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.
Support the development of close reading skills for high school and facilitate analysis of fiction with this rigorous worksheet on Hans Christian Andersen’s short story “The Leap Frog,” also called “The Leaping Match.” A variety of question types are included to help prepare for standardized testing scenarios: vocabulary-in-context questions, main idea questions, detail questions, author’s craft questions, and more. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative, which has an estimated Lexile measure of 1100-1200, are provided. 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 completing this exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Analyze the author’s craft to discern where and how literary devices are applied including inversion and dramatic irony
Discern cause-and-effect relationships
Analyze the author’s word choices to discern and explain where and how double-denotation is applied
Analyze a character’s statements and beliefs to articulate how they are contradictory
Interpret and explain the meaning of unique phrases in context
Analyze the characters of the king and the frog to discern several qualities they have in common
Discern which theme is best supported by a particular excerpt
Cite textual evidence in support of claims and ideas
Write with clarity and precision
Support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of comprehension and analysis questions on “The Three Languages,” a short story by the Brothers Grimm. A variety of question types facilitates the process of analyzing character motivations, examining how word choices influence a reader’s interpretations, applying knowledge of literary devices, and articulating ideas in writing with clarity and precision. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story, which has an estimated Lexile Measure of 1100-1200, 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 completing this exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity and precision
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including situational irony, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, and alliteration
Verify interpretations of words and phrases using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus
Make logical inferences about character motivations
Discern tone in context
Isolate a true statement among falsehoods
Make and defend logical inferences about character behaviors and motivations
Articulate what the narrative suggests about the power of effective communication
Support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of comprehension and analysis questions on the short story “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” by the Brothers Grimm. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative, which has an estimated Lexile measure of 900-1000, are provided. 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
Support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of comprehension and analysis questions on the short story “The Giant and the Tailor” by the Brothers Grimm. A variety of question types are included to help prepare for standardized testing scenarios: vocabulary-in-context questions, main idea questions, detail questions, author’s craft questions, and more. The short story has an estimated Lexile range of 900 to 1000, making it an appropriate supplement to fantasy fiction and fairy tale units for high school. An answer key and copy of the public domain text 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 completing this exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity and precision
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including situational irony, dramatic irony, and sibilance
Define complex words, phrases, and concepts (credulity)
Verify interpretations of words and phrases using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus
Make logical inferences about character motivations
Discern tone in context
Paraphrase dialogue
Isolate a true statement among falsehoods
Defend whether the giant’s description of being “clownish and stupid” is fair
Articulate a lesson this narrative teaches about interpersonal relationships
For many high school readers, supernatural fiction and fantasy are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Doom that Came to Sarnath” by H.P. Lovecraft features plot elements consistent with the aforementioned genres: the plundering of a race of lizard people, shadows that seemingly originate from the moon, the vanishing of an entire city, and more. This rigorous worksheet covering “The Doom that Came to Sarnath” (estimated Lexile Measure of 1300-1400) helps English teachers extend student learning beyond reading comprehension, support the development of close reading analysis skills, and save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. A detailed answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are provided. 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
Determine the function of a given paragraph
Provide a detailed description of a group of characters
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Analyze nuances in words with similar definitions
Make logical inferences about character motivations
Analyze how complex characters think, behave, and interact
Examine the author’s intent
Articulate the significance of a given detail
Apply knowledge of literary devices such as foreshadowing
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Help high school students extend reading comprehension and analyze plot developments in Act 1 of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night with this bundle of assessments. Answer keys are included. Covering every scene in Act 1, this bundle offers a plot-based quiz and five close reading analysis worksheets designed to facilitate students’ abilities to do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex vocabulary in the context of a passage
Examine nuances in words with similar denotations
Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Compare and contrast two characters (Orsino and Olivia)
Discern the tone of a given excerpt
Determine the functions of particular excerpts
Explore nuances in words with similar meanings
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on metaphor, simile, hyperbole, and sibilance
Conduct brief research on classical mythology — more specifically the tale of Arion and the dolphin — and draw parallels between the mythological figure and Sebastian
