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 take-home assessment planning duties with this plot-based quiz covering The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (book 1, chapters 11 through 17). An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in a zip file containing both Word Document and PDF versions. By engaging with this material, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Setting
How the narrator survives the heat ray
New threats facing the narrator
General characterization of the narrator’s brother
The reason news of the invasion has not spread farther
The fixation of the minister
How the narrator’s brother escapes the aliens
Details concerning “Thunder Child”
Ominous observations by the narrator’s brother
Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and practice close reading analysis skills with this rigorous worksheet covering The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (book 1, chapters 2 through 5). An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and 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 the close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly
Analyze nuances in words with similar definitions and connotations
Discern the intended effects of given details
Explore how characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification, metaphor, simile, hyperbole, verisimilitude, and imagery
Explore the symbolism of waving a white flag
Support claims and inferences with reasoned thinking and relevant evidence
Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Promote homework accountability, measure and extend reading comprehension, support the development of close reading skills, and encourage deeper analysis of fiction with this bundle of teaching resources covering the entirety of The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells. With this product, high school English Language Arts teachers may save valuable time outside the classroom without sacrificing rigor inside the classroom. Six resources are provided, all with answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning duties with this bundle of plot-based quizzes covering The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. Answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Setting
Strange sightings on Mars
The Martians’ intentions
First impressions of the Martians’ ship
General characterization of the narrator
The narrator’s assumptions about the cylinder
The identity of a journalist
Physical description of the alien beings
An apparent complication for the extraterrestrials
Acts of violence
Effects of the heat ray
The narrator’s interactions with his wife
The reason many news agencies report that Martians are not a true threat
The arrival of a second cylinder
Factors that contribute to the aliens’ formidability
The item rented by the narrator
The narrator’s intentions
The weather conditions
The means by which Martians travel on Earth
A complication that faces the narrator
How the narrator survives the heat ray
New threats facing the narrator
General characterization of the narrator’s brother
The reason news of the invasion has not spread farther
The fixation of the minister
How the narrator’s brother escapes the aliens
Details concerning “Thunder Child”
Ominous observations by the narrator’s brother
The narrator’s stated intentions
The narrator’s main motivations
The eerie strangeness of London
The reason for the narrator and minister’s entry into a house
The reason the narrator and the minister get stuck in the house
The narrator’s observations of the aliens
The conclusions the narrator draws about the extraterrestrials
The means by which the minister dies
What happens to the minister’s body
The length of the narrator’s confinement
A reunion with the artilleryman
Characters’ specific fears
An unappealing suggestion for humanity’s survival
The narrator’s judgments about the artilleryman
A theory concerning the aliens’ cause of death
The narrator’s psychological state
Beliefs concerning an alternative location for colonization
Discoveries made at the narrator’s home
The invasion’s effect on humanity in general
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 2, scene 1, of Twelfth Night 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:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Examine nuances in words with similar meanings
Discern the tone of dialogue in context
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare and contrast Viola and Sebastian
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on situational irony and dramatic irony
Support claims and inferences with relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 2, scene 5, of Twelfth Night 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.
With this close reading activity, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Analyze the author’s craft
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Identify the function of Maria’s letter
Examine how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, allusion, consonance, oxymoron, and dramatic irony
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering part two of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (“The Sieve and the Sand”). This assessment may also serve as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading experiences. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Montag’s perception of the world
Montag’s perspective on books
A phone call between Montag and Faber
Faber’s professional background
Faber’s offerings of help
The purpose of Faber’s visit to St. Louis
Interactions among Mildred and her friends
How Montag irritates Mildred and her friends
Montag and Beatty’s interaction at the firehouse
A fire alarm
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering part one of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (“The Hearth and the Salamander”). This assessment may also serve as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading experiences. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Details on Montag’s encounter with Clarisse
A lingering question in Montag’s mind
Mildred’s self-destructive behavior
The behavior of the mechanical hound
Clarisse’s concerns about school kids
Peculiarities about a particular fire call
Montag’s sneakiness
Mildred’s general disposition
Beatty’s general characterization
The campaign against books
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering part three of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (“Burning Bright”). This assessment may also serve as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading experiences. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The source of the alarm call
Beatty’s striking of Montag
The nature of Beatty’s death
What Montag learns about Beatty after his death
Complicating factors in terms of Montag’s escape
Montag’s suggestions for Faber
Faber’s suggestions for Montag
How authorities get the public to help them find Montag
What Montag watches on television
How books continue to exist
What happens to the city
A new responsibility
Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 3, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. 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.
