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.
This summative assessment complements a Grimms’ fairy tales unit with emphasis on application of literary devices, examination of character motivations, and synthesis of textual details to perform thematic analysis.
In addition to 50 objective questions, the test includes a writing prompt requiring students to select three texts from which to draw textual evidence in support of analytical thinking. The core objective of the essay is to demonstrate an ability to identify a common theme among three texts and synthesize textual details with clarity and precision to elaborate upon the shared theme. A Common Core-aligned rubric for evaluating student writing is included in addition to the objective portion’s answer key.
Fourteen short stories are covered, and copies of each are included (listed in order of estimated Lexile Measure):
“The Dog and the Sparrow” (700-800)
“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (800-900)
“Clever Gretel” (900-1000)
“The Twelve Dancing Princesses” (900-1000)
“Cinderella” (1000-1100)
“Rumpelstiltskin” (1000-1100)
“The Elves and the Shoemaker” (1000-1100)
“The Four Clever Brothers” (1000-1100)
“The Seven Ravens” (1000-1100)
“Donkey Cabbages” (1100-1200)
“The Frog King” (1100-1200)
“The Juniper Tree” (1100-1200)
“The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage” (1100-1200)
“Sleeping Beauty” (1200-1300)
This summative assessment measures reading comprehension of The Dead and The Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer. It also assesses a student’s ability to write claims in an analysis of the text and its characters using valid reasoning and sufficient evidence. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. A breakdown of content follows.
Part 1. Character Identification.
This matching section features 20 total questions, all of which pertain to the characters of Alex, Briana, Julie, Carlos, Mami, Papi, Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Lorraine, Kevin, Chris, Father Franco, Father Mulrooney, Sister Rita, and Harvey.
Part 2. Plot Recall.
This multiple choice section features 12 total questions. Students must demonstrate that they recall key incidents that occurred throughout the novel.
Part 3. Literary Term Application.
In this multiple choice section featuring 8 total questions, students will be presented with a textual detail that relates to a common literary device, such as foreshadowing, symbolism, metaphor, simile, antagonist, static character, dynamic character, dramatic irony, irony of result, theme, personification, complication, and more. Students must match the appropriate literary device to the given detail.
Part 4. Essay Writing.
Students must choose one of two prompts and write a thoughtful analysis of a character who demonstrates either the character trait of adaptability or perseverance. The student must use sufficient and compelling textual evidence to support their claims and may choose to relay personal anecdotes within their response.
This summative test covers William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and includes an answer key, as well as a standards-based rubric for scoring essays. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By administering this assessment, teachers will evaluate students’ abilities to do the following:
Demonstrate knowledge of aspects of drama including relevant vocabulary and historical context
Demonstrate knowledge significant characters and the key aspects of their lives
Demonstrate knowledge of significant events that transpire
Identify the context of meaningful quotations in the play
Apply knowledge of a variety of literary devices applied in the novel including hyperbole, metaphor, situational irony, dramatic irony, verbal irony, and more
Respond to an essay prompt requiring students to evaluate tragic mistakes characters make
Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims made in an academic essay
Conclude a unit on To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee with this printable summative test. An answer key is included. All materials are delivered in both Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate an ability to:
Correctly identify characters based on a given description or detail
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, simile, personification, allusion, internal conflict, dynamic character, hyperbole, and more
Identify the speaker and articulate the greater significance of a given quotation
Write a brief essay in which students defend a claim with relevant textual evidence and adhere to the standard conventions of written English
Mythological fiction is a genre that appeals to the imaginations of many middle and high school students. 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. With this summative test covering the entire novel, English teachers will be able to evaluate students’ comprehensive text comprehension and ability to analyze key characters, plot developments, and themes. An answer key is provided, and all materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
This assessment covers the following:
Athena’s aid along the journey
Ulysses brilliant trick
Achilles’ warrior status and weakness
Menelaus’s call to arms
Poseidon’s relationship to Polyphemus
The faithful wife of Ulysses
Helen’s reputation
The enormous whirlpool
Paris’s judgment
A faithful, old dog
A loyal swineherd
Circe’s peculiar abilities
Hyperion’s background
Morpheus and the lotus flowers
Helen’s suitors
Aeolus’ efforts to help Ulysses
Hermes’ role in Ulysses’ journey
The gullibility of Polyphemus
A blind prophet
The peculiar talents of the sirens
Eurycleia’s discovery
Telemachus
Alcinous’s assistance
Nausicaa’s revelation
Poseidon’s ire
The winner of a contest
A character’s disguise
Foreshadowing
External conflict/internal conflict
Antagonist
Situational irony
Dramatic irony
Theme
Dynamic character
And more
Help students better understand the historical context of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah and facilitate the process of researching topics related to Sierra Leone with this low-prep, standards-based resource. Students will choose from thirty relevant subjects—the deposing of Siaka Stevens’ government, the Revolutionary United Front, illegal diamond mining, the West Side Boys, and All People’s Congress 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 text
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
Promote student choice and facilitate the process of researching scientific and societally significant topics from beginning to end with this low-prep, standards-based resource pertaining to the novel Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Students will choose from more than a dozen topics—Yellowstone’s supervolcano, Hurricane Katrina, the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, and nuclear disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima to name a few—and navigate academically appropriate sources with the goal of teaching their peers about their topics. 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 source work, 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 findings verbally, using their own words
