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.
Maximize literary engagement among middle and high school students by assigning a classic fairy tale: “Donkey Cabbages” by the Brothers Grimm. English Language Arts teachers may use this complementary, multiple choice quiz to evaluate general reading comprehension. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The protagonist’s hobby
An old crone’s instructions
The reward of following the old crone’s directions
A major life change
The young witch’s motivations
The location where the protagonist is abandoned
The dangerous inhabitants of the aforementioned location
The purpose of the spell cast upon the protagonist
The means by which the protagonist enters a cabbage patch
The magical properties of the cabbages
The protagonist’s disguise
The fate of the old witch
The protagonist’s change of heart
The resolution
Save time, support improved reading stamina, and measure general reading comprehension with this printable quiz on “The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” a short story by the Brothers Grimm. Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this multiple choice assessment makes it easier to quickly and efficiently gather data on student recall and reading habits. An answer key and a copy of the public domain fairy tale are provided.
By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The clue indicating the princesses leave home every night
The length of time a man has to satisfy the king’s request
A reward for success
A consequence for failure
The method by which the princesses set men up for failure
How an old soldier learns the secret of the princesses
An item that helps the old soldier follow the princesses
The mentality of the youngest princess
Signs that alert the youngest princess that she is being followed
The festive parties attended by the princesses
An item that helps the old soldier prove his success
Save time, support improved reading stamina, and measure general reading comprehension with this printable quiz on “Barbie-Q,” a short story by Sandra Cisneros. Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this multiple choice assessment makes it easier to quickly and efficiently gather data on student recall and reading habits. An answer key is provided.
By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Point of view
The nature of the interactions between the narrator and her friend
The general characterization of the narrator
The reason for the dolls’ flaws
How the girls unexpectedly came into possession of extra toys
The means by which the girls typically acquired clothes for their dolls
The socioeconomic status of the girls’ families
The girls’ feelings toward the flawed toys
The narrator’s implications to conclude the narrative
Save time and measure general reading comprehension with this printable quiz on “A Hunger Artist,” a short story by Franz Kafka. Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this multiple choice assessment makes it easier to quickly and efficiently gather data on student recall and reading habits. An answer key is provided.
By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Point of view
The length of time the artist is known to fast
The location of the artist’s performances
The task of the local butchers
The artist’s self-criticism
The artist’s feelings toward the public
The waning popularity of the artist’s work
The most important quality of the artist’s work from his perspective
A humiliating turn of events for the artist
The reason the artist finds it easy to fast
The artist’s replacement following his death
For many high school readers, realistic, historical, and young adult fiction are genres that maximize relatability and engagement with literature. “Blues Ain’t No Mockin Bird” by Toni Cade Bambara is a short story focusing on a Black family whose ways of life are being infringed upon by opportunistic, politically motivated filmmakers. English Language Arts teachers may administer this editable assessment to promote homework accountability and evaluate students’ reading comprehension. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Point of view
Setting
Characterization in the exposition
Cathy’s relation to the narrator
The upcoming holiday
The content of two filmmakers’ work
Granny’s perception of her husband
Granddaddy’s manner of approaching the filmmakers
The outcome of Granddaddy’s interaction with the filmmakers
Crime fiction appeals to many high school readers and maximizes engagement with literature. “Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl is a darkly comedic short story belonging to a subgenre called revenge fantasy, as it details a husband’s murder at the hands of his wife (and the frozen leg of a lamb). This plot-based quiz covering the short story helps English teachers promote homework accountability and evaluate general reading comprehension—while eliminating take-home assessment planning responsibilities. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in a zip file containing editable Word Documents and printable PDFs. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Point of view
