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 4, 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 Define complex words and phrases in context Verify the meanings of words and phrases using reference materials as needed Examine nuances in words with similar meanings Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on invective and callback Articulate an unanswered question related to the plot Make rational predictions about future events using context clues Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence

Incorporate more science fiction into middle and high school classrooms and evaluate general reading comprehension with this plot-based quiz covering the sci-fi short story titled “A Sound of Thunder” by Ray Bradbury. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot: The protagonist The setting Expository details External conflicts The consequences of significant actions Interactions between and among characters The 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 3, 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. With this close reading activity, students will do the following: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Demonstrate knowledge of the effects of punctuation in context Discern tone in context Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate take-home assessment planning duties with this plot-based, multiple choice quiz covering “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. A short answer alternative is also provided for re-assessment purposes. Alternatively, these resources may serve as guided reading handouts to foster active reading habits. Answer keys are included. All materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: The found man’s impressive physical attributes The immediate awareness of the man’s status as ‘stranger’ The village’s attributes The women’s discoveries as they clean the found man The women’s acts of reverence toward the found man The men’s perception of the found man The village’s realization that their community is one of desolation The narrative’s point of view and its significance The narrative’s use of hyperbole and its overall effect

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 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 Explore nuances in words with similar meanings Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including personification, hyperbole, situational irony, personification, metaphor, allusion, and oxymoron

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 1, scene 1, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. 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. 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 context Verify interpretations of language using reference materials Explore nuances in words with similar meanings Describe tone in context Consider the greater significance of given details Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including alliteration and situational irony Conduct brief research on mythological and historical subjects 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 1, scene 4, of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. 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. 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 Choose the most appropriate synonym for a given word Verify interpretations of language using reference materials Explore cause-and-effect relationships Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including synecdoche, antithesis, aphorism, and allusion

Help high school students go beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 1, 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 Define words/phrases as they are used in the text Verify interpretations of language using reference materials Determine the primary function of a given excerpt Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including dramatic irony Conduct brief research on Bethlem Royal Hospital Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (chapters 31, 32, 33, and 34). 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: anguished, appease, camaraderie, diffuse, fruitful, gaiety, ignominious, indifferent, indignity, luxuriate, palpable, querulous, respectively, smoldering, squeamish, subversive, transgression, 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

With this printable test covering the entirety of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, English teachers will be able to evaluate students’ comprehension of key characters, plot developments, and literary craft. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. A breakdown of content follows. Part 1. Knowledge of Plot. Students will demonstrate comprehension of the following: Christopher Sly’s disruptive behavior An activity in which Christopher Sly participates Baptista’s terms for his daughters’ marriages Lucentio’s persona, “Cambio” The quality in women about which Petruchio cares most Hortensio’s persona, “Litio” Petruchio’s intentions for Katharina Baptista’s preferences to be his son-in-law Petruchio’s tardiness to the wedding Petruchio’s appearance on his wedding day Bianca’s assessment of her sister’s relationship An accident involving a horse Petruchio’s strictness Hortensio’s feelings toward Petruchio Petruchio’s eccentric behavior Hortensio’s marriage A test of the wives’ loyalty Katharina’s closing speech Part 2. True/False. Students will identify whether a statement is true or false. Questions focus on: “Cambio’s” area of expertise The nature of the relationship between Bianca and Katharina The first character to reveal his true identity to Bianca Hortensio’s dwindling affection toward Bianca Katharina’s reaction to her husband’s strange behavior Baptista’s negotiating the terms of his daughters’ marriages Baptista and Vincentio’s forgiveness of their children The false Vincentio’s reaction to meeting the real Vincentio Part 3. Quotations in Context. Students will match an excerpt with its appropriate context. Act 1, scene 1: Hark, Tranio! thou may’st hear Minerva speak. Act 1, scene 1: No profit grows where is no pleasure ta’en: / In brief, sir, study what you most affect. Act 2, scene 1: Her silence flouts me, and I’ll be revenged. Act 2, scene 1: O slow-wing’d turtle! shall a buzzard take thee? Act 3, scene 2: Go, girl; I cannot blame thee now to weep; / For such an injury would vex a very saint, / Much more a shrew of thy impatient humour. Act 3, scene 2: That, being mad herself, she’s madly mated. Act 4, scene 2: …here I firmly vow / Never to woo her no more, but do forswear her, / As one unworthy all the former favours / That I have fondly flatter’d her withal. Act 5, scene 1: Fear not, Baptista; we will content you, go to: but / I will in, to be revenged for this villany Act 5, scene 2: A woman moved is like a fountain troubled, / Muddy, ill-seeming, thick, bereft of beauty… Part 4. Application of Literary Devices. Students will be given a detail or excerpt from the drama and must determine which literary device is best reflected. Literary devices addressed include: Sibilance Allusion Hyperbole Anaphora Oxymoron Aposiopesis Idiom Metaphor Consonance Simile Onomatopoeia

Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and promote the development of close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous questions to complement Act 4, scene 2 of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. This resource may serve as the basis for 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 this exercise, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Determine the function of a particular character in the context of the scene Discern the tone of a given excerpt Apply knowledge of literary devices including alliteration, simile, oxymoron, and callback

Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and promote the development of close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous questions to complement Act 4, scene 1 of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. This resource may serve as the basis for 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 this exercise, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor, anaphora, and aposiopesis Express the function of a given excerpt Conduct brief research on the four humours and articulate the findings Analyze research findings to make a logical inference about Petruchio’s mindset Support claims with valid reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and promote the development of close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous questions to complement Act 4, scene 5, of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. This resource may serve as the basis for 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 this exercise, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Define complex words and phrases as they are used in the text Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Articulate Petruchio’s contradictory behavior Apply knowledge of literary devices including allusion, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole Cite textual evidence that contributes to the scene’s farcical tone Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help high school students extend beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 2, scene 1, of Hamlet 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 Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Discern the intended effect of Shakespearean language in context Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Compare and contrast two characters Determine the function of the scene Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on situational irony Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

“The Challenge” by Gary Soto is a coming-of-age short story highlighting the importance of authenticity and unconditional acceptance of others for who they are. This close reading analysis worksheet helps English teachers extend reading comprehension and support the process of critical thinking. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. By completing the close reading activity, students will perform the following tasks: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Discern the intended effect of figurative language in context Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile, metaphor, slang, situational irony, and more Determine the tone of a given passage Navigate nuances in words with similar meanings Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual details Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class/leave class better prepared to discuss literary materials

Help high school students extend beyond basic plot recall and develop close reading analysis skills with this set of high-order questions covering Act 3, scene 4, of Hamlet 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 Define words and phrases as they are used in the text Discern the intended effect of Shakespearean language in context Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on metaphor and personification Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant textual evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision

This assessment measures general reading comprehension, gathers formative data to inform instructional planning, and holds students accountable for the assigned reading of King Lear by Shakespeare (Act 3). An answer key is included. The material is delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Questions pertain to the following relevant details: Character motivations (King of France) The application of metaphor in the text Analysis of King Lear as a dynamic character and articulating relevant textual evidence A character’s treasonous actions Significant details about Gloucester King Lear’s epiphany regarding his treatment of struggling subjects Edgar’s deceptive behavior The application of dramatic irony in the text Edmund as the new Earl of Gloucester Displays of King Lear’s mental decline Regan’s display of disrespect toward Gloucester Cornwall’s cruel and violent acts Cornwall’s injury

This assessment measures general reading comprehension, gathers formative data to inform instructional planning, and holds students accountable for the assigned reading of King Lear by Shakespeare (Act 5). An answer key is included. The material is delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Questions pertain to the following relevant details: Edmund’s deception as it relates to the nature of his relationship with Goneril The delivery of a letter to Albany Edmund’s motives Edgar’s viewpoints on life Cordelia’s attempts to console her father King Lear’s perspective on being held prisoner Goneril’s evil deeds A deadly duel Albany’s motives Edmund’s reaction to his brother’s account Goneril’s suicide One of Edmund’s final acts The death of Cordelia The death of King Lear Kent’s loyalty to the king Edgar’s promotion