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, support critical thinking, and promote homework accountability with this bundle of formative assessments covering Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” 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 are 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 these materials, 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
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the Gothic short story “The Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe. A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain narrative, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: acuteness, continually, cunningly, dissemble, fluently, gesticulation, hearken, hearty, mournful, rave, sagacity, shriek, stealthily, stifle, suavity, supposition, vehemently, vex, and wane.
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
For many high school readers, horror and psychological fiction are genres that maximize engagement with literature. “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe features elements consistent with both genres: a psychotic protagonist trying to rationalize his thinking, the senseless killing of an innocent man, dramatic irony, and more. This multiple choice quiz covering “The Tell-Tale Heart” helps English teachers promote homework accountability, evaluate reading comprehension, and save 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. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The alleged effects of the narrator’s fever the previous year
The narrator’s motivations
The narrator’s defense against claims of his being insane
The duration of time it took for the narrator to kill the old man
The reason the old man springs up in bed, awake
The manner of the old man’s death
The location of the old man’s remains
The reason police are alerted to the scene of the crime
The narrator’s initial reaction to the police’s arrival
The narrator’s explanation for the old man’s disappearance
The psychotic breakdown of the narrator
How the police came to learn of the old man’s murder
“The Pit and the Pendulum” by Edgar Allan Poe is a short story of special appeal to high school students interested in horror stories and Halloween. Use this plot-based quiz on “The Pit and the Pendulum” to evaluate general reading comprehension and promote homework accountability. The assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate active engagement with Gothic fiction. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Point of view
Setting
Disturbing imagery
Accusations against the protagonist
Diabolical punishments
The role of the rats in terms of plot development
How the protagonist attracts the rats
An abrupt sound
The resolution
“The Pit and the Pendulum” by Edgar Allan Poe is a short story of special appeal to high school students interested in horror stories and Halloween. With this bundle of assessment materials, English teachers will save valuable time without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. Included are the following: a plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, a crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain narrative, and answer keys. 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 engaging with these materials, 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
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Consider the role punctuation plays in terms of developing suspense and advancing plot with an emphasis on em dashes
Demonstrate knowledge of the conventions of Dark Romanticism
Determine the effects of the author’s language and narrative techniques
Examine how characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with an emphasis on allusion, metaphor, onomatopoeia, paradox, personification, sibilance, situational irony, and more
Articulate how the author establishes and maintains a surreal tone throughout the story
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence
Write about Gothic fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering chapters 12 and 13 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An alternate short answer version is provided for re-assessment purposes. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following plot elements:
Jem’s moodiness
Disappointing news to begin summer
The reason for Atticus’s two-week absence
The incident involving Eunice Ann Simpson
Lula’s treatment of the children
The general reaction of the parishioners toward the children
Calpurnia’s separate identities
Why Alexandra decides to stay with the family
Alexandra’s philosophy on what makes “fine” people
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering chapters 16, 17, and 18 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An alternate short answer version is provided for re-assessment purposes. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following plot elements:
Dolphus Raymond as a social outcast
The “sad” life of Dolphus Raymond’s children
Who arranges for the children to have seats at the trial
Judge Taylor’s peculiarity
The prosecution’s first witness
The significance of Mayella’s injured eye
Bob Ewell’s testimony
Dramatic irony
The significance of Bob Ewell writing his name
Mayella’s insubordination
Tom Robinson’s injury
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering chapters 19 and 20 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An alternate short answer version is provided for re-assessment purposes. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following plot elements:
Tom’s previous run-in with the law
Why Tom had to serve 30 days
Mayella’s plan to ensure her siblings were not present
Scout’s epiphany regarding Mayella’s loneliness
Link Deas’s support of Tom
Bob Ewell’s comments according to Tom’s testimony
Why Tom frequently helped Mayella
Mr. Gilmer’s treatment of Tom
The major revelation regarding Dolphus Raymond’s condition
Atticus’s summation
Atticus’s peculiar behavior that surprises the kids
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze chapter 3 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is provided. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, these instructional materials save teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom.
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 resource, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Discern the intended effect of the author’s phrasing upon the reader
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Choose the most appropriate synonym to replace a word or phrase without changing the excerpt’s fundamental meaning
Demonstrate knowledge of comma and punctuation rules, especially as they apply to writing dialogue
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Determine the tone of a given excerpt
Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification, hyperbole, allusion, alliteration, oxymoron, dramatic irony, and situational irony
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze chapter 2 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is provided. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, these instructional materials save teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom.
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 resource, 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 greater significance of a given detail
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Examine Miss Caroline’s relationship to the town of Maycomb
Explore cause-and-effect relationships
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze chapter 10 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is provided. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, these instructional materials save teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom.
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 resource, students will do the following:
Analyze the relationship between Scout and Atticus at this point in the novel
Discern the meaning of complex vocabulary and phrases in context, taking into consideration both denotative definitions and connotative associations.
Identify what the text says explicitly as well as implicitly about killing mockingbirds
Identify what Scout means when she refers to a “generous target”
Draw a logical inference about a character in the context of a given passage
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze chapter 12 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is provided. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, these instructional materials save teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom.
