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.
For many high school readers, realistic, historical, and young adult fiction are genres that maximize relatability and engagement with literature. “Blues Ain’t No Mockin Bird” by Toni Cade Bambara is a short story focusing on a Black family whose ways of life are being infringed upon by opportunistic, politically motivated filmmakers. With this challenging worksheet composed of high-order questions, English Language Arts teachers will help students extend beyond basic reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and save valuable time at home without sacrificing quality and rigor in the classroom. A detailed answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others
Infer character motivations
Articulate the function of a specific character (Cathy)
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including metaphor, idiom, and onomatopoeia
Isolate an example of figurative language from among several options
Choose an opinion with which Granny would most likely agree based on an anecdote she shares with her family
Determine which character or characters are represented in the character of Goldilocks
Identify several ways in which the filmmakers dehumanize Granny and members of her family
Draw parallels between the American folk hero John Henry and the character of Granddaddy Cain
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Fairy tales are not just for elementary readers; even middle and high school students may find fairy tales highly engaging. “The Girl Without Hands” by the Brothers Grimm, also known as “The Maiden Without Hands” and “The Armless Maiden,” is a short story about the plight of a maiden whose poor father makes a bargain that results in her disfigurement and confinement. English Language Arts teachers may assign the Grimms’ tale and administer this editable assessment to evaluate reading comprehension. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The miller’s understanding of his deal with a stranger
The stranger’s underhandedness
The true identity of the stranger
The maiden’s attempts at saving herself
The means by which the maiden loses her hands
The assistance of a guardian fairy
The nature of the relationship between the king and the maiden
The king’s gift to the maiden
The trickery of the wizard and its effect on the king’s relationship with the maiden
The message displayed on the cottage
The reason the maiden’s hands grow back
The length of time the king travels in search of the maiden
The nickname of the maiden’s son
The son’s initial reaction to learning the identity of his father
The resolution
For many high school readers, horror and supernatural fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “Before I Wake” by Jim Cort features elements consistent with both genres: psychological deterioration, heightened emotions, grim imagery, a suspicious death, and more. This multiple choice quiz covering “Before I Wake” helps English teachers promote homework accountability and evaluate reading comprehension. An answer key is included, but since the short story is not in the public domain, purchasers are responsible for acquiring their own copy of the text. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Questions pertain to the following key details:
Leonard Zanelli’s profession
Events preceding David Conklin’s arrest
A fear of falling asleep
Details of Conklin’s terrifying dreams
Physical effects of the dream
Factors contributing to Conklin’s suicide
The medical examiner’s report
Details of Zanelli’s personal letter
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 rigorous worksheet on “In the Vault” helps English teachers 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, secondary 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 students, supernatural fiction is a genre that maximizes engagement with literature. “The Moon Bog” by H.P. Lovecraft features strange beings, mind manipulations, and even implied social criticism of humanity’s greed and treatment of the environment. This rigorous worksheet on “The Moon Bog” helps English teachers 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 explicitly and implicitly
Analyze context clues and draw logical inferences about character mindsets and motivations
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including foreshadowing, situational irony, and dramatic irony
Define complex words as they are used in the text by taking into consideration denotative and connotative meanings
Support responses with relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support the development of close reading skills for middle and high school with this set of comprehension and analysis questions on “The Godfather,” a short story by the Brothers Grimm. The variety of question types will also help prepare students for standardized testing scenarios; emphasis is placed on how the Brothers Grimm use direct description to create a complex narrative with a surreal tone. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story (estimated Lexile measure of 700-800) are provided. This resource is most suitable for a short story unit at the middle school level, and it may also be useful for struggling readers in a high school setting. 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.
Questions pertain to the following:
Identifying what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Demonstrating understanding of the narrative’s surreal tone, identifying several pieces of textual evidence that advances the tone
Exploring character motivations, whether explicitly stated in the text or implied through character actions, and articulating responses clearly
Analyzing character interactions to discern character intent
Responding clearly, concisely, and accurately to analytical questioning
Analyzing textual details to draw inferences and support rational arguments
Applying knowledge of literary devices to the text, articulating how the title is ironic
Exploring cause-and-effect relationships
Writing with clarity and precision
Support the development of close reading skills for high school and facilitate analysis of fiction with this rigorous worksheet on Hans Christian Andersen’s short story “The Leap Frog,” also called “The Leaping Match.” A variety of question types are included to help prepare for standardized testing scenarios: vocabulary-in-context questions, main idea questions, detail questions, author’s craft questions, and more. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative, which has an estimated Lexile measure of 1100-1200, are provided. 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 completing this exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Analyze the author’s craft to discern where and how literary devices are applied including inversion and dramatic irony
Discern cause-and-effect relationships
Analyze the author’s word choices to discern and explain where and how double-denotation is applied
Analyze a character’s statements and beliefs to articulate how they are contradictory
Interpret and explain the meaning of unique phrases in context
Analyze the characters of the king and the frog to discern several qualities they have in common
Discern which theme is best supported by a particular excerpt
Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas
Write with clarity and precision
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Hamlet. With a focus on Act 4, scene 7, this resource saves teachers valuable time without sacrificing academic rigor. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered as printable PDFs and Word Documents.
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 will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.