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
For many high school readers, realistic and multicultural fiction are genres that maximize relatability and engagement with literature. “The Good Deed” by Pearl S. Buck is a realistic short story that exposes high school readers to different cultural perspectives on marriage and family dynamics. With this challenging worksheet composed of high-order questions, English 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
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including situational irony, dramatic irony, aposiopesis, antonomasia, and more
Analyze how complex characters think, behave, and interact
Make logical inferences based on characterization details provided by the author
Articulate the symbolic value of a particular object
Evaluate whether young Mr. Pan exhibits rational or irrational behaviors when handling emotionally intense situations
Identify examples of old Mrs. Pan’s culture shock
Choose the best synonym to replace a word as it is used in the story
Analyze nuances in words with similar meanings
Explore the intended effect of the author’s phrasing
Articulate Lili’s internal conflict
Discern the greater significance of a seemingly insignificant detail
Choose a statement with which a character is most likely to agree
Isolate details that suggest a favorable outcome
Examine old Mrs. Pan’s transformation into a dynamic character
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Promote student choice and facilitate the process of researching scientific and societally significant topics from beginning to end with this low-prep, standards-based resource complementing Feed by M.T. Anderson. Students will choose from more than twenty research prompts—addressing ideas such as commercial space travel, genetic engineering, environmental disasters, and the implications of irresponsible social media usage—and navigate academically appropriate sources with the goal of teaching their peers about their topics. 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
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
Conclude a unit on 1984 by George Orwell with this printable summative assessment. Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this test includes 65 multiple choice questions. In addition to objective questions on character, plot, literary devices, and passage analysis, an essay section is featured, requiring high school students to analyze plot development, character development, and theme development. An answer key is included with sample essay responses.
By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate an ability to:
Correctly identify characters based on given details and descriptions
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, simile, personification, oxymoron, allusion, situational irony, and more
Analyze passages and make logical inferences in the context of those passages
Write two brief essays in which students defend claims with relevant textual evidence and adhere to the standard conventions of written English
Conclude a unit on William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice with this fifty-question test delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. An answer key is included. This assessment is divided into four sections and breaks down as follows.
Part 1. Multiple choice. Students will demonstrate knowledge of character and plot details.
Part 2. True/False and Either Or. Students will identify whether a statement is true or false, or they will identify the correct option between two choices.
Part 3. Matching. Students will match an excerpt with its appropriate context.
Part 4. Multiple choice. Students will be given a detail or excerpt and must determine which literary device is best reflected.
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this set of three plot-based quizzes covering H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “The Call of Cthulhu.” This set of materials may double as guided reading handouts to promote active engagement with fiction. Answer keys and a copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The identity of the narrator
The narrator’s relation to Angell
Angell’s profession
The true cause of Angell’s death
General assumptions about the nature of Angell’s death
The narrator’s inheritance
Characteristics of the sculpture the narrator receives
The identity of a young sculptor
A general character description of Wilcox
The effects of a natural disaster
Angell’s curiosity about Wilcox
The reason Wilcox stops visiting Angell
The narrator’s attitude toward Wilcox
The collective experiences of artists and authors
Legrasse’s home base
Characteristics of the idol Legrasse possesses
The academics’ collective reaction to the idol
Professor Webb’s travels
Legrasse’s account of the cultists
Characteristics of the idol the cultists appear to worship
The cultists’ name for bizarre beings
The supposed origin of the strange beings
The current location of the bizarre beings
The manner of communication between the beings and humans
The beings’ specific messages for humanity
The cultists’ belief concerning the fate of humanity
The narrator’s belief concerning his great uncle’s death
The name of an important newspaper
The content of an article in the newspaper
The name of a ship Johansen and his peers attack
The narrator’s travels around the world
The identity of a Johansen relative whom the narrator meets
The true cause of Johansen’s death
What the narrator receives as a result of his visit to Norway
The bizarre characteristic of a city Johansen visits
The comparison between Cthulhu and a Greek mythological figure
Events leading to Briden’s death
A major decision Johansen makes
The result of the major decision
What the narrator decides to do with the records he has acquired
The narrator’s assessment of his own fate
Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this set of three rigorous worksheets covering H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “The Call of Cthulhu,” a narrative of special appeal to those interested in horror, science fiction, and the supernatural. Each worksheet corresponds to a particular section of the story (“The Horror in Clay,” “The Tale of Inspector Legrasse,” and “The Madness from the Sea”). Answer keys and a copy of the public domain text are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
These resources may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using these resources for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging with these close reading activities, students will:
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Determine the tone of a particular passage
Discern the author’s intent and its effect on readers.
