With a decade of teaching experience, I specialize in developing student-centered ELA activities and unit plans that foster creativity and critical thinking. My resources have been tried and tested in more than 74,000 classrooms worldwide since 2013.
With a decade of teaching experience, I specialize in developing student-centered ELA activities and unit plans that foster creativity and critical thinking. My resources have been tried and tested in more than 74,000 classrooms worldwide since 2013.
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching chapters 20, 21, 22, and 23 of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. A plot-based quiz, close reading worksheet, vocabulary definitions handout, crossword puzzle, word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials as needed to learn or verify word meanings
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Determine the function of the given excerpt
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Compare the content of Perry’s most recent letter to Kenny to his previous letters
Apply knowledge of literary devices
Choose relevant textual evidence in support of a claim
Write about complex literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching chapters 16, 17, 18, and 19 of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. A plot-based quiz, close reading worksheet, vocabulary definitions handout, crossword puzzle, word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials as needed to learn or verify word meanings
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on foreshadowing
Choose the best textual evidence in support of an idea
Write about complex literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching chapters 13, 14, and 15 of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. A plot-based quiz, close reading worksheet, vocabulary definitions handout, crossword puzzle, word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials as needed to learn or verify word meanings
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Determine the function of the given excerpt
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Choose relevant textual evidence in support of a claim
Write about complex literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching chapters 9, 10, 11, and 12 of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. A plot-based quiz, close reading worksheet, vocabulary definitions handout, crossword puzzle, word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials as needed to learn or verify word meanings
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on alliteration
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8 of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. A plot-based quiz, close reading worksheet, vocabulary definitions handout, crossword puzzle, word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials as needed to learn or verify word meanings
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Evaluate the positive and negative aspects of a particular situation
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on dramatic irony, personification, and simile
Write about complex literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Evaluate general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this bundle of materials for teaching chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. A plot-based quiz, two close reading worksheets, a vocabulary definitions handout, a crossword puzzle, a word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
Consult reference materials as needed to learn or verify word meanings
Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Determine the function of an excerpt
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Isolate examples of figurative language
Conduct brief research to identify parallels between the narrator and the author James Baldwin
Select textual evidence in support of a claim
Write about complex literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this bundle of plot-based quizzes covering the entirety of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Each quiz may double as a guided reading worksheet to support engagement and promote accountability. Answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Evaluate reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering a portion of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (chapters 21, 22, 23, and 24). The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to support engagement and promote accountability. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By taking this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Chillingworth’s deception
Dimmesdale’s outward appearance as he begins his sermon
Mistress Hibbins’ remarks about Dimmesdale
Where Hester is when the sermon is delivered
The ship master’s offering to Pearl
The nature of the sermon
How the public reacts to the sermon
The narrator’s view on what the story’s lesson is
What Chillingworth willed to Pearl
Where Hester and Pearl move to
Whether Hester returns to the Boston area
Where Hester is eventually laid to rest
Evaluate reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering a portion of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (chapters 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20). The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to support engagement and promote accountability. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By taking this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Pearl’s playful behavior
Pearl’s curiosities
Hester’s reaction to Pearl’s repeated questioning
Where Hester plans to meet Dimmesdale
How light interacts with Hester and Pearl respectively
How Dimmesdale believes he could achieve inner peace
The only sin worse than hypocrisy, according to Dimmesdale
Why Pearl becomes reluctant to approach her mother
The plan for Hester and Dimmesdale’s shared future
Dimmesdale’s unexpected behaviors
Evaluate reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering a portion of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (chapters 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14). The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to support engagement and promote accountability. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By taking this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Dimmesdale’s mindset
The effect of his mindset on his sermons
Pearl’s age
Hester’s nickname
The new meaning of Hester’s “A”
Dimmesdale’s climbing up to the scaffold
Whether Dimmesdale considers admitting his sins publicly
Dimmesdale’s promise to Pearl
A sudden event in the sky
Hester’s interaction with Chillingworth
Hester’s perspective on how much influence magistrates should have on whether her letter should be removed
Evaluate reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering a portion of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (chapters 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9). The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to support engagement and promote accountability. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By taking this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
The name of Hester’s daughter
The narrator’s commentary on where people tend to be situated
How Hester makes money
Hester’s treatment of the community
The daughter’s social isolation
How townspeople attempt to complicate Hester’s relationship with her child
Bellingham’s role
Hester’s assessment of the roles of her daughter in her life
Chillingworth’s deception
Where Chillingworth lives
Why Chillingworth comes to despise a neighbor
How townspeople perceive Chillingworth
