Facilitate active participation in small-group discussions of science fiction literature with this set of literature circle materials for teaching Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. The following are included: a handout detailing student roles, documentation logs to hold students accountable for their tasks, and a standards-based rubric for scoring student performances. Materials are delivered in both Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these literature circle materials, students will do the following: Articulate key details from the story Generate open-ended questions related to the novel in order to carry out meaningful discussions with peers Respond thoughtfully to open-ended questions and others’ contributions to the discussion Document ways in which the novel is consistent with aspects of modern society Locate specific passages and/or quotations that relate to major themes and concepts such as those relating to technology, space travel, the military, and the value of independent thinking Artistically convey important information from the assigned reading Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Conclude a unit on Shakespeare’s Othello with this summative test and answer key. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate general knowledge of character actions, dialogue, and motivations. In addition, they will explore the significance of selected passages and apply knowledge of literary devices such as situational irony and dramatic irony. Finally, students will write with clarity, accuracy, and precision in response to a prompt requiring them to analyze Iago and support the claim that he is a weak villain. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered as printable Word Documents and PDFs.

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 high school students improve fluency, stamina, text comprehension, and close reading analysis of the formal elements of fiction with this resource for teaching “A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett. Additional materials are included to facilitate planning for unexpected teacher absences. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Included are the following: Public domain short story. With an estimated Lexile Measure range of 1200 to 1300, the narrative is a suitable selection for high school English Language Arts classes. Close reading analysis worksheet. By engaging with this exercise, students will articulate what is stated explicitly and implicitly; provide a description of the narrative’s setting; analyze how complex characters think, interact, and behave; explore the dynamic transformation of a character; discern the tone of a given passage; explore cause-and-effect relationships; compare and contrast characters; apply knowledge of literary devices including simile and anthropomorphism; explore how the author achieves effects such as conveying a sense of awe; conduct brief online research; cite textual evidence in support of claims; and write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision. Questions are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Close reading analysis worksheet answer key. Low-prep lesson plan for unexpected absences. This comes pre-filled with learning targets and agenda items. Space is also designated for classroom teachers to identify the name(s) of their class(es), the hour(s) of their class(es), student leaders, and upcoming homework assignments and assessments. Bell ringer activity. Help a substitute teacher engage students (and find time to take attendance) with a thematically linked writing prompt. Miscellaneous performance task handouts. Extend student thinking and learning in the event of unexpected absences with this item outlining creative tasks pertaining to the short story. For example, students may write poetry or journal entries from the perspective of a character; write a brief retelling of the narrative from a different character’s perspective; explore the thematic significance of stories; review the overall quality of the narrative with objectivity and supporting evidence; and more.

For many high school readers, age-appropriate fantasy and fairy tale fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. With this worksheet composed of rigorous questions on “The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Andersen, English teachers will help students extend beyond reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative (estimated Lexile Range 810-1000) are 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 Identify textual evidence in support of claims Write with clarity and precision Identify examples of various literary devices including alliteration, consonance, sibilance, situational irony, dramatic irony, metaphor, personification, inversion, and hyperbole Discern author’s intent Analyze the author’s incorporation of multiple similes to discern and explain what they have in common and what purpose(s) they serve Discern tone in context Identify and explain an example of situational irony in a given passage Articulate why mermaids suffer sadness more strongly than humans Articulate why there is a merry atmosphere aboard the prince’s ship Identify and explain an example of dramatic irony in a given passage Analyze the mermaid’s character to discern how she is naïve Articulate factors that contribute to the little mermaid’s strife Analyze how the little mermaid undergoes dynamic transformation Isolate a factual statement about plot from falsehoods Articulate the obstacles facing the little mermaid, according to her grandmother Make logical inferences about the mermaid’s psychological state given her statements, thoughts, and actions Infer why the little mermaid is most disturbed by the discovery of a mermaid’s skeleton in the sea-witch’s home Analyze the character of the sea-witch to discern how she is portrayed as an antagonist Define words and phrases in the context of a passage Verify interpretations of language using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus Articulate the personal sacrifices the little mermaid will make in order to have a chance at gaining love and an immortal soul Explain what makes a given scenario ironic Analyze the relationship between the little mermaid and the prince to discern and articulate how it is unhealthy Articulate the significance of a given detail or details Analyze the little mermaid’s actions the night before the prince’s wedding to determine which virtues she exhibits Articulate an internal conflict facing the little mermaid Identify what the Daughters of the Air say about the effect of heat on human psychology Explain the irony of the story’s resolution

Looking for high school horror story activities for the Halloween season? Looking for a text to pair with “The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe or a similar narrative? Use this close reading worksheet on H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Hound” to help students go beyond general reading comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading analysis activity, students will: Read for literal comprehension Utilize dictionaries to ensure knowledge of word meanings Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques Compare the opening paragraph of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat” with the opening paragraphs of “The Hound” Describe tone in context Determine the functions of various passages Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of various literary devices including alliteration, euphemism, foreshadowing, imagery, personification, situational irony, and more Conduct research as needed to answer questions about plot Find similarities among the following groups: Symbolists, pre-Raphaelites, and Decadents 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