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.
With this multiple choice, plot-based quiz covering the first 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:
Nick’s personal background
Nick’s self perception
Nick’s perception of Gatsby
The setting
Nick’s career
The contrast between West Egg and East Egg
Nick’s academic background
A character description of Daisy
A character description of Tom
A character description of Jordan
The green light in the distance
With this multiple choice, plot-based quiz covering the fourth 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:
The purpose of Nick’s list
The apparent inconsistencies in Gatsby’s autobiography
Gatsby’s proof to assuage Nick’s skepticism
Gatsby’s interaction with a police officer
Meyer Wolfsheim’s questionable background
Nick’s new assumption concerning Gatsby’s wealth
Gatsby’s motive to move into his West Egg mansion
A revelation concerning the green light across the water
A request Gatsby makes of Jordan
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement chapter 7 of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. A crossword puzzle, word search activity, vocabulary application worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: abounding, abyss, affront, dart, earnestly, elude, gibberish, inviolate, keenly, portentous, presumptuous, relinquish, sagely, sneer, tangible, truculent, weary, and whimper.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Facilitate vocabulary development, evaluate reading comprehension, and help students practice critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of activities covering chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. A plot-based quiz, vocabulary application activity, crossword puzzle, word search game, close reading inference worksheet, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern point of view
Clarify cause-and-effect relationships
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of a variety of literary devices including situational irony, hyperbole, simile, and metaphor
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Support academic vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of activities to complement H. G. Wells’ science fiction novel The War of the Worlds (book 1, chapters 1 through 5). A vocabulary application worksheet, crossword puzzle, word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: accost, attenuate, billowy, complacency, feeble, grating, impediment, incandescent, incessant, insensible, irresolute, jostle, petrify, scarcely, scoff, stupefy, subtlety, transient, vague, and waylay.
By engaging with these activities, students will:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Help students go beyond general comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 2 of Animal Farm by George Orwell. The variety of question types may also help prepare learners for standardized testing scenarios. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the function of a given passage
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Articulate the significance of the animals’ decision to rename the farm
Explore themes in context
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Help students go beyond general comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 3 of Animal Farm by George Orwell. The variety of question types may also help prepare learners for standardized testing scenarios. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the function of a given passage
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Determine which character is likeliest to challenge leadership and take interest in the world outside of Animal Farm
Articulate why the pigs in particular would favor the incorporation of slogans and mottos into Animal Farm’s culture
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Help students go beyond general comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 8 of Animal Farm by George Orwell. The variety of question types may also help prepare learners for standardized testing scenarios. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Contrast the Battle of the Windmill with the Battle of the Cowshed
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on hubris
Evaluate the role propaganda plays in the world of Animal Farm
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Help students go beyond general comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 1 of Animal Farm by George Orwell. The variety of question types may also help prepare learners for standardized testing scenarios. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the function of a given passage
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification and verisimilitude
Conduct brief research on the beliefs of German philosopher Karl Marx
Articulate whether Major’s speech reflects a belief in Marxist ideology
Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Help students go beyond general comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading inference worksheet covering chapter 10 of Animal Farm by George Orwell. The variety of question types may also help prepare learners for standardized testing scenarios. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Reflect on the greater significance of Animal Farm’s name change
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Defend the claim that the animals are collectively worse off than before Napoleon’s rule
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Facilitate vocabulary development, evaluate reading comprehension, and help students practice critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of activities covering chapter 10 of Animal Farm by George Orwell. A plot-based quiz, vocabulary application activity, crossword puzzle, word search game, close reading inference worksheet, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Reflect on the greater significance of Animal Farm’s name change
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Defend the claim that the animals are collectively worse off than before Napoleon’s rule
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and develop critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet covering Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are provided. 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.