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Apply knowledge of literary devices including idiom, euphemism, simile, metaphor, invective, personification, hubris, hyperbole, and onomatopoeia
Draw parallels between “The Call of Cthulhu” and the epic The Odyssey
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
Eliminate assessment planning responsibilities and evaluate high school students’ knowledge of plot and literary craft with this summative test covering William Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear. An answer key is included, as well as a standards-based rubric for scoring a thematic essay response tied to a significant quotation (“Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides, / Who covers faults at last with shame derides”). Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students are responsible for demonstrating an understanding of the following characters, details, concepts, and quotes:
Cordelia
Goneril
Regan
King Lear
Edmund
Edgar
Kent
Albany
Cornwall
The Fool
Gloucester
Oswald
The King of France
Tom of Bedlam
The play’s setting
Edmund’s status as an illegitimate child and associated consequences
Edmund’s promotion to Earl of Gloucester
Cornwall’s torture of Gloucester
Edgar’s philosophies on life
Edmund’s desire to kill his father
King Lear’s epiphany regarding power and its benefits
King Lear’s imprisonment
Metaphor
Simile
Foreshadowing
Situational irony
Dramatic irony
Paradox
Alliteration
Hyperbole
Personification
Internal conflict
External conflict
Dynamic character
Symbolism
“Nothing will come from nothing.” (Act 1, scene 1)
“I love your Majesty / According to my bond; no more no less.” (Act 1, scene 1)
“Let his knights have colder looks among you.” (Act 1, scene 3)
“Fortune, good night; smile once more; turn thy wheel!” (Act 2, scene 2)
“The younger rises when the old doth fall.” (Act 3, scene 3)
“I will have my revenge ere I depart this house.” (Act 3, scene 5)
“Out, vile jelly!” (Act 3, scene 7)
“I have no way, and therefore want no eyes; / I stumbled when I saw.” (Act 4, scene 1)
“Was this a face / To be opposed against the warring winds?”(Act 4, scene 7)
“You have some cause; they have not.”(Act 4, scene 7)
“Ripeness is all.” (Act 5, scene 2)
“My master calls me, I must not say no.” (Act 5, scene 3)
Eliminate assessment planning responsibilities and evaluate high school students’ knowledge of plot and literary craft with this summative test covering William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. An answer key is included, as well as a standards-based rubric for scoring essays in response to a prompt about Macbeth’s moral deterioration and the variables contributing to it. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
This low-prep, standards-based project helps high school students investigate topics and deliver informative speeches related to Michael Crichton’s science fiction novel Jurassic Park. It also helps students contextualize the events of the novel by calling attention to 30 relevant topics - from scientific advancements (such as the cloning of Dolly the sheep and the sequencing of human genes) to scientific theories (such as those involving efforts to achieve de-extinction and those seeking to understand the parenting methods of dinosaurs), and from humanity’s influence on its environment (such as the effects of plastic bag pollution and nuclear fallout) to ethical dilemmas (such as humanity’s tendency to treat animals as commodities). Supporting materials, such as a detailed scoring rubric, are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Evaluate general reading comprehension and sharpen students’ critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this plot-based quiz and close reading worksheet on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “From Beyond,” a piece featuring numerous compelling elements for high school students: alien life, advanced technology, parallel realities, and more. Answer keys and a copy of the narrative are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings
Infer the intended effects of the authors’ word choices and narrative techniques
Determine the function of a given passage
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing, situational 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
This end-of-unit test covers ten short stories for high school: “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, “The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs, “There Will Come Soft Rains” by Ray Bradbury, “The Good Deed” by Peal S. Buck, “The Devil and Daniel Webster” by Stephen Vincent Benet, “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry, “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” by Katherine Anne Porter, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” by Mark Twain, “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and “A Journey” by Edith Wharton. A test prep guide, answer key, and standards-aligned essay rubric are provided. All materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will:
Match the author’s name to his or her work
Demonstrate knowledge of primary and secondary characters and the key aspects of their lives
Demonstrate knowledge of significant events that take place in a variety of stories
Relate themes to narratives
Match relevant vocabulary terms to their definitions
Respond to a thematically significant essay prompt
Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims made in an academic essay