate textual evidence in support of claims Write with clarity and precision