With a decade of teaching experience, I specialize in developing student-centered ELA activities and unit plans that foster creativity and critical thinking. My resources have been tried and tested in more than 74,000 classrooms worldwide since 2013.
With a decade of teaching experience, I specialize in developing student-centered ELA activities and unit plans that foster creativity and critical thinking. My resources have been tried and tested in more than 74,000 classrooms worldwide since 2013.
Challenge middle and high school students to move beyond surface-level comprehension with this close reading analysis worksheet covering Ray Bradbury’s science fiction short story “The Fog Horn.” From applying knowledge of literary devices to making inferences about the author’s intentions, readers will be supported by a set of rigorous questions complementing the text. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. The close reading activity will prompt students to do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the function of a given excerpt
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including anthropomorphism, foreshadowing, personification, and more
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Come to class better prepared to discuss works of fiction
Help middle and high school students explore literary craft with this activity covering Ray Bradbury’s short story “The Fog Horn.” With this worksheet, students will isolate and reflect upon textual details that are consistent with the conventions of supernatural and science fiction. An answer key is provided, as well as a copy of the narrative, which makes for a compelling addition to a short story unit for grades 6 through 12. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this literary craft analysis activity, students will:
Isolate examples of compelling sensory description that contribute to an eerie atmosphere
Isolate characterization details that elicit emotional responses from readers
Articulate how the narrative conforms to the conventions of the science fiction genre
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on dramatic irony, foreshadowing, hyperbole situational irony, and symbolism
Convey information through speech and writing in a coherent manner
Come to class better prepared to discuss works of fiction
Evaluate reading comprehension and maximize student interest in fiction with this plot-based quiz covering Nancy Springer’s short story “Black Angel,” a narrative of special appeal to middle and high school readers who enjoy mythical creatures and cryptozoology, as the New Jersey Devil is a central figure. 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
The reason for the Jersey Devil’s frustration
Distinguishing characteristics of the nameless child
The comparison of the Jersey Devil to another mythical being
The reason for the nameless child’s presence in the woods
Where the Jersey Devil takes the child
The purpose of the Jersey Devil’s visit to the World Tree
Dynamic character
A new dynamic to the relationship between the child and the Jersey Devil
The World Tree’s judgment of the Jersey Devil
Symbolism
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the short story “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” by Katherine Anne Porter, a piece of psychological fiction that complements high school units involving modernist literature and the narrative technique known as stream of consciousness. This resource may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with literature. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The characterization of George
Setting
The joys and pleasures in life
Granny Weatherall’s religious affiliation
Granny Weatherall’s perspective on dying
Granny Weatherall’s perspective on how women fulfill their lives
The contents of a box in the attic
Granny Weatherall’s message for George
The purpose of Father Connolly’s visit
Granny Weatherall’s eagerness to see someone
The resolution
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the short story “The Fog Horn” by Ray Bradbury. A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these activities, students will:
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
Challenge high school students to move beyond surface-level comprehension with this close reading analysis worksheet covering Katherine Mansfield’s short story “Bliss.” From applying knowledge of literary devices to making inferences about the author’s intentions, readers will be supported by a set of rigorous questions complementing the text. An answer key and copy of the narrative are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. The close reading activity will prompt students to do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Reflect on the author’s choice of title
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony, foreshadowing, repetition, and assonance
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Come to class better prepared to discuss works of fiction
Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this plot-based quiz covering Kurt Vonnegut’s short story “Who Am I This Time?” The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to help high school students ascertain crucial details about characters and plot developments. 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 North Crawford Mask and Wig Club
The avoidance of social gatherings
The narrator’s wish for Harry Nash
The narrator’s invitation to an auditioning woman
The town’s reaction to Harry’s acting
The narrator’s first impression of Helene’s acting
Efforts to improve Helene’s acting
Helene’s fantasy when viewing movies in the past
Helene’s difficulty in establishing relationships
Lydia’s impressions on who will direct
Lydia’s prediction for Helene
A gift from Harry
“The luckiest girl in town”
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning with this plot-based quiz covering O. Henry’s ironic short story titled “The Last Leaf.” This quiz may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement with fiction. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The setting and its appeal (and lack of appeal) to specific communities
The backstory of the narrative’s protagonists
Johnsy’s medical circumstances
The doctor’s assessment of Johnsy’s condition and survival chances
Character motivations
Johnsy’s psychological state
The general characterization of Mr. Behrman
An ironic turn of events
A sacrifice in the resolution
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the science fiction short story “Dark They Were and Golden Eyed” by Ray Bradbury. A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: amiss, casually, convivial, forlorn, girder, immense, indifferent, leisure, molten, murmur, perspire, recede, resent, unbidden, wade, and wander.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
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
Promote active engagement with ironic fiction, support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school, and evaluate general reading comprehension with this bundle of resources for teaching a collection of O. Henry’s short stories: “The Gift of the Magi,” “The Last Leaf,” “The Cop and the Anthem,” and “After Twenty Years.” Answer keys for every resource are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
Challenge high school students to move beyond surface-level comprehension with this close reading analysis worksheet covering O. Henry’s Christmas-themed short story “The Gift of the Magi.” From applying knowledge of literary devices to making inferences about the author’s intentions, readers will be supported by a set of rigorous questions complementing the text. An answer key and copy of the narrative are 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 explicitly as well as implicitly
Define words as they are used in the text
Examine the narrator’s tone in a given passage
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 various literary devices including eye dialect, foreshadowing, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, and paradox
Choose a relevant theme in the context of a given excerpt
Conduct research online in order to answer questions related to plot
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this set of plot-based quizzes covering O. Henry’s Christmas-themed short story “The Gift of the Magi.” A multiple choice and short answer option are provided. The assessments may double as guided reading worksheets to facilitate active engagement with the narrative. Answer keys and a copy of the public domain text are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The protagonist’s financial struggles
The narrator’s commentary on the nature of life
Jim’s income reduction
Della’s intentions with the money she has
The characters’ most prized possessions
Madame Sofronie’s role in the story
Della’s emotional state as she shops
Della’s purchase for Jim
Della’s habit
Jim’s reaction to receiving Della’s gift
Jim’s purchase for Della
Parallels between the characters and the magi
Situational irony (irony of result)
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the Christmas-themed short story 'The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry. A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain narrative, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: ardent, cascade, coax
depreciate, falter, fixedly, imply, imputation, instigate, laboriously, meretricious, parsimony, and prudence.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
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
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking skills with this bundle of materials for teaching O. Henry’s Christmas-themed short story “The Gift of the Magi.” A plot-based quiz, close reading analysis worksheet, vocabulary application activity, crossword puzzle, 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:
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
Explore how the author’s narrative techniques shape the readers’ understanding of the story
Consider tone in context
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including onomatopoeia, hyperbole, foreshadowing, paradox, and eye dialect
Isolate examples of sexist stereotypes throughout the story
Argue whether the author’s stylistic choice to capitalize a common noun (Combs) is acceptable
Conduct brief online research in order to answer questions as needed
Choose a relevant theme in the context of a given excerpt
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Challenge high school students to move beyond surface-level comprehension with this close reading analysis worksheet covering Isaac Asimov’s science fiction short story “Robot Dreams.” From applying knowledge of literary devices to making inferences about the author’s intentions, readers will be supported by a set of rigorous questions complementing the text. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. The close reading activity will prompt students to do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Analyze sentence structures with emphasis on the use of an appositive phrase
Analyze the author’s stylistic choice to capitalize common noun phrases
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, pun, and personification
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Come to class better prepared to discuss works of fiction
Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this plot-based quiz covering Isaac Asimov’s science fiction short story “Robot Dreams,” a cautionary tale about humanity’s commitment to developing artificial intelligence. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to help students ascertain crucial details about characters and conflicts. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Susan Calvin’s disposition
Linda Rash’s profession
The nature of the relationship between the two professionals
The name of the robot
Linda’s efforts to improve the robot’s brain
The reason Linda kept her work private
The means by which the robot re-awakens
The duration of the robot’s dreams
The First, Second, and Third Laws of Robotics
Alarming details of the robot’s dreams
Susan’s motive for destroying the robot
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the science fiction short story “Robot Dreams” by Isaac Asimov. A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: abashed, affliction, appalled, devise, further, inert, ingot, interpose, panorama, precedence, rash, symphony, and weary.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
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
Challenge high school students to move beyond surface-level comprehension with this close reading inference worksheet covering Toni Cade Bambara’s short story “Blues Ain’t No Mockin Bird.” From applying knowledge of literary devices to making inferences about the author’s intentions, readers will be supported by a set of rigorous questions complementing the text. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. The close reading activity will prompt students to do the following:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Choose an opinion with which Granny would most likely agree based on an anecdote she shares with her family
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, idiom, and onomatopoeia
Draw parallels between the American folk hero John Henry and the character of Granddaddy Cain
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Come to class better prepared to discuss works of fiction
For many middle and high school readers, realistic and young adult fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. This bundle focuses on three representative short stories by Toni Cade Bambara: “Raymond’s Run,” “Blues Ain’t No Mockin Bird,” and “Geraldine Moore the Poet.” English Language Arts teachers may use this bundle as a tool for evaluating general reading comprehension, supporting the development of close reading analysis skills, and promoting homework accountability. Included are the following: editable, plot-based quizzes for each narrative; close reading analysis activities for each narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