More specifically, students will do the following:
Discern what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Analyze character statements and behaviors to draw logical inferences about character development and motivations
Determine the tone of a given passage
Determine the functions of a given passage
Isolate a true statement about plot from falsehoods
Apply knowledge of a variety of literary devices including hubris, personification, metaphor, and irony
Provide textual evidence in support of a claim about Claudius
Articulate ideas with clarity and precision
Support the development of high school close reading skills with this set of analysis questions to complement the short story “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. A detailed answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Determine the narrative’s dominant conflict
Analyze how complex characters interact and develop
Explore character motivations
Apply knowledge of literary devices including anaphora, personification, foreshadowing, simile, and onomatopoeia
Articulate the intended effect of the author’s diction in context
Identify several ways in which the author applies the concept of ambiguity to the narrative
Explain how the narrative is consistent with the conventions of Dark Romanticism (Gothic literature)
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Extend reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school with this set of rigorous questions about Shakespeare’s Othello. Focusing on Act 3, scene 2, 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. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
By completing this exercise, students will:
Articulate and analyze what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Make logical inferences in context
Analyze the nature of character relationships
Determine the meaning of complex words and phrases in context
Discern the function of the scene
Articulate how dramatic irony applies to the scene
Write with clarity and precision
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984. Featuring a brief passage about Winston’s dreams from Book 1, chapter 3, this resource saves teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing academic rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered as printable Word Documents and PDFs.
This resource may facilitate 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 with this resource, students will:
Analyze what the text conveys both explicitly and implicitly
Apply knowledge of literary devices including symbolism, metaphor, simile, hyperbole, and juxtaposition
Explore the protagonist’s emotional state in context
Discern the function of a given passage
Identify textual evidence in support of a claim
Activate background knowledge of Shakespeare’s plays in order to convey why Winston says his name as he wakes from his dream
Write with logic, clarity, and precision
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984. Featuring a brief passage about Winston’s subversive inclinations from Book 1, chapter 8, this resource saves teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing academic rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered as printable Word Documents and PDFs.
This resource may facilitate 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 with this resource, students will:
Analyze what the text conveys both explicitly and implicitly
Analyze the author’s use of language to infer his intent
Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification and assonance
Explain the intended effect of personification in context
Analyze character behaviors and interactions for deeper meaning
Determine the function of a given passage
Write with logic, clarity, and precision
Help high school students extend beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering chapter 4 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 the nature of relationships between and among characters
Compare and contrast the characters of Boxer and Snowball
Make logical inferences about character motivations
Apply knowledge of literary devices including onomatopoeia, metaphor, paradox, and situational irony
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 5 of Animal Farm by George Orwell. Delivered in 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
Analyze the nature of relationships between and among characters
Explain the symbolism behind Mollie’s disappearance
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Explore the motif of forbidden pleasures
Discern the greater significance of the windmill debate
Make logical inferences about character motivations
Isolate an example of figurative language
Articulate how Napoleon demonstrates disdain for free speech
Identify and explain an example of situational irony in the context of the chapter
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 6 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 character motivations
Apply knowledge of literary devices such as onomatopoeia
Define complex words and phrases in context
Analyze nuances in word meanings
Compare and contrast characters
Isolate a true statement about plot from a set of falsehoods
Discern the function of the chapter
Write about literature with clarity and precision
Identify several examples of complication in the context of the chapter
Analyze the role language plays in the world of Animal Farm
Articulate the intended effect of scapegoating Snowball
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 7 of Animal Farm by George Orwell. 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
Make logical inferences about characters’ intentions, motivations, and beliefs
Apply knowledge of sonic devices including assonance, sibilance, onomatopoeia, and cacophony
Explain how Napoleon is a dynamic character
Identify an example of foreshadowing in the chapter
Conduct brief research on Joseph Stalin’s regime
Identify historical parallels between Stalin’s leadership and Napoleon’s
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 8 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
Make logical inferences about characters’ intentions and motivations
Analyze a particular detail to infer the author’s intent
Explore how Boxer is becoming a dynamic character
Isolate a true statement about plot from a set of falsehoods
Contrast the Battle of the Windmill with the Battle of the Cowshed
Apply knowledge of literary devices such as hubris
Evaluate the role propaganda plays in the world of Animal Farm
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 9 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
Make logical inferences about characters’ intentions and motivations
Analyze character relationships
Analyze a particular detail to infer the author’s intent
Articulate the irony associated with the word republic
Explore the motif of hypocrisy
Articulate how the pigs demonstrate contradictory thinking and actions
Write about literature with clarity and precision
Justify written responses with reasoning and/or textual evidence
Help middle and high school students improve fluency, stamina, text comprehension, and close reading analysis of the formal elements of fiction with this set of rigorous, text-dependent questions on The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells (book 1, chapters 6 through 10). An answer key is included, as well as a copy of the featured chapters, which are in the public domain. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By completing the close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Explore character development and motivations
Analyze what character actions reveal about their mindset
Analyze how characters interact
Explain the irony of a given detail
Explore how themes are reinforced
Discern the function of a given excerpt
Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification, metaphor, simile, sibilance, hubris, and more
Identify an example of juxtaposition and articulate its effect
Identify an example of foreshadowing
Write clearly, concisely, and accurately in response to analytical questioning
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Help middle and high school students improve fluency, stamina, text comprehension, and close reading analysis of the formal elements of fiction with this set of rigorous, text-dependent questions on The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells (book 1, chapters 11 through 17). An answer key is included, as well as a copy of the featured chapters, which are in the public domain. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By completing the close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Explore character development and motivations
Explore the symbolism of given objects or circumstances
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Explain the irony of a given detail
Apply knowledge of literary devices including onomatopoeia
Discern the function of a given character in the context of a particular chapter
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Compare and contrast characters
Explore the influence of mass media on the public
Consider historical context in relation to the author’s intentions
Discern the function of a given chapter
Write clearly, concisely, and accurately in response to analytical questioning
Cite textual evidence in support of claims