Consider the text’s allusion to Elysium to infer greater meaning
Defend claims with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class/leave class better prepared to discuss literary materials
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. With this bundle of high school resources covering “Beyond the Wall of Sleep,” English teachers will save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text
Analyze nuance in words with similar meanings
Examine the narrator’s attitude toward Freud
Determine the function of a given paragraph
Discern the tone of a particular passage
Examine the author’s choices to infer his intent
Explore character motivations
Analyze how complex characters develop and interact
Identify and explain an example of situational irony
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Defend claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
With this printable bundle of high school resources for teaching “The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage” 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 comprehension of the general plot
Analyze the author’s craft to discern the meaning of particular words and phrases in context
Apply knowledge of literary devices by identifying examples of inciting incident, situational irony, and theme
Support analysis of text by using relevant textual evidence and reasoned logic
Analyze character dialogue and actions to infer their interests and motivations
Write with clarity and precision
With this printable bundle of high school resources for teaching “A Haunted House” by Virginia Woolf, 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:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Analyze the author’s narrative technique to discern how she emphasizes multiple presences in the house
Infer why the author incorporates references to second-person you
Discern the significance of active present participles in the text
Analyze the effect of sibilant phrases on the reader
Apply knowledge of literary devices to the text, with emphasis placed on personification, anaphora, and symbolism
Discern and articulate the significance of the window
Analyze a passage in the text to discern the author’s intent as it relates to characterization
Analyze character actions and dialogue to discern their primary intent
Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity and precision
Gothic fantasy and horror are genres that maximize many high school students’ engagement with literature. “The Cats of Ulthar” by H.P. Lovecraft is a macabre short story featuring savage neighbors, an avenging curse, and flesh-eating felines—making it an especially chilling choice for the Halloween season. With this digital bundle of high school resources for teaching “The Cats of Ulthar,” English teachers will save valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed 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 resources, students will:
Discern a key purpose of the mythological allusions delivered in the exposition
Draw parallels between the author’s choices and knowledge of cat-related proverbs
Explore the antagonistic characterization of the community’s old couple
Examine the narrator’s feelings toward the people of Ulthar
Explore the greater significance of imagery from a mythological perspective
Investigate the author’s decision to name a key character after an Egyptian figure
Discern the functions of several paragraphs
Apply knowledge of a variety of literary devices including personification, irony, inversion, and onomatopoeia
Make logical inferences about the author’s decision to include two seemingly insignificant details
Identify and explain a significant example of foreshadowing in the story
Argue whether the people of Ulthar are better or worse off for having gone through their experiences
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school readers, fairy tales and fantasy fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Buckwheat” by Hans Christian Andersen is a cautionary tale about a young buckwheat whose pride becomes his tragic downfall. Included are the following: a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading 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 and implicitly
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including hyperbole, alliteration, assonance, hubris, personification, dramatic irony, and more
Analyze a passage to discern author’s intent
Discern the function of a given paragraph
Analyze what characters’ actions reveal about their modes of thinking
Make logical inferences about characters’ actions
Explain how the author incorporates personification into the text
Explore the symbolism of trees and articulate how the old willow tree’s characterization is consistent with symbolic interpretations
Articulate a relevant theme and connect it to plot developments
Defend claims with valid reasoning and relevant textual details
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Promote active engagement with fiction, support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school, and evaluate general reading comprehension with this bundle of resources for teaching the supernatural short story “The Moon Bog” by H.P. Lovecraft. Included are the following: a printable, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed of rigorous close reading questions; the public domain narrative; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will:
Articulate what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze context clues and draw logical inferences about character mindsets and motivations
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including foreshadowing, situational irony, and dramatic irony
Define complex words as they are used in the text by taking into consideration denotative and connotative meanings
Support responses with relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support the development of high school close reading skills with this set of analysis questions to complement the short story “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. A detailed answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By completing this exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Determine the narrative’s dominant conflict
Analyze how complex characters interact and develop
Explore character motivations
Apply knowledge of literary devices including anaphora, personification, foreshadowing, simile, and onomatopoeia
