For many high school readers, fairy tales and fantasy fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. This bundle focuses on five short stories by Hans Christian Andersen: “The Little Mermaid,” “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” and “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Red Shoes,” and “The Buckwheat.” English teachers may use these resources as tools for evaluating general reading comprehension, supporting the development of close reading analysis skills, and promoting homework accountability. Included are the following: multiple choice, plot-based quizzes for each narrative; close reading analysis activities for each narrative; answer keys; and copies of each public domain short story. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this bundle of quizzes covering the entirety of Sandra Cisneros’ novel The House on Mango Street. Answer keys are provided, and all materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. A breakdown of content follows. Quiz (Sections 1-4). The assessment covers sections titled “The House on Mango Street” through “My Name.” Questions pertain to the following key details: ♦ The reason behind the family’s move ♦ The qualities/description of the new house ♦ The smell of her mother’s hair ♦ The lack of interaction among boys and girls in the community ♦ Esperanza’s frustrations with spending time with Nenny ♦ Esperanza’s desire to have a best friend ♦ The origin of Esperanza’s name ♦ Esperanza’s personal feelings about her name ♦ The Chinese year of the horse and its superstitious meaning to women ♦ Cultural views on women (Chinese and Mexican) ♦ Esperanza’s great grandmother and her arranged marriage Quiz (Sections 5-9). The assessment covers sections titled “Cathy Queen of Cats” through “Meme Ortiz.” Questions pertain to the following key details: ♦ Cathy’s claims ♦ Cathy’s impending move and her alleged reason why her family is moving ♦ The irony of Cathy’s claim ♦ A purchase Esperanza makes with her friends Lucy and Rachel ♦ How Esperanza accumulated enough funds to make the purchase ♦ Esperanza’s realization about how well Nenny understands her ♦ A visit to the junk store ♦ A music box ♦ How Meme broke both of his arms Quiz (Sections 10-13). The assessment covers sections titled “Louie, His Cousin & His Other Cousin” through “There Was an Old Woman She Had So Many Children She Didn’t Know What to Do.” Questions pertain to the following key details: ♦ Louie and his car accident ♦ Marin’s Puerto Rican boyfriend and her future relationship goal ♦ Marin’s background ♦ Esperanza’s lack of knowledge about other communities leading to fear of those communities ♦ Rosa’s background and personal struggles ♦ A description of the Vargas children ♦ A death resulting from a horrible fall ♦ The significance of the idea of flying, which repeats throughout the story Quiz (Sections 14-17). The assessment covers sections titled “Alicia Who Sees Mice” through “The Family of Little Feet.” Questions pertain to the following key details: ♦ Alicia’s commitment to her education ♦ The mice who roam at night ♦ Alicia’s at-home responsibilities, according to her father and Hispanic culture ♦ The characterization of Darius ♦ Darius’s intriguing assessment of a cloud ♦ What incites an argument among Esperanza and her friends ♦ A gift of high-heeled shoes ♦ How the girls are treated by several men ♦ The characterization of Esperanza and who she is similar to in terms of her goals and personal interests Quiz (Sections 18-21). The assessment covers sections titled “A Rice Sandwich” through “The First Job.” Questions pertain to the following key details: ♦ Mom’s note ♦ Esperanza’s desire not to eat lunch at home ♦ The nun’s denial of Esperanza’s request ♦ Esperanza’s deep-rooted feelings of shame ♦ Her cousin’s baptism party ♦ Esperanza’s reluctance to dance ♦ Overcoming reluctance ♦ Esperanza’s observation while she dances ♦ A discussion on hips ♦ Esperanza’s similarity to Alicia in terms of a constant search for knowledge ♦ Summer work ♦ Flirting ♦ A distressing kiss Quiz (Sections 22-25). The assessment covers sections titled “Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark” through “Geraldo No Last Name.” Questions pertain to the following key details: ♦ Her father’s emotional breakdown and its cause ♦ Esperanza’s responsibility to explain death to her siblings ♦ Her father’s need to travel to Mexico unexpectedly ♦ A game Esperanza and her friends play, which ultimately causes them strife ♦ A character description of Aunt Lupe ♦ Aunt Lupe’s encouragement of Esperanza’s writing ♦ A visit to the fortune teller ♦ Esperanza’s desire to know whether she will have her own house ♦ Esperanza’s skepticism ♦ The death of Geraldo ♦ Marin’s connection Quiz (Sections 26-29). The assessment covers sections titled “Edna’s Ruthie” through “Four Skinny Trees.” Questions pertain to the following key details: ♦ Ruthie’s friendship with Esperanza and her friends ♦ Ruthie’s marriage ♦ The characterization of Edna ♦ Ruthie and Esperanza’s common interest in writing ♦ The characterization of Earle ♦ Sire, the boy Esperanza likes and her parents dislike ♦ Esperanza’s feelings toward Lois ♦ Esperanza’s sense of self ♦ Esperanza’s comparison to trees ♦ The reason behind the comparison Quiz (Sections 30-33). The assessment covers sections titled “No Speak English” through “Minerva Writes Poems.” Questions pertain to the following key details: ♦ The characterization of Mamacita ♦ The cause of Mamacita’s isolation, according to Esperanza ♦ Esperanza’s father’s personal accounts regarding learning English ♦ Rafaela’s husband and his poor treatment of her ♦ Coconut and papaya juice ♦ The characterization of Sally ♦ Esperanza’s apparent admiration of Sally ♦ An assessment of Sally’s marriage ♦ Similarities between Esperanza and Sally ♦ Sally’s request for advice and Esperanza’s response Quiz (Sections 34-37). The assessment covers sections titled “Bums in the Attic” through “What Sally Said.” Questions pertain to the following key details: ♦ Esperanza’s decision to stop going to look at dream houses and her reasoning ♦ Esperanza’s decision to let bums live in the attic of her future house ♦ Esperanza’s concern that she is not attractive enough ♦ Esperanza’s decision not to surrender her power as a female and how it manifests ♦ Esperanza’s mom and her past ♦ Esperanza’s mom and her comments about being “a smart cookie” ♦ Sally and the abuse she suffers from her father ♦ The reason Sally’s father abuses her ♦ Sally’s attempts to seek safety and Esperanza’s willingness to protect her Quiz (Sections 38-40). The assessment covers sections titled “The Monkey Garden” through “Linoleum Roses.” Questions pertain to the following key details: ♦ A peculiar pet ♦ The garden’s deterioration ♦ Tito stealing Sally’s keys and trying to get her to kiss him ♦ Esperanza’s desire to protect Esperanza, only to put herself in jeopardy ♦ A trip to the carnival ♦ Esperanza’s traumatizing experience ♦ Esperanza’s anger at Sally and women ♦ Sally’s marriage Quiz (Sections 41-44). The assessment covers sections titled “The Three Sisters” through “Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes.” Questions pertain to the following key details: ♦ A community’s show of support following a family death ♦ A palm reading ♦ Esperanza’s impression of the older women ♦ The older women’s advice to Esperanza concerning Mango Street ♦ Esperanza’s conversation with Alicia ♦ Whose responsibility it is to improve Mango Street in the years ahead ♦ Why Esperanza is envious of Alicia ♦ Esperanza’s realization concerning where she belongs

Evaluate general reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and eliminate take-home assessment planning with this bundle of instructional resources covering The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Included are formative quizzes, a summative test, and answer keys. All materials are delivered as both Word Documents and PDFs.

Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this bundle of thirteen quizzes covering the entirety of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Answer keys are provided.

Frontload assigned readings with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 10 vocabulary application activities, 10 crossword puzzles, 10 word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. A total of 122 challenging words are addressed: apprehensively, aristocrat, babbitt, barren, beckon, bemused, bleak, blight, blunder, bluster, bravado, brood, cascade, casually, chitter, clamber, clamor, coarse, contemptuous, corrugated, crossly, cunningly, cynically, deftly, descend, destitute, disconsolate, dissipated, doleful, drably, effluvium, eminent, envy, exclaim, exultantly, feeble, flare, flitter, frayed, fretful, gaunt, giddy, goad, grubby, hasten, hoarse horde, humble, idle, incredulously, indistinct, intently, judiciously, jut, languid, lanky, liable, listlessly, malice, meek, morosely, mutter, nebulous, nimble, oblong, ominously, ornery, parched, perspire, pique, plead, plod, precede, principle, putrescence, quarrel, querulously, ravenously, recede, refuge, relentlessly, relish, reproachfully, restive, retort, reverent, saunter, scornfully, scowl, scurry, shrewd, shrill, shudder, sidle, slup, smugly, sneer, sparse, spindly, squint, stationery, stealthy, stern, stiflingly, stride, subside, sullenly, supplication, swiftly, toil, treacherously, trifle, trot, trudge, unanimous, vague, vehemence, wane, weary, withered, wretched, and wriggle. By engaging with these activities, students will: Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences

Hold students accountable for reading Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird with this bundle of comprehension-based quizzes . Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By completing these assessments, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of the novel: Point of view Setting Jem’s injury The kids’ mother and father Calpurnia’s job Dill Boo Radley’s background The dare Walter Cunningham’s philosophy The effects of the Great Depression on Maycomb’s citizens Scout’s fight The teacher’s reaction to an alarming situation Perception of the Ewells Discoveries in the knothole Jem’s fear for Scout’s life The irony of the discovery of money Dill’s claim of a peculiar talents The rolling tire incident The game the kids play Dill and Scout’s relationship The evolving relationship between Scout and Miss Maudie Theories pertaining to the mystery of Boo Radley Miss Maudie’s impressions of Boo Delivering a note to Boo A contest between Jem and Dill The kids’ decision to sneak to the Radley residence Mr. Radley scaring the kids off How and why Jem lost his pants Dill’s excuse for Jem’s lost pants The lie Jem tells to Atticus What motivates Jem to leave home in the middle of the night Jem’s alarming discovery Items in the knothole Mr. Radley’s heartbreaking attempt to break Boo’s connection to the outside world Miss Maudie’s peculiar reaction to the house fire The blanket wrapped around Scout Scout’s reaction upon a disturbing discovery Beating up Cecil Jacobs Christmas gifts Scout’s punishment Atticus discussing the trial with Uncle Jack The Tim Johnson incident Why the kids dislike Mrs. Dubose Mrs. Dubose’s condition Jem’s misbehavior and subsequent punishment The true purpose behind Jem’s punishment “The bravest person I ever knew” A gift left for Jem Jem’s misunderstanding of Mrs. Dubose’s intent Jem’s moodiness Disappointing news to begin summer The reason for Atticus’s two-week absence The incident involving Eunice Ann Simpson Lula’s treatment of the children The general reaction of the parishioners toward the children Calpurnia’s separate identities Why Alexandra decides to stay with the family Alexandra’s philosophy on what makes “fine” people Aunt Alexandra’s feelings toward Calpurnia The discovery under Scout’s bed Breaking “the code of childhood” Dill’s epiphany regarding Boo Radley’s isolation Jem breaking up the meeting Atticus and Mr. Underwood outside of the jailhouse Jem’s concern for his father The lynch mob How the lynch mob came to disperse Dolphus Raymond as a social outcast The “sad” life of Dolphus Raymond’s children Who arranges for the children to have seats at the trial Judge Taylor’s peculiarity The prosecution’s first witness The significance of Mayella’s injured eye Bob Ewell’s testimony Dramatic irony The significance of Bob Ewell writing his name Mayella’s insubordination Tom Robinson’s injury Tom’s previous run-in with the law Why Tom had to serve 30 days Mayella’s plan to ensure her siblings were not present Scout’s epiphany regarding Mayella’s loneliness Link Deas’s support of Tom Bob Ewell’s comments according to Tom’s testimony Why Tom frequently helped Mayella Mr. Gilmer’s treatment of Tom The major revelation regarding Dolphus Raymond’s condition Atticus’s summation Atticus’s peculiar behavior that surprises the kids Interruption of the court proceedings Jem’s misunderstanding racial prejudice and the justice system The jury’s deliberation The verdict The African American community’s appreciation of Atticus Altercation between Bob and Atticus Alexandra’s strictness Jem’s opinion on Boo’s isolation The missionary circle Mrs. Merriweather’s critical comments Mrs. Merriweather’s hypocrisy Tom’s death The bitter editorial Bob Ewell’s antagonistic behaviors Miss Gates’s hypocrisy Jem’s reaction to the trial’s outcome Strange incidents in Maycomb Atticus’s opinion on Bob Ewell’s malicious behaviors Miss Tutti and Miss Frutti The pageant and how it was ruined Jem’s concerns on the way home The attack Heck Tate’s discovery at the crime scene Jem’s method of arriving home Who saved the kids from Bob’s assault Atticus’s misunderstanding of the story Heck Tate’s version of the story The fairness of hiding the truth Scout’s awareness of why hiding the truth is acceptable Scout’s sadness upon recalling items in the knothole Scout and Atticus’s activity as the novel ends Atticus’s last lesson he teaches Scout before the novel ends

Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this bundle of editable quizzes covering each chapter of Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By taking these assessments, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot: A general description of Ralph The reason for the boys’ presence on the island A general description of Piggy Ralph’s reaction to his surroundings The significance of a conch shell A general description of Jack The election of a leader The reason for the nature of Jack’s interactions with Piggy Ralph’s insensitivity toward Piggy A disruption to the festive atmosphere while exploring the island Ralph’s emphasis on the boys’ need to maintain patience and calm Ralph’s recommendation that rules be established Jack’s reaction to the idea of establishing and enforcing rules A new purpose of the conch shell Reasons for Piggy’s frustration with the boys An unsettling claim by a young boy Ralph’s recommendation that the boys signal for help on the mountain The tool that is used and inadvertently causes a raging fire The boys’ general reaction to the devastating event Jack’s developing talent Ralph’s commitment to manual labor Simon’s general selflessness in comparison to his peers Piggy’s perception of manual labor Ralph’s complaint to Jack about others’ behavior Ralph’s suggestion to Jack regarding new work What Jack and Ralph decide to do despite their resentments Jack’s increasing paranoia Simon’s motive for wandering off The effect of the harsh midday light on the boys The effect of the extreme night darkness on the boys The effect of the jungle fruit on the little 'uns Jack and his fellow hunters’ treatment of the little 'uns How Jack and his fellow hunters show they are becoming more savage Piggy’s desire to make a sundial A sudden observation while at the beach Why the signal fire was extinguished Jack’s response to Piggy’s criticism Jack’s desire to exercise power over Piggy Simon’s selfless deed Ralph’s decision at the end of the chapter The purpose of the meeting Jack’s treatment of the little 'uns The general reception to Jack’s speech Phil’s dreams Simon’s admission The general reception to Simon’s dialogue Ralph’s suggestion of a vote Piggy’s suggestion to Ralph after the boys break away from the meeting Ralph’s feelings toward the idea of resigning from leadership Piggy’s desires Percival’s nightmare A disturbance of the peace The characters assigned to watch the signal fire An fear-inducing incident Allegations involving the beast The reason for Ralph’s apprehension Piggy’s responsibility Ralph’s investigation of the cave The reason for Ralph’s anger toward the boys How the boys have fun Ralph’s nostalgia Simon’s reassuring nature Ralph’s reaction to Simon’s reassurance The nature of Jack’s injury The effect hunting has on Ralph The result of the hunt Robert’s near-death experience Jack’s lack of compassion How Ralph endangers his own life Simon’s volunteerism An exploration of the mountain Jack’s calling of an assembly Information Jack shares with the group Opposition to Jack’s ideas Simon’s suggestion to seek the beast Piggy’s suggestion to improve their odds of rescue Ralph’s reaction to Piggy’s suggestion Boys’ abandonment of Ralph’s faction Piggy’s reaction to the boys’ abandonment of Ralph’s faction The savage behavior of Jack’s faction Jack’s invitation Simon’s peculiar encounter in the jungle Simon’s disturbing experience Ralph and Piggy’s socialization Piggy’s suggestion to join Jack’s faction How Piggy is injured How Ralph and Piggy express disobedience Ralph’s curiosity about the hunters’ lack of storm preparations Participants in the ritualistic dance Simon’s warnings The reaction to Simon’s sudden appearance The fate of the pilot’s corpse Piggy’s explanation of Simon’s death Ralph’s sense of personal accountability Jack’s explanation for the physical appearance of the beast Roger’s status within Jack’s tribe The conflicted feelings of several of Jack’s followers Jack’s warnings to his followers Jack’s plan to steal fire Sam and Eric’s emotional and psychological state The fate of Piggy’s eyeglasses Decisions made at an assembly The purpose of the conch from Jack’s perspective A dangerous discovery at Castle Rock Ralph’s demands of Jack Ralph’s accusations The reason for Jack’s assault of Ralph The nature of Piggy’s death The identity of Piggy’s killer Ralph’s escape The treatment of the twins Ralph’s encounter with the pig’s head The identities of the armed guards Information the armed guards provide to Ralph Jack’s methods of trying to capture Ralph Ralph’s near-death experiences The reason a naval officer is attracted to the island Percival’s loss of identity Claims of leadership Ralph’s emotional state to conclude the novel The naval officer’s reaction to Ralph’s behavior

Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this set of close reading analysis worksheets covering chapters 15 through 27 of Bram Stoker’s Gothic novel Dracula. Answer keys and copies of the relevant chapters, which are in the public domain, are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By completing these close reading activities, students will do the following: Identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed Isolate examples of internal conflict in context Discern the intended effects of the author’s narrative techniques Determine the function of a given passage Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Compare and contrast characters Apply knowledge of various literary devices including situational irony, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, metaphor, and more Conduct brief research on relevant topics Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision And more

This close reading assessment bundle features text-dependent, high-order questions to promote improved reading comprehension and deeper analysis of 1984 by George Orwell. Brief excerpts from the novel are included in accordance with fair use regulations. Answer keys are included, as are Word Document and PDF versions of each resource. By completing these exercises, students will: Discern what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly Define complex words and phrases in context Determine and analyze the development of key ideas and themes, including the effects of mob mentality Analyze how the author’s word choices add to the text’s complexity Apply and articulate knowledge of literary devices and techniques including consonance, assonance, simile, euphemism, onomatopoeia, aposiopesis, and situational irony Activate background knowledge on Nazi Germany’s treatment of the Jews and articulating historical parallels to the Two Minutes Hate Conduct brief research to discern and articulate historical parallels to media manipulation and the falsification of records Analyze textual details to make logical inferences about character fears, behaviors, and motivations Analyze the emphasis on sports impedimenta and articulate how sporting events promote modes of thinking sanctioned by the Party Analyze how the description of setting contributes to the author’s warning on the effects of totalitarianism on the masses Analyze the author’s word choices to discern and articulate how they contribute to the development of plot Analyze an excerpt to discern its primary function Analyze the Party’s behaviors to discern and articulate the Party’s motivations Make logical inferences about the Party’s reasoning for restricting access to razor blades Identify textual evidence in support of the claim that Syme and Winston have grown desensitized to the brutalities of the Party Identify textual evidence in support of the claim that Syme is described like an animal Analyze why the author may have chosen to describe Syme in an animal-like manner Analyze a brief portion of the passage, which features scare quotes, to discern the author’s intent Articulate why the proles could pose a formidable threat to the Party Articulate why the Brotherhood is comparatively and profoundly less powerful than the proles could be Paraphrase what the narrator means by “[r]ebellion meant a look in the eyes, an inflexion of the voice, at the most, an occasional whispered word.” Analyze the symbolic significance of reverberating bells and inferring why the author made reference to them in context Analyze and articulate Winston’s internal conflict(s) Analyze how Winston is personally affected by the singing of the thrush Apply knowledge of assonance and sibilance and analyze how literary devices contribute to text complexity Analyze the characterization of the thrush and compare its situation to that of Winston and Julia, articulating what these characters share in common Identify textual details that contrast the harshness and abruptness typically associated with totalitarian Oceania Analyze the significance of weather conditions in terms of the Party’s goals for Hate Week Analyze textual details to infer the purpose(s) of atrocity pamphlets and the Hate Week theme song Analyze figurative language (“happy as a lark”) to discern and articulate implied meaning as it relates to Parsons Articulate what makes it impossible for Winston or any other individual member to take down the Brotherhood Identify textual evidence to support the claim that Winston admires O’Brien Compare aspects of the Party’s inner-workings to aspects of the Brotherhood’s inner-workings Articulate what a passage reflects about George Orwell’s attitude toward rebellion against dictatorships Articulate the circumstances under which institutions of the past would uphold truth and logic Articulate the purpose of newspapers and other media, as well as why that purpose is significant Articulate the consequences of interminable war Articulate the narrator’s perspective on who the real victims of contemporary war are Articulate Parsons’s beliefs concerning what makes thoughtcrime so dangerous Articulate how Parsons evaluates his effectiveness as a father Identify and explain textual evidence that contribute to Parsons’s pitiful characterization Articulate how an excerpt illustrates the Party’s success in terms of restricting human emotions and complicating human relationships Explain why reality only exists in the collective mind of the Party, according to O’Brien Identify where anaphora is present in the given passage Identify words, phrases, and details that contribute to Winston’s baby-like characterization Infer why the author wished to characterize Winston like a child given the context of the passage Identify textual evidence in support of a claim Use logic and/or textual evidence to support an argument Write with logic, clarity, and precision