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 resource, students will do the following:
Apply knowledge of coordinating conjunctions, selecting the most appropriate conjunction to join two sentences in context
Discern the most logical interpretation of an excerpt
Analyze the author’s word choices and phrasing to determine intent
Apply knowledge of literary devices (imagery and theme) to the text
Analyze an excerpt to discern its significance
Analyze a passage to discern tone in context
Discern the meaning of complex vocabulary and phrases in context, taking into consideration both denotative definitions and connotative associations
Analyze context clues to articulate how Calpurnia is characterized, citing textual evidence in support of claims
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
Support the development of high school close reading skills and analytical thinking with this bundle of To Kill a Mockingbird resources covering the first 15 chapters of the novel. Featuring more than 125 high-order thinking questions, this bundle offers Word Doc and PDF versions of each individual resource.
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.
Make reading more purposeful with these close reading activities to support students in their efforts to demonstrate proficiency in the following areas:
An ability to define complex vocabulary in context
An ability to analyze context clues and draw logical inferences about character motivations
An ability to analyze context clues and draw logical inferences about character relationships
An ability to analyze the text for literary devices such as foreshadowing, situational irony, dramatic irony, theme, symbolism, dynamic character, and more
An ability to find and articulate relevant textual details in support of a claim
An ability to analyze context clues to discern and articulate the significance of a given detail
An ability to articulate what the text indicates both explicitly and implicitly
An ability to write with clarity and precision
Support the development of close reading skills with this worksheet composed of challenging questions designed to help high school students analyze chapter 15 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An answer key is provided. Delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats, these instructional materials save teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom.
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 resource, students will do the following:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Explore an abrupt shift in tone
Apply knowledge of literary devices including paradox and dramatic irony
Consider the greater significance of a given detail
Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims
Write about literature with clarity, logic, and precision
Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement chapters 1, 2, and 3 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. 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: amiable, apothecary, assuage, condescension, contemptuous, contentious, diminutive, eccentric, imprudent, indigenous, malevolent, nebulous, predilection, quaint, sneer, taciturn, vague, and vapid.
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
Challenge high school students to go beyond basic reading comprehension and practice close reading analysis skills while engaging with To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Covering chapters one through three, this bundle offers a multiple choice, plot-based quiz; a short answer quiz option for re-assessment purposes; a pair of vocabulary games; a synonym activity; three close reading worksheets; and answer keys. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.
Materials in this bundle may facilitate small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using these resources for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly.
By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Define words and phrases as they are used in the text
Examine how the author’s language affects the reader
Choose the best synonyms to replace words or phrases without changing meaning
Demonstrate knowledge of comma and punctuation rules as they apply to writing dialogue
Discern the greater significance of given details
Analyze how the author’s stylistic choices achieve certain effects such as mystery and suspense
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Determine the tone of given passages
Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering chapters 27 and 28 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An alternate short answer version is provided for re-assessment purposes. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following plot elements:
Strange incidents in Maycomb
Atticus’s opinion on Bob Ewell’s malicious behaviors
Miss Tutti and Miss Frutti
The pageant and how it was ruined
Jem’s concerns on the way home
The attack
Heck Tate’s discovery at the crime scene
Jem’s method of arriving home
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering chapters 21, 22, and 23 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An alternate short answer version is provided for re-assessment purposes. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following plot elements:
Interruption of the court proceedings
Jem’s misunderstanding racial prejudice and the justice system
The jury’s deliberation
The verdict
The African American community’s appreciation of Atticus
Altercation between Bob and Atticus
Alexandra’s strictness
Jem’s opinion on Boo’s isolation
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering chapters 24, 25, and 26 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. An alternate short answer version is provided for re-assessment purposes. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following plot elements:
The missionary circle
Mrs. Merriweather’s critical comments
Mrs. Merriweather’s hypocrisy
Tom’s death
The bitter editorial
Bob Ewell’s antagonistic behaviors
Miss Gates’s hypocrisy
Jem’s reaction to the trial’s outcome
Save time and maintain rigor with these printable resources supporting reading comprehension and analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (chapters 24-26). General comprehension quizzes are included, as are more rigorous close reading activities. These materials may be used to facilitate differentiated instruction in the classroom. Answer keys are provided.
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.
Copyright restrictions prohibit the inclusion of the complete literary works, so the purchaser is responsible for providing students with access to the novel.
By engaging in these exercises, students will:
Apply knowledge of literary devices (situational irony, metaphor, and simile) to the text
Discern the meaning of complex vocabulary and phrases in context, taking into consideration both denotative definitions and connotative associations
Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly
Analyze Scout’s characterization to draw a logical inference in context
Analyze a passage to discern its significance toward advancing the plot
Isolate factual statements from false statements
Analyze Grace Merriweather’s characterization to draw a logical inference in context
Analyze Mr. Underwood’s actions to discern his personal motivations
Analyze Bob Ewell’s remarks to predict his future behaviors, possibly addressing foreshadowing in the process
Write with clarity, logic, and precision
Cite textual evidence in support of claims
Discern the intended effect of figurative language
Articulate the significance of Atticus’s re-election
Discern author’s intent
Analyze the text from an historical context
Discern the tone of a given passage