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 the text
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including consonance, dramatic irony, and situational irony
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 basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 2, scene 2, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. 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.
By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Discern the meaning of complex words and figurative language in context
Determine the function of a given passage
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification and metaphor
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 basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 4, scene 3, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. 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.
By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define complex words and phrases in context
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials
Isolate an example of figurative language
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile and metaphor
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 basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 4, scene 2, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. 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.
By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Discern the intended effect of Shakespeare’s narrative techniques
Describe tone in context
Explore nuances in words with similar meanings
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Evaluate whether Lear is better off or worse off as a result of plot developments in this scene
Apply knowledge of literary devices including invective
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 basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 4, scene 4, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. 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.
By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Discern the intended effect of Shakespeare’s narrative techniques
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Consider the symbolism of weeds in context
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Determine the function of the scene
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension with this editable quiz covering the short story “The Crop” by Flannery O’Connor. The assessment may otherwise double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement with fiction. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Miss Willerton’s interests
Miss Willerton’s general disposition
Lucia’s personality
Willie’s struggles
The subject of a piece of fiction
Miss Willerton’s tendency to daydream
Miss Willerton’s observations at the grocery store
Miss Willerton’s decision to switch her subject
And more
Evaluate general reading comprehension with this editable quiz covering the short story “The Hollow of the Three Hills” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The assessment may otherwise double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement with fiction. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By taking this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The depiction of the young woman in the exposition
Distinguishing characteristics of the hollow
Legends associated with the setting
The depiction of the crone in the exposition
The young woman’s emotional state
Manifestations resulting from the crone’s incantations
Revelations about the young woman’s personal history
The fate of the young woman
The crone’s motivation
And more
Measure high school reading comprehension and support analysis of Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello (Act 1) with this bundle that features a quiz and close reading activities. 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 in these exercises, students will:
Discern the intended meaning of various complex words and phrases
Analyze the phrase “Come, sir, I am for you” for meaning and synthesize the meaning with knowledge of Iago’s characterization
Analyze actions and statements to discern character motivations, such as why Brabantio thinks Othello is a thief
Isolate true statements about plot from false statements
Locate textual evidence in support of claims about supernatural activity and Brabantio’s prejudiced mentality
Annotate text to make student engagement visible
Paraphrase and modernize dialogue
Discern the tone of a given passage
Write with clarity and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension with this multiple choice quiz covering Act 3 of William Shakespeare’s Othello. The plot-based assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active reading experiences. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Cassio’s verbal exchange with Desdemona
Iago encouraging Othello’s suspicions toward Desdemona
Desdemona’s requests for Othello to forgive Cassio
Othello’s insistence that Iago tell him everything he knows
Iago’s underhanded behaviors and statements
Othello’s statements on marital trust and jealousy
The retrieval of Desdemona’s handkerchief
Othello’s mounting suspicions
Othello’s ultimatum to Iago
Desdemona’s frustrations
Measure reading comprehension and support analysis of Shakespeare’s Othello (Act 3) with this bundle, which includes a plot-based quiz and four rigorous close reading worksheets. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in printable 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 in these exercises, students will:
Discern the intended meaning of various complex words and phrases
Analyze actions and statements to discern character motivations
Discern the tone of a given passage
Apply knowledge of various literary devices including situational irony, dramatic irony, verbal irony, metaphor, and more
Locate textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity and precision
Use this editable grammar activity to help middle and high school students reinforce the basics of conjugating verbs so their forms match their compound subjects correctly. To facilitate the process, the worksheet includes tips for discerning whether a compound subject is considered singular and plural. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging with this grammar exercise, students will:
Demonstrate awareness of the definition of compound subject
Choose plural verb forms when multiple subjects are combined with the conjunction and
Navigate situations in which multiple subjects are combined with or, either…or, and neither…nor