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 eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the short story “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst. Alternatively, the assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Point of view
The reason for the narrator’s disappointment
Details suggesting Doodle was not expected to live long
The narrator’s immoral thoughts
Doodle’s surprising actions
A setting the narrator and his brother seem to enjoy
The effects of pride
Doodle’s stories
The narrator’s agenda concerning his brother’s abilities
A natural disaster that devastates the narrator’s family
The reason for the interruption of a family dinner
Why the narrator rushes home as the story reaches its climax
A somber discovery
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the short story “The Owl” by the Brothers Grimm, a cautionary tale about how fear affects human behavior. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the text. An answer key and copy of the fairy tale are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The cause of the owl’s fear
The location of the owl
The man-servant’s assessment of the owl
The master’s reaction to his man-servant’s assessment
The master’s request of the community
A soldier’s request
The comparison of the soldier to St. George
A suggestion for how to spend tax money
The means by which the owl dies
Go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet to complement chapter 2 of Dracula by Bram Stoker. An answer key and copy of the chapter, which is in the public domain, are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
This resource may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Select the most appropriate synonym for a word in the text
Discern the intended effects of the author’s narrative techniques with emphasis on why the author utilizes repetition in context
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on personification, verbal irony, and situational irony
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet covering Shirley Jackson’s short story titled “Charles.” An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
This resource may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Determine the function of a given paragraph
Discern the narrative’s dominant conflict
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including foreshadowing, slang, situational irony, neologism, invective, and sibilance
Reflect on how point of view shapes the reader’s understanding of events
Consider theme in context
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the short story “The Test” by Theodore Thomas. The resource may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the narrative. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Robert’s characterization in the exposition
A description of setting in the exposition
The person with whom Robert is driving
Robert’s decision in violation of professional advice
The significance of a blue convertible
An image that has intense emotional resonance with Robert
A new routine pertaining to taking a driving test
The cost of the driving test
The reason for Robert’s failure
The resolution
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 1, scene 1, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided.
This resource may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words/phrases as they are used in context
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials
Explore nuances in words with similar meanings
Describe tone in context
Consider the greater significance of given details
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including alliteration and situational irony
Conduct brief research on mythological and historical subjects
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and promote the development of close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous questions to complement Act 5, scene 1, of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
This resource may serve as the basis for small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By completing this exercise, 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
Evaluate behavior to determine which character is most committed to their role in the charade
Apply knowledge of literary devices including sibilance, idiom, and dramatic irony
Discern the tone of a character’s remarks
Help high school students extend beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 1, of Hamlet by William Shakespeare and emphasizing the protagonist’s internal conflict as expressed in his famous soliloquy: “To be, or not to be?” Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided.
This resource may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
More specifically, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Discern the intended effect of Shakespearean language in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor
Determine the function of a given excerpt
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Measure general reading comprehension with this multiple choice quiz covering chapters one through nine of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah. A firsthand account of the author’s experiences as a child soldier during the Sierra Leone Civil War, this book is an excellent choice for teachers who want to incorporate more autobiographical nonfiction into their English and/or history classes. In addition to an answer key, an short answer quiz option is provided for re-assessment purposes. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Recent political changes in Sierra Leone
Background details concerning key figures in the text
Shared experiences among key figures in the text
Major entities associated with conflict, such as the Revolutionary United Front
Consequences of war
And more
Help high school students extend beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 3, of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, this worksheet saves English Language Arts teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided.
This resource may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
More specifically, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consider the greater significance of given details
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Discern the intended effect of Shakespearean language in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on dramatic irony, simile, and metaphor
Determine the tone of a given passage
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Help middle and high school students extend beyond general reading comprehension and develop close reading analysis skills while they engage with The Adventures of Ulysses by Bernard Evslin. This set of rigorous questions covers the prologue through chapter three (“The Lotus Eaters”). An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Examine the author’s phrasing in order to make logical inferences about character motivations
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact with one another
Discern the nature of character relationships
Select the best synonym for a given word as it is used in the text
Apply knowledge of foreshadowing
Extend comprehension and support the development of close reading skills for high school with this worksheet composed of analytical questions on chapters 1 through 3 of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. With this resource, teachers can save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the public domain chapters are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. More specifically, students will be able to:
Articulate what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims
Explore character motivations
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, simile, allusion, and personification
Articulate the author’s intended effect of figurative language
Discern the primary function of chapters one through three
Examine relationships between complex characters
Articulate Victor Frankenstein’s epiphany in a given passage
Analyze the importance of Victor’s epiphany
Articulate cause-and-effect relationships
Make logical inferences about character modes of thinking
Analyze how a given paragraph contributes to character development
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Othello. With a focus on Act 5, scene 2, this resource saves teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing academic rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered as printable PDFs and Word Documents.