Evaluate reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering a portion of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4). The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to support engagement and promote accountability. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By taking this quiz, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following:
Setting
What (or who) Hester carries in her arms
The letter with which Hester is marked
The accusation against Hester
John Wilson’s job
Dimmesdale’s job
Demands placed upon Hester
Whether or not Hester follows through on those demands
Chillingworth’s relation to Hester
Chillingworth’s intentions
Evaluate general reading comprehension and align World History and English Language Arts curricula with this plot-based quiz covering the short story “Suzy and Leah” by Jane Yolen, a piece that draws attention to the tragedies of the Holocaust. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the text. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Setting
Narrative style
Leah’s background and outlook on the world
Why Suzy laughs at a refugee boy
An aspect of school that scares Leah
Suzy’s first impressions of Leah
The benefit of writing in terms of Leah’s daily life
How Leah helps a boy named Avi
What motivates Leah’s attitude toward Suzy’s mother
Suzy’s betrayal of Leah and her emotional response to betraying Leah
And more
Evaluate reading comprehension, support vocabulary development, facilitate the process of academic research, and integrate narrative nonfiction into the English Language Arts classroom with this bundle of activities and assessments for teaching Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. Six quizzes, three vocabulary application activities, three crossword puzzles, three word search games, a comprehensive research project, a summative test, 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
Consult reference materials to learn and verify word meanings as needed
Discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences
Explore how figures in the text think, behave, interact, and develop
Articulate connections between a research topic and the assigned text
Evaluate the credibility of nonfiction texts, taking into consideration readability, date, relevance, expertise, and bias
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
Write a brief essay addressing the author’s resilience, supporting claims with relevant textual evidence and adhering to the standard conventions of written English
Come to class better prepared to discuss narrative nonfiction
Evaluate general reading comprehension and align English Language Arts and World History curricula with this plot-based quiz covering Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Old Man at the Bridge,” a piece of historical fiction addressing the Spanish Civil War. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate engagement with the narrative. An answer key and copy of the public domain text are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
Point of view
The narrator’s role
Weather conditions
A relevant holiday
The old man’s age
The old man’s home city
The reason the old man is the last person to leave the city
The old man’s personal background
The old man’s health condition
The old man’s perspective on cats
And more
Support vocabulary development, enhance reading comprehension, and align English Language Arts and American History curricula with this set of games and activities covering Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Soldier’s Home,” a piece of historical fiction focusing on the effects of war on a Marine who returns from fighting in World War I. A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain narrative, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats.
Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: ambition, apocryphal, atrocity, bar, beau, boast, court, elaborately, hamper, muss, noncommittal, resentful, vaguely, and wander.
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
Evaluate general reading comprehension and align English Language Arts and World History curricula with this plot-based quiz covering Rebecca Harding Davis’ short story “Life in the Iron Mills,” one of the earliest narratives representing the realist movement in American Literature. A dominant theme is the unpleasant effects of the industrial revolution on common workers, such as the two Welsh immigrants who propel the story. An answer key and copy of the public domain text are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
General characterization of Deborah
General characterization of Wolfe
General characterization of the narrator
General characterization of Clarke Kirby
General characterization of Mitchell
General characterization of Haley
General characterization of Janey
A significant object in the story
Evaluate general reading comprehension and align English Language Arts and American History curricula with this plot-based quiz covering Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Soldier’s Home,” a piece of historical fiction focusing on the effects of war on a Marine who returns from fighting in World War I. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate engagement with the narrative. An answer key and copy of the public domain text are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of plot:
The protagonist’s educational background
The military branch in which the protagonist is enlisted
Why the protagonist finds it difficult to talk to others
The protagonist’s physical effects of lying and exaggerating stories
The protagonist’s musical instrument
What the protagonist does that temporarily makes him feel better
Helen’s relation to the protagonist
The protagonist’s relationship with his parents
How the protagonist makes his mother cry
The protagonist’s response to his mother’s tears
The resolution
Evaluate general reading comprehension, sharpen critical thinking skills, and align English Language Arts curriculum with world history by using these resources for Tim O’Brien’s short story “Ambush,” which addresses a soldier’s experience during the Vietnam War. A plot-based quiz, a close reading analysis worksheet, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Utilize dictionaries to ensure knowledge of word meanings
Isolate details that contribute to a surreal atmosphere
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the functions of given details and characters
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on onomatopoeia
Articulate how the narrative fits the classification of ‘cautionary story’
Support claims and inferences with relevant evidence and sound reasoning
Write about literature with clarity, precision, and accuracy
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
Help middle and high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and develop critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering the short story “Ambush” by Tim O’Brien, which addresses a soldier’s experience during the Vietnam War. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will:
Read for literal comprehension
Utilize dictionaries to ensure knowledge of word meanings
Isolate details that contribute to a surreal atmosphere
Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques
Discern the functions of given details and characters
Describe tone in context
Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop
Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on onomatopoeia
Articulate how the narrative fits the classification of ‘cautionary story’
Support claims and inferences with relevant evidence and sound reasoning
Write about literature with clarity, precision, and accuracy
Come to class better prepared to discuss literature
