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. 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 Infer character motivations Articulate the function of a specific character (Cathy) Make logical inferences about the author’s intent Apply knowledge of various literary devices including metaphor, idiom, and onomatopoeia Isolate an example of figurative language from among several options Choose an opinion with which Granny would most likely agree based on an anecdote she shares with her family Determine which character or characters are represented in the character of Goldilocks Identify several ways in which the filmmakers dehumanize Granny and members of her family Draw parallels between the American folk hero John Henry and the character of Granddaddy Cain Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision

For many high school readers, horror and psychological fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Birds” by Daphne du Maurier features elements consistent with both genres: an isolated setting, killings without clear motivations, the suggestion of humanity’s imminent extinction, and more. 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 Analyze the author’s choice of title in order to articulate its intended effect on readers Examine how elements of setting contribute to the development of suspense Explore how complex characters think, behave, and interact with others Determine the functions of characters Infer character motivations Make logical inferences about the author’s intent Apply knowledge of various literary devices including personification, amplification, onomatopoeia, simile, epiphany, foreshadowing, and more Conduct online research to answer a question about historical context Paraphrase the author’s words (“You had to endure something yourself before it touched you”) Examine what a given passage implies about humanity’s relationship with Nature Identify narrative techniques used in a given passage to convey an unsettling mood Articulate the irony associated with imagery in a given passage Explore relevant themes Discern the significance of the protagonist’s final actions Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Fairy tales are not just for elementary readers; even middle and high school students may find fairy tales highly engaging. “The Girl Without Hands” by the Brothers Grimm, also known as “The Maiden Without Hands” and “The Armless Maiden,” is a short story about the plight of a maiden whose poor father makes a bargain that results in her disfigurement and confinement. English Language Arts teachers may assign the Grimms’ tale and administer this editable assessment to evaluate reading comprehension. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: The miller’s understanding of his deal with a stranger The stranger’s underhandedness The true identity of the stranger The maiden’s attempts at saving herself The means by which the maiden loses her hands The assistance of a guardian fairy The nature of the relationship between the king and the maiden The king’s gift to the maiden The trickery of the wizard and its effect on the king’s relationship with the maiden The message displayed on the cottage The reason the maiden’s hands grow back The length of time the king travels in search of the maiden The nickname of the maiden’s son The son’s initial reaction to learning the identity of his father The resolution

Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 1 through 3). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: How Huck came into possession of money The current arrangement for managing Huck’s money Huck’s dissatisfaction with living under others’ rules Tom’s behavior in contrast to Huck’s The location of the gang’s initiation meeting The pledge each gang member makes to guarantee secrecy The illness that afflicts Huck’s father The situational irony related to the gang’s decision not to meet on Sundays Huck’s scrutiny of prayer The speculation surrounding a corpse in the river Huck’s feelings about the possibility that his father is dead The influence of literature on Tom’s thinking Huck’s scrutiny of Tom’s imagination

Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 4 through 7). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: How Huck knows his father has returned The manner in which Jim tells Huck’s future The reasons why Pap is upset with his son The new judge’s actions and decisions in contrast to Judge Thatcher’s The failed efforts to rehabilitate Pap How and why Huck is taken to the cabin Pap’s drunken behavior Huck’s efforts at self-preservation

Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 8 through 10). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: The search crew’s efforts to recover Huck’s body How Huck comes into possession of bread to eat Huck’s evolving perspective on prayer Huck’s first indication that someone else is on the island The reason for Jim’s intense fear when he first meets Huck Jim’s motivations for taking up residence on the island Jim’s superstitious nature The circumstances surrounding the death of Pap Jim’s motivations for concealing information from Huck Huck’s prank and its unintended consequences Huck and Jim’s plan involving a disguise

Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 11 through 13). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Huck’s motives for lying to Judith Textual evidence to support the claim that Judith and her family have fallen on tough times The advice Judith offers Huck before his departure How Huck and Jim avoid being discovered while traveling Pap’s philosophy on stealing and Huck’s acceptance of this philosophy What is revealed about Huck’s character based on his actions The discovery of robbers and murderers The reason Jake and Bill want a man dead Jake’s reluctance to kill a man The fate of the raft Huck’s ability to empathize and show compassion

Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 14 through 16). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Jim’s opinion of King Solomon Huck’s frustration with Jim’s perspective Huck and Jim’s plan to reach safety The trick Huck plays on Jim involving the fog How the trick strengthens the bond of understanding between Huck and Jim Jim’s plan once they reach Cairo Huck’s reaction to Jim’s plan Huck’s cunning nature The change in Jim and Huck’s plans Huck’s internal conflict The separation of Huck and Jim

Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 17 through 19). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Buck’s characterization The Grangerfords’ social status Emmeline Grangerford’s art and Huck’s reaction to it The circumstances leading to Huck’s reunion with Jim The ambiguity surrounding the cause of the feud between the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons The irony of churchgoers’ behavior The cause of a bloody battle The consequences of the bloody battle The introduction of the two con artists Huck’s motivation for going along with the con artists’ trickery

Evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability with this set of quiz questions on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (chapters 20 through 23). An answer key is provided. The materials are delivered in a zip file as both Word Documents and PDFs. By completing this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Huck’s powers of persuasion Background information on the king The content of the printed poster The king’s attempts to learn dialogue from Shakespeare’s Hamlet Twain’s unpleasant description of the town The characterization of Boggs The interactions between Boggs and Sherburn Huck’s opinion of the circus Huck’s feelings toward the ringmaster The duke and king’s first performance Efforts to increase attendance numbers The low humor of subsequent performances What angers the attendees of the subsequent performances The vengeful intent of the spectators Jim’s opinion of kings The cause of Jim’s sadness