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 completing this exercise, students will:
Articulate what the text says explicitly and implicitly
Write with clarity and precision
Cite specific, relevant textual evidence in support of a claim or idea
Articulate what Othello’s dialogue reflects about his psychological state
Articulate how Othello rationalizes his decision to murder Desdemona
Apply knowledge of literary devices including internal conflict, allusion, epiphany, assonance, and double denotation
Articulate how Desdemona is different from a candle, according to Othello
Analyze the text to discern how Othello demonstrates some degree of mercy on Desdemona
Define complex words or phrases in context
Verify interpretations using reference materials including a dictionary or thesaurus
“Desiree’s Baby” by Kate Chopin is an example of historical fiction that, when integrated into the English Language Arts classroom, complements American History curricula, as the plot precedes the Civil War and addresses the issue of how race and ethnicity affect one’s life experiences in the South. With this multiple choice quiz covering the short story, teachers will be able to evaluate general reading comprehension, promote homework accountability, and save valuable 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. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Setting
How Désirée came to be part of the Valmonde family
Armand’s initial attitude toward marrying Désirée
Madame Valmonde’s reaction to the sight of the baby
How Armand’s treatment of others changes after the birth of his child
Désirée’s observations of the plantation visitors
Désirée’s demands of her husband
Madame Valmonde’s response to a letter from Désirée
The final interaction between Armand and Désirée
Désirée’s final action in the story
The fate of Désirée’s belongings
Armand’s surprising discovery
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, realistic and young adult fiction are genres that maximize relatability and engagement with literature. “Geraldine Moore the Poet” by Toni Cade Bambara is a short story focusing on a girl with unfavorable life circumstances who is on the verge of an important self-discovery: that she has a natural talent for expressing herself poetically. With this challenging worksheet composed of high-order questions, English Language Arts 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
Explore how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including foreshadowing, idiom, and ambiguity
Articulate the function of a given detail
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Demonstrate awareness of the narrative’s inciting incident
Articulate the symbolism associated with Geraldine’s being offered tomato soup
Choose an opinion with which Geraldine is most likely to agree
Evaluate the qualities that make Geraldine’s poem “the most poetic thing”
Argue whether Geraldine or Mrs. Scott experiences the greatest epiphany
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Reduce teacher workload, measure reading comprehension, and promote homework accountability with this quiz on chapter two of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Questions pertain to the following important plot details:
The morning after the unexpected party
The letter
Disappearance of a major character
A discovery that leads the adventurers into trouble
Bert, Tom, and William
Bilbo’s weak bargaining attempts
Capturing the dwarves
Rescuing the dwarves
Discoveries made before locating the troll’s cave
Reduce teacher workload, measure reading comprehension, and promote homework accountability with this quiz on chapters 13 through 16 of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Questions pertain to the following important plot details:
Bilbo’s plans for the Arkenstone
Smaug’s assault
The master bowman
The thrush’s instructions
Why Lake Town’s citizens were furious with their Master
The wood-elves response to the tragedy
Thorin’s request of Roac
Thorin on why the adventurers are not liable for damages
Thorin’s promise to the people of Lake Town
Dain’s plan
Bilbo conspiring with outsiders
Measure and extend reading comprehension of the final third of Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale (chapters 31-46). Included are two assessments for differentiation purposes, one subjective and one objective. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in a zip file containing Word Document and PDF versions. Questions pertain to the following important details:
A network of believers, disenchanted with society
Serena’s suggestion to the narrator
Revelations about the baby
Jezabelle’s
The return of Moira
The function of women in the colonies
Nick’s garage home
The savage act of Salvaging
Particicution
A character’s suicide
Offred and the resolution
With this multiple choice, plot-based quiz covering the second chapter of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, high school English teachers will be able to evaluate reading comprehension and promote homework accountability. A short answer version is also provided, along with answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Conditions of daily life in the valley
The enormous advertisement overlooking the valley
A character description of George Wilson
A character description of Myrtle
A trip to the Morningside Heights apartments
Speculation concerning Gatsby’s background
The behavior of the party-goers (and Nick’s reaction to it)
Tom’s gift to Myrtle
Myrtle’s behavior and why it unsettles Tom
How Tom takes his anger out on Myrtle