Frontload assigned readings with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of Animal Farm by George Orwell. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 10 vocabulary application activities, 10 crossword puzzles,10 word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. A total of 120 challenging words are addressed: articulate, benevolent, blithely, bray, capitulate, clamor, coccidiosis, complicity, conciliatory, contemptuously, continually, contrary, countenance, cryptic, cynical, dart, decree, demeanor, denounce, din, dismay, dissentient, eminent, enmity, ensconce, exclaim, expound, extravagant, falter, feebly, fortnight, frugally, gale, gambol, haughty, hearken, hearty, hoarse, hoist, humble, idle, ignominious, impart, impromptu, incite, indefatigable, indifferent, indignantly, indignation, intently, intermediary, internment, invariably, inventive, irrepressible, knacker, laborious, lamentation, leisure, liable, malignity, manifestly, maxim, misgiving, morose, mournfully, murmur, nimble, obstinate, oration, perpetually, plod, posthumously, preliminary, principle, procure, promptly, prophecy, quarrel, ratify, refuge, reign, rejoice, repose, reproach, restive, retribution, reverent, rheumy, rouse, seclusion, shirk, shrewd, shrill, skirmish, sly, solemn, sturdy, subversive, successive, superannuated, superintendence, taciturn, temper, thwart, timidly, toil, tractable, treachery, trifle, tumult, tyranny, unanimous, unintelligible, vague, waft, weary, whimper, whinny, and wistful. By engaging with these activities, students will: Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences

This comprehensive bundle of materials facilitates the teaching of The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells and includes plot-based quizzes, close reading analysis questions, an end-of-unit test, and answer keys. With these resources, high school English Language Arts teachers may save valuable time outside the classroom without sacrificing rigor inside the classroom. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.

Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and dramatic craft analysis skills with this bundle of formative assessments covering Act 2 of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. A plot-based quiz, nine close reading worksheets (one per scene), 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: Read for literal comprehension Determine the meanings of unfamiliar and archaic words Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and dramatic techniques Describe tone in context Determine the functions of various passages Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Compare and contrast two characters (Jessica and Portia) Consider the motif of the guest-host relationship and argue whether Portia conforms to the expectations of a good host, or whether she fails to meet expectations and represents a bad host Apply knowledge of many literary devices with emphasis on allusion, hyperbole, dramatic irony, situational irony, personification, symbolism, invective, juxtaposition, and metaphor Conduct brief online research (if necessary) to determine the symbolic value of a particular object Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works

Frontload assigned readings with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 10 vocabulary application activities, 10 crossword puzzles, 10 word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. A total of 143 challenging words are addressed: abode, allude, aloft, amble, amends, astray, audacious, barren, befoul, benefactor, benighted, bleak, bleat, blunder, bough, bracken, brute, bulbous, circuitous, clamber, clamor, cleave, commotion, contrived, crossly, dart, decrepit, defray, desolate, detest, dire, dismay, disquieting, dominion, dreary, dubious, eerie, eminent, enmity, estimable, eyrie, falter, famished, feint, fleeting, flummoxed, forbear, ford, foreboding, furtive, gale, giddy, gloaming, gloat, glower, grievous, grimly, guffaw, hasty, haughty, heady, heartily, heedless, hoarse, idle, immense, implore, inquisitive, intently, ire, jest, keen, lament, lichen, loathsome, lofty, lore, lure, memoir, morsel, mournful, multitude, murmur, mutter, nimble, obstinately, oddment, onslaught, outlandish, pallid, pamper, perpetually, plead, plight, plod, plunder, precipice, primly, promontory, prosperous, proverb, purloin, recede, reconciliation, refuge, repose, reverence, revive, ruddy, scabbard, scimitar, scoff, scowl, scurry, seldom, shirk, shrill, smoldering, smote, sneer, solemn, stealthily, surly, taut, timidly, toothsome, treacherous, trifle, trudge, tumult, uncanny, unimpeachable, vagabond, vain, valor, venerable, vexed, wane, wary, wearily, wield, wily, and withered. By engaging with these activities, students will: Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences

Help students go beyond basic comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of 12 close reading inference worksheets covering Lord of the Flies by William Golding. The nature and variety of question types may also facilitate preparation for standardized testing scenarios. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these close reading activities, students will: Read for literal comprehension Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques Determine the functions of given passages Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Contrast Jack’s behavior toward Ralph versus Piggy and evaluate what it indicates about Jack’s mindset Apply knowledge of various literary devices including euphemism, metaphor, simile, personification, imagery, invective, oxymoron, situational irony, and more Conduct brief research on the author and identify examples of autobiographical parallel Conduct brief research on the Greek myth of Prometheus and draw literary parallels between it and Lord of the Flies Consider themes in context Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class better prepared to discuss literature

Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this set of close reading analysis worksheets covering chapters 1 through 14 of Bram Stoker’s Gothic novel Dracula. Answer keys and copies of the relevant chapters, which are in the public domain, are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By completing these close reading activities, students will do the following: Identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed Isolate examples of internal conflict in context Discern the intended effects of the author’s narrative techniques Determine the function of a given passage Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Compare and contrast characters Apply knowledge of various literary devices including situational irony, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, symbolism, metaphor, personification, and more Conduct brief research on relevant topics Come to class better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision And more

Challenge high school students to push beyond basic reading comprehension and exercise close reading analysis skills while engaging with The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. Given the objective nature of the multiple choice questions, each close reading activity is rigorous enough for students to find deeper meaning in the text, yet convenient enough for teachers to quickly and efficiently gather data on their students’ textual analysis skills. Included are twelve close reading worksheets, each addressing an individual scene, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Materials in this bundle 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 the end of the play, students will: 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

Frontload assigned readings with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 12 vocabulary application activities, 12 crossword puzzles, 12 word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. A total of 132 challenging words are addressed: abruptly, antagonism, aromatic, assent, barmy, befoul, bleakly, bough, brandish, bravado, brooding, cascade, ceaseless, clamber, clamor, coarse, complementary, contemptuously, continual, continuous, conviction, corpulent, crepitation, crestfallen, curtly, cynically, dart, daunting, declivity, decorous, derisive, diffidently, dreary, dun, earnestly, ebullience, eccentric, effect, effigy, elephantine, embroiled, emphatic, enmity, ensconce, exult, farthest, feeble, ferocity, fervor, festoon, flare, fleeting, flinch, flitter, flourish, furtive, gaudy, gesticulate, glower, goad, governable, grim, illusive, impervious, incredulous, indignation, ineffectual, inexpertly, inimical, inscrutable, intently, interrogative, iridescent, jeeringly, lamentation, lavatory, leaden, leviathan, liberation, luminous, meekly, minutely, multitudinous, murmur, mutinously, mutter, nimble, obscurity, oppressive, pallidly, pallor, pitilessly, primly, proffer, propitiatingly, quench, rebuke, relentlessly, saunter, scowl, scurry, sensibly, serenade, shrill, shudder, sneer, sodden, solemn, splutter, steadfast, strident, stupendous, subdued, tacit, theological, torrid, tottery, tremulous, ululation, unendurable, ungainly, ungraspable, unhandily, vague, vexed, vicissitude, vivid, wary, waxy, weary, wield, and woebegone. By engaging with these activities, students will: Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences

Frontload assigned readings with these vocabulary games and activities to facilitate comprehension of Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Alternatively, stash these materials in an emergency sub folder to keep students meaningfully engaged in the book during unexpected teacher absences. Included are 13 vocabulary application activities, 13 crossword puzzles, 13 word search games, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. A total of 203 challenging words are addressed: aberrations, abominable, accost, acquiescence, acquittal, acrimonious, adjourn, affluent, aloof, altercation, ambidextrous, amiable, apoplectic, apothecary, appalling, appeal, apprehension, arbitrate, ascertaining, assuage, auspicious, austere, begrudge, benign, bestow, bewilderment, bide, blandly, bleakly, brevity, burdensome, caliber, candid, clad, cleave, commotion, competent, concede, condescension, connive, contemptuous, contentious, convey, corroborative, cowardice, credibility, crude, curt, dainty, denunciation, desolate, diligently, diminutive, discreet, dismay, dreary, duress, eccentricity, editorial, eerily, elucidate, elude, elusive, escapade, evident, evoke, expunge, farthest, fatalistic, feeble, feral, florid, foolhardy, formidable, fretfully, frivolous, furtive, futility, garish, genially, grudge, guilelessness, habiliments, haughty, hearty, hone, idle, illicit, impassive, impertinence, imprudent, incantation, inconspicuous, indict, indigenous, indignant, industrious, infallible, inordinately, inquire, inquisitive, instinctively, iota, irascible, jim-dandy, keenly, libel, malevolent, mausoleum, meditations, meditative, meekly, melancholy, mercifully, meteorological, mollify, morbid, mournfully, murmur, mutter, myopic, nebulous, nondescript, notoriety, obliquely, oblivious, obscure, oppressive, ordeals, palliation, passe, peeved, pensive, perforated, perpetual, perpetuate, persecution, pestilence, pilgrimage, placid, predilection, prerogative, procure, propensity, providence, prowess, purloin, quaint, qualm, ramshackle, rankle, rectitude, reluctantly, reprimand, resolve, reverent, ruefully, scowl, scurry, serene, shrill, sibilant, skulk, sneer, solitary, spurious, stealthily, sternness, stolidly, strenuous, subdued, subtlety, succinct, sulk, tacit, taciturn, tactful, tedious, temerity, timid, tirade, touchous, tranquil, trousseau, trudge, turmoil, tyranny, umbrage, uncouth, undulate, unobtrusive, untrammeled, vague, vapid, varmint, vehemently, venerable, vivid, volition, wary, weary, woes, and wrathfully. By engaging with these activities, students will: Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences

Challenge high school students to push beyond basic reading comprehension and exercise close reading analysis skills while engaging with Othello by William Shakespeare. Given the objective nature of the multiple choice questions, each close reading activity is rigorous enough for students to find deeper meaning in the text, yet convenient enough for teachers to quickly and efficiently gather data on their students’ textual analysis skills. Included are fifteen close reading worksheets, each addressing an individual scene, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By the end of the play, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Analyze the author’s craft, discerning how Shakespeare’s language influences the audience’s perception of Iago Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, simile, allusion, epiphany, foreshadowing, personification, verbal irony, dramatic irony, situational irony, and more Explore themes in the play Discern the tone of given passages Determine the functions of given scenes Articulate the significance of given details Articulate how dialogue contributes to the development of suspense Articulate how the setting contributes to a sense of uncertainty Consider how the imagery of a willow tree is relevant to the content of Desdemona’s song Explore cause-and-effect relationships Cite specific, relevant textual evidence in support of a claim or idea Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Support the development of high school close reading skills and analytical thinking with this bundle of To Kill a Mockingbird resources covering the first 15 chapters of the novel. Featuring more than 125 high-order thinking questions, this bundle offers Word Doc and PDF versions of each individual resource. 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. Make reading more purposeful with these close reading activities to support students in their efforts to demonstrate proficiency in the following areas: An ability to define complex vocabulary in context An ability to analyze context clues and draw logical inferences about character motivations An ability to analyze context clues and draw logical inferences about character relationships An ability to analyze the text for literary devices such as foreshadowing, situational irony, dramatic irony, theme, symbolism, dynamic character, and more An ability to find and articulate relevant textual details in support of a claim An ability to analyze context clues to discern and articulate the significance of a given detail An ability to articulate what the text indicates both explicitly and implicitly An ability to write with clarity and precision