Description of setting
Mary Malone’s general characterization in the exposition
Patrick Malone’s profession
A typical Thursday night for the couple
A surprising turn of events
A deadly weapon
Mary’s behavior immediately following Patrick’s death
Noonan’s general disposition toward Mary
A theory regarding a deadly weapon
Mary’s reaction to eavesdropping on the detectives
For many high school readers, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “Beyond the Wall of Sleep” by H.P. Lovecraft is a compelling short story that features elements consistent with both genres: dreamy aberrations, astral projection, the possession of a human body, and more. This multiple choice quiz on “Beyond the Wall of Sleep” helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate reading comprehension, and save time at home without sacrificing quality in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The narrator’s career
The narrator’s beliefs concerning dreams
Setting
The general characterization of Joe Slater
The effects of Joe Slater’s dreams
How aging affects Joe Slater’s dreams
The fate of Joe Slater’s neighbor
The narrator’s personal feelings toward Joe Slater
A technological achievement
What the narrator shares in common with Joe Slater
The narrator’s primary motivation
Dr. Fenton’s evaluation of the narrator’s psychological state
Eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities, evaluate general reading comprehension, and promote homework accountability with this multiple choice quiz covering “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included. Materials are delivered in a zip file containing editable Word Documents and printable PDFs. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The subject of a portrait
The personal histories of the doctor’s guests
The reason for the acquaintances’ visit
Dr. Heidegger’s claims and his guests’ immediate reactions
The object the doctor uses to prove a point
The doctor’s general characterization
The effects of the doctor’s experiment
The resolution
Save time, support improved reading stamina, and measure general reading comprehension with this printable quiz on “Souvenir,” a short story by Jayne Anne Phillips. Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this multiple choice assessment makes it easier to quickly and efficiently gather data on student recall and reading habits. An answer key is provided.
By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Point of view
An upcoming holiday
Kate’s personal history
Kate’s oversight
Mom’s medical conditions
Robert’s personal history
Robert’s suggestion regarding the sharing of medical information
Kate’s opinion of Robert’s suggestion
Mom’s sentimental collection of items
Where Kate takes her mother
Mom’s confession to Kate
Measure general reading comprehension and promote student accountability with this set of quizzes on Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat. Three multiple choice assessments are included (with three alternate short answer versions also available). Answer keys for each resource are provided.
Questions pertain to the following:
An incident that helped lead Mowat to become a biologist
The purpose behind Mowat’s study
A long trip to “the middle of nowhere”
Mowat’s supplies
Mike’s background
The first encounter with a wolf
Alarming discoveries
A move to facilitate wolf observations
“Marking territory”
“Wolf naps”
Uncle Albert
A fear for the wolves’ survival
A staple of the wolves’ diet
George’s painful experience
The purpose of a scientific experiment
The main point of Ootek’s story
How wolves catch fish
The death of large quantities of caribou
Ootek’s unique skill
The wolves’ behavior
An experiment involving Mike’s husky
Angeline’s surprising ability
Angeline’s family
Census of the wolf population
Population control
The Churchill incident
Why Inuit women thought Mowat was crazy
The purpose behind the wolves’ test of the caribou
A repulsive discovery concerning the caribou
Growth of the pups
A study involving a gas mask
A mass death
The final professional obligation
Stanley Kunitz’s environmental poem “The War Against the Trees” creatively explores the issue of prioritizing corporate interests and commercial progress over Nature and is a suitable option to incorporate into the high school ELA classroom. This printable assessment measures general reading comprehension and holds students accountable for their academic responsibilities. Resources are delivered in Word document and PDF formats. An answer key is included.
By engaging with this resource, students will perform the following tasks:
Read for literal and interpretive comprehension
Apply knowledge of setting, characterization, and conflict
Be better prepared to engage in collaborative discussions about poetry
Develop improved reading stamina
Promote active engagement with ironic fiction, reinforce understanding of situational irony, and evaluate general reading comprehension with this multiple choice quiz on the short story “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry. An answer key is included. All materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The setting and its appeal (and lack of appeal) to specific communities
The backstory of the narrative’s protagonists
Johnsy’s medical circumstances
The doctor’s assessment of Johnsy’s condition and survival chances
Character motivations
Johnsy’s psychological state
The general characterization of Mr. Behrman
An ironic turn of events
A sacrifice in the resolution
Help high school students extend beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous, text-dependent questions on the ironic short story “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will:
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Analyze how complex characters interact and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, metaphor, personification, dramatic irony, and situational irony
Compare and contrast characters
Analyze the author’s diction to understand its intended effect
Analyze the author’s stylistic choices such as the decision to capitalize “Art” and “Literature”
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many reluctant readers, science fiction helps to maximize student engagement. “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut is a satirical, cautionary short story about governmental efforts to enforce equality on all citizens. This plot-based quiz covering the short story helps English teachers promote homework accountability and evaluate general reading comprehension—while eliminating take-home assessment planning responsibilities. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in a zip file containing editable Word Documents and printable PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Harrison’s physical characteristics
Setting
The reason for Harrison’s arrest
The purpose of the law regarding mandated handicaps
Hazel’s general characterization
George’s specific handicap
Breaking news
Harrison’s defiant behavior
Hazel’s reaction to her son’s death
Promote active engagement with humorous fiction, reinforce understanding of situational irony, and evaluate general reading comprehension with this multiple choice quiz on the short story “The Cop and the Anthem” by O. Henry. An answer key is included. All materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Setting
The protagonist’s living circumstances
The onset of a particular season
The function of newspapers in the context of the protagonist’s life
The protagonist’s motivations
The protagonist’s attempts to achieve his goals
The prevalence of situational irony
Factors contributing to dynamic character
The fate of the protagonist as the story resolves
Save time, support improved reading stamina, and measure general reading comprehension with this printable quiz on the short story titled “The Duke’s Children” by Frank O’Connor. Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this multiple choice assessment makes it easier to quickly and efficiently gather data on student recall and reading habits. An answer key is provided.
By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
General details
Character hopes and motivations
How complex characters interact
Theme
Help high school students extend beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous, text-dependent questions on the humorous short story “The Cop and the Anthem” by O. Henry. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will:
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Analyze how complex characters interact and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, juxtaposition, and situational irony
Isolate a phrase that features an example of figurative language
Analyze character actions to make logical inferences
Determine the function of a particular passage
Make an inference about the author’s point of view
Articulate the significance of a given detail
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, age-appropriate fantasy and fairy tale fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. This quiz and close reading activity bundle covers “Hansel and Gretel” by the Brothers Grimm and helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate general reading comprehension, support the development of literary analysis skills, and save time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based assessment; a worksheet composed of challenging analysis questions; answer keys; and a copy of the public domain short story. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Analyze dialogue to discern how a character uses manipulative tactics to achieve a goal
Analyze characterization to discern and articulate a dominant internal conflict in the text
Apply knowledge of alliteration to the text
Analyze the authors’ word choices to discern and articulate how these choices create the literary device of paradox
Identify several examples of simile in the text
Apply knowledge of dramatic irony to the text, discerning and articulating how it manifests
Apply knowledge of situational irony to the text, discerning and articulating how it manifests
Apply knowledge of foreshadowing to the text, explaining what is foreshadowed and how
Write with clarity and precision
Fairy tales are not just for elementary readers; even middle and high school students may use Grimms’ fairy tales as tools for extending beyond reading comprehension and practicing close reading analysis skills. “The Dog and the Sparrow” by the Brothers Grimm is a representative short story that promotes active engagement with fiction, particularly with respect to struggling and reluctant readers. Included in this bundle are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a set of rigorous close reading questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore character motivations
Analyze how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others
Examine the author’s word choices to discern greater understanding of characterization
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Apply knowledge of various literary devices such as theme, foreshadowing, and situational irony
Support ideas and claims with valid reasoning and relevant evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
With this printable bundle of high school resources for teaching “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” by the Brothers Grimm, educators will measure reading comprehension with a multiple choice quiz on character and plot and support high-order thinking with a set of close reading analysis questions. A copy of the public domain short story and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource may serve as the basis for small-group discussions. Through these discussions, students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development, demonstrating an ability to analyze how complex characters transform and advance the plot and themes by applying logic and citing compelling, meaningful textual evidence. They will also evaluate their peers’ reasoning and use of rhetoric to advance claims, clarifying or challenging unclear ideas. Using this resource for structured guidance, students, ultimately, will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.
By engaging with these materials, students will:
Demonstrate general comprehension of the plot
Analyze the author’s craft to determine how diction affects the reader
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on foreshadowing, metaphor, and dramatic irony
Analyze character actions to draw reasoned inferences about interests and motivations
Write with clarity and precision