Say hello to a platform dedicated to industrious, yet overtasked teachers like you. Say goodbye to countless hours spent developing relevant and engaging ELA lessons. Whether you are teaching the fundamentals of grammar, creative writing skills, classic literature, or contemporary fiction, you will find thousands of activities and assessments to help you achieve a healthier work-life balance without sacrificing academic rigor.
Say hello to a platform dedicated to industrious, yet overtasked teachers like you. Say goodbye to countless hours spent developing relevant and engaging ELA lessons. Whether you are teaching the fundamentals of grammar, creative writing skills, classic literature, or contemporary fiction, you will find thousands of activities and assessments to help you achieve a healthier work-life balance without sacrificing academic rigor.
The Good Good Pig by Sy Montgomery is a great memoir to feature in a nonfiction unit or an independent book study unit, especially for those who appreciate the importance and influence of an animal on human lives. Each assessment in this bundle covers the entire book, promotes homework accountability, and measures general reading comprehension. They may serve as reading check quizzes or as guided reading handouts to create more purposeful reading experiences and facilitate recall. Answer keys are provided, and all materials are delivered as printable Word Documents and PDFs.
Reduce teacher workload, promote homework accountability, and measure reading comprehension with this set of quizzes on chapters one through six of Bette Greene’s Summer of My German Soldier. A multiple choice version and short answer alternative are provided in addition to an answer key. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these resources, middle and high school students will demonstrate general knowledge of characters, setting, historical context, and plot.
Reduce teacher workload, promote homework accountability, and measure reading comprehension with this set of quizzes on chapters seven through 12 of Bette Greene’s Summer of My German Soldier. A multiple choice version and short answer alternative are provided in addition to an answer key. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these resources, middle and high school students will demonstrate general knowledge of characters, setting, historical context, and plot.
Reduce teacher workload, promote homework accountability, and measure reading comprehension with this bundle of printable quizzes covering the entirety of Bette Greene’s historical fiction novel Summer of My German Soldier. Multiple choice versions and short answer alternatives are provided in addition to answer keys. Materials are delivered in both Word Document and PDF formats. With these resources, middle and high school students will demonstrate general knowledge of characters, setting, historical context, and plot.
Reduce teacher workload, promote homework accountability, and measure reading comprehension with this set of quizzes on chapters 13 through 21 of Bette Greene’s Summer of My German Soldier. A multiple choice version and short answer alternative are provided in addition to an answer key. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these resources, middle and high school students will demonstrate general knowledge of characters, setting, historical context, and plot.
Conclude a unit on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein with this summative assessment delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. An answer key with a Common Core-aligned rubric for evaluating essay writing is included. This assessment is divided into three sections and breaks down as follows.
In the first part of the exam, students will demonstrate comprehension of character development, setting, and general plot.
In the second part of the exam, students will apply knowledge of literary devices to a variety of excerpts from the novel: metaphor, simile, hyperbole, aposiopesis, antithesis, assonance, allusion, situational irony, and more.
In the final part of the exam, students will respond to a prompt thoroughly and thoughtfully, making reference to relevant textual details in support of claims. Included is a Common-Core aligned rubric for evaluating student writing in response to the following prompt:
Alienation from society is a subject Mary Shelley addresses in the novel Frankenstein. What textual details develop and maintain an alienated tone throughout the novel? Focus on the characters of Victor and his creation specifically, though other characters may be referenced. You may also consider how the author uses language to achieve tone.