Articulate the intended effect of the author’s diction in context
Identify several ways in which the author applies the concept of ambiguity to the narrative
Explain how the narrative is consistent with the conventions of Dark Romanticism (Gothic literature)
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Save time, support improved reading stamina, and measure general reading comprehension with this printable quiz on the short story “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. 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:
Setting
Character motivations
The protagonist’s marriage
General characterization of the old man
The protagonist’s psychological and emotional states
General characterization of Goody Cloyse
Ominous observations
A surprising discovery about the protagonist’s wife
The resolution
Promote active engagement with fiction, support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school, and evaluate general reading comprehension with this bundle of resources for teaching the short story “After Twenty Years” by O. Henry. Included are the following: a plot-based quiz, a worksheet composed 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:
Articulate what is stated in the text explicitly and implicitly
Articulate the significance of a given detail
Discern the tone of a given excerpt
Discern the function of a given paragraph
Apply knowledge of foreshadowing
Explore character motivations
Demonstrate knowledge of characterization
Analyze the effect point of view has on the reader
Cite textual evidence in support of inferences and claims
Write with clarity and precision
Promote active engagement with fiction, support the development of close reading analysis skills for high school, and evaluate general reading comprehension with this bundle of resources for teaching the Gothic short story “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe. Included are the following: a printable, plot-based quiz; a worksheet composed 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
Provide an objective summary of the plot
Analyze the intended effect of Poe’s descriptive language
Analyze the author’s technique to explain whether a suggested revision would be appropriate
Make logical inferences about characterization
Articulate how setting influences character actions
Determine the intended effect(s) of simile
Apply knowledge of situational irony to the text
Apply knowledge of anaphora to the text
Apply knowledge of consonance to the text
Isolate examples of inversion in a given excerpt
Identify textual evidence in support of claims
Define complex vocabulary and phrasing in context
Navigate specialized reference materials successfully
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
With this printable bundle of high school resources for teaching “The Ugly Duckling” by Hans Christian Andersen, 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:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Identify textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity and precision
Identify examples of various literary devices including onomatopoeia, assonance, consonance, foreshadowing, simile, personification, and symbolism
Discern author’s intent
Discern tone in context
Explain an example of foreshadowing in a given passage
Isolate a falsehood about plot among factual statements
Define words and phrases in the context of a passage
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurus
Articulate the significance of a given detail or details
Identify which descriptor best applies to the mother duck
Articulate why the mother duck rarely receives visitors
Discern and articulate a lesson the mother duck tries to instill in her babies
Analyze plot to generate a relevant theme about motherhood
Argue whether the mother duck is a sympathetic character
Support the claim that the tom cat and the hen do not appreciate the ugly duckling’s unique qualities
Articulate how the duckling comes into the possession of a peasant
Save time, support improved reading stamina, and measure general reading comprehension with this printable quiz on the fairy tale “Fitcher’s Bird” by the Brothers Grimm. Given the dark nature of its plot, this narrative is best suited for a high school setting and makes a compelling addition to units covering genres such as horror and supernatural fantasy. 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:
The wizard’s false identity and nefarious motives
The forbidden room and its gruesome contents
The consequences facing any child who enters the forbidden room
The object that indicates to the wizard that he has been betrayed
The breaking of a cycle
Reincarnated characters
The wizard’s engagement
The wizard’s travels and why they are at risk of delay
How the wizard’s wife-to-be plans the ultimate betrayal
The third sister’s disguise
The fate of the wizard and his associates
Help high school students extend beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering chapter 4 of Animal Farm by George Orwell. 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. By completing this exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words as they are used in the text
Analyze the nature of relationships between and among characters
Compare and contrast the characters of Boxer and Snowball
Make logical inferences about character motivations
Apply knowledge of literary devices including onomatopoeia, metaphor, paradox, and situational irony
Write about literature with clarity and precision
Justify written responses with reasoning and/or textual evidence*
Help high school students extend beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering chapter 5 of Animal Farm by George Orwell. 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. By completing this exercise, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze the nature of relationships between and among characters
Explain the symbolism behind Mollie’s disappearance
Make logical inferences about the author’s intent
Explore the motif of forbidden pleasures
Discern the greater significance of the windmill debate
Make logical inferences about character motivations
Isolate an example of figurative language
Articulate how Napoleon demonstrates disdain for free speech
Identify and explain an example of situational irony in the context of the chapter
Write about literature with clarity and precision
Justify written responses with reasoning and/or textual evidence