Students will perform the following tasks:
Make a logical inference based on the narrative’s title
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Discern the intended effect of the author’s language in context
Determine the function of the narrative’s point of view
Consider the effects of the author’s narrative techniques
Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed
Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Contrast the characterizations of the protagonist and the police
Apply knowledge of literary devices with an emphasis on red herring and symbolism
Complement a unit on Gothic fiction and embrace the harvest season with this low-prep, standards-based research project addressing 33 topics directly and indirectly related to Halloween: ancient celebrations, holidays, and practices (Samhain, Lemuria, guising, souling, and more); more recent traditions (Guy Fawkes Night, the history of trick-or-treating, and the history of pumpkin carving); myths, legends, and superstitions (Jack O’Lantern, the Beast of Bray Road, Mothman, and more); medical conditions (“werewolf syndrome,” “walking corpse syndrome,” and “vampire disease”); historical figures (Vlad the Impaler, John Hathorne, Sarah Good, and more); and Halloween-inspired authors (Ray Bradbury, Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, H.P. Lovecraft, and more). Supporting materials—including a detailed scoring rubric—are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Ultimately, students will perform the following tasks:
Collect and classify reliable sources on an assigned topic
Develop successful methods of recording information
Evaluate the credibility of nonfiction texts, taking into consideration readability, date, relevance, expertise, and bias
Apply conventions of MLA formatting
Correctly site resources to avoid plagiarism
Organize information in a cohesive manner, using a note-taking system that includes summary, paraphrasing, and quoted material
Analyze, synthesize, and integrate information, generating a thoughtfully comprehensive report, free of generalities and redundancies
Present information in a formal, coherent manner
Help high school students reflect on their employability skills as they begin interviewing for jobs and planning for careers with this set of activities. Although these resources are intended for individuals to evaluate their own transferable skills for their own unique circumstances, they may also serve to facilitate engaging conversations among peers. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
By engaging with these materials, students will:
Communicate ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Consider how to navigate complications in the workplace while maintaining integrity
Participate in a structured process of developing coherent and compelling responses for job interviewing scenarios
Reflect on their accomplishments, personality traits, interests, and hobbies
Retain tools that may improve their commitment to growth mindset
Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and sharpen their critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet covering Doris Lessing’s coming-of-age short story “Through the Tunnel,” a narrative about a boy who rises above his limitations to achieve a goal. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in printable 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 engaging with this close reading activity, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Discern the function of a given paragraph
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification and oxymoron
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
For many high school students, the horror genre promotes more active engagement with literature. “The Terrible Old Man” by H.P. Lovecraft is a concise horror story featuring plot elements such as robbery, a character who dabbles in the occult, and mutilated corpses - making the narrative a particularly compelling read during the Halloween season. The following are included in this bundle: a plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a vocabulary application activity, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, the public domain narrative, and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable 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 engaging with these activities, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words
Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings
Choose the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Determine the story’s point of view
Discern the overall tone of the narrative
Explore how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony
Draw parallels between the author’s life and the plot of “The Terrible Old Man”
Identify relevant textual details in support of claims and ideas
Write about compelling fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Promote active engagement with fiction and evaluate general reading comprehension with this plot-based quiz on the short story “The Leap” by Louise Erdrich. 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:
Anna’s degenerative condition
Anna’s professional background
Events leading to Harold’s death
The means by which the narrator learned of her mother’s brush with death
Challenges Anna faced throughout life
How Anna’s choices influenced the course of her life, as well as the life of her daughter
Practical skills Anna learned while in the hospital
The reason the narrator returns home many years later
Anna’s efforts to save her daughter’s life
What the narrator learns about falling
For many high school readers, realistic fiction is a genre that maximizes relatability and engagement with literature. “The Lie” by Kurt Vonnegut is a story about rejection, family pressures, and the unintended and unexpected consequences of one’s actions. With this bundle of high school resources covering “The Lie,” 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 analysis questions; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. With these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Explore character motivations
Make logical inferences about a character’s values and beliefs
Explain how point of view shapes the reader’s understanding of plot
Articulate how one character serves as a foil to another
State two significant conflicts in the story
Defend the claim that Mrs. Remenzel is a good mother despite her shortcomings
Explore the similarities between the protagonist and his father
Generate a relevant theme that relates to the idea of embarrassment
Support claims and ideas with reasoned thinking and relevant textual evidence
Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Reduce teacher workload, measure general reading comprehension, and promote homework accountability with this printable quiz on “The Wife’s Story” by Ursula K. Le Guin. An answer key is included. Questions pertain to the following key details:
The narrator’s emotional state
The narrator’s characterization of her husband
The relationship between the narrator and her sister
A quality about the narrator’s husband that “brings the shivers on” her
The moon’s role in the husband’s transformation
The “curse in his blood”
The husband’s tendency to leave home abruptly
The husband’s strange smell upon returning
The children’s fear of their own father
A physical transformation
The story’s 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 5, scene 1, of Much Ado About Nothing 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
Discern the intended effect of figurative language as it is used in the text
Consider how Shakespeare’s narrative techniques achieve both humorous and tension-relieving effects
Determine the tone of dialogue in context
Examine nuances in words with similar meanings
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Evaluate whether Claudio is a sympathetic and accountable character
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on simile, verbal irony, and dramatic irony
Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence
