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.
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
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, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Tree” by H.P. Lovecraft features plot elements consistent with the aforementioned genres: allusions to Greek mythology, inexplicable vanishings, the personification of inanimate objects, and more. This multiple choice quiz covering “The Tree” 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 role of the beekeeper
The protagonists’ jobs
The nature of the relationship between the protagonists
The artistic inspirations of each individual protagonist
The Tyrant of Syracuse’s motivations
The goddess whom the Tyrant wishes to honor
Kalos’ reaction to his grave illness
The request Kalos makes of his friend upon his death
The promise Musides makes to Kalos prior to his death
The length of time it takes Musides to complete his assigned task
Peculiar characteristics of the tree
The fate of Musides and his work
For many high school readers, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “Polaris” by H.P. Lovecraft features plot elements consistent with the aforementioned genres: a narrator of questionable sanity, a dreamscape setting, the conflict between imagination and reality, and more. This multiple choice quiz covering “Polaris” 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 home
Medical conditions from which the protagonist suffers
Setting
The role of the Inutos
The strange qualities of the protagonist’s dreams
The narrator’s strengths and weaknesses in the context of the war
The job assigned to the protagonist
The narrator’s observations of Polaris
How the narrator fails his people
The resolution
For many high school readers, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Doom that Came to Sarnath” by H.P. Lovecraft features plot elements consistent with the aforementioned genres: the plundering of a race of lizard people, shadows that seemingly originate from the moon, the vanishing of an entire city, and more. This multiple choice quiz covering “The Doom that Came to Sarnath” (estimated Lexile Measure of 1300-1400) 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 name Sarnath used to be known by
A physical description of the beings who once inhabited the area
The name of the beings’ leader
The object worshiped by the beings
The value humans saw in this region
The fate of the strange beings and the object they worshiped
The function of the amphitheater
The celebration humans held in commemoration of genocide
A strange event that takes place annually
The amount of time that has passed since the killing of the beings
The fate of the kings and their noblemen
The resolution
For many high school readers, horror and psychological fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Sphinx” by Edgar Allan Poe features plot elements consistent with both genres: a cholera epidemic, social isolation, omens, fear of death, and more. This multiple choice quiz covering “The Sphinx” 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 nature of the epidemic
The location of the epidemic
The narrator’s current location
The length of time the narrator is away from home
The relationship of the narrator to his roommate
General character descriptions
The narrator’s beliefs concerning omens
The narrator’s obsessive tendencies
The narrator’s frightening observation
The reason the narrator was mistaken in his observation
The roommate’s evaluation of the narrator in the resolution
Measure reading comprehension and support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of analysis questions on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “Sweet Ermengarde,” also known as “The Heart of a Country Girl.” A variety of reading question types facilitates preparation for standardized testing scenarios. With an estimated Lexile Measure of 1000-1100, this text and its corresponding guided reading worksheet are appropriate additions to any high school short story unit, especially at the 9th and 10th grade levels. 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 activity, students will demonstrate the following:
An ability to analyze context clues and draw logical inferences about characterization/character motivations
An ability to analyze the text for sexist tropes and articulate their claims rationally and convincingly
An ability to analyze the significance of an object in the context of the plot
An ability to find and articulate relevant details in the text
An ability to apply knowledge of literary devices to the text with an emphasis on how the author employs internal conflict, situational irony, and dramatic irony
An ability to analyze potential interpretations of the story’s title with an emphasis on its irony
Support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of analysis questions on the short story “Simeli Mountain” by the Brothers Grimm. A detailed answer key and a copy of the public domain short story are included. The narrative has an estimated Lexile measure of 1200-1300, making it an appropriate addition to a short story or fantasy literature unit at the high school level. 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
Define complex words and phrases in context
Explain how situational irony is applied in the text
Apply knowledge of consonance to the text
Articulate the protagonist’s internal conflict in context
Infer what the protagonist’s internal conflict reveals about his sense of morality
Locate textual evidence in support of the claim that the protagonist practices moderation
Make logical inferences about character motivations
Explain how dramatic irony is applied in the text
Examine cause-and-effect relationships
Analyze character actions to discern what they reveal or reinforce about their characterization
Apply knowledge of metaphor to the text
Articulate the significance of a given detail
Explain how poetic justice is carried out
Articulate relevant themes
Write with clarity and precision
Support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of comprehension and analysis questions on “The Three Languages,” a short story by the Brothers Grimm. A variety of question types facilitates the process of analyzing character motivations, examining how word choices influence a reader’s interpretations, applying knowledge of literary devices, and articulating ideas in writing with clarity and precision. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story, which has an estimated Lexile Measure of 1100-1200, are included. 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 and implicitly
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity and precision
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including situational irony, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, and alliteration
Verify interpretations of words and phrases using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus
Make logical inferences about character motivations
Discern tone in context
Isolate a true statement among falsehoods
Make and defend logical inferences about character behaviors and motivations
Articulate what the narrative suggests about the power of effective communication
Support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of comprehension and analysis questions on the short story “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” by the Brothers Grimm. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative, which has an estimated Lexile measure of 900-1000, 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 engaging with these materials, students will:
Demonstrate general comprehension of the plot
Analyze the author’s craft to determine how diction affects the reader
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on foreshadowing, metaphor, and dramatic irony
Analyze character actions to draw reasoned inferences about interests and motivations
Write with clarity and precision
Support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of comprehension and analysis questions on the short story “The Giant and the Tailor” by the Brothers Grimm. 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. The short story has an estimated Lexile range of 900 to 1000, making it an appropriate supplement to fantasy fiction and fairy tale units for high school. An answer key and copy of the public domain text are included. 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 and implicitly
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity and precision
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including situational irony, dramatic irony, and sibilance
Define complex words, phrases, and concepts (credulity)
Verify interpretations of words and phrases using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus
Make logical inferences about character motivations
Discern tone in context
Paraphrase dialogue
Isolate a true statement among falsehoods
Defend whether the giant’s description of being “clownish and stupid” is fair
Articulate a lesson this narrative teaches about interpersonal relationships
For many high school readers, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Doom that Came to Sarnath” by H.P. Lovecraft features plot elements consistent with the aforementioned genres: the plundering of a race of lizard people, shadows that seemingly originate from the moon, the vanishing of an entire city, and more. This rigorous worksheet covering “The Doom that Came to Sarnath” (estimated Lexile Measure of 1300-1400) 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 close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Determine the function of a given paragraph
Provide a detailed description of a group of characters
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Analyze nuances in words with similar definitions
Make logical inferences about character motivations
Analyze how complex characters think, behave, and interact
Examine the author’s intent
Articulate the significance of a given detail
Apply knowledge of literary devices such as foreshadowing
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Save time, support improved reading stamina, and measure general reading comprehension with this printable quiz on the short story “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this multiple choice assessment makes it easier to quickly and efficiently gather data on student recall and reading habits. An answer key is provided. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Setting
Character motivations
The protagonist’s marriage
General characterization of the old man
The protagonist’s psychological and emotional states
General characterization of Goody Cloyse
Ominous observations
A surprising discovery about the protagonist’s wife
The resolution
Save time, support improved reading stamina, and measure general reading comprehension with this printable quiz on the fairy tale “Fitcher’s Bird” by the Brothers Grimm. Given the dark nature of its plot, this narrative is best suited for a high school setting and makes a compelling addition to units covering genres such as horror and supernatural fantasy. Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this multiple choice assessment makes it easier to quickly and efficiently gather data on student recall and reading habits. An answer key is provided.
By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The wizard’s false identity and nefarious motives
The forbidden room and its gruesome contents
The consequences facing any child who enters the forbidden room
The object that indicates to the wizard that he has been betrayed
The breaking of a cycle
Reincarnated characters
The wizard’s engagement
The wizard’s travels and why they are at risk of delay
How the wizard’s wife-to-be plans the ultimate betrayal
The third sister’s disguise
The fate of the wizard and his associates
Help middle and high school students improve fluency, stamina, and text comprehension with a brief, engaging fairy tale titled “The Seven Ravens” by the Brothers Grimm. A plot-based quiz is provided to measure reading comprehension, along with an answer key. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
A character’s personal tragedy
A character’s reaction to personal tragedy
Character intentions
Consequences of actions
Cause-and-effect situations
Setting
The resolution
Help middle and high school students improve fluency, stamina, and text comprehension with a brief, engaging fairy tale titled “The Singing Bone” by the Brothers Grimm. A plot-based quiz is provided to measure reading comprehension, along with an answer key. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The cause of great terror in the kingdom
The king’s promise to anyone who solves the kingdom’s problem
General character descriptions
The king’s instructions to a pair of brothers
A gift given to one of the brothers
A shepherd’s discovery
The fate of both brothers
Help middle and high school students improve fluency, stamina, and text comprehension with a brief, engaging fairy tale titled “The Hare and the Hedgehog” by the Brothers Grimm. A plot-based quiz is provided to measure reading comprehension, along with an answer key and copy of the public domain narrative (estimated Lexile Measure of 1000-1100). Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Point of view
Setting
Character actions and descriptions
The hedgehog’s insecurity
The wager between the hare and the hedgehog
The wife’s role in the hedgehog’s plan
The fate of the hare
Theme
For many high school readers, science fiction, supernatural fiction, and horror are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “From Beyond” by H.P. Lovecraft is a compelling short story that features elements consistent with those genres: advanced technology, parallel realities, alien life, and more. This multiple choice quiz on “From Beyond” 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:
Crawford Tillinghast’s beliefs
The purpose of an advanced machine
The narrator’s connection to Tillinghast
The narrator’s advice for Tillinghast
The physical transformation of Tillinghast
The location of Tillinghast’s lab
The effects of the machine on the narrator
The narrator’s emotional reaction to his supernatural experiences
Tillinghast’s advice for staying safe
The collective fate of Tillinghast’s servants
Peculiar creatures surrounding the characters
The fate of the machine
Tillinghast’s apparent cause of death
The police officers’ assumptions about the narrator