“Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston is a short story about a woman of color who must reconcile the resentment she feels toward her abusive husband with her faith—a task that threatens to compromise the integrity of her soul. This close reading analysis worksheet helps English teachers extend reading comprehension and support the process of critical thinking. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in a zip file containing editable Word Documents and printable PDFs. By completing the close reading activity, students will perform the following tasks: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Choose the most suitable synonym to replace a word without changing fundamental meaning Analyze nuances in words with similar meanings Explore cause-and-effect relationships Determine the functions of given details Make inferences about historical context based on aspects of plot Examine how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Make predictions about the protagonist’s future behavior based on context clues Analyze the author’s word choices to articulate how they contribute to character development Apply knowledge of literary devices including euphemism, oxymoron, personification, symbolism, situational irony, and more Discern the tone of a given passage Support claims with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class/leave class better prepared to discuss literary materials

Help middle and high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering “Games at Twilight” by Anita Desai, a short story about a young boy whose youthful determination and immaturity lead to a difficult outcome he is not prepared to process emotionally or intellectually. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques Discern the function of given detail Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, personification, foreshadowing, imagery, paradox, situational irony, dramatic 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 and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering “Games at Twilight” by Anita Desai, a short story about a young boy whose youthful determination and immaturity lead to a difficult outcome he is not prepared to process emotionally or intellectually. Alternatively, the assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Climate conditions Key characters involved in a game of hide-and-seek Why the protagonist’s hiding space is good in terms of possibly winning the game The protagonist’s youthful hubris The protagonist’s complex emotional response to his isolation The reason the protagonist loses the game The protagonist’s reaction to losing the game The resolution

With this printable test covering the entirety of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, English teachers will be able to evaluate students’ comprehension of key characters, plot developments, and literary craft. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. A breakdown of content follows. Part 1. Knowledge of Plot. Students will demonstrate comprehension of the following: Christopher Sly’s disruptive behavior An activity in which Christopher Sly participates Baptista’s terms for his daughters’ marriages Lucentio’s persona, “Cambio” The quality in women about which Petruchio cares most Hortensio’s persona, “Litio” Petruchio’s intentions for Katharina Baptista’s preferences to be his son-in-law Petruchio’s tardiness to the wedding Petruchio’s appearance on his wedding day Bianca’s assessment of her sister’s relationship An accident involving a horse Petruchio’s strictness Hortensio’s feelings toward Petruchio Petruchio’s eccentric behavior Hortensio’s marriage A test of the wives’ loyalty Katharina’s closing speech Part 2. True/False. Students will identify whether a statement is true or false. Questions focus on: “Cambio’s” area of expertise The nature of the relationship between Bianca and Katharina The first character to reveal his true identity to Bianca Hortensio’s dwindling affection toward Bianca Katharina’s reaction to her husband’s strange behavior Baptista’s negotiating the terms of his daughters’ marriages Baptista and Vincentio’s forgiveness of their children The false Vincentio’s reaction to meeting the real Vincentio Part 3. Quotations in Context. Students will match an excerpt with its appropriate context. Act 1, scene 1: Hark, Tranio! thou may’st hear Minerva speak. Act 1, scene 1: No profit grows where is no pleasure ta’en: / In brief, sir, study what you most affect. Act 2, scene 1: Her silence flouts me, and I’ll be revenged. Act 2, scene 1: O slow-wing’d turtle! shall a buzzard take thee? Act 3, scene 2: Go, girl; I cannot blame thee now to weep; / For such an injury would vex a very saint, / Much more a shrew of thy impatient humour. Act 3, scene 2: That, being mad herself, she’s madly mated. Act 4, scene 2: …here I firmly vow / Never to woo her no more, but do forswear her, / As one unworthy all the former favours / That I have fondly flatter’d her withal. Act 5, scene 1: Fear not, Baptista; we will content you, go to: but / I will in, to be revenged for this villany Act 5, scene 2: A woman moved is like a fountain troubled, / Muddy, ill-seeming, thick, bereft of beauty… Part 4. Application of Literary Devices. Students will be given a detail or excerpt from the drama and must determine which literary device is best reflected. Literary devices addressed include: Sibilance Allusion Hyperbole Anaphora Oxymoron Aposiopesis Idiom Metaphor Consonance Simile Onomatopoeia

Help students better understand the historical context of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers and facilitate the process of researching topics related to the Vietnam War with this low-prep, standards-based resource. Students will choose from more than twenty relevant subjects—the Gulf of Tonkin incident, the Tet Offensive, the My Lai Massacre, Tinker vs. Des Moines, and Milton L. Olive III to name a few—and navigate credible sources with the goal of teaching others about their topic. A detailed scoring rubric is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Ultimately, students will perform the following tasks: Articulate connections between a research topic and the assigned novel Conduct research using available resources Collect and classify reliable sources Develop successful methods of recording information Evaluate the credibility of nonfiction texts, taking into consideration readability, date, relevance, expertise, and bias Apply conventions of MLA formatting Correctly site resources to avoid plagiarism Organize information in a cohesive manner, using a note-taking system that includes summary, paraphrasing, and quoted material Analyze, synthesize, and integrate information, generating a thoughtfully comprehensive report, free of generalities and redundancies Present information in a formal, coherent manner

With this summative test covering the entirety of Feed by M.T. Anderson, English teachers will evaluate students’ reading comprehension, essay writing skills, and ability to analyze key aspects of plot. An answer key and standards-based rubric for scoring essays are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will: Demonstrate knowledge of primary and secondary characters and the key aspects of their lives Demonstrate knowledge of significant events that take place throughout the novel Evaluate substantive excerpts for deeper meaning Respond to an essay prompt requiring students to examine the author’s use of satire Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims made in an academic essay