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.
Evaluate general reading comprehension and maximize students’ interest in works of fiction with this quiz covering the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “Simeli Mountain.” Themes addressed include the consequences of greed and the virtues of discipline and modesty. The assessment may otherwise double as a guided reading handout to facilitate engagement with fiction. An answer key and copy of the short story are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The nature of the protagonist’s work
The true name of the mountain
How the mountain opens
A discovery inside the mountain
How the protagonist responds to having new wealth
The nature of interactions between the protagonist and his brother
Why the brother gets stuck inside the mountain
The brother’s fate
And more
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage.” Themes addressed include the importance of teamwork and the consequences of stubbornness. A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: appreciably, boastfully, booty, congenial, dejectedly, elucidate, exacting, forlorn, futile, hasten, plead, recalcitrant, sneer, and unwary.
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
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.” A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: apprehensive, bestow, caper, cavort, counsel, decapitated, decree, draught, earnestly, feign, furtively, heartily, inclined, lethargic, mantle, mar, pulchritudinous, reign, rowdy, scarcely, subterranean, and tremulous.
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, sharpen critical thinking skills, and maximize interest in works of fiction with this bundle of materials for teaching the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “The Elves and the Shoemaker.” The narrative emphasizes the positive effects of performing good deeds for others and is an especially fitting piece during the Christmas and holiday seasons. A plot-based quiz, a close reading inference worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the short story, 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
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings
Choose the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Infer the intended effects of the authors’ word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, simile, hyperbole, allusion, and symbolism
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
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “The Elves and the Shoemaker.” The narrative emphasizes the positive effects of performing good deeds for others and is an especially fitting piece during the Christmas and holiday seasons. A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: ardently, assiduous, bustle, caper, cavort, deftly, doleful, enraptured, furtively, haste, humble, impoverished, industrious, placidly, plenteously, privation, promptly, prowess, and scrutinize.
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
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “Donkey Cabbages.” A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: alms, amiss, contented, contrive, draught, fare, filch, inquire, mantle, scarcely, seldom, thither, treachery, twittering, verily, wander, whence, and zest.
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 middle and high school students improve text comprehension, fluency, stamina, and close reading analysis skills with this bundle of resources for teaching the fairy tale “The Fox and the Horse” by the Brothers Grimm. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of high-order questions; a copy of the public domain short story; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Infer the intended effects of the authors’ word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Evaluate the morality of characters in context
Argue whether the horse could have benefited from giving greater consideration to the fox’s personal motivations
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including anthropomorphism, hyperbole, situational irony, dramatic irony, and sibilance
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching the short story “Priscilla and the Wimps” by Richard Peck. A plot-based quiz, a close reading inference worksheet, 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
Consult reference materials 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 narrative techniques
Determine the function of a given passage
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, invective, situational irony, zoomorphism, and more
Consider themes in context
Write about literature with clarity, precision, and accuracy
Support claims and inferences with relevant evidence and sound reasoning
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Help middle and high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading inference worksheet covering the short story “Priscilla and the Wimps” by Richard Peck. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading 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
Determine the function of a given passage
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, invective, situational irony, zoomorphism, and more
Consider themes in context
Write about literature with clarity, precision, and accuracy
Support claims and inferences with relevant evidence and sound reasoning
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension, facilitate vocabulary development, and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching the short story “The Legend of the Christmas Rose” by Selma Lagerlöf. A plot-based quiz, a close reading worksheet, 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
Consult reference materials 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 word choices and narrative techniques
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony and symbolism
Conduct brief research to articulate historical parallels
Write about literature with clarity, precision, and accuracy
Support claims and inferences with relevant evidence and sound reasoning
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Richard Peck’s short story “Priscilla and the Wimps.” A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: bionic, immense, inclined, laceration, malnutrition, pun, straggler, suitable, trot, and wittiness.
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Selma Lagerlöf’s short story “The Legend of the Christmas Rose.” The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the text. An answer key and copy of the text are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Setting
How the family gets by
A mother’s conversation with an abbot
An abbot’s conversation with an archbishop
An archbishop’s skepticism of a legend
Strange incidents in the forest
General characterization of a lay brother
A tragic incident
The fate of the lay brother
The fate of the family
And more
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Selma Lagerlöf’s short story “The Legend of the Christmas Rose.” A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: adder, ajar, celestial, cloister, coax, delude, derisively, desolate, diligence, haste, haughty, implore, lamentation, larder, malefactor, meek, parish, perdition, peril, plead, promptly, prostrate, reverent, saunter, stalwart, strident, subdue, wander, wane, wayfarer, and zealous.
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering Edgar Allan Poe’s allegory “The Island of the Fay.” The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the text. This piece is a surprising departure from the grotesque and instead focuses more on philosophy and spirituality. An answer key and copy of the text are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The narrator’s appreciation of the natural world
The narrator’s observations
The narrator’s perceptions of humanity
Nature’s effect on humanity
The peculiar qualities of the island
And more
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Ugly Duckling.” A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: agreeable, bound, brood, disposition, endure, fancies, farther, fragrant, hasten, moor, obliged, persecute, plumage, privation, saucy, seldom, spiteful, and whet.
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
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Yasunari Kawabata’s short story “The Jay.” A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: abruptly, assiduously, cataracts, emaciated, foliage, frail, furtively, indignation, intransigence, kimono, nephritis, plaintively, stifle, vaguely, and winsome.
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
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s short story “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.” A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: affliction, antiquarian, catechism, conjectures, decrepit, deign, disperse, exasperated, frivolous, gale, grandeur, haughty, hermetic, impede, impertinence, ingenuous, iridescent, magnanimous, myrrh, parish, penitents, proliferate, prudence, repose, reverence, scarcely, stern, ungainly, and unwary.
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension and sharpen critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching the short story “Early Autumn” by Langston Hughes. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, 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
Utilize dictionaries to ensure knowledge of word meanings
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor and symbolism
Consider themes in context
Write about literature with clarity, precision, and accuracy
Support claims and inferences with relevant evidence and sound reasoning
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Sphinx.” A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: apex, apparition, apprehension, demeanor, diffusion, epoch, fortnight, germination, heartily, knell, liability, omen, principal, proboscis, propinquity, quell, redolent, reign, and temperament.
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