Help high school students extend beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering chapter 2 of Animal Farm by George Orwell. 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. By completing this exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore themes in the context of the chapter
Analyze character actions and motivations
Explore the symbolic meaning of a given detail
Infer the intended effect of the author’s word choices
Articulate the greater significance of the animals’ decision to rename the farm
Discern the functions of a given passage
Write about literature with clarity and precision
Justify written responses with reasoning and/or textual evidence
Help high school students extend beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering chapter 3 of Animal Farm by George Orwell. 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. By completing this exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words as they are used in the text
Analyze dialogue to make logical inferences
Analyze character actions and motivations
Determine which character is likeliest to challenge leadership and take interest in the world outside of Animal Farm
Make logical inferences about the author’s beliefs based on details from chapter three
Explore the purposes of a given passage
Articulate the purposes of slogans and mottos
Articulate why the pigs in particular would favor the incorporation of slogans and mottos into Animal Farm’s culture
Write about literature with clarity and precision
Justify written responses with reasoning and/or textual evidence
Evaluate reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and save valuable time with this printable quiz on the science fiction short story titled “Who’s There?” by Arthur C. Clarke. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The reason the narrator leaves the space station
The name of the narrator’s work space
The significance of the acronym FORB
The name of the cat
The cost of a day’s delay in work
The greatest enemy in space
Qualities associated with the narrator’s spacesuit
The function of the internal lockers
General character description of Bernie Summers
The narrator’s fear-induced ponderings
The resolution
Help high school students extend beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous, text-dependent questions on the satirical science fiction short story titled “Lose Now, Pay Later” by Carol Farley. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Examine a figurative expression (“used like a flock of sheep”) for meaning
Select expository character details that support the claim that the protagonist should be more capable of exercising discipline
Apply knowledge of literary devices including portmanteau and personification
Analyze the author’s diction to discern the intended effect of a particular word (staggered)
Visualize a particular scene to make a logical inference about the author’s intent
Explore the author’s description of the slimmer to make a logical inference about the safety of the contraption
Read a passage to determine its tone
Evaluate nuances in word meanings and use reference materials as needed
Articulate how satire is present throughout the story, indicating aspects of modern society that are being critically targeted
Write clearly, concisely, and accurately in response to analytical questioning
Exercise rational thought
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Help high school students extend beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous, text-dependent questions on the science fiction short story “Backward Step” by Paul Jennings. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Analyze the author’s decision to have the narrator directly address the reader in the exposition
Apply knowledge of literary devices including euphemism and onomatopoeia
Discern the intended effect of a given detail (“People from the university wanted to study me”)
Make logical inferences about what a given excerpt reflects about the human condition (“Fortune-tellers and mystics claimed they had moved me in time. I was on television all over the world.”)
Articulate similarities between the five-year-old protagonist and his grandmother
Determine the function of a given excerpt (“I was lying on a seat on the other side of the road. An old man sitting next to me looked as if a ghost had just appeared in front of him. He screamed and ran off as fast as he could go.”)
Identify techniques used to convey the narrator’s childlike voice
Conduct brief research into the Grandfather Paradox
Determine a theme that is reinforced by the story’s resolution
Write clearly, concisely, and accurately in response to analytical questioning
Exercise rational thought
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Help high school students extend beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous, text-dependent questions on the ironic short story “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry, which is an especially suitable narrative during the Christmas and winter holiday seasons. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Infer the protagonist’s motivation to find the right gift for her husband
Explore nuances in words with similar meanings
Define complex words as they are used in the text
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including onomatopoeia, hyperbole, and eye dialect
Articulate the intended effect of repetition in the context of the exposition
Explain the significance of the color brown in the context of a given excerpt
Explore the significance of the number forty in the context of the story
Conduct brief online research in order to answer questions as needed
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Explore how third person limited point of view contributes to plot development
Examine the narrator’s tone in the context of a given excerpt
Explain how a particular phrase is an example of paradox (“repairing the ravages made by generosity added to love”)
Choose a relevant theme in the context of a given excerpt
Argue whether the author’s stylistic choice to capitalize a common noun (Combs) is acceptable
Identify and explain several examples of sexist stereotypes throughout the story
Identify and explain an example of foreshadowing
Write clearly, concisely, and accurately in response to analytical questioning
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Promote active engagement with fiction, support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school, and evaluate general reading comprehension with this bundle of resources for teaching the Gothic short story “The Beast in the Cave” by H.P. Lovecraft. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading questions; a craft analysis activity; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these resources, students will:
Articulate what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Use context clues to determine the state in which the story is set
Isolate the statement that best describes the narrator among several options
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including onomatopoeia, oxymoron, foreshadowing,
Isolate a false statement about a particular passage from among several truths
Make logical inferences about the narrator’s self-image
Define complex words as they are used in the text
Explore how the protagonist thinks, behaves, and interacts with others
Discern the intended effect of the author’s diction (for example, why the author used a phrase like occult manner and why the author repeatedly uses variations of the word labyrinth)
Examine the deeper meaning behind the narrator’s use of a euphemistic phrase
Analyze sentence structures to determine how they contribute to the reader’s experience
Explain how the narrator becomes a dynamic character
Justify ideas and claims with relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
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.
Gothic fiction and horror are genres that maximize many high school students’ engagement with literature. “In the Vault” by H.P. Lovecraft is one such short story. It features elements such as entrapment, mutilated corpses, and the avenging of wrongdoing—making the narrative a particularly chilling read during the Halloween season. This multiple choice quiz on “In the Vault” helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate reading comprehension, and save time at home without sacrificing quality in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The narrator’s criticism of people
A general description of the protagonist’s personality
The protagonist’s work
The characterization of Matthew Fenner
The characterization of Asaph Sawyer
The reason the protagonist gets trapped in the vault
The duration of time the protagonist is trapped
The protagonist’s initial reaction to being in the company of corpses
A plan to escape the vault
A complication that hinders progress
Dr. Davis’s reaction to the protagonist’s injury
The discovery as a result of an investigation
Gothic fiction and horror are genres that maximize many high school students’ engagement with literature. “In the Vault” by H.P. Lovecraft is one such short story. It features elements such as entrapment, mutilated corpses, and the avenging of wrongdoing—making the narrative a particularly chilling read during the Halloween season. With this bundle of high school resources for teaching “In the Vault,” English teachers will save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; an alternate, self-grading Easel Assessment; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including foreshadowing, situational irony, allusion, and theme
Analyze context clues and draw logical inferences about characterization/character motivations
Define complex words as they are used in the text
Identify relevant textual details in support of a claim
Analyze the author’s craft to determine the his intent
Discern the tone of a passage
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, Gothic fiction, fantasy, and horror are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “Cool Air” by H.P. Lovecraft is a compelling short story that features elements consistent with those genres: noxious chemicals, medical experiments, desperate attempts to achieve immortality, and more. This multiple choice quiz on “Cool Air” helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate reading comprehension, and save time at home without sacrificing quality in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The narrator’s reaction to cool air
The narrator’s philosophical beliefs
The reason the narrator moves from apartment to apartment
The narrator’s treatment of his lodgemates
Peculiar smells that permeate the building
Mrs. Herrero’s role in the story
How the narrator came to know Dr. Muñoz
The narrator’s initial perception of Dr. Muñoz
Dr. Muñoz’s beliefs concerning the power of human will
Dr. Muñoz’s medical practices
The reason Dr. Muñoz becomes a “gruesome companion”
Dr. Muñoz’s independence
A habit Dr. Muñoz develops
The consequences of a broken refrigeration system
A discovery in Dr. Muñoz’s apartment
A stunning revelation
For many high school readers, fantasy and horror are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “What the Moon Brings” by H.P. Lovecraft is a brief, yet compelling short story that features elements consistent with both genres: a bizarre dreamscape, an anxious narrator, and the discovery of an underwater city. (The briefness of the story makes it an appropriate time-filler for awkward gaps in teaching schedules.) This multiple choice quiz on “What the Moon Brings” helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate reading comprehension, and save time at home without sacrificing quality in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Point of view
Setting
The narrator’s emotional reaction to the moon
The narrator’s obsessiveness
Transformative qualities of ordinary things
The appearance of an animal in the distance
A discovery in the water
The smell that overwhelms the narrator’s senses
A realization about the reef
The narrator’s decision in the resolution
For many high school readers, fantasy and horror are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “What the Moon Brings” by H.P. Lovecraft is a brief, yet compelling short story that features elements consistent with both genres: a bizarre dreamscape, an anxious narrator, and the discovery of an underwater city. (The briefness of the story makes it an appropriate time-filler for awkward gaps in teaching schedules.) This rigorous worksheet covering “What the Moon Brings” helps English teachers extend student learning beyond reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. A detailed answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will:
Articulate what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Discern the purpose of em dashes as they are used in context
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including personification, foreshadowing, epiphany, and sibilance
Explore the author’s diction to draw reasoned inferences about characterization
Determine the intended effect of juxtaposition as it is applied in the text
Examine plot-based statements for accuracy
Choose an applicable theme in the context of a given passage
Explore the symbolism of a black condor as it is portrayed in the narrative
Defend ideas and claims with valid reasoning and textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, Gothic fiction, fantasy, and horror are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “Cool Air” by H.P. Lovecraft is a compelling short story that features elements consistent with those genres: noxious chemicals, medical experiments, desperate attempts to achieve immortality, and more. With this bundle of high school resources covering “Cool Air,” English teachers will save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will:
Articulate what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Explore character intentions and motivations
Analyze how complex characters behave and interact
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing, situational irony, and dramatic irony
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in context
Identify relevant textual evidence in support of claims
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision