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.
“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
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching “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. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a 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
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings
Choose the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
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
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
This low-prep bundle covering The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare contains all the formative and summative assessments teachers need to assess general reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and greatly reduce take-home grading responsibilities. Included are six multiple choice quizzes; twelve close reading worksheets, each covering a single scene; an end-of-unit test; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these resources, students will have opportunities to perform the following tasks:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words as they are used in the text
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Determine the tone of given passages
Discern the functions of given passages
Examine the greater significance of a given detail
Consider how the effect of humor is achieved in context
Apply knowledge of literary devices including oxymoron, hyperbole, sibilance, onomatopoeia, assonance, metaphor, simile, situational irony, verbal irony, dramatic irony, and more
Conduct brief research on the Roman goddess Diana and articulate the similarities between her and Katharina
Conduct brief research on the four humours and articulate the findings
Evaluate behavior to determine which character is most committed to their role in the charade
Isolate details that represent the best textual evidence in support of claims
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
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
This bundle of editable quizzes measures comprehension and holds students accountable for the assigned reading of Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. For each section of the novel, a multiple choice assessment and short answer alternative are provided. The subjective assessments may double as guided reading worksheets to encourage more active engagement with the text. Answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in both Word Document and PDF formats.
The Adventures of Ulysses by Bernard Evslin is a modern retelling of Homer’s The Odyssey, written in a manner that is easier to process—even for struggling readers. This comprehensive bundle includes the following: multiple choice, plot-based quizzes; close reading analysis activities; a summative test; and answer keys. With these resources, English teachers will be able to evaluate students’ general text comprehension, promote analysis of complex literature, hold learners accountable for completing assigned readings, eliminate at-home assessment planning, and expedite the grading process without sacrificing academic rigor. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with these materials, students will do the following by the end of the novel:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words as they are used in a given passage
Select the best synonyms for given words as they are used in the text
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Discern tone in context
Explore how characters think, behave, and interact
Compare and contrast characters
Examine how setting influences character development
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including foreshadowing, personification, simile, epiphany, understatement, symbolism, situational irony, and dramatic irony
Apply knowledge of various sound devices including sibilance and assonance
Locate relevant textual details in support of the claim that Ulysses was the only crew member with the ability to think critically in the face of danger
Explore themes that are reinforced in a given passage
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this bundle of resources covering chapter 16 of The Adventures of Ulysses by Bernard Evslin (“The Return”). Included are the following: a plot-based, multiple choice quiz; a set of close reading analysis questions pertaining to a significant passage; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource may serve as the basis for 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
Discern the statement that best reflects Eumaeus’s feelings toward the beggar
Define complex words in context
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials
Discern what Eumaeus’s comments about the suitors imply about them
Compare two complex characters (Athene and Ulysses)
Analyze the author’s craft
Discern the author’s intent
Apply knowledge of literary devices including epiphany
Explore themes that are reinforced in the given passage
Evaluate reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this bundle of resources covering chapters 14 and 15 of The Adventures of Ulysses by Bernard Evslin (“Ino’s Veil” and “Nausicaa”). Included are the following: a plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering chapters 14 and 15; a set of close reading analysis questions pertaining to a significant passage from chapter 15; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource may serve as the basis for 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
Identify the purpose of a particular paragraph
Discern the best explanation of the dominant conflict in the context of the passage
Identify character motivations
Discern the best description of Alcinous’s character
Identify the tone of Arete’s dialogue
Discern the intent of Arete’s dialogue
Analyze the symbolism of snakes in the context of Nausicaa’s dream
Apply knowledge of literary devices including assonance
Evaluate reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this bundle of resources covering chapters 12 and 13 of The Adventures of Ulysses by Bernard Evslin (“Cattle of the Sun” and “Calypso”). Included are the following: a plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering chapters 12 and 13; an alternate short answer quiz option; a set of close reading analysis questions pertaining to a significant passage from chapter 13; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource may serve as the basis for 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 complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Compare characters
Apply knowledge of literary devices including assonance and understatement
Evaluate reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this bundle of resources covering chapters 8 through 11 of The Adventures of Ulysses by Bernard Evslin (“The Land of the Dead” through “Scylla and Charybdis”). Included are the following: a plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering chapters 8 through 11; a set of close reading analysis questions pertaining to a significant passage from chapter 8; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource may serve as the basis for 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
Explore how the author establishes a supernatural atmosphere
Apply knowledge of literary devices including irony and sibilance
Discern the most logical interpretation of the author’s intent
Explore character motivations and modes of thinking
Discern the most logical inference regarding Ulysses’ feelings toward the gods
Analyze the author’s word choices to better understand how they influence meaning
Isolate a false statement about plot from correct statements
Evaluate reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this bundle of resources covering chapter seven of The Adventures of Ulysses by Bernard Evslin (“Circe”). Included are the following: a plot-based, multiple choice quiz; an alternate short answer quiz option; a set of close reading analysis questions pertaining to a significant passage; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource may serve as the basis for 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:
Discern the reason for Ulysses’ reluctance in terms of advancing toward the castle
Apply knowledge of literary concepts including internal conflict and personification
Discern the significance of the white deer’s appearance
Define complex words and phrases in the context of a passage
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials
Determine which given adjective is most suitable to Ulysses in context
Explore the setting’s influence on Ulysses’ psychological state
Discern a logical inference in context
Isolate a false statement about plot from correct statements
Evaluate reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this bundle of resources covering chapters 4 through 6 of The Adventures of Ulysses by Bernard Evslin (“The Cyclops’ Cave,” “Keeper of the Winds,” and “Cannibal Beach”). Included are the following: a plot-based, multiple choice quiz; an alternate short answer quiz option; a set of close reading analysis questions; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with this resource, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words as they are used in a given passage
Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing, dramatic irony, and simile
Apply knowledge of sound devices including sibilance
Locate relevant textual details in support of the claim that Ulysses was the only crew member with the ability to think critically in the face of danger
Examine how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact with one another
Select the most appropriate synonym for a word as it is used in the novel
Isolate a true statement about plot from a set of false statements
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this bundle of resources covering the prologue through chapter 3 of The Adventures of Ulysses by Bernard Evslin. A multiple choice, plot-based quiz is included along with a set of rigorous, high-order questions. Answer keys are also provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with this resource, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Examine the author’s phrasing in order to make logical inferences about character motivations
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact with one another
Discern the nature of character relationships
Select the best synonym for a given word as it is used in the text
Apply knowledge of foreshadowing
Evaluate reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this bundle of resources for teaching Lord of the Flies by William Golding (chapter 12). A multiple choice, plot-based quiz is included along with a set of rigorous, high-order questions. Answer keys are also provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with this resource, students will:
Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze how complex characters interact and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices (personification, aposiopesis, sibilance, and situational irony)
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language
Make logical inferences about character behavior
Analyze character intentions and motivations
Analyze the author’s craft to articulate how the incorporation of frequent em-dashes contributes to storytelling
Articulate the significance of a given detail
Conduct brief research on the author and identify examples of autobiographical parallel
Identify textual evidence in support of a claim
Write with clarity and precision
Evaluate reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this bundle of resources for teaching Lord of the Flies by William Golding (chapter 11). A multiple choice, plot-based quiz is included along with a set of rigorous, high-order questions. Answer keys are also provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with this resource, students will:
Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze how complex characters interact and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices (personification)
Discern the greater significance of a given detail
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language
Make logical inferences about character behavior
Analyze character intentions and motivations
Define complex words and phrases in context
Identify textual evidence in support of a claim
Evaluate reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this bundle of resources for teaching Lord of the Flies by William Golding (chapter 10). A multiple choice, plot-based quiz is included along with a set of rigorous, high-order questions. Answer keys are also provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource may serve as the basis for 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:
Discern what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze how complex characters interact and develop
Apply knowledge of various literary devices (metaphor, simile, personification, imagery, situational irony, and syncope)
Make logical inferences about Ralph’s psychological state in the context of a passage
Explore character motivations
Discern the greater significance of a given detail
Explain how a given phrase is a euphemism and why the author chose to employ this device
Articulate the purpose of Wilfred’s brutal punishment in terms of plot development
Identify textual evidence in support of a claim
Write